[jsalk]

Chatter on this project has died down a bit.  Are there any updates? I'm a couple of upgrades away, but still very curious as to how this model turns out. I find it very interesting to witness this process and everyone's thoughts on the design, not to mention the designer open to feedback. I'm really looking forward to the outcome!

We are working on a cabinet design for Big Red Machine at present.  He wanted separate upper and lower cabinets.  So that is likely the next pair you will see.  But we have to build it first.

- Jim

[jdoyle]

Jim,  We have some friends that live in your neck of the woods and are trying to plan a visit.  Do you have a demo room at the shop?  I'd like to demo the E3's along with the SS8's.  If you do have such a room at the factory, when do you think you would have the E3's ready to hear? 

~jd

[jsalk]

Jim,  We have some friends that live in your neck of the woods and are trying to plan a visit.  Do you have a demo room at the shop?  I'd like to demo the E3's along with the SS8's.  If you do have such a room at the factory, when do you think you would have the E3's ready to hear? 

~jd

JD -

Our shop is not necessarily the best listening environment in the world, but people do come to listen all the time.  We have SS8's and the prototype E3's available for listening any time.  Just let us know when you would like to stop by and we'll set things up for you and your friends.

- Jim

[kingpin31]

Hi Jim,

I remember you told me about 2 different projects like the Exotica 3 (powered woofer) : 1 which would be quite expensive (I guess it's the Exotica 3) and 1 which would be less expensive.  Is this second "less expensive" project also being developped at the moment ?  I'm still very happy with my Veracity STs and don't intend to change them soon but I was just curious.

Also, even though it seems like a lost cause, I think the Exotica 3s look just nice the way they are (even though I would also vouch for an SS8-like plinth to make them a bit taller).  The colour bothers me more than the looks.  I love my Curly Cherry. 

[SCompRacer]

JD -

Our shop is not necessarily the best listening environment in the world, but people do come to listen all the time. 

- Jim

In a way your large open space allows for an accurate presentation of what the speakers are capable of. Of course room sizes differ, but I'd wager more often than not your speakers end up in smaller rooms than your demo area. Large spaces have less low end problems. You also have less comb-filtering effects from nearby walls.

I heard the SS8's in your shop and they blew me away. Initially I was disappointed when I first set them up in my room; I had a 15db drop out in the mids. I had to work at placement a bit and rearrange my acoustic treatments to get that same feeling I had at your place in my room.

[jdoyle]

JD -

Our shop is not necessarily the best listening environment in the world, but people do come to listen all the time.  We have SS8's and the prototype E3's available for listening any time.  Just let us know when you would like to stop by and we'll set things up for you and your friends.

- Jim

Okay, great!  It most likely would be just me visiting...  I'll try to set up something this summer and email the shop. 
One thing though... is the shop open just weekdays, or is Saturday an option?

[DEP14]

JDoyle,

If you want to hear soundscape 8's set up in a home, I'm in Kalamazoo Michigan.  If your travels take you this way, feel free to drop me a PM.  I live about 5 minutes off of I-94.

[jdoyle]

JDoyle,

If you want to hear soundscape 8's set up in a home, I'm in Kalamazoo Michigan.  If your travels take you this way, feel free to drop me a PM.  I live about 5 minutes off of I-94.

Thanks, that's a very generous (and tempting) offer!  Our friends are in Shelby Twp, which is only about a half hour away from the Salk Factory.  I just looked up your town and it may be a bit too far, but I will think about it and PM you if interested.

Thanks again. 

~jd

[sfox7076]

I think I have made the decision to jump on the Exotica bandwagon (with an SS8 style cabinet design, subject to Jim working all of that out and me convincing the wife).  To that ends, I have discovered how much audio stuff I have accumulated that I don't really use or will not mind shedding for this endevour.  I live in a Brooklyn apartment, but I still will have these "few" things to sell (not becuase I need the money, but more because I have to convince my wife I am not insane).  So likely to go on the block to convince my wife not to kill me are my HT2-TLs, a Meitner MA-1 DAC (replaced with a Chord Hugo), a Van Alstine Transcendance 8 with phono (early version with small chassis), a Van Alstine Ultimate 70 (if I get other tubes), a Red Wine Audio Isabellina DAC LFP-V (no USB, but BNC and battery connection to power an iPure Doc), a Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 LFP-V (only after I get my battery powered EL84 Dodd amp back from Gary), a Tivo Series 3 with lifetime service, a Dynavector phono pre, and an Eastern Electric Mini-Max Dac.   Also will eventually be selling my AVA Insight 240/3 that I use for center/rear duty.  I figure I should likelt go tubes on the front end of Exoticas, but not necessarily the Ultimate 70.  Will have to see.  Where did I get all this stuff?  Sigh.

[Rocket]

Hi,

This hobby certainly is a disease.  I have some gear stored in my attic that I should sell someday.

Cheers Rod

[yetis]

I wanted to ignore these speakers given the relative young age of my Ss8's, but it is tough.  I see real opportunity here.  I really like the custom side panel design, with a more standard basic box. Can one assume that you would build the core boxes in mass, that tolerances should be tighter.  I daydream and wonder if there is a possible application of more exotic materials to these cabinets to boost stiffness.  We ever going to see a Exotica carbon edition ?

[DEP14]

I'm curious of those who have heard these drivers in this speaker.   Do they rock? or rather can they rock?  I've always thought of Lowther/Fostex (I realize these aren't those, but they are like those) speakers as for those who like acoustic only music, ultimate detail but no real authority and oomph.   Counter example is old skool JBL or Klipsch big monitors that can deliver slam but don't necessarily have the best refinement and intimacy.   Of course my goal is the intersection of the two, but curious as to people's take.   And for the record, my style of music and listening favors the authority over the last word in detail.

So I am an absolute Rock and Blues guy.  I listen to other genre's, but 85% of my listening is Rock and Blues.  I've actually been pretty fond of Klipsch over the years, warts included.  I like to sit in the front 5 rows, I like a snare drum to pop, and a kick drum to hit.  I want to hear a guitar whine and distort.  I want dynamics. 

The truth is Klipsch does it and does it really well.  I think the RF7II by Klipsch is an awfully fun speaker, and the old school Forte II and KLF series still hold a place in my heart. Bad cabinets and all with the KLF series.  I've gone as far as asking Jim about possibly building proper cabinets for the KLF series and buying some old ones, tearing them down and putting the drivers in a good cabinet (it's not real cost effecient)

I even bought the Palladium Series P37's over a year ago thinking they would do away with the klipsch negatives (they do not sound honky at all) but... and here is the but - past 90db's they bring cymbals too forward and can get fatiguing.  They image between the speakers quite well, but aren't great from a depth perspective.   I was actually torn on selling them, but then I got lucky and sold them at very little loss (I had gotten a killer deal to start with) and then BRM was selling his SS8's locally, so I was able to upgrade.

Which brings me to Salk Speakers.  The Soundscape 8's can absolutely rock.  They are 95% as dynamic as the klipsch and sound 95% as "Big", particularly when you leave the open baffle on the midrange.  They are a lot more accurate and sound even better on drums and guitars with the added bonus of doing a hell of a job on vocals.  I'm very, very happy with them thus far.  They play lower than klipsch, though I will tell you they don't quite have that midbass bump you might like.  (subs can take care of that when you want to have some fun).

They also don't get nearly as bright when turned up.  instruments don't come "forward" (on the palladiums when turned up it was like the cymbals in particular were brought way forward).

I really feel that thus far they are a heck of a speaker for rock and blues music as well as home theater. 

On a budget, I still think it's hard to beat a pair of old Forte II's and a nice tube amp for sub 1500 bucks these days, but if you want Rock dynamics and punch with a ton of accuracy and a lot less fatiguing speaker the SS8's are really nice thus far.

I believe that Selah? audio has built a bit of a knock-off in the Ottavo speaker I saw on a website the other day.  I'd be interested to hear it also just for kicks.  It was a ported design.  I wonder if it would be a bit more punchy in the midbass but not play as deep.  Not sure I should call it a knock off, but same midrange and tweeter it appears with dual 8's in the lower cabinet.  Ported though.  Thought it looked interesting.

But IMO for rock, I think you would be happy with the SS8's and take that extra money and get a couple of external subwoofers for when you want to really cut loose.

[Rocket]

Hi,

Living in Australia I have almost zero chance at this stage to listen to the new Exocita speakers Jim has built.  I guess the advantage that the Exocita's have over the HT3's,  SS 10's and SS12's are that they are so much more efficient.  Imagine pairing an Audio by Van Alstine Ultravalve with the Exotica's and the music would just flow. My amps cost about $9000US and are rated at 300 watts per channel.  Paying for high quality watts cost a lot of money. 

Anyway all of Jim's speakers have a special sound .

Cheers Rod

[sfox7076]

I guess I will find out what an AVA Ultimate 70 will sound like with the Exotica 3's.  That said, I have a few other amps I may want to go for in time. 

So, Salk things I will sell when the Exotica's are ready (located in Brooklyn):

Salk Rythmik 12" Subwoofer in curly cherry.  Probably 110 lbs.  (Will want $1100 for this).
Salk HT2-TLs  RAAL version, 1" cabinet, maple dyed a rich reddish.  (Will want approximately $3485).

[mr_bill]

Jim
Any new news on the Exotica 3 and different cabinet?
How about Big Red Machines separate cabinets and design?

[yyz67]

Jim
Any new news on the Exotica 3 and different cabinet?

+1 on a slimmer cab design.

Also, Jim can you confirm you + E3 will be at CAF?

[jsalk]

Also, Jim can you confirm you + E3 will be at CAF?

Yes.  We will have the same prototype pair we had at AXPONA.  I don't think there is enough time left to complete a new production cabinet without jamming up the works at the shop.  But the sound will be the same regardless.

- Jim

Note:  This is the Capitol Audio Fest, not the California Audio Show (CAS) which we will not be attending this year due to a scheduling conflict. 

[sfox7076]

Not sure my cabinet will be slimmer, but I ordered without side panels.  More like the SS8 cabinet.

[yyz67]

Not sure my cabinet will be slimmer, but I ordered without side panels.  More like the SS8 cabinet.

Got it.

[sfox7076]

I am 2 weeks into waiting for the Exotica 3s.  Waiting is hard, but we have a new way to pass the time.  Here is the real baby before I get the speakers...