[fsimms]

It is a shame that the name Murphy Blaster is already taken.

Bob

[pstrisik]

This is an interesting shot.  The SS8s have the image of being pretty big.  Even with photos such as from BRM and Austin08 in the wild, they look big.  Put them next to HT2TLs and there is some perspective on size....




And John, congratulations on your Tineo babes.  I believe these are yours?  Beautiful!


........Peter

[saeyedoc]

And John, congratulations on your Tineo babes.  I believe these are yours?  Beautiful!


........Peter

They are posted for sale, looks like he upgraded to the SS8 already.

[pstrisik]

They are posted for sale, looks like he upgraded to the SS8 already.

Wow!  Great deal for someone to snag.  Tineo is one beautiful wood.

And validates my decision to change my order from HT2TL to SS8 as well.  I haven't been able to compare, so he will be my ears. 

[jd3]

Peter,
Yes, I was all set on the HT2's, and my wife heard the SS8's and said, 'why aren't we getting those?"  I asked Jim if it was a problem if I changed my mind, and he said no problem.  I actually waited until after we'd gone to Pete's to listen before I (I mean we) made the final decision, so I told Jim we'd take the SS8's on Sunday morning.  Jim was actually glad I made the 'upgrade' now as he figured I'd be calling him in a year anyway!

I'm actually getting the SS8's that were at AKFest, but I won't be picking them up for a few weeks.

John

[jd3]

Oh, and Jim did a great job on the HT2's in tineo.  They are exactly what I'd hoped for (well, until I heard the SS8's!)

[saeyedoc]

Peter,
Yes, I was all set on the HT2's, and my wife heard the SS8's and said, 'why aren't we getting those?"  I'm actually getting the SS8's that were at AKFest, but I won't be picking them up for a few weeks.

John

Nice move bringing her along! Those SS8s look awesome!
Last time I brought my wife along for a big purchase (ordering a new Cayman-S), she talked me into several options I was holding off on and "made me" get a very unusual color that turned out great.

[jd3]

She actually likes attending AKFest and had a great time this year!  Though she doesn't know all the 'lingo', she really enjoys music and gets to listen to a lot of it on all kinds of gear.

 

[pstrisik]

Hi John,

Well, you've said more about your wife wanting the SS8s than about your decision!    Help us hear the comparison through your ears!

I was very tempted with the Black Limba SS8s but felt the color wasn't quite right for me.  In a sense, the two woods are similar.  They have the same feeling in the grain pattern.  Though Tineo is more red and Black Limba more yellow. 

Has your wife seen the blog, The Audiophile's Wife? ... 
http://theaudiophileswife.blogspot.com/?m=0
She might get a kick out of it.  My wife does.  When I was telling her about the quality I'm looking for in tweeters and hopes for the RAAL, she quoted, "...trying to rig a system that only dolphins and dogs could appreciate."   

.........Peter

[jd3]

Hi John,

Well, you've said more about your wife wanting the SS8s than about your decision!    Help us hear the comparison through your ears!

I was very tempted with the Black Limba SS8s but felt the color wasn't quite right for me.  In a sense, the two woods are similar.  They have the same feeling in the grain pattern.  Though Tineo is more red and Black Limba more yellow. 

Has your wife seen the blog, The Audiophile's Wife? ... 
http://theaudiophileswife.blogspot.com/?m=0
She might get a kick out of it.  My wife does.  When I was telling her about the quality I'm looking for in tweeters and hopes for the RAAL, she quoted, "...trying to rig a system that only dolphins and dogs could appreciate."   

.........Peter

Peter,
The SS8's presented a much more detailed midrange, along with a smoother, more defined and fuller presentation.  I'm very familiar with the TL design as I've had ST's, HT1's, and Songbirds, and they all have the Salk 'sound'...great midrange and impressive bass from small drivers.  I've heard HT2's before as well, so I knew what to expect.  As we listened to the HT2's after hearing SS8's, the HT2's sound was more 'focused' than the SS8's.  Midrange was still very good, but had more of a forward character than the SS8's did.  The SS8's midrange was much smoother, and the soundstage was very wide.  My wife said that to her, the SS8's filled the room while the HT2's were more well defined...she could easily identify where the sound was coming from with the HT2's.   Granted, this was a less than ideal room, but the difference in sound to me was not small, and the SS8's were clearly the winner.  By the way, I've also had the chance to hear the SS10's and 12's in the past, and the SS8 sound has the same character.  If I'd never heard the SS8's I'd be happy with HT2's, but the SS8's are definitely a big step up.  The other thing for my wife was what you'd pointed out earlier, the HT2's have a bigger footprint that the SS8's, though they are about 40 lbs lighter!   

Oh, Mary Salk mentioned to my wife that she needed to check out that blog!

John

[pstrisik]

Thanks John!  All good qualities that I'm hoping for, particularly the sense of a fuller sound and more refined, less forward midrange.  I'm psyched!

[mritschdorff]

Let the naming begin...

- Jim


Sonnet  or Minuet 

[Austin08]

Thanks John!  All good qualities that I'm hoping for, particularly the sense of a fuller sound and more refined, less forward midrange.  I'm psyched!

At 6' into the room, the SS8 completely disappear, leaving a huge soundstage with clarity and richness. I just spend 5hrs listen to music in my house and still being impressed by the SS8's ability to pull you in. It is like magic, at the time I woke up, it is already 4 o'clock in the morning. So much quality in a small foot print. The only speaker that did this to me long time ago was Genesis G1 system.

[sounddog]

The mini-monitors sounded great (as did the Soundscapes, etc). I suggest naming them either the Salk Sonatina or the Salk Canzonetta.  Hey Jim, if you use one of those names, do I win a free pair? 

[pstrisik]

At 6' into the room, the SS8 completely disappear, leaving a huge soundstage with clarity and richness. I just spend 5hrs listen to music in my house and still being impressed by the SS8's ability to pull you in. It is like magic, at the time I woke up, it is already 4 o'clock in the morning. So much quality in a small foot print. The only speaker that did this to me long time ago was Genesis G1 system.

           

[resonance]

Long time lurker on the AC periphery here. Don't laugh at the moniker. Was long flabbergasted by the extensive search Nuance went through. When I joined the AC back then, I wanted a handle reminiscent of his and came up with Resonance.

Am considering ordering these mini-monitors. Thanks for pictures of them and comments on their sound.

Naming the Raal/Illuminator?  How about "SoundTones".  Not a SoundScape series, though. Not a Song series either.Or call them the "SS MM 5s" for Salk Sound Mini-Monitor 5.  SS can also mean SoundScape for the Raal part but that ribbon is not exclusive to the SoundScape models.  5 is for the 5 inch Scanspeak Illuminator cone. Rather obvious.

My only other post was back when naming the HT-4s which became the SoundScapes. I suggested SoundThrones. Yeah I can hear the sniggers about that one.

David

[jd3s wife]

Snapped a few pictures with my iPhone while in the Salk Room.    Looking forward to having the SS8's.  Though my hubby was going to faint when I told him I thought we needed to have the SS8's instead of the HT2-TL's!! 






Of course, there ARE strings attached and I'll get a new horse yet - i think he should get me "Cool N Shamless"!   LOL

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1771959

[TomS]

Of course, there ARE strings attached and I'll get a new horse yet - i think he should get me "Cool N Shamless"!   LOL

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1771959

Jill,

It was nice to meet both of you at Pete's. I'm sure you're really going to like those SS8's.

As the father of 2 girls, both with horses they showed a lot, now I know why you were so quick to jump on that deal  The SS8's are a bargain in comparison.  We once had a young lady who was at many of our Indiana shows who had a horse with a show name of "My Daddy's Jag". I always chuckled about it every time we wrote a check (many!) to close our tab and then drove our truck/trailer home. A Jag, yeah right 

Tom

[pstrisik]

Snapped a few pictures with my iPhone while in the Salk Room.    Looking forward to having the SS8's.  Though my hubby was going to faint when I told him I thought we needed to have the SS8's instead of the HT2-TL's!! 

Of course, there ARE strings attached and I'll get a new horse yet - i think he should get me "Cool N Shamless"!   LOL

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1771959

Maybe your screen name should be cool and shameless! 
(No offense intended, couldn't resist the straight line).  Actually, my wife may get a month (!) in a Mexico spanish language immersion program out of my SS8 purchase!  Funny how these audio purchases always cost twice as much as we expect! 

But, is it a coincidence that the SS8 limba finish matches the color of your first choice in horses?

Welcome!  And thanks for the photos.  Can't have too many while shopping myself.

........Peter

[resonance]

Maybe "IllumiRaals".  Or SongTone Minis