[jsalk]

For those of you not familiar with the QW's, they are a 2-way speaker in an MLQT (mass-loaded quarterwave tube) transmission line cabinet.  This is actually an 80" tall cabinet folded in half internally.

Alan Sull once commented that the QW's "are the most impressive 2-way design I have run into, and aside from the HT3’s, clearly the best speaker under <$10k I have witnessed."  And Alan's hobby is listening to and comparing high-end speakers.  Many others have told me it was the best-sounding, most natural 2-way they had ever heard.  I can't comment on either of these reactions except to say that it is the best 2-way I currently build.

Gary wanted a simple veneer without a lot of grain or figuring.  We first looked at pearwood.  But we just couldn't find a nice batch of it.  So we did a search and came up with honey locust.  Unfortunately, we had to purchase a huge batch - far more than we needed.  And since I don't get many calls for woods with little grain or figuring, I wondered if I would ever use it all up.

After completing these QW's, I have to admit the simplicity grew on me.  This would fit in almost any decor and has a simple elegance to it.

Here is a picture of Gary's finished QW's:

 

Since there is not place in these MLQT (mass-loaded quarterwave tube) transmission line cabinets for the crossovers, they either have to be mounted in a tall plinth or in outboard crossover enclosures.  Gary selected the latter.

Here is a view of the rear connections:



Happy listening Gary!

- Jim

[95bcwh]

Man..I'd love to listen to this speaker one day.

Jim, how would you describe its sound compare to HT3?

Thanks
barry
Houston, TX

[David Ellis]

Such a compliment from Alan Sull is noteworthy.  Aside from being able to type @ 120wpm, I think the guy has a very credible set of ears.  

I have never met Alan, but correponded with him a few years back.  I hope school continues for Alan.  I recall him attending Dartmouth with a potential follow-on at medical school.

Dave
[/quote]

[jsalk]

Dave -

Alan is in medical school.  I think he is in his second year.

He flew in here from Little Rock (as I recall) and spent part of one day and part of the next listening to HT3's and QW's.  He had three or four test CD's and each cut on each of them was selected to highlight a certain speaker characteristic.  

I was amazed at his methodology.  And the list of speakers he had tested over the years was impressive as well.

Best of all, he was a pleasure to spend time with - a real quality individual.

- Jim

[jsalk]

Barry -

Man..I'd love to listen to this speaker one day.

Jim, how would you describe its sound compare to HT3?

Thanks
barry
Houston, TX

The basic difference can be found in bass extension.  While the HT1's (a stand-mounted 2-way) go down to an F3 of about 45Hz, the QW's play into the high 30's.  The HT3's, in comparison, have an F3 of about 29Hz.

You can't get that kind of bass extension from a 2-way design and still maintain high quality in the midrange.

In the QW, rather than trying to create a cabinet that is basically inert, the cabinet actually becomes part of the speaker.  The back-wave of the midwoofer excites air in the transmission line and allows the system as a whole to play deeper bass that it ordinarily could.

The only other difference is that the midrange is perhaps a little more relaxed in the QW.

A 2-way speaker will never take you as far as a 3-way or multi-way speaker has the potential of going (if it is done right, that is).  The QW was designed to take the Veracity 2-way drivers as far as possible.  Like I said above, it is the best 2-way I currently build.

- Jim

[texas steve]

Man..I'd love to listen to this speaker one day.

Jim, how would you describe its sound compare to HT3?

Thanks
barry
Houston, TX

I cant image anything sounding better than my HT3!  You guys remember the old MTV chant "I want my MTV"!   we should change it to "I want my HT3s"

My HT3s, now almost 1 month later are even better.  As I listen to my collection of CDs I hear things I have never heard on them before.  I am amazed even old CDs (remastered) of Elvis are superb.  The voice is like its right there in the room.  No Elvis has not "left the building"!

[David Ellis]

I cant image anything sounding better than my HT3!

I have heard most speakers, and am confident that nothing comercially produced today sounds clearly better.  There are some equal sounding speakers, but they cost @20k$.  IMO.

Dave

[zybar]

I cant image anything sounding better than my HT3!

I have heard most speakers, and am confident that nothing comercially produced today sounds clearly better.  There are some equal sounding speakers, but they cost @20k$.  IMO.

Dave

Dave,

I tend to agree.  

The only other speaker I have thought was better was the Vandy 5A's.  

Every time I have heard them though they have had pretty expensive associated gear.  I wonder how much better the HT3's would sound being run by some super expensive gear?

George

[David Ellis]

Source gear makes a considerable impact IMO.  I am fairly confident that if both speakers used the same quality gear the HT3 would be on par.

Dave

[kbuzz3]

does anyone have the dimensions and specs for this model. Or  a link. I couldnt find it on the salk site

[Gordy]

Zybar provided us with a sticky that has info on the current line  http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=27730

[westcoast]

Try here as well...  

http://www.salksound.com/VQW.html

[jsalk]

kbuzz3 -

does anyone have the dimensions and specs for this model. Or  a link. I couldnt find it on the salk site

Here is a link: http://www.salksound.com/VQW.html

The QW's have a tapered cabinet that is about 14" deep at the bottom and 11" deep at the top.  They are 9" wide and 40" tall, not including the plinth.  Since there is no room in the cabinet for the crossover, it is either contain in a 4" tall plinth or in separate outboard crossover enclosures.

FR is somewhat room dependent, but is about 30Hz to 40KHz +/- 3db.  It is a nomonial 8 ohm design.

- Jim

[David Ellis]

The HT3's response is essentially flat (+/- 1 1/2 db) from 34 Hz to well beyond audibility. F3 is just under 29 Hz and F10 is 23 Hz.

The HT3 is on this page: http://www.salksound.com/ht3.html

There is more information here:

http://www.salksound.com/HT3-specs.html  This comes up as an html.