What speakers did you replace?

ttsakai · « **Reply #40 on:** 4 Mar 2010, 08:06 pm »

My recently acquired HT-3 speakers replaced a set of Dunlavy SC-IV speakers which I had for 15 years (Stereophile speaker of the year in 1994). They were known for their time coherency design and accuracy. Rather large speakers (6 ft. tall x 18 inches deep and 12 inches wide) which overpowered my "smallish" room so I thought a change was in order.

Couldn't be happier with my decision to change!

Tracy

GhostintheToast · « **Reply #41 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 03:34 pm »

You guys may laugh but I replaced (or will replace) Infinity Interlude 10s and a 36 center. They were my first and only home speakers, purchased from Circuit City about 8 years ago.

Infact you can buy them here if you have a neice/nephew in college:

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/ele/1631904373.html

charmerci · « **Reply #42 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 05:51 pm »

Quote from: GhostintheToast on 8 Mar 2010, 03:34 pm

You guys may laugh but I replaced (or will replace) Infinity Interlude 10s and a 36 center.

Eh, some guy here actually admitted

to replacing his Bose with some Salks....

writeface · « **Reply #43 on:** 8 Mar 2010, 07:02 pm »

A pair of HT-3 and HT-C replaced Aperion 6T, 6C, and Bravus 10D sub. With HT-3 I don't need any sub.

darwin · « **Reply #44 on:** 9 Mar 2010, 01:49 pm »

I replaced my Magnepan 3.6Rs, 1.6QRs, and CC3 center, and infinite baffle sub, with four SongSurround II - RTs, one SongCenter - RT, and two SongSubs. While the presentation is a bit different, the SSIIs are every bit as revealing as my Maggie 3.6s. I was concerned that I would miss my Maggies. I haven't missed them at all. Not having the headache of speaker placement to deal with any more is a big plus in my book, too.

sabciu · « **Reply #45 on:** 26 Mar 2010, 03:37 am »

I am in the process of replacing my Revel F12 Concerta's. They have been an outstanding set of speakers for me! However, given the Salk name, word of mouth, and performance reviews, I am taking the plunge! They are on order as of today. I ordered mine with the ribbon tweeter upgrade as I have begun to appreciate classical music and anticipate better performance based on the reviews. I will post my reaction once I receive them. Bottom line is that I will either keep the F12's, or the new Salk's. I couldn't audition the Salk's so I had to go by what everyone is saying about them....can't wait

Bigload · « **Reply #46 on:** 10 Apr 2010, 02:32 pm »

I replaced a set of Polk LSi9 book shelf speakers with a set of SongTower dome tweets. I have always liked the LSi9's and felt all things considered, they were the best speaker Polk makes and are a great bang for the buck at $1000/set. They have a ring radiator tweeter and also play much lower than you would expect them to. They are not the typical Best Buy Polk speaker. HOWEVER.... I was ready for something better and all of the reviews and forum recommendations (especially here) pointed me towards the Salks. The Salks are simply in a whole different class than the Polks they replaced. As good as the little Polks were, the Salks were better in every regard. The stunningly attractive appearance, the crystal clear and neutral presentation of details, imaging and soundstage, and the ability to play impressively low and distortion free due to the QWT design all combine to make the Salk a huge upgrade to what I had. I run the 2 channel set up with AVA Insight Pre/Vision DAC combo and an Insight 240 amp.

I am so impressed with the SongTowers, I am now diving in even deeper. I have ordered a complete set of Veracity speakers for my HT room as well....HT2TL's for fronts, HT1TL's for rears and a HTC2 center. My current HT set up is built with Polk RTiA9 fronts, RTiA7 surrounds, CSiA6 center, FXiA6 rears and a SVS PB12-Plus sub. The RTiA9's are huge 500 watt speakers and are are monsters. They do a very decent job in a HT setting given adequate power, but again the Salks are just in a different class. I really had never thought the RTiA9's sounded un-natural or colored at all until I set them side by side with the Salk SongTowers. So that sealed the deal. I am looking forward to getting all of the new Salks here and installed. And please note I am not bashing any of the Polks here. I have enjoyed them very much. They are just no match for the Salk speakers in my opinion.

I did hang onto the LSi9's and demoted them to bedroom duty.

floresjc · « **Reply #47 on:** 17 May 2010, 03:34 pm »

Bigload -

Very nice setup. What are you powering your Veracity home theater with? Do you have amps already or are you getting more AVA gear since you seem to like the Insight/Vision combo?

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #48 on:** 17 May 2010, 05:15 pm »

Is it a bad thing to replace Salk's with Salk's?

5 product lines and counting. I'm bad.

Kwebb · « **Reply #49 on:** 17 May 2010, 10:24 pm »

I replaced my 5.1 system (sold it on audiogon) comprised of 2 pairs of Onix Reference 3's, an Onix Reference 100 (center channel), and a paradigm servo 15 with a pair of HT2-TL's, an HT2 center, a pair of HT1 components in Ellis 1801 cabinets, and a Rythmic 15 servo sub. I can't wait till the Salks are delivered, they are supposed to be coming very soon.

Kyle

jd3 · « **Reply #50 on:** 17 May 2010, 11:42 pm »

Replacing my NHT SuperZero surrounds with SongBirds. That's one Salk speaker that Pete hasn't had (yet!)

Bigload · « **Reply #51 on:** 21 May 2010, 03:35 am »

Quote from: floresjc on 17 May 2010, 03:34 pm

Bigload -

Very nice setup. What are you powering your Veracity home theater with? Do you have amps already or are you getting more AVA gear since you seem to like the Insight/Vision combo?

floresjc...

You are right, I do like the AVA gear. I could not be happier with my 2 channel set up using SongTowers and AVA power. I have been exchanging some emails with Frank and I have my eye on a 260 for the fronts and a 240/3 for the surrounds and center, both with the double die option. I currently have an Onkyo TX-NR5007 AVR and a couple of Emotivas...a XPA-2 and a XPA-3 in my HT room. I will definately keep the Onkyo regardless of which amps I use. I have to convince myself the AVA's are worth the extra cash over the Emo's, especially in a home theater. Despite their low cost, the Emo's are good amps too. I guess I will get the new Veracity speakers in about a week or so. Plan to hook them up to the Emotivas, take a listen for a few weeks and go from there.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #52 on:** 21 May 2010, 10:03 am »

AVA will be a major improvement over the EMo's. Will be a killer set up.

floresjc · « **Reply #53 on:** 21 May 2010, 07:56 pm »

I'm with BRM, if you're going to go, go all the way!

I've never used Emotiva, although I seriously considered them given the kind of prices you can get them for. I still may invest in a UMC-1 processor someday, but I don't really need to since the Oppo will decode all the new formats for me.

Bigload · « **Reply #54 on:** 22 May 2010, 12:06 am »

Quote from: floresjc on 21 May 2010, 07:56 pm

I'm with BRM, if you're going to go, go all the way!

I've never used Emotiva, although I seriously considered them given the kind of prices you can get them for. I still may invest in a UMC-1 processor someday, but I don't really need to since the Oppo will decode all the new formats for me.

Ya, I know. My history tells me that I am a sucker for an upgrade. I will most likely get the AVA's. I just hate to pull the trigger on that without even listening to the Emo's first. And also... I can't tell my wife the Emo's are inadequate until after I actually hook them up.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #55 on:** 22 May 2010, 12:33 am »

Don't waste your time with the Emo's.

floresjc · « **Reply #56 on:** 24 May 2010, 03:56 pm »

Bigload -

I guess I was assuming you had the Emo's a long time, but sounds like you just got them and haven't used them yet. If thats the case, then send those things back, get the AVA. Or, if you have some time in with the Emo's, sell them used and get a little towards some AVA

I'm not tied to any one brand of amp, but I have zero complaints about the gear Frank has built for me, and he offers pretty good upgrade path in the future if thats your cup of tea.

Bigload · « **Reply #57 on:** 25 May 2010, 03:12 am »

I've had the Emo's for a year and a half?? or so. I really think (in my limited amp experience) that they are not bad amps at all, especially in a HT set up. My issues are a couple of things... 1) The AVA gear I have in my 2 channel set up sounds absolutely great and gives a very detailed presentation that I believe outperforms the Emo's, and 2) With a new Salk Veracity surround system on the way, I would like to have amps that I felt would be a good match for the speakers and get everything out them. So.... I did order the Insight+ 260 and Insight+ 240/3 both with the double die option. I will probably sell the Emo's along with all of my old HT stuff when my new stuff all gets here.

dakulis · « **Reply #58 on:** 13 Nov 2010, 12:21 am »

Well, my path to Salksound is a finally over. I am the happy owner of the HT2-TLs that Bill Baker at Response Audio listed for Jim on Audiogon. Frankly, it all started with getting back into audio about 6-7 years ago. A friend laughed at me trying to listen to music on my Ascend 5.1 surround sound set-up. He found, fixed and sold me a 1960s era Fisher integrated tube amp and reconed by 1977 era Altec-Lansing Stonehenge IIs. The sound was "incredible". The music sounded just like what I recalled listening to in my youth on tubes and old speakers.

About a year and a half ago, I ran into a review on Jim's HT3s and began reading everything I could find of Jim's speakers. That lead to a call to Jim and a long discussion (can you believe that he fields all of these calls, gives you his time and expertise and does that over and over again?). Jim actually talked me out of the HT3s or HT2s because he didn't think my Fisher would drive them to their best ability and the HT3s would overwhelm my room. He recommended I look at the SongTowers so I read everything I could on the SongTowers and started drooling. A few months later, I thought I had put the cash together and convinced the wife to take the dive on new SongTowers then a minor financial crisis arose and the cash was spent to cover it.

A year later, I made the "mistake" of deciding to upgrade my system and bought a Unison Research Unico off of Audiogon. It is a lovely amp and it worked well with my CD player. Immediately, I noticed a huge difference in the soundstage coming from the Altecs. It had depth, width and location. That was good news. Suddenly, I noticed that the "warmth" was gone, detail was present and the Altecs weren't doing a very good job of letting me hear music as I should be hearing it. Passages that had been "warm" revealed themselves as instruments being slurred together and any kind of rock sounded like every instrument, voice and sound was coming from a cave.

Another call to Jim. That lead to an order for new SongTowers in a slightly darker and orange, standard walnut veneer and the wait began. Now, you guys know how painful that wait is, right? You reread every review sixteen times, you read every post on this site about the SongTowers some more, stare at the galleries and drool over Jim's speakers.

Last Sunday night, I made "mistake" number 2. I looked on Audiogon and typed in "Salk". Now, I have done this before. The typical scenario is that you find never find a pair of Jim's speakers. On rare occasions, you find a pair but by the time you find them, they're already sold. Well, much to my surprise, I find 4 pairs of Salksound speakers - 2 HT3s, the Audio Response HT2-TLs and a fairly new pair of SongTowers. (Now, I tell you this not so that you can run to Audiogon and buy any of the speakers because, frankly, I was a little disturbed by the thought of buying speakers off Audiogon and depriving Jim of income after all the time he spent with me and because you want to see this business continue and thrive. So, you can imagine my relief when I learned that they were actually Jim's speakers and he would see the money.)

Back to my initial discussion with Jim and me drooling over the HT3s and HT2s. (I don't believe that Jim was doing the HT2-TLs just yet). Anyway, I knew that I didn't want to move up the product line to the HT3s for the reasons that Jim described before. But, the HT2-TLs were the speaker I would eventually buy and Jim agreed that it made sense to buy the HT2-TLs and forego the SongTowers, if I could pull off the dollars. So, now the question, how to convince the wife that this made financial sense now. Well, that's a long story but the short version is she agreed it made sense to purchase them rather than buy the SongTowers now, sell the SongTowers down the road and purchase the HT2-TLs later. So, the waiting, reading, rereading and pouring over this site haven't stopped but the end is in sight.

Jim, any idea how much 1 round trip ticket to Binghamton and 1 ticket from to Binghamton, NY to Spokane might cost? I can ride back with the HT2-TLs in the seat next to me. It might be cheaper than Fed-Ex ground, right?

mark funk · « **Reply #59 on:** 24 Nov 2010, 10:08 pm »

Here they are,

This is what they replaced,

Standard curly cherry,