Greg's SoundScape 8's in pau ferro rosewood with rose/red dye

jsalk · « **on:** 19 Nov 2012, 03:59 pm »

Greg originality contacted us about building a pair of Veracity HT2-TL's. In the process, he asked about the difference between them and the SoundScape 8's. After considering all of his options, he finally decided on a pair of SS8's.

As for the finish, he sent a picture of some speakers he really liked. They looked like some form of rosewood with a deep rose/red dye. So that is what we attempted to duplicate. In the end, we stopped shooting dye before we they were as deep red as the photos. Greg did not want to lose as much contrast as would be required to match the sample photos. So we shot pictures with each successive coat of dye and stopped when we got to a point we both felt good about.

Here are some pictures...

And a close-up...

Happy listening Greg!

- Jim

Nuance · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 04:07 pm »

Those look great! I love how the dark grain contrast matches the bass drivers, plinths and spikes. If it hasn't already been said in the past, welcome to the Salk family, Greg!

DGCURTIS36 · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 05:23 pm »

Thanks - I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. A real work of art I think. I am glad Jim posted them so I could thank him publicly for making this such a great experience. Scheduled to arrive in a week and I can't wait to hear them in my own place here in the Phoenix area.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 05:42 pm »

Oh crap. I scratched G r e g g into the veneer. Sorry about misspelling your name!

JK. The wife and I took a day off from packing to disrupt all things productive at the shop last Thursday. They happened to be sitting there and .....

DGCURTIS36 · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 05:52 pm »

So what I am hearing BRM is they aren't coming to Phx in a week after all?

stlblues · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 09:57 pm »

greg, Excellent choice on color. Those look very close to my cocobolo veneer.
Just wait till you get them home you won't be able to stop looking at them.
Enjoy

Austin08 · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 11:19 pm »

Whow, it is really nice. Did anybody kow how many pair SS8s being make already? I can not keep up. Seeing the new pair of SS8s here almost every week.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Nov 2012, 11:53 pm »

Quote from: DGCURTIS36 on 19 Nov 2012, 05:52 pm

So what I am hearing BRM is they aren't coming to Phx in a week after all?
[/quote

I have no influence on the shipping. Just your satisfaction! ha

Enjoy them. They are outstanding speakers.

DGCURTIS36 · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Nov 2012, 12:52 am »

Quote from: stlblues on 19 Nov 2012, 09:57 pm

greg, Excellent choice on color. Those look very close to my cocobolo veneer.
Just wait till you get them home you won't be able to stop looking at them.
Enjoy

It appears we have similar tastes! I think yours look fabulous. Told Jim if mine turned out even half as good as yours I would be thrilled. Great grain/patterns. Very anxious to see and hear them. My brother has a pair of HT2-TL's in the coco bolo and they both look and sound wonderful.

audiotom · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Nov 2012, 04:10 am »

Fabulous speaker Greg. - that red rose dye is just fabulous
Great that you and Jim were able to go back and forth to get yhe color just right
Wait till you get them home!

Enjoy!

Yet another in a line of Salk masterpieces - hats off to Jim

Yes, how many SS 8s have went off the line?

It is really great to see so many people gracing their system with these great speakers

PETE6737 · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Nov 2012, 10:06 am »

Congrats Greg! I love every picture of the SS8s. They are all just so awesome. My Satin Black SS8s are at "finish sanding" stage. I can't wait until next month. Enjoy!!!

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Nov 2012, 12:56 pm »

Quote from: audiotom on 20 Nov 2012, 04:10 am

Yes, how many SS 8s have went off the line?

It is really great to see so many people gracing their system with these great speakers

Contrary to many here who think I live at the shop, when I do get there, SS8's are commonplace so much now that I barely get excited about seeing a pair anymore. It is always interesting to see what is in the queue. I did see the satin black pair which is part of a larger system build it appears. Hopefully this all means that Jim makes some real money now! Songtowers are still a huge portion of sales but the 8 is that just right porridge.

DGCURTIS36 · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Nov 2012, 06:32 pm »

My SS8's came yesterday and are up and running. Jim did a great job matching the colors with my current surround speakers - they look remarkably similar. I was very impressed with the workmanship, how they were packed, and the materials that came with. They are more substantial as far as size goes than I had pictured in my mind. Let the fun begin

Nuance · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Nov 2012, 09:38 pm »

^ Do keep us posted...as in sound impressions and more pics.

DGCURTIS36 · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Nov 2012, 10:13 pm »

Will do. Unfortunately the room they are in is pretty dark so pics are usually pretty poor. Will see what I can do.

DGCURTIS36 · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 03:55 pm »

Sound impressions - so I got the speakers setup late Wednesday evening and didn't get much of a chance to listen to them. My very first impressions were that they seemed a little bright, kind of flat in the midrange, and though the bass was better than my Cardersound single driver, dual horn Lissas, it didn't jump out at me. I think this was partly due to the kind of music I was listening to, partly due to the volume setting, and partly due to the fact that they were brand new with no break in period. My system was sounding really good before the 8's came, but my brother Dan, who owns a set of HT2-TL's kept telling me that based on his experience with the Salks this would be a big step up, but that first night I kind of wondered if I had spent quite a bit of $ for what seemed to be a marginal improvement. What a difference a day can make! I have a Modwright Tube Modified Oppo 95 which is connected to my PC via W-Fi and I set it to play all day while I was at work. So of course when I came home I went straight to my listening room and started playing CD's. I can't even remember what I played at first, but I immediately thought, dang this sounds really good. So I listened some more, turned it up a little, and thought, this sounds really really good. So then I put in Jim's demo CD to get what I knew would be a good sample of how the speakers perform with different frequencies and instruments, etc. At this point I started feeling like, WOW! No one else was at home at this point except for a lady who rents a room from us and who early on introduced me to Eva Cassidy, and who has happened to show some interest in the music I play, so I went and found her and said you have got to listen to this. So she came in, semi-reluctantly I might add because she was busy on the computer doing something, and I put in the "Simply Eva" CD and played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". We were both just blown away - really hard to put in words the emotions, the excitement, the joy, the astonishment at the music I was hearing. Suddenly my boarder was no longer feeling the need to get back to the computer! And of course she and I continued to listen after that, and I was just where Dan said I would be - in stereo heaven

. All I can say is thanks to you Dan, for doing all the groundwork that has gotten me to this point with my system, and to Jim and his staff for producing such a fine product. I know I probably sound over exuberant to y'all, but I haven't been this excited about something for a long time, so thanks for bearing with me as I have gushed all over the place.

Greg

Power - Stage III Kraken power cord (fantastic), Vortex Prime power cord, HB Cable Design Powerstar Horizon Power Distributor
Amp - BMC C2 (love this amp!)
Player - Oppo BDP 95 - Modwright Tube Modified
Speakers - Salk SS8
Interconnects - Stage III Magnus Prime
Speaker Cables - Audioart SC-5SE

Austin08 · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 05:30 pm »

Great review. Eva Cassidy is my favorite, too. The Songbird xrcd24 and Live at Blues Alley are one of those cds to die for.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 06:45 pm »

And that is what a Salk speaker does to the best of us. Just when you think you have good sound......bam.

Austin08 · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 08:06 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 30 Nov 2012, 06:45 pm

And that is what a Salk speaker does to the best of us. Just when you think you have good sound......bam.

+1, I feel the same way.

dcurtis53 · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 Nov 2012, 11:18 pm »

I must admit that I am a little envious

I am also very happy that Greg is so excited about his new S8'S. Greg has wanted a great system for years but with 5 kids, all of whom he sent thru college, it was impossible. Thanks to a change
in circumstances and people like Brian Ackerman of Aaudio Imports and Jim Salk he has reached his goal. Jim Salk and
Brian are the best! Congratulations Greg you are now part of the extended SalkSound family!!