CA Audio Show & New Owner

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yamashirod

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CA Audio Show & New Owner
« on: 7 Aug 2010, 01:15 am »
I am a long time lurker (researcher) and appreciate all of the input and posts from you experts.  Your posts and accurate descriptions led me purchase Salk speakers without hearing them.  I have now owned ST RTs in standard curly maple with matching center channel with the ribbon for a few months.  My system is in my family room and is used for 2.1 music and HT; my musical preference is acoustic jazz and classical, although my family listens to pretty much all genres.

I attended the CA Audio Show this past weekend for several reasons.  First, to meet Mr. Jim Salk; second, to hear the Soundscapes and third, to hear the ST RTs with the AVA ultravlave amp.

So first, it was a huge pleasure to meet Jim; I could have talked with him for days.  I felt as though I already knew him from all of the posts and comments on AC; believe me, I've read all of them multiple times.  I had my son with me because his ears are better than mine and he appreciates our STs.  After we left the show he said that Mr. Salk was really cool.  Every room we visited was a sales pitch but Jim's room was about music.  He let his speakers and equipment "speak" for themselves.  This is from a kid that will be starting college in a few weeks.

Second, the Soundscapes are simply magnificent.  They are so smooth; music just pours out of them with absolutely no effort.  I didn't like listening to them only because I cannot afford them.  They are incredible and his personnal pair are stunning.

Third, the ST RTs with the AVA ultravalve gear sounded fantastic.  I've been readying myself to listen for the differences; I have a Parasound 2100 & 2250 driving my STs.  My son and I have been listening to our system with the LA Four for hours so we could hear what the AVA gear does.  Jim was nice enough to allow the entire disk to play.  Near the end, I turned to him and said "They sound fantastic!"  I'm no critic, but the AVA gear really rounds out the sound; it takes any edges out of the music.

I always thought I would eventually upgrade and Jim allows for upgrades (imagine that!) but I am so happy with the Song Towers right now that I don't see the need to upgrade.  Everyday I marvel at the sound I have in my own house and cannot believe I own something that sounds so good.  I also want to say that the STs really shine for HT; movies, television, bluray, etc. sound much better than before.  There is so much more clarity to human voices and sounds.

If I do get the upgrade bug in the future and I can afford it (if the wife will let me), my plan would be to get the HT2-TLs and Frank's ultravalve amp and preamp to make a dedicated 2 channel system and leave my current system in place.

Again, everyday I listen to either music or watch movies and cannot believe I actually own something that sounds so good.  Thanks to Jim and his entire staff for building these speakers.  Thanks to Dennis for the crossover design and (is it) Paul K. for the cabinet design; and all of you that have posted that led me to Salk heaven.  I am so happy!

A few months ago when the FedEx driver left the boxes with me, I set up the speakers and played the demo disk.  The first sounds to come out of the speakers in my home was Jennifer Warnes' "Somewhere, Somebody"; my daughter started to dance and immediately exclaimed, "It sounds like she is singing right here in this room."  We had to buy the disk.

I hope this made sense and helps anyone that may not be certain about considering Salk speakers.

Dean


Nuance

Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #1 on: 7 Aug 2010, 04:41 am »
Dean,

Welcome to AC and also to the Salk family.  That was a GREAT read, and put a big 'ol smile on my face.  I feel the same way as you, and am still honeymooning with my SongTower RT's.  They are as good as they were on day one.  God bless Jim and his team, and God bless America!  :dance:

Mudslide

Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #2 on: 7 Aug 2010, 04:43 am »
Great review, Dean.  Many thanks for sharing.  And I grok your love-hate relationship with those amazing SS's.  They absolutely ruined me for all other speakers.  If only I could take up bank robbery I could afford them.  Or politics.......   :lol:

DMurphy

  • Industry Participant
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Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #3 on: 7 Aug 2010, 03:03 pm »
Uh--Dan--Have you ever considered working for Stereophile? 

yamashirod

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Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #4 on: 7 Aug 2010, 10:01 pm »
Thanks for the replys.  I'm listening to some jazz and it fells like I'm in a club listening to a quartet.  These Song Towers just sound so good.

In addition, my speaker grill for the center channel didn't quite fit.  Jim offered to send me a new one and I told him it we could swap at the audio show.  And sure enough he brought a different grill which fits.  Great service!

I did take a few pictures and will try to post somewhere if I can figure it out.  I know I sound like a broken record (at least to my wife) but I cannot believe I am lucky enough to own speakers that sound this good to me.

ttsakai

Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #5 on: 11 Aug 2010, 05:38 am »
Hey Dean,

Great to see you joining in the fun of the forum!! It was a pleasure meeting you and your son at the Cal Audio Show. Glad to hear that you're so thrilled with your ST RTs.

By the way I sent you a PM.


Cheers,
Tracy

adydula

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Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #6 on: 11 Aug 2010, 12:18 pm »
Yamashirod,

Congratulations and welcome to the Salk family!!

Its amazing that the first sound you heard was Jennifer Warnes, 'Somewhere, Somebody' this is a classic, partly because for some reason of chance / fate, Jim has this as the number one song on his Demo CD.

I always go back to this when changing things etc...when I hooked up the Ultravalve amp for the very first time and hit play on the Oppo, I was getting up and moving back to my listening chair but the song started while I was in front of the speakers in the middle of the two and viola I thought Ms. Warnes was standing there beside me...LOL
It was uncanny.

Your post makes sense, and it struck a chord when you mentioned the Jennifer Warnes comment, how many of us and future Salk owners will re-live this experience!! Fantastic and Congratulations again!!

Enjoy the Music!

All the Best

Alex

 :D

yamashirod

  • Jr. Member
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Re: CA Audio Show & New Owner
« Reply #7 on: 11 Aug 2010, 07:30 pm »
Hi Tracy,
It was a pleasure meeting you at the show and I replied to your PM.  The pictures of your listening room look like an audio show room.


Hi Alex,
I read your thread on Demo CDs all the time and have purchased a few based on your recommentations; its a great thread.

Nuance,
As a lot of folks have said, your speaker quest thread had a big innfluence on me.  I also got a lot out of Frank's speaker quest and his statement the his Salk speakers are his acoustic windows into his designs; huge statement.

Thanks to all of you - - - Dean