[WGH]

Recently an audiophile friend and I drove 130 miles to Scottsdale, AZ from Tucson to hear the Salk BePure 1 Monitor speakers. We have been curious about this speaker and the Purifi driver since they were first introduced. We were not disappointed.

Our first impression was how clear the BePure 1 is, distortion is close to nonexistent. The BePure 1's join a small select group of speakers I have heard that sound excellent at first listen like the TAD CR1 Compact Reference and Vandersteen Model 7.






I brought a thumb drive of well recorded music I was familiar with, we listened to a track or two from almost every album. The BePures easily revealed the differences in the recordings, this speaker pretty much requires an excellent the front end. Paired with good electronics, tiny details in recordings are clearly heard, old albums become new again. All DSD and super high-res was converted to 24bit/96kHz using dBPoweramp.




Electronics were the Van Alstine DVA Digital Preamp and the AVA Fet Valve 600R amp. The DVA preamp has a built-in 24bit/96kHz DAC. I have heard both of these units in my system so I sort of knew what to expect. Both units have a clean, clear sound. My Salk HT2-TL speakers sound better with a little more warmth which is why I use the AVA Fet Valve CFR preamp and SET 400 amp.

Speaker placement was not optimal, they were temporarily set on 24" high stools in front of the fireplace hearth, usually they sit on the hearth, a compromise everyone can live with. Imaging was good but would have been mind blowing if set up farther away from hard surfaces and spaced wider apart. The sound in the center sweet spot was sort-of full bodied but on either side of the sofa the balance was thinner, probably a side effect of placement and the room. The BePure 1 speakers are monitor speakers, no matter how good the Purifi woofer is, they are only two 6.5" drivers. The listening space was a combined living/dining room with a vaulted ceiling so deep bass was missing. A medium to small room will work best with this speaker, add a sub for truly state-of-the-art full range sound. I have heard a few subs, so far the only brand I would consider pairing with the BePure 1 is a REL. In a small to medium room a pair of Rythmik or GR Research subs are too big.

The Satori Beryllium tweeter is more forceful compared to the RAAL tweeter I'm used to. On some music almost too forceful. Planet Drum by Mickey Hart is all percussion, the bells really came alive, a little too alive. At first we were listening with the grills off. Our host said Jim voiced the BePure speakers with the grill on. All our subsequent listening was with the grills on and the balance was better. Part of the emphasis on the highs is due to the DVA Digital Preamp and the AVA Fet Valve 600R amp, both lean toward a more detailed presentation.

A review of the DVA Digital Preamp in Part Time Audiophile said:
"There were a few times when I felt that the DVA almost stripped too much of the dirt and the junk from the music, causing a slightly lean quality that simply wasn’t there with the FET Valve CFR. But the DVA compensated by being more exhilarating."
My exact feelings too. Perfect sound was hit and miss, it depended on the recording. I prefer the warmer quality of the FET Valve CFR preamp. With the DVA preamp it was too easy to slip into analytical mode thinking "Wow, listen to this" instead of relaxing and listening to the music as a whole.

I wrote about the Fet Valve 600R back in 2022:
"I own both the SET 400 and the previous model, the Synergy 450. The sound is very close but the SET 400 is a little more balanced, smoother and does a disappearing act. A friend brought over his 600R, it doesn't have the warmth of the SET 400 so it appears to have more upper midrange and treble, it definitely has greater headroom but I never play music that loud except for demos."

As you can tell I have mixed feeling about the DVA Digital preamp and Fet Valve 600R. My thoughts are about pairing these electronics with the Salk HT2-TL speakers and the BePure 1 monitors. The DVA Digital Preamp and 600R could be a perfect match with older, less revealing speakers like my previous Von Schweikert VR2's or speakers that have a silk dome tweeter. Not that the DVA and 600R are bad with the BePure's per se, but a different pairing would let these speakers really bloom. Perhaps different tubes in the 600R would bring the highs and midrange in better balance. Jim Salk recommends the McGary Audio SA1E with the BePure speakers.

Would I replace my HT2-TL speakers? That's an open question. I would have to hear a BePure in my room, it's all about synergy. I love the clarity of the Purifi driver, there is absolutely no comparison. I also love how the RAAL tweeter and the SEAS drivers are perfectly matched and integrated into a holistic sounding speaker with a balanced presentation. I have time to decide, there is a strong possibly there will be a BePure2 in Tucson in a year.

The Salk BePure speakers rarely come up for sale. My recommendation is if one does show up, throw all caution to the wind and buy it immediately. They are that good.

Wayne

[JCarney]

I agree with WGH, if you see a pair of Bepure speakers for sale, get them, I did. I snatched up a pair of BePure2's, and even not set up well, with a simple but good integrated from Dayton, they shine. I have not been able to get them set up correctly due to a medical issue, and I'm really looking forward to being able to do that so I can hear what the are truly capable of.

JCarney

[zybar]

WGH,

Very nice write up and demo list (we have very similar tastes).   

I bet a pair BePure B1’s would sound killer in my Salk HT (replacing the SongTowers for L/R duty).

George

[WGH]

I bet a pair BePure B1’s would sound killer in my Salk HT (replacing the SongTowers for L/R duty).

Yes they would but why stop there? The center speaker in my HT is the most important, a BePure 1 center channel would greatly enhance dialog intelligibility. I got lucky and found a used HT2C so all the drivers in the three front speakers are identical, my guests and I had no problem understanding the whispered dialog in the first Dune film. And then there are the L/R surrounds to think about. 

My buddy who went to Scottsdale with me already has a preliminary/estimated price for BePure2 cabinet plans with crossover from Jim.

[zybar]

Yes they would but why stop there? The center speaker in my HT is the most important, a BePure 1 center channel would greatly enhance dialog intelligibility. I got lucky and found a used HT2C so all the drivers in the three front speakers are identical, my guests and I had no problem understanding the whispered dialog in the first Dune film. And then there are the L/R surrounds to think about. 

My buddy who went to Scottsdale with me already has a preliminary/estimated price for BePure2 cabinet plans with crossover from Jim.

I am using a SS 7C, which is pretty darn good!

George

[WGH]

I am using a SS 7C, which is pretty darn good!

That should do it 


I probably heard Songtowers like yours at RMAF, they were playing in the morning and I loved them. Late in the afternoon the HT2-TLs were playing and I loved them even more. The BePure's are another step up.

[Rshorb]

Very nice write up. I’m still upset with myself for selling these speakers. But in the end I prefer the Bepure2’s. I never felt the top end to be edgy at all on these speakers. I used a pair of Schiit Tyr’s to audition them for the buyer. And I also used a Mcgary SA2 with Gold Lion KT88’s. Both set ups used a Parasound JC2 BP preamp and Schiit audio dac.

[WGH]

But in the end I prefer the Bepure2’s. I never felt the top end to be edgy at all on these speakers.

Good to know. System matching is always important, probably more so at this level.

Did you ever blow off a passive radiator grill? We did. Big fun we had.

[Rshorb]

No can’t say I played them that hard. They were basically brand new when he bought them.

[Tone Depth]

BePure1 Demo clarifications and impressions.

I spent the week following the July 2nd demo of my new BePure1 Monitors, carefully listening to Wayne’s excellent demo playlist of album recordings that he brought with him on a thumb drive. My speakers once again sounded much better to me; everything was in balance, than they did during our demo experience. Why?

My stereo system is located in our Family Room, which is used for multiple activities, and has no dedicated acoustic treatment. The room dimensions are 14 feet wide, 22 feet long, and with a 13.5 foot high vaulted ceiling. The right wall has is presently partially bare, the left wall includes a sliding glass door, with a medium weight curtain that can be drawn to cover it. Moving back from the sliding glass door is a bay window, multiple panes forming an eating nook. The back of the Family Room is open to the kitchen. The kitchen is 14 feet wide, 10 feet long and 7 feet high. The combined length of the Family Room and kitchen is 32 feet.

I prepared for the demo by temporarily pulling my speakers out about three feet from the front wall where they sit on my fireplace hearth, bounded by bookshelves on either end, as suggested by Wayne. I set my monitor speakers up for the demo by placing them according to the recommendations in: Myth: "Studio monitor speakers must be set up in an equilateral triangle" https://www.digistar.cl/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=442&sid=a1e2d5a68f847363f6822e35d7422004. I used this set up because these are monitors, and should be evaluated in a geometrical positioning they are designed for. The resulting setup measurements for my room were: 38” front of speaker to hearth wall, 102” front of speakers to listener ears in listening position, 59” between speakers centerline to centerline, 54” right speaker edge to right wall, 62” left speaker edge to left glass door. I placed the speakers on 24” high sturdy wood stools, resulting in 40” height of tweeter centerline above the floor. I closed the curtain to partially damp audio reflections from the sliding glass door. I also placed a thin quilt over the flat screen television sitting on the hearth between the speakers, for better center image focus and deeper soundstage according to Wayne’s recommendations.

My equipment for this demo included my Streamer I custom built based on the design of the Salk Sound SalkStream player, AVA DVA Digital Preamp, AVA FET Valve 600R amplifier, and Salk Sound BePure1 Monitor speakers. My Streamer/Server runs on Linux Debian, and has an older Intel Core I7 CPU, insufficient power to process DSD files. I use an S/PDIF TOSLINK optical cable from my streamer to the digital preamp, which limits me to source material at 24 bit-96 kHz PCM maximum resolution. The digital preamp automatically switches to receive source material at up to 24 bit-192 kHz PCM and up to DSD 256, has inputs for S/PDIF coaxial, S/PDIF TOSLINK optical, and USB audio class 2. I use RCA interconnects for the analog signal from the preamplifier output to the power amplifier input. The FET Valve 600R power amplifier is rated at 300W RMS per channel at 8 Ohms impedance, and may double that at 4 Ohms. The BePure1 Monitors are rated for 100W continuous at 8 Ohms impedance. The Purifi 6.5” mid-woofers have a rated noise power of 80 Watts for 100 hours, and a long-term maximum power of 250 Watts. The SB Acoustics Satori Beryllium tweeters are rated for 80 Watt power handling at 8 Ohms. The Creative Sound Solutions 10” passive radiators can be tuned by adding or removing weights, to balance the bass response to the room, and were loaded at the stock weighting for the demo.

The speaker setup as discussed above gives extremely clear imaging at the central listening spot, as one would expect for Monitors. Jim Salk and Dennis Murphy perfectly paired the drivers and crossovers. One reason I use a 300 W/ch power amplifier in this system is to provide adequate power for short-term audio transients without noticeable distortion, consistent with the design of the Monitors having unnoticeable distortion during normal operation.

I brought my AVA FET Valve 600R amplifier for a comparison with his SET 400 amplifier in Wayne’s system in 2017 (time flies). He wrote: “Once again the sound of the two AVA amps was very, very close. The Synergy 450 was more tube like with a tiny lower midrange bump which made it sound warmer while the 600R was more balanced with a greater clarity in the upper midrange and treble. Overall the 600R was a hair clearer and smoother in it's presentation. Bass is the same and the both amps have excellent center image density with depth, almost everyone asks if my center channel speaker is on (it's not) because the center image is so solid.” http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100776.msg1591706#msg1591706

Wayne mentioned in an excerpt from 2022, his recollections of previously comparing my 600R with his SET 400 in his system, “it definitely has greater headroom but I never play music that loud except for demos." I also remember hearing his Salk HT2-TL speakers sounding distorted when he turned up the volume through my amp to hear what they sounded like with 600 W/Channel at 4 Ohms. https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100776.msg1592131#msg1592131

During the demo the volume setting on the digital preamp started at about 30, and Wayne progressively turned it up to 60, the maximum is 63. I think the forceful sound we were hearing was from the tweeter and mid-woofer being overdriven and distorting, since the Monitor speakers were probably receiving in excess of 250W.

The answers to the previously posed question are these:  Evaluate speaker models for their designed purpose. Don’t evaluate speakers based on how they sound being overdriven beyond their design limits. If you need high volume sound, select tower floor standers with multiple drivers.

[WGH]

Wayne progressively turned it up to 60, the maximum is 63. I think the forceful sound we were hearing was from the tweeter and mid-woofer being overdriven and distorting, since the Monitor speakers were probably receiving in excess of 250W.

The guys in our audio group have learned to NEVER give me the remote. 

I didn't think anything sounded over driven and certainly never distorting. The sound was always clean and clear. I was impressed.

[Rshorb]

Wow that’s a ton of power being thrown at them. I know playing the Bepure2’s I can hit 102 Db + At 12 feet with my Mcgary SA2 in triode mode. ( roughly 40 watts ) And they are not distorting or over driving the woofers.

[snaimpally]

The Philharmonic Audio HT towers use 2 Purifi 6.5" drivers. Dennis Murphy, who designed the crossovers for many of the Salk speakers, designed the crossovers for the HT towers as well.

[Rshorb]

Yes Dennis did use those woofers but in a TL enclosure. They don’t have the same bass weight or play as deep. They both sound wonderful though as Jim and Dennis did some amazing work.

[Beatlebum]

My BePure 1's sound excellent matched up with my Simaudio 340i D3PX integrated amplifier. I have them about 10" from the wall and they still image very well. Bass is deep and controled. Midrange clarity is off the charts and I love the tweeter. The tweeter in my previously owned Dynaudio Heritage is amog the best I've ever heard and the BePure's is not far behind. The overall coherence of the drivers on the BePure 1's is phenomenal.

Bravo to Jim and his crew. I believe my pair is one of only three in the wild!

[Tone Depth]

I think your pair are the most attractive of the three pairs; how lucky we each are! Have you spent any time adjusting the amount of weight in the passive radiators? If so, how did you decide on the appropriate amount of weight?

My BePure 1's sound excellent matched up with my Simaudio 340i D3PX integrated amplifier. I have them about 10" from the wall and they still image very well. Bass is deep and controled. Midrange clarity is off the charts and I love the tweeter. The tweeter in my previously owned Dynaudio Heritage is amog the best I've ever heard and the BePure's is not far behind. The overall coherence of the drivers on the BePure 1's is phenomenal.

Bravo to Jim and his crew. I believe my pair is one of only three in the wild!

[Beatlebum]

I think your pair are the most attractive of the three pairs; how lucky we each are! Have you spent any time adjusting the amount of weight in the passive radiators? If so, how did you decide on the appropriate amount of weight?

Mine are still completely stock. I have not messed with weights on the radiators. I did do this on my Klipsch Chorus II's when I had them.

[Rshorb]

I regret selling mine as they were Jim’s prototype and the first pair. But I was running out of storage for all my Salks. I will be building a 2nd pair of Bepure2’s in plain black for my upstairs home theater to match the prototype center channel.

[Beatlebum]

To be clear, the choice of the BePure 1's with their passive radiators allows for much more placement options.

Love these speakers. 

[Beatlebum]