[Big Red Machine]

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0710/salk_sound_veracity_ht1_tl.htm

[Nuance]

Congrats Jim - another great review. 

[coke]

 

[R Swerdlow]

Two more great reviews in one week!  It's going to be harder to keep us rabble entertained in the future .

Although it's getting monotonous reading reviews written by people who don't seem to understand transmission line cabinets, it is gratifying to read this:

The only thing that keeps the HT1-TL's imaging and soundstaging performance from getting the prize for best trait of this speaker is their lifelike sound of in the upper mids and treble.  The relatively pricey LCY ribbon tweeter that Salk employs not only sounds smooth and lifelike, its integration into the rest of the speaker's sound is exemplary, and this no doubt due to at least in part to the crossover design of these speakers.  In theory the LCY ribbon can reach down to 1.8 kHz, but the judicious use of the crossover to hand off the upper mids to the woofer at around 2.2 kHz makes the Seas 7-inch driver not only work well within its specified frequency range, but makes both drivers sound as if the sound is coming from a single point source, at least from the lowest midrange frequencies on up.

Yes, its really all about the midrange.  Congratulations go out to Jim, Dennis, and Paul - again .

[OgOgilby]

The hits keep on coming - congrats Jim, Dennis, and the gang!

[gtommers]

Wow, congrats to the Salk team for another very positive review!!!

For fun, I compared the final scores vs the Songtower (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0408/stalk_signature_songtower.htm) . Doing this comparison really shows how truly exceptional the Songtower is! (spoiler: The Songtower wins in all categories except one)

It looks like the scores are intended to be comparable across reviews (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/judging/):

"To wrap things up here, we have sixeen (16) categories. The rating are from zero (0) Blue Notes being the worst possible to five (5) being the best, virtually perfect sound. When each one is scored and commented upon within a review, it should give you a good indication of the overall quality of a product.  While this new type of review measuring is not the "end-all-be-all", you can now get a quantitative measured subjective review that can be easily used to compare other products. Please keep in mind when it comes to sound quality, five notes is the very best regardless of price. The scale does not move, graded on a curve, simply because a product is $500 versus $5000.. or $50,000. So, as an example, a five note rating for Midrange on a $500 product is the same sound quality as 5 notes for a $50,000 product. Yes, each reviewer will have her or his own baseline yet we at  Enjoy the Music.com are making a step towards a proper solution."

[Art_Chicago]

Well done Jim 
seems like the reviewer would need Frank's amps-- primaluna tube amps or even 95W of the solid state may not be sufficient to drive 84dB speakers. It would improve the attack and the bass response, imho.
Great review otherwise!

[Nuance]

Wow, congrats to the Salk team for another very positive review!!!

For fun, I compared the final scores vs the Songtower (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0408/stalk_signature_songtower.htm) . Doing this comparison really shows how truly exceptional the Songtower is! (spoiler: The Songtower wins in all categories except one)

It looks like the scores are intended to be comparable across reviews (http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/judging/):

"To wrap things up here, we have sixeen (16) categories. The rating are from zero (0) Blue Notes being the worst possible to five (5) being the best, virtually perfect sound. When each one is scored and commented upon within a review, it should give you a good indication of the overall quality of a product.  While this new type of review measuring is not the "end-all-be-all", you can now get a quantitative measured subjective review that can be easily used to compare other products. Please keep in mind when it comes to sound quality, five notes is the very best regardless of price. The scale does not move, graded on a curve, simply because a product is $500 versus $5000.. or $50,000. So, as an example, a five note rating for Midrange on a $500 product is the same sound quality as 5 notes for a $50,000 product. Yes, each reviewer will have her or his own baseline yet we at  Enjoy the Music.com are making a step towards a proper solution."

I noticed that too.  It's a shame the same guy didn't review both (as I assume the HT1-TL is clearly a better speaker).

Well done Jim 
seems like the reviewer would need Frank's amps-- primaluna tube amps or even 95W of the solid state may not be sufficient to drive 84dB speakers. It would improve the attack and the bass response, imho.
Great review otherwise!

Yeah, what's with using underpowered amps in the review?  Oh well...

[cacophony777]

I noticed that too.  It's a shame the same guy didn't review both (as I assume the HT1-TL is clearly a better speaker).

Perhaps the smaller drivers and thinner width give the Songtower some advantages? (the whole "perfect storm" that Jim often mentions  )

[jd3]

Very nice!  Score another impressive review

[Nuance]

Perhaps the smaller drivers and thinner width give the Songtower some advantages? (the whole "perfect storm" that Jim often mentions  )

Could be; I don't know.  I've heard the HT2-TL's, which are larger all the way around, and they sounded better to my ears.  But heck - I dunno. 

[DMurphy]

Perhaps the smaller drivers and thinner width give the Songtower some advantages? (the whole "perfect storm" that Jim often mentions  )

Using the same subjective rating scale can't generate comparable ratings if the reviewers are different.  I wouldn't waste any time comparing the scores for the ST with the HT1 TL.  In any event, one clue to the favorable HT1 review might be found here:  "The crossover is designed by Dennis Murphy, who I know little if anything about."   We might not be so lucky the next time. 

[Art_Chicago]

Using the same subjective rating scale can't generate comparable ratings if the reviewers are different.  I wouldn't waste any time comparing the scores for the ST with the HT1 TL.  In any event, one clue to the favorable HT1 review might be found here:  "The crossover is designed by Dennis Murphy, who I know little if anything about."   We might not be so lucky the next time. 

yeah we don't know that guy

[Big Red Machine]

yeah we don't know that guy

Well, we know him, but we'll play nice anyways!

[ArthurDent]

Kudos Jim, Dennis, Paul, & company !    More well deserved recognition of your efforts.

one clue to the favorable HT1 review might be found here:  "The crossover is designed by Dennis Murphy, who I know little if anything about."   We might not be so lucky the next time. 

Enjoy the peace and quiet of your anonymity while you can.

[newzooreview]

Perhaps the smaller drivers and thinner width give the Songtower some advantages? (the whole "perfect storm" that Jim often mentions  )

For what it's worth, my impressions of the HT1-TL and SongTowers are here: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=72521.0

I ended up with the HT1-TL, and I'm very happy with them. Your mileage may vary.

[newzooreview]

I noticed that too.  It's a shame the same guy didn't review both (as I assume the HT1-TL is clearly a better speaker).

Yeah, what's with using underpowered amps in the review?  Oh well...

  Second that. I've been using my HT1-TL's with a 500W per channel Wyred4Sound amp, and the speakers do not in any sense have "slightly wooly bass". Far from it. The reviewer needs to be looking at his amps: these are 84dB loudspeakers that want a lot of current available to provide the quick control that will affect the two things that he faults: transient response (or attack) and bass clarity and depth.

It's great that he's hearing all of the other attributes of the speakers, but not even suggesting that he may have had problems matching source components to the speakers is silly.

Oh, well. It will, I hope, get some more folks to take a look at Salks.

[rocker9999]

Another solid review. I am leaning towards the HT1 monitors more everyday. Question to the group. Has anyone heard of Harmony Audio, in Bloomington, Indiana? They have a speaker named the Harmony Signature Freya - trying to find some comments regarding this monitor before I commit to the HT1. Thanks for any comments.

[fsimms]

I can’t comment on the Freya, but I do know that the Seas Excel magnesium driver is a very difficult one to get a good crossover with.   Dennis Murphy, who did the HT1, has done the best job with the crossover that I have heard.  I have listened to very fine speakers that cost up to 16k that use this midrange.

Bob