I'm interested in hearing opinions or experience about the Synergistic Research Acoustic Art room treatment I have seen in recent TAS. Also a link is included. What's the current thought, something real or more 'snake oil'??
http://www.synergisticresearch.com/?p=195
Minn Mark
I very much like the British Harbeth line of speakers. Heard the Harbeth M40.1 at '09 THE Show (parallels CES dates). The room employed the gizmos described in the link above. IMO there may have been some bass irregularities related to the smallish room, but from the low mids up it was one of my very favorites. These are fantastic speakers worth hearing for discerning audiophiles very familiar w/ the sound of live acoustic instruments. I've done business w/ the US distributor Walter Swanbon (Fidelus, N.H.) & he is a great, low-key reseller. The speaker designer Alan Shaw was very kind, gracious & humble.
The two principals above IMO would never sell or promote snake oil. My friend said the exhibitors told him they were convinced the gizmo's audible advantage; also that later during THE Show they would do A-B tests w/ vs. w/o the gizmos. I regretfully missed it. Considering the portability one might easily assume a dealer would offer the same A-B test.
I viewed a price sheet & must admit I thought the number was retail, then looked at the column heading & saw it was the dealer price. (I often guess prices either exactly correct or within a few percent.) IIRC about $3200 USD MSRP.
Again, above the bass range the sound was very attractive. Hey, they look different from most acoustic treatments!