[DEP14]

Well, I have made the decision to sell my SS8's and matching SS7 center channel.  I suspect at some later date I will be back in the Salk family.  For now, back to some circa 1996 NHT's that will have to suffice. 

The SS8's were refinished in a custom brownish/red color last fall at the same time Jim built a matching SS7 center.  Speakers are in absolute mint condition.  They have one of the more expensive veneers in a Tamo Ash.  The brown color is pretty neutral in most decors I suspect.  You can see in my picture at home the light can change the hue a shade.  A few notes.

1.  I will include a set of Reality Speaker Cables and associated jumpers.  Around a $500 value.

2.  These do have upgraded binding posts on the rear.  They are propellor posts - you can see them on madisound.

3.  If you want to come hear them, you can.  I am in Kalamazoo Michigan.

4.  Yes, I have all the boxes and I can ship, or I would deliver or meet you within 4 hours or so of Kalamazoo.  You would need at least a mini-van or pick-up truck though, possibly a suburban with the seats down.  I have a mini-van and with the seats out I can haul them.

5.  If for some reason you did not like the color, Jim can refinish them and I could drop them for you with Jim, I live about 2 hours from Jim.  As for that cost, you would have to ask Jim.  I believe it's reasonable typically, but you would need to contact him.

6.  I can't break the speakers up for obvious reasons.

7.  Just drop me PM here on my profile and I'll get back with you.


I would do $8700 for the entire package - speakers and cables.  When adding in the veneers and cables I believe this is about a $13,500 package.

[Denverhifi]

How much space is necessary when positioning the SS8? Can they be placed close to a front wall?  How close can the side woofers be to a sidewall?
These would be a BIG jump from my Songtowers, but I think they would require more space than I can give them.
I'm not asking in regard to purchasing this particular pair, but asking for future consideration.

[audiocrazy]

PM sent.

My room is 12x16 so I need to check with Jim on how close this can be placed close to the wall.
Currently I have Song QWT towers 6" from the side wall & 2' away from back wall and the bass seems to be bit on thicker side with less definition and the highs seems to suffer due to close boundary condition.
I want to ensure SS8 will work in that location.

[Big Red Machine]

Doug, can you grab a better top view photo of the center for potential customers to see?

[DEP14]

Here you go... no chance to edit it as my daughter is using my good computer for a big ol report.

As for the close to the rear wall, I don't think it would be an issue.  I've run mine as close as 7 and as far out as 20 and really the bass stayed nice and tight.  They play low and accurate.  i was playing with depth to work on the soundstage.  Since they aren't ported, I doubt it would be an issue.

This at least shows the top a bit, but the perspective is weird as I was trying to block reflections.  This gives a pretty good shot of the color.  They are a bit deeper brown/red than Jims stock photos.  My goal was a color that would go with many decors.

updated with a better image.  Color wise this is closer.  What's cool about a bit of the brown and red combo is that it seems to adapt to the room and lighting you are in and complements a lot well. My room is black and dark green with a lighter carpet and brown leather chairs.

[DEP14]

How much space is necessary when positioning the SS8? Can they be placed close to a front wall?  How close can the side woofers be to a sidewall?
These would be a BIG jump from my Songtowers, but I think they would require more space than I can give them.
I'm not asking in regard to purchasing this particular pair, but asking for future consideration.

I can tell you this.  My room is 13 x 17 and my speakers are on the short wall.  I've never had any issues at all with muddy bass, etc. They aren't ported so that's a non issue.  I typically ran mine about 1-1.5 feet off the back wall and 2 feet in from the sides.  Just about 9 feet apart and they were fantastic in every way.  Once I get a few things straightened out, that is exactly where my next pair will reside.  I definitely never felt they over powered a room. 

[Big Red Machine]

I can tell you this.  My room is 13 x 17 and my speakers are on the short wall.  I've never had any issues at all with muddy bass, etc. They aren't ported so that's a non issue.  I typically ran mine about 1-1.5 feet off the back wall and 2 feet in from the sides.  Just about 9 feet apart and they were fantastic in every way.  Once I get a few things straightened out, that is exactly where my next pair will reside.  I definitely never felt they over powered a room.

No different than a std hotel room at a show in size.  I did sit and listen to them for some time as they are my old speakers and can confirm that room worked fine.

Clean socks, nice!

[Mudslide]

Those are mighty beautiful.  If only...   Good luck with your sale.

[audiocrazy]

I'm really interested in buy this and have been talking with Doug on this.
I'm still waiting for Jim's response on veneer question.

I currently have dedicated HT room (12 x 16 x 8 ) treated with GIK and Real Traps (I'll post some pics if Doug is ok with it). I currently own Song QWT setup (ST, SC & SSI's).
I use Parasound Halo A2 with Oppo HA-1 preamp for 2ch and Marantz AV8801 & Outlaw 7ch amp for HT purpose.

The speakers are on shorter wall.
My current issue is I have to place the speakers very close to side wall because of the screen size.
Right speaker is 6" close and left is about 24" due to room layout. Would that be a concern with SS8?
Mainly I'm concerned about bass sounding boomy and reflections from side wall. Currently I move ST away from sidewall for music listening to have better sound clarity and bass.
For movies I use Audyssey calibration that I don't like for music. Its really a pain moving speaker and I hope SS8 will solve that.

Would my current electronics work with SS8's & SSC 7? or would i need better electronics to get the best out of SS8's?

I've already asked this question to Doug but want to clarify few things.
Are Propeller posts better than standard binding post and  does it accept locking banana plugs?

I recently audition Dali Epicon 6's at a friends place and I was impressed by their Dual tweeter design but I hope SS8 will be better.

[fsimms]

How much space is necessary when positioning the SS8? Can they be placed close to a front wall?  How close can the side woofers be to a sidewall?
These would be a BIG jump from my Songtowers, but I think they would require more space than I can give them.
I'm not asking in regard to purchasing this particular pair, but asking for future consideration.

I have SoundScape 10s.  I have them a foot from the wall.  That is not optimal. When I had them 6 feet from the wall they sounded best.  Putting them that close, I had to put absorption and diffusion panels behind them to get them to sound good with the back off.  I also use a room control preamp.  Room control makes a little improvement when they are that close to the wall, but they sounded best with room control flat when I had them 6 feet from the wall.



Bob

[Big Red Machine]

You can plug any single banana into the Propellors, but they are not a standard distance apart if I recall how I had them spaced out.

Six inches is very close and will be inhibiting the passive radiators on the sides.  So that will be an acoustic anomaly in the bass region I am not sure how to overcome.  You'd have to put an absorber on that side as the tweeter will bounce off very quickly and compete with the direct wave.

[DEP14]

I'm really interested in buy this and have been talking with Doug on this.
I'm still waiting for Jim's response on veneer question.

I currently have dedicated HT room (12 x 16 x 8 ) treated with GIK and Real Traps (I'll post some pics if Doug is ok with it). I currently own Song QWT setup (ST, SC & SSI's).
I use Parasound Halo A2 with Oppo HA-1 preamp for 2ch and Marantz AV8801 & Outlaw 7ch amp for HT purpose.

The speakers are on shorter wall.
My current issue is I have to place the speakers very close to side wall because of the screen size.
Right speaker is 6" close and left is about 24" due to room layout. Would that be a concern with SS8?
Mainly I'm concerned about bass sounding boomy and reflections from side wall. Currently I move ST away from sidewall for music listening to have better sound clarity and bass.
For movies I use Audyssey calibration that I don't like for music. Its really a pain moving speaker and I hope SS8 will solve that.

Would my current electronics work with SS8's & SSC 7? or would i need better electronics to get the best out of SS8's?

I've already asked this question to Doug but want to clarify few things.
Are Propeller posts better than standard binding post and  does it accept locking banana plugs?

I recently audition Dali Epicon 6's at a friends place and I was impressed by their Dual tweeter design but I hope SS8 will be better.

Well, I suppose for the general audience a few of my own thoughts.

The propeller posts I don't know if they are "better" but they are pretty darn flexible and in the event you ever want to use spades (on your cables or jumpers) they are a godsend.

My initial electronics were a Marantz AV8801 and Butler Audio 5150 - it was the best system I had ever heard (short of something crazy), but like anything you can always benefit as you go up the chain (to a certain point, there is the law of diminishing returns.  For two channel audio, your system is better than mine was.  Our rooms are literally identical (except I don't have a huge screen!)

As for your locations.  Well, I suppose being 6 inches from a wall is never optimal and regardless of the speaker the same tweeter issues are going to occur per what BRM says. So, no matter what speaker you use, that same tweeter problem remains, song tower, SS8, Dali...

With the woofer - for critical listening sessions, I would suggest getting that bad boy in another 6-12 inches.

But for movies I would also mention this.  Your center channel is going to do 85% of the work, if not more with movies.  As for the bass issue in movies - your subwoofer is doing the heavy lifting and that passive radiator shouldn't be working all that much.  So, for movies I think that your issue is not a very big one (my opinion of course).  Plus, if you run audyssey and run it for movies only (which is the only thing I like audyseey on my mains for) it should take care of a big part of that. 

For music - well, regardless of the speaker you have the same tweeter issue... if you move your current speaker in now, you would want to do the same with the SS8, the Dali.

That said, I'm the guy selling them!  (But I would give those opinions to anyone). 

[audiocrazy]

I just finalized the sale with Doug 

I'm excited and anxious at the same time as I've not heard SS8 before and don't know what to expect.
Thanks everybody  for helping out.

Here is my layout of the room. Any suggestions for best placement for SS8's?

[jdoyle]

What's in front of the right speaker? IMHO, I would pull them out as much as you possibly can until they are just barely in the way on the corners of your viewing angle... Get some furniture sliders and move them depending on the "party" you're having at the given time.  I.e., Gone Girl with multiple guests, push them back... Just you with Jeff Beck, live at Ronnie Scott's, pull them out (I can just imagine how the SS 8's will rock with the latter!).

You will LOVE the speakers, I auditioned them at Jim's shop along with the E 3's in January and they are VERY close to the E 3's in SQ.  (I was actually mulling this sale, but the E 3's are better suited to my needs).

Nice room btw!

~ jd

[jriggy]

Since the deed is done and the room is so tight...why not shrink that screen size to get better sound. Whats more important to you in that room, picture size or sound quality?

[Phil A]

If you don't want to buy a new screen you probably can build masks with Duvetyne - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duvetyne 

In an old set-up (in my old house) when I had a rear projection TV recessed into the wall, I used masks made of Duvetyne (over really stiff cardboard) with velcro to attach to the screen to have pure black bars on a 2.4:1 movies to make it look better.

When I ditched the rear projection set and closed in a wall with a screen I just went to an 88 inch screen to use with my thin floorstanders.  If I had bigger speakers I just would have gotten a slightly smaller screen (pic below).  If you want a bigger screen perhaps also consider moving the seating in a drop. 

old house basement

[Phil A]

There are a ton of places to buy Duvetyne - the last link are some images.

http://www.dazian.com/fabrics/masking,-blackout-lining.aspx
http://bellatex.com/outlet/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=31
http://www.sktheatricaldraperies.com/fabrics/26-masking-blackout-fabrics/11-54-duvetyne-cloth-12-oz-/
http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t004639.html
https://www.google.com/search?q=duvetyne+masking+for+movie+screen&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=1075&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=aJ4_VdeaHoW-ggSGh4OQCA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg

[audiocrazy]

Well currently my top priority is Sound Quality, size.
But initially my priority was mainly HT and the room was built around that. Moreover due to room layout everything is shifted towards right.
I like Phil's idea  of using masking to reduce the screen size. That way I can keep the same screen

Currently ST are 3ft away from back wall. The left is 2ft away from side wall and right is 6" from side wall.
The sweet spot is about 10ft from Right and 11ft from Left

For SS8 I'd have Right 1 ft from side wall and keep left at 2ft. Should I keep the same depth of 3ft from back wall or move it further way from back wall?

Here is the sketch of room layout. Due to entry door on the left corner everything is shifted towards and that reduces the left wall length to about 13 ft.

[audiocrazy]

How do I post my Song Setup in for sale in "Speakers available for immediate delivery"?

[Big Red Machine]

How do I post my Song Setup in for sale in "Speakers available for immediate delivery"?

A) I would not ask Jim to do so unless you bought them directly from Jim.
B) You will get a lot of attention in Marketplace whenever Salk speakers are posted.