[lewdogg]

Intrigued by the SS 6Ms to replace my Philharmonic BMRs but I can't find a lot of outside information on them. If anyone owns or has owned the 6Ms, do you mind providing a brief review of them? TIA!!!

[DMurphy]

What performance area are you trying to improve upon?

[MMcGary]

I own a pair of 6M and use with my amps. Jim also demonstrated the 6M at the California Audio Show with the McGary Audio SA1 amp and we had really good reviews. For a relatively compact speaker, the bass is tight and goes low. You are really getting the sound experience of the much larger SS9.5, and closely to the sound of the Song3 BeAT. Imaging is wonderful. Jim also built a custom subwoofer, but honestly I haven’t used it much....very satisfied with bass performance without the sub. Ask me anything you would like to know about these fine speakers!

[lewdogg]

What performance area are you trying to improve upon?

Hi, Dennis. I hope you're doing well!!!! I'm very much enjoying my Song3s and the detail, clarity and instrument separation they produce. The BMRs are no slouch in any of these departments, but I wanted something similar to the Song3s in a stand-mount with the same footprint of the BMRs and the SS 6Ms fit that.

Just as an aside, I'm using a Bluesound Node 2i -> Cherry DAC DAC 1HS -> Outlaw 976 -> Cherry 5-Cherry with my Song3s and Bluesound Node 2i -> Cherry DAC DAC 1HS -> Cherry STM2 King with my BMRs.

5-cherry: https://www.cherryamp.com/5-channel-amp
STM2 King: https://www.cherryamp.com/stereo-maraschino-stm
DAC DAC 1 HS: https://www.cherryamp.com/dac-dac-d-to-a-convertor

[DMurphy]

It's awfully difficult to replicate the midrange detail and dispersion of a good 3-way in a 2-way.  I say that irrespective of the designer ( I didn't happen to design the 6.5's).  It's a matter of physics if you're using a woofer large enough to give you decent bass response. 

[lewdogg]

Thanks, Dennis. I understand this is a Salk thread, so where would you recommend I go from here? If you want, we can take this conversation offline to PM.

[lewdogg]

I own a pair of 6M and use with my amps. Jim also demonstrated the 6M at the California Audio Show with the McGary Audio SA1 amp and we had really good reviews. For a relatively compact speaker, the bass is tight and goes low. You are really getting the sound experience of the much larger SS9.5, and closely to the sound of the Song3 BeAT. Imaging is wonderful. Jim also built a custom subwoofer, but honestly I haven’t used it much....very satisfied with bass performance without the sub. Ask me anything you would like to know about these fine speakers!

Thanks, Mike! How did you choose the 6Ms? Have you heard other models from Jim and how did the 6Ms compare? Do you agree with Dennis' statement that the mid range detail and dispersion is lacking compared to a full 3-way speaker?

Thanks again for your time!
Kevin

[DMurphy]

Thanks, Dennis. I understand this is a Salk thread, so where would you recommend I go from here? If you want, we can take this conversation offline to PM.

Why don't you email me at info@philharmonicaudio.com        Thanks.

[MMcGary]

Kevin, I teamed with Jim at Capital Audiofest in 2018 (...and later at Axpona 2019, CAS 2019, CAF 2019) bringing my SA1 amp, and Jim brought the Song3BeAT speakers and Streamplayer. After the show (selected as one of the best sounding rooms BTW) I asked Jim if he could build me a monitor that offered the sound as the Song3 BeAT...basically, just cut the speaker (almost) in half, and build an active subwoofer for the low frequencies. So, Jim told me he would go back and do some number crunching and design, and get back to me later on this new speaker design. Well, that is how the 6M came about....
I’ve listened to the following Salk Speakers at the audio shows using my amps (again, Stellar reviews each time): Song3 BeAT and SS9.5. I listen to the 6M in my home, with the same equipment Jim and I have demonstrated at the audio shows.
As for a direct comparisons on midrange dispersion, I have not compared these speakers ‘side by side‘, but that is why I wanted a monitor to begin with... so I could minimize speaker size/ displacement in my room and ability to adjust for speaker positions and room interactions with a smaller speaker...while having the dispersion of the monitor. Yes, pros and cons with a separate sub vice a full range floor standing set of speakers, but I also can apply DSP corrections to the active subwoofer...and I can move the sub easily around (anywhere in the ) room. However, these monitors are not lacking in bass for my taste and haven’t used the sub much. When the audio shows can return, I want to have the these speaker in a room to demo to everyone what a monitor speaker can do....these sound great to me, but that is my biased preference ....everyone is different and different tastes in what they want to hear in audio reproduction....but I think the rave reviews we have received share a common theme....excellent value and audio reproduction.

[lewdogg]

Why don't you email me at info@philharmonicaudio.com        Thanks.

Kevin, I teamed with Jim at Capital Audiofest in 2018 (...and later at Axpona 2019, CAS 2019, CAF 2019) bringing my SA1 amp, and Jim brought the Song3BeAT speakers and Streamplayer. After the show (selected as one of the best sounding rooms BTW) I asked Jim if he could build me a monitor that offered the sound as the Song3 BeAT...basically, just cut the speaker (almost) in half, and build an active subwoofer for the low frequencies. So, Jim told me he would go back and do some number crunching and design, and get back to me later on this new speaker design. Well, that is how the 6M came about....
I’ve listened to the following Salk Speakers at the audio shows using my amps (again, Stellar reviews each time): Song3 BeAT and SS9.5. I listen to the 6M in my home, with the same equipment Jim and I have demonstrated at the audio shows.
As for a direct comparisons on midrange dispersion, I have not compared these speakers ‘side by side‘, but that is why I wanted a monitor to begin with... so I could minimize speaker size/ displacement in my room and ability to adjust for speaker positions and room interactions with a smaller speaker...while having the dispersion of the monitor. Yes, pros and cons with a separate sub vice a full range floor standing set of speakers, but I also can apply DSP corrections to the active subwoofer...and I can move the sub easily around (anywhere in the ) room. However, these monitors are not lacking in bass for my taste and haven’t used the sub much. When the audio shows can return, I want to have the these speaker in a room to demo to everyone what a monitor speaker can do....these sound great to me, but that is my biased preference ....everyone is different and different tastes in what they want to hear in audio reproduction....but I think the rave reviews we have received share a common theme....excellent value and audio reproduction.

Thanks to both of you!!!