I hope Jim Salk is in business for a very long time, because he has just earned a lifelong customer.
The speakers look amazing, but something that is still difficult for me to grasp, is that they sound even better than they look. I now hear music rather than speakers playing music.
Short Review / Initial Impressions (not meant to be technical):
Looks and Craftsmanship: I had some friends over last night, and we spent at least 30 minutes just looking at the speakers. They are beautiful, and it's also fun to hear the different patterns people see in the speakers. Last night I got guitar, little guy with his hands up, squirrel, pelvis, and battle axe just to name a few. If you'd like to see more pics, just ask. One picture that I missed, is that of the back, which has the same patterns, and looks just as good as the rest of the speaker. Another thing I think that really adds to these speakers, is they have just enough asymmetry in the veneer. Jim did an excellent job of bookmatching the veneer, but as you look closely, small difference appear. At first this bothered me a little, but then I began to realize, that the speakers are truly unique. There are no other speakers like these, and there never will be (until my matching center and surrounds are built
). The subtle difference in the veneer, make these speakers look like they were grown in nature rather than built. The more I look at them, the more I like them. Also, the cabinets feel very solid and heavy. I hear no resonance at all (side note though: I would be hesitant to get the 3/4" version. The 6.5" woofers are surprisingly powerful, and I think the extra mass and rigidity of 1" is needed.).
Highs:Smooooooooooth! I think it's the combination of my AVA amp and preamp along with the ribbon tweeters. I've played music I know to be harsh sounding, but it never comes across that way with these speakers. Don't misunderstand though, they do this without losing or sacrificing any high frequency detail (at least to my ears). They also blend seamlessly with the mids. I can find no faults here.
Mids:I've never heard voices or instruments sound so real. From my experience, most speakers color the sound making the mids somewhat muddy. I think this is from trying to get them to play low enough. There is no "muddiness" at all with the mids. Everything is tight and accurate. I'm listening to Stevie Ray right now, and his guitar has never sounded so beautiful!
Lows:This is possibly one of the most impressive aspects of these speakers. I just can't believe how low and loud the woofers can play. Messing around with test tones, these speakers have usable bass well into the 20s. When I played a 29Hz test tone, my door was literally shaking and rattling (resonant frequency). This has only happened in the past when I had subs turned up LOUD. I previously had a 15" Dayton Titanic sub with at 1000 W RMS amp. I don't feel that I'm missing anything without it now. Also these speakers don't have a "ported" sound. I've never liked the sound of ported speakers. They tend to have a boomy and muddy sound, but the Salks don't have either of these traits.
Imaging and Soundstage:Things sound like they should. The locations of singers and instruments can easily be picked out. Even with complex music, everything stays clear and defined. The music also sounds like it's coming from behind the speakers, rather than being localized to each speaker. I see the word transparency used a lot, and it fits perfectly here. Even when sitting directly in front of one speaker, there is still depth to the sound. It's become apparent though that my room is in need of further sound treatment.
Connected Equipment:My AVA amp and preamp seem like a perfect match. I know Jim says that the HT2-TLs really don't need much power, but these speakers appear to take everything my ultra 550 can dish out. I'm not saying that these won't sound good with a lower power amp, but If you have the money, I would definitely try to get a powerful amp. I've also become aware that I need a better DAC. There's a huge difference in sound between my ipod (lossless) and my oppo blu ray player. Previously they sounded about the same. Time to add an external DAC.
Final Thoughts: I've always felt that my listening preferences were different than those of speaker manufactures. I usually think to myself that if I had built the speakers or had a DSP available, that I'd do something to change the sound. I've NEVER been able to sit back, relax, and just listen to and enjoy music without noticing some flaw. I was able to accomplish this within the first few seconds of listening to the HT2-TLs.
Thanks again Jim. I am truly a happy and 100% satisfied customer.
