[fsimms]

Since I am one of the first persons to get SongTowers, I thought I would post a few observations of the new SongTowers and my HT1's. 

The SongTowers have a great midrange which is shown best on the voice.  On the Songs, voices sound comparable to the HT1's.  The Songs capture a lot of the bloom of the voice.  This difference varies from song to song. It would be a matter of personal preference which was best. 

The Songs also image a bit better than the HT1's.  The Songs have a wide and deep image.  The HT1's are very good at imaging too.

On most instruments, the clarity of the HT1's transforms the music into another realm.

In the three years that I have had the HT1's, one of my girl friend's favorite things to do is to come over and just listen to music on the speakers for a couple of hours straight.  The  SongTowers are close enough to the HT1's that when switched to the SongTowers and she did not notice that I had changed speakers.  The Songs sound so musical that they create a wonderful live sounding experience.  The next time she came over, I switched back to the HT1's.  The clarity of the HT1's gave an excitement to each song that the Songs could not match.  When the bars on a xylophone were hit, you could almost see the bars vibrating on their felt pads!  Without that excitement, I am sure that we would not spend the time we do just listing to music.  We mostly listened to the Singer's and Standard's channel on digital cable TV.

The bass on the Songs goes much lower than the HT1's.  Watching The Sum of All Fears, the Songs can give some of the 2 channel theater experience that elude the HT1's without a sub.

O Brother, Where Art Thou sounds better on the SongTowers.  The acapella voices played to the imaging and voice strengths of the SongTowers.  If there were more instruments on the sound track then I am sure the choice would be reversed.

The SongTowers are a vinyl player's dream. There seems to be a synergy with my vinyl rig.

I listened to the record, “Torme A New Album” by Mel Torme.  The sound of Mel was much more glorious with the SongTowers. The voice had a lot of musical bloom.  I felt as if I was listening to Mel live on a stage in my room.  I was very surprised at how good the record was.  I then listened to the same album on my HT1's.  Mel's voice was very plain and realistic.  Most of the bloom was gone.  I felt that Mel was in the room with me singing without a microphone, warts and all!  Mell's voice needs all the help it can get!  It is amazing that the ribbon tweeter can make such a big difference!  It would be a personal  choice which one was preferred.


Although they both sound "Live", and have great midranges,  they sound very different to me.   The SongTowers are top quality, from the normal speaker point of view.  With the ribbon tweeter, the HT1's are in a different universe from mere mortal speakers.  The SongTowers are like you are at a live concert and the HT1's sound like you are in a recording studio in the same room as the musicians.

[Toka]

Excellent write-up! Thank you! 

[JLM]

"Mell's voice needs all the help it can get!"       

[DMurphy]

Thanks for all the comments.  I'm going to venture a guess as to the source of the observed differences between the HT1 and towers.  First, the matter of "bloom" almost certainly has to do with the woofers, not the tweeters.  As I've commented before, the W18 has a unique midbass presentation.  It is, depending on the listener, either extremely realistic, or, alternatively,  "thin."  I think I belong in the first camp.  The CA15's have a little more warmth in the midbass.  Overall, I think the CA15 has less "warmth" than most other woofers, but I can hear the difference when comparing the W18 and CA15 under carefully controlled conditions.  Second, the HT1 may well have more detail at the very top of its range.  That's not because the ribbon has less "distortion" in the traditional sense.  The 0W2 actually measures better in terms of harmonic distortion.  But the top end of the G2 ribbon is more extended, and its very small moving mass may confer some transient advantages, although that's controversial.  Frankly, my main goal with the towers was to maximize bass performance in a small foot-print speaker, and achieve as clean a midrange as possible.  I also wanted the highs to be at least very good, which is one of the reasons I chose 3/4" tweeters, but I never expected to equal or exceed the ribbon designs in that department.

[fsimms]

Thanks for all the comments.

My pleasure.

I'm going to venture a guess as to the source of the observed differences between the HT1 and towers.  First, the matter of "bloom" almost certainly has to do with the woofers, not the tweeters.  As I've commented before, the W18 has a unique midbass presentation.  It is, depending on the listener, either extremely realistic, or, alternatively,  "thin."  I think I belong in the first camp.  The CA15's have a little more warmth in the midbass.  Overall, I think the CA15 has less "warmth" than most other woofers, but I can hear the difference when comparing the W18 and CA15 under carefully controlled conditions.

I totally agree!  The main way that I can tell that the Songs have "warmth" is by comparing them to the HT1's.  The Songs are very natural sounding to me.

Frankly, my main goal with the towers was to maximize bass performance in a small foot-print speaker, and achieve as clean a midrange as possible.  I also wanted the highs to be at least very good, which is one of the reasons I chose 3/4" tweeters, but I never expected to equal or exceed the ribbon designs in that department.

You certainly achieved your goals!

[R Swerdlow]

Let me add my thanks for your excellent write up about your new SongTowers.  Sometimes these reviews ignore the influence of the speakers that you have been most accustomed to listening to.  I appreciate how you paid such close attention to that.  Many people debate the differences between metal and paper woofers, and often overstate the influence of driver materials.  Your write up helps put that into perspective.

Because my favorite speakers for listening are Dennis's DIY 2-way design that use the same drivers as in the Songs, I don't expect I'll hear much difference between the two, other than the enhanced bass of the Songs.

I eagerly await my turn to unpack some speakers.

[fsimms]

If you get a chance to compare some recordings with more instruments (orchestral, say) I'd like to hear about it.

Listing to the Classic 24/96 DAD of Rapsody in Blue  the HT1's have a wider image than the SongTowers.  The extra clarity of the HT1's are put to good effect on the orchestra.  The kettle drum is better on the SongTowers as they have a lower range.   The SongTowers also play a bit louder without distress with my 200 watt McCormick.

All of these differences weren't large.  They both did a great job.


PS.  A special thanks to Toka and Swerdlow for their nice compliments.

[LadyDog]

Nice review. 

one of my girl friend's favorite things to do is to come over and just listen to music on the speakers for a couple of hours straight

Sounds like you've got something special there, where do I get one. 

[fsimms]

Sounds like you've got something special there, where do I get one.

Yes they are very special!  You can get them at url below.

www.salksound.com

[fsimms]

uhh. i think he was referring to your girlfriend.

Oops! LOL

[fsimms]

                               

Here is a picture of the SongTowers in my room.  You can also see the left HT1.  To switch back to the HT1's, I would just replace the right speaker.

PS Sorry about the size of the picture.  If you want to see a much bigger picture the you can click on the link below.

http://www.ghg.net/fsimms/SongTowers.jpg

[Dekpm19]

                               

Here is a picture of the SongTowers in my room.  You can also see the left HT1.  To switch back to the HT1's, I would just replace the right speaker.

I like the look of the songtowers next to your tv.
Allen

[adydula]

This is an old thread, but its still very valid today in the later part of 2010!! LOL

The SongTowers paired with good electronics and great material are indeed wonderful.

I have had mine for going on 2 years this next feb and they still sound marvelous.

The addition of a Frank VanAlstine Ultravalve amp and AVA Insight + preamp have made all the difference in the world, I cant listen to my AVR with the SongTowers any more its that different.

The transient response, imaging, and natural sounding nature of this 'pairing' is just a marraige made in heaven.

Its all about the music, and these speakers and the AVA gear allow you to experience it to the utmost!

All the best
Alex