AudioCircle

Industry Circles => Salk Signature Sound => Topic started by: jsalk on 19 Sep 2014, 05:44 pm

Title: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: jsalk on 19 Sep 2014, 05:44 pm
BRM originally commissioned this pair of SoundScape 8's in tamo ash finished in a blue aniline dye.

Here is a picture...

(http://salksound.com/gallery/ss8/ss8-tamoash-blue.jpg)

When Doug purchased them and ordered a matching center, he decided that blue wasn't what he really wanted.  He really wanted dark green in honor of the Michigan State Spartans.  But then he had second thoughts.  On the advice of his wife, he decided a more natural color would be better.

Here are the results...

(http://salksound.com/gallery/ss8/ss8-tamoash-redbrown.jpg)

And a close-up...

(http://salksound.com/gallery/ss8/ss8-tamoash-redbrown-cu.jpg)

Happy listening Doug!

- Jim
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: JonnyFive on 19 Sep 2014, 06:15 pm
Awesome Jim (and Doug)!

Doug, I'm going to take partial credit on this one for being the voice of WAF in our emails.  ;)

Those look classy!

Enjoy!
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Austin08 on 19 Sep 2014, 07:42 pm
Awesome!!!!!! Bye bye Blue....  :lol:
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Randy on 19 Sep 2014, 07:47 pm
Go Blue!  No wonder he changed the color.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: SCompRacer on 19 Sep 2014, 08:07 pm
Beautiful! Just curious Jim, or nosy :D, what procedure was used to change the color? I can see they still have the same veneer based on the patterns.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: robcentola on 19 Sep 2014, 10:20 pm
Wow
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: jtwrace on 19 Sep 2014, 10:24 pm
That's pretty amazing. 
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Kenneth Patchen on 19 Sep 2014, 10:49 pm
Wow! Double wow! That really is amazing, same veneer pattern but completely different color. Magnificent!
That certainly ranks up there with the coolest things I've seen on AC.

... Wow!
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 19 Sep 2014, 10:51 pm
Just so you know how damn good Jim is at this...

I had asked him for a carmel/espresso color that looks like the outside of this guitar picture, as much as a sunburst would be cool short term, thought the solid made the most sense long term.

The other explanation I could have given was something between two of my favorite Bell's beers.  The Bell's amber and the Bell's Best Brown Ale...

Well done... will be loading these in the family truckster on Monday.


(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=105592)
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Wig on 20 Sep 2014, 12:49 am
Looks good and with the new Salk emblem...

Wig :thumb:
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Big Red Machine on 20 Sep 2014, 02:18 am
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=systems;area=browse;system=1393


(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=61411)
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: audiotom on 20 Sep 2014, 04:30 am
This fellow Spartan is red with envy
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Tomy2Tone on 20 Sep 2014, 11:36 am
It's like a magic trick, or is it just Salk being Salk?
I think it's the latter!
Congrats on your new speakers!
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 22 Sep 2014, 09:43 pm
So I just picked them up today.

The pictures look good that Jim posted, but I have to be honest (and this really isn't a honeymoon stage thing) the color really looks better and richer and slightly darker in person.  The blue is a pretty accurate representation in the pictures, but the color Jim did for me looks a shade deeper and richer.  I'll try to post some pictures here eventually. Currently waiting for my neighbor to get home to haul these beasts to my basement.

Saw some cool stuff in the shop also including some completed and almost completed exotica's.

Can't wait to get my system back together.  My pre-pro is a week-out from a warranty repair.  Going to have to use my BDP 103 as a pre-pro for now.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: sfox7076 on 22 Sep 2014, 09:49 pm
How did mine look?  And I have always been partial to Oberon when it comes to Bells.  Well, ok, I do love the stout. 

The color is great.  Who made the guitar?  I went for a veneer that is a bit off the beaten path, but natural wood.  I hope they are stunning.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Big Red Machine on 22 Sep 2014, 10:34 pm
So I just picked them up today.

The pictures look good that Jim posted, but I have to be honest (and this really isn't a honeymoon stage thing) the color really look better and richer and slightly darker in person. 

Always better in person.   :wink:

How about that center?
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: richidoo on 22 Sep 2014, 10:55 pm
Photoshop, right?  :lol:

Those are beautiful speakers in blue or brown.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: PeteG on 22 Sep 2014, 11:00 pm
Always better in person.   :wink:

How about that center?

Pete, you had one cool looking set-up.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 23 Sep 2014, 02:21 am
How did mine look?  And I have always been partial to Oberon when it comes to Bells.  Well, ok, I do love the stout. 

The color is great.  Who made the guitar?  I went for a veneer that is a bit off the beaten path, but natural wood.  I hope they are stunning.

Not sure who made the guitar.

Are your's the exotica's going to New York?  I did see a pair like that...
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 23 Sep 2014, 02:24 am
Always better in person.   :wink:

How about that center?

So finally set-up.  Using my BDP 103 as a pre-pro as I'm waiting for my Classe SSP-800 to return.  So, it's not nearly what it could be.

But I can tell you that I was torn on the center from either a SS7 or just going a bit smaller.   The SS7 is a big center, but the vocals are SO damn clear on the SS8's I just had to have that midrange and tweeter in my center.  Particularly since i listen to a lot of Blu-Ray concerts.

Just listening tonight to monday night football and a couple blu-rays I'm very happy I went this route.  It's awsome and male voices in particular are full like they should be.

As far as in person, yup so much better than even the pictures.  It's deeper and richer a touch of the espresso color I was looking for comes through.

Can't wait to get my pre-pro back.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: jtwrace on 23 Sep 2014, 02:36 am
How about an installed picture?   :thumb:
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 23 Sep 2014, 02:42 am
How about an installed picture?   :thumb:

Will do here in the next day or three. 
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: jtwrace on 23 Sep 2014, 02:45 am
Will do here in the next day or three.
:thumb:
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: sfox7076 on 23 Sep 2014, 01:31 pm
Mine are the pair headed to NYC (Brooklyn to be exact).
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 23 Sep 2014, 06:46 pm
Mine are the pair headed to NYC (Brooklyn to be exact).

Yes, I did see those.  I had not seen exoticas before other than Jim's demo's.  Honestly at first I thought they were SS8's with different drivers as the cabinets are so similar.  Didn't realize that the stock cabinets were just a shade taller than the SS8's. 

Good looking set of speakers, but I don't want to say much beyond that.  Anticipation is half of the fun.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: diofan56 on 12 Oct 2014, 08:57 pm
I really like that nice rich brown stain.  What color do you call it?
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: jsalk on 13 Oct 2014, 02:09 pm
There is not really a specific color name.  Doug sent us a picture of a guitar he really liked and we matched the color.

- Jim
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 13 Oct 2014, 04:46 pm
I really like that nice rich brown stain.  What color do you call it?

I can tell you it's deeper and richer, and slightly less orange even in person (though my room is dark).

Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 13 Oct 2014, 07:09 pm
There were a few requests for pictures.  This isn't the greatest, and I'm cleaning up a few things like the wiring... but here is a general idea.  Flash makes things look a bit shiny.



(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=106812)
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Tomy2Tone on 13 Oct 2014, 07:24 pm
  Flash makes things look a bit shiny.


Do you have a satin finish?

They look awesome!
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 13 Oct 2014, 07:50 pm
Do you have a satin finish?

They look awesome!

Yes, satin finish.  The flash makes it look a bit more shiny than it is.  It also brings more of the lighter colors out.
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: DEP14 on 18 Apr 2015, 09:18 pm
Since I'm a father of four first... I may be selling these beauties along with the matching SS7 center channel (built last year) due to some unexpected bills (a couple of emergency surgeries etc), and honestly I have a couple other investments I don't want to dip into and I do have other speakers.

Crushes me (though I would eventually have Jim build some more I suspect), but if it's at all of interest let me know.  I'm going to formally make a decision here in the next week or so, but let it be known that I may have a really nice front soundstage for sale at a nice price (and immediate availability)...

picture below should show how their color can shift based on lighting.  Jims first picture shows the veneer.

(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=119384)
Title: Re: SoundScape 8's not blue anymore...
Post by: Nuance on 20 Apr 2015, 06:40 pm
^ Sorry to hear - I've been there and feel for ya man.  I hope you're able to hold onto them though, as Jim performed an amazing transformation on them.  I miss mine every day, so I hope you get to keep them.