[weirdo]

Looking to rap with any AVA ers who have Gallo Acoustic Rference 3 with the Gallo SA.

[carusoracer]

I have auditioned the Gallo Ref 3 w/SA and the AVA Fet Valve Amp.
It is a nice combination and the AVA midrange is very smooth and still revealing.
I had no problems moving air when the SA was properly utilzed.

Have fun

[geezer]

For about four months I've been listening to the ref 3 with the SA driven by the AVA DAC, AVA Ultra preamp, and the AVA Ultra 550. I find the combination outstanding even though my room arrangement is far from ideal. To my ears, which haven't heard any really high frequencies in years, the sound is very clean, very transparent, and the bass is amazing.

I have heard lots of good things about the Salks (which cost more than double the Gallos), and I'd love to hear from anyone who has compared the two. I'd be tempted to switch to them if they are significantly better.

[avahifi]

I would prefer if my fans abstain from making any negative comments about other products or persons at the AVA circle.  For the most part, I have not heard or dealt with these and I would not want comments at the AVA circle to be considered as being sanctioned by us.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[carusoracer]

For about four months I've been listening to the ref 3 with the SA driven by the AVA DAC, AVA Ultra preamp, and the AVA Ultra 550. I find the combination outstanding even though my room arrangement is far from ideal. To my ears, which haven't heard any really high frequencies in years, the sound is very clean, very transparent, and the bass is amazing.

I have heard lots of good things about the Salks (which cost more than double the Gallos), and I'd love to hear from anyone who has compared the two. I'd be tempted to switch to them if they are significantly better.

Good taste
As I mentioned above unfortunately I did not get to hear the AVA Fet Valve with the Salks in my room but I did hear them at Jim's house.
I would say that they are both two different presentations. The biggest is the sealed woofer from the ports of the HT3's. The Gallos image like crazy and have a very nice CDT driver. The electrostat sound is similar to the ribbon on the HT3 but not the same. The HT3 once properly set up have extraordinary imaging as well.
I would sum it up to a very organic sound with the Gallo's with a slight tilt to the top end with taught bass.
The HT3's are so voiced so flat and the drivers are so accurate it is another level. Both sound great and I could live with both and do but, the HT3's are a few steps above hence the price.

Good luck!

[ricmon]

For about four months I've been listening to the ref 3 with the SA driven by the AVA DAC, AVA Ultra preamp, and the AVA Ultra 550. I find the combination outstanding even though my room arrangement is far from ideal. To my ears, which haven't heard any really high frequencies in years, the sound is very clean, very transparent, and the bass is amazing.

I have heard lots of good things about the Salks (which cost more than double the Gallos), and I'd love to hear from anyone who has compared the two. I'd be tempted to switch to them if they are significantly better.

Good taste
As I mentioned above unfortunately I did not get to hear the AVA Fet Valve with the Salks in my room but I did hear them at Jim's house.
I would say that they are both two different presentations. The biggest is the sealed woofer from the ports of the HT3's. The Gallos image like crazy and have a very nice CDT driver. The electrostat sound is similar to the ribbon on the HT3 but not the same. The HT3 once properly set up have extraordinary imaging as well.
I would sum it up to a very organic sound with the Gallo's with a slight tilt to the top end with taught bass.
The HT3's are so voiced so flat and the drivers are so accurate it is another level. Both sound great and I could live with both and do but, the HT3's are a few steps above hence the price.

Good luck!
[/quote]

I auditioned the Gallos and my conclusion is similar to carusoracer in that I did not perceive the Gallos as the speaker to take me to the next level I was looking for in a speaker.  But they may do it for you however.  I would not dismiss the Gallos but I would take statement  "The HT3's are so voiced so flat and the drivers are so accurate it is another level" very seriously and audition more speakers.

Good luck in your speaker hunt 

[geezer]

Good taste Thumbs up
As I mentioned above unfortunately I did not get to hear the AVA Fet Valve with the Salks in my room but I did hear them at Jim's house.
I would say that they are both two different presentations. The biggest is the sealed woofer from the ports of the HT3's. The Gallos image like crazy and have a very nice CDT driver. The electrostat sound is similar to the ribbon on the HT3 but not the same. The HT3 once properly set up have extraordinary imaging as well.
I would sum it up to a very organic sound with the Gallo's with a slight tilt to the top end with taught bass.
The HT3's are so voiced so flat and the drivers are so accurate it is another level. Both sound great and I could live with both and do but, the HT3's are a few steps above hence the price.

Good luck!

I auditioned the Gallos and my conclusion is similar to carusoracer in that I did not perceive the Gallos as the speaker to take me to the next level I was looking for in a speaker.  But they may do it for you however.  I would not dismiss the Gallos but I would take statement  "The HT3's are so voiced so flat and the drivers are so accurate it is another level" very seriously and audition more speakers.

Good luck in your speaker hunt  Smile

Thanks for your insights. Now I just have to find someplace where I can hear the Salks.

[plaf26]

Has anybody tried Ohm Walsh speakers with AVA equipment?

[martyo]

Thanks for your insights. Now I just have to find someplace where I can hear the Salks.

That and meeting Frank were my original reasons for going to RMAF this year. On the Salk circle they have a sticky thread with an owners audition list, owners of Salk speakers who volunteer to audition them, maybe there is someone in your area.

[weirdo]

Hi geezer,   I have a somewhat similar problem. I have AVA Omega Star SS gear and the Gallo Ref with SA. At times it can bring me to tears ( in a good way). At times I realize how much I am suffering from lack of proper room geometry. I can't say enough about the speakers (or the amplification) however. I had Maggies before and thought i was taking a big risk in going to the Gallo, but I have been rewarded with some extraordinary sound and have not regretted my purchase. I often read about speakers being suited for a particular music genre. Well, its true and the Gallo seems to be suited for Jazz vocal and combo.

I have another comment unrelated to the Speakers however. Recently I pulled the fuses out of the AVA Omega Star 440ex and cleaned them with conductive lubricant and emory cloth. I cleaned the sockets with Q-tips and a common hi-fi cleaner product.  I'm not one to exaggerate but the sound presentation was noticeably "cleaned up".  I am going to put the amp on a 6 month fuse cleaning schedule.   

[Brett Buck]

Has anybody tried Ohm Walsh speakers with AVA equipment?

   Yes!  I had Ohm Walsh IIs with my Jensen's Stereo Shop Mos-Fet Control Amp for ~25 years. Absolutely excellent combo. Later, I replaced the original Walsh drivers with the Walsh 100 Mk2 upgrade, which had a very remarkable improvement in the bass and a noticable improvement in the high end. The increase in the bass response and improvement in bass definition was absolutely astonishing  - they nearly match my current B&W 803s at less than  half the price.

   Later, I got a Omegastar EC preamp and Omegastar 260 power amp and that also worked quite well with the expected improvements in "punch" and the somewhat unexpected great increase in high-end definition.   The best characteristics of the Walsh speakers (wide dispersion and total lack of coloration)  work very nicely with the dead neutral AVA equipment. The Walsh are not inordinately efficient so you need the kind of punch and current drive that the AVA amp provides.

    I have had the opportunity to listen to the upgraded Walsh IIs and the B&W 803s's back to back and the B&Ws are somewhat better overall.  Not nearly as much better as the price differential might suggest.

All in all, excellent speakers for a very good price.

     Brett