[robinje]

Is anyone here using McIntosh gear with their Salk speakers?  I have an newly acquired MC275 (rated at 75wpc, but more like 90wpc in reality) tube amp that I like a lot.  I am considering the HT2 speakers, as my room is probably too small for HT3's (my budget is also too small!).  My room is roughly 12x15'.  The HT2's are rated at 87dB efficiency, so I think I should have plenty of power.  But I wanted to check in here for additional opinions.  I like rock music (among several other "gentler" genres) and I sometimes listen pretty loudly.  The HT2's are rated as 4-ohm nominal impedance and I have a 4-ohm output tap on the power amp which should work fine, assuming the HT2's are fairly easy to drive and are compatible with a tube amp like mine.  Does anyone here have experience with this combination and would like to contribute some input to my decision? 

Thanks!

[95bcwh]

12x15' is not that small.. my room is 11x13 and yet with proper room treatment I can still make HT3 sings!

My advice is go for HT3 (there was a pair on sale recently at killer price..go grab it!) 

Is anyone here using McIntosh gear with their Salk speakers?  I have an newly acquired MC275 (rated at 75wpc, but more like 90wpc in reality) tube amp that I like a lot.  I am considering the HT2 speakers, as my room is probably too small for HT3's (my budget is also too small!).  My room is roughly 12x15'.  The HT2's are rated at 87dB efficiency, so I think I should have plenty of power.  But I wanted to check in here for additional opinions.  I like rock music (among several other "gentler" genres) and I sometimes listen pretty loudly.  The HT2's are rated as 4-ohm nominal impedance and I have a 4-ohm output tap on the power amp which should work fine, assuming the HT2's are fairly easy to drive and are compatible with a tube amp like mine.  Does anyone here have experience with this combination and would like to contribute some input to my decision? 

Thanks!

[DMurphy]

I think I better sound a note of caution here.  The HT2 will be a much easier load than the HT3.  It's considerably more sensitive, and the impedance doesn't drop quite as low.  Maybe the Mac wouldn't have any problems with the HT3, but it's not a certainty, particularly if they're expected to rock out at very high volume. 

[BrianM]

12x15' is not that small.. my room is 11x13 and yet with proper room treatment I can still make HT3 sings!

I assume your TacT has something to do with that, too (if memory serves you have a TacT). If my room was as small as that I'd probably be shopping for smaller scale 2-way speakers only, but that's just me.

robinje -

Just wondering if you've considered the SongTowers?  (Conjecture alert...) Based on my own experience with the Seas W18 driver I find it to be more ideal for most classical music listening than for most rock music.  It is *so* accurate that you really appreciate the acoustic bloom, space and detail found in classical recordings, whereas with many rock recordings I'm a bit too aware that everything happened on a mixing board, with phony reverb, and probably using monitors inferior to such as Jim builds.  Only a nitpick, and I'm more or less perfectly happy playing somebody like Bob Dylan (who was notorious for his inattention to recording quality) on the W18s.  And certainly, audiophile-quality rock recordings sound just great.  Just another thing to consider...

And all that being said, I recall Jim saying that he prefers the HT2s for rock because of its MTM design (why I'm not exactly sure, a warmer midrange I guess).  I would also think the SongTowers or HT2s would be easier to integrate into a smaller room than the HT3s, and perhaps the STs being a bit easier than the HT2s, though as Barry appears to demonstrate, anything's possible!  Maybe it depends on how long term-this purchase is meant to be (will you ever be in a bigger room down the road).  But without an equalizer and lots of treatments I'd probably pass on a deep-reaching full-ranger.

[Woolz]

I agree with Dennis.  I have HT-2s and drive them with a CJ Premier 140 in a very large room.  I know for sure I would opt for the HT-2 in your size room with the Mac amp for the same reason I chose them for my room: much more compatible with a tube amp.  I have not heard an HT-3 but I would be shocked if it was better than the HT-2 above 40 Hz.  And I think you will find it hard enough to deal with the bass of the HT-2 in your room: it is quite musically satisfying in my room.  Also, I find rock music quite fun on the HT-2s although I do understand the comments about the w-18s being very revealing although I would describe them as fascinating to listen to as you really can hear every little thing that is going on.  I think the Mac HT-2 combo would make you happy as a clam. These speakers are hard to over-hype.

[K_Roen]

I've been using my McIntosh MC-352 amp to power my HT3's as the B channel  (stereo) via a McIntosh MX-135.  In my 13 x 18 x 15 H dedicated stereo room its an impressive match that I've decided is the best I've heard in my room.  The only other amp I've auditioned that I feel give me a smoother sound is the McIntosh MC-2102 Tube amp that is almost as powerful as my 352 but lacks the punch I enjoy listening to some rock with deep bass and classical organ music.  I listen to 30 percent rock, 15 percent country, 25 percent jazz and 30 percent classical.  A Mac amp matched with Salk speakers is truly something that is in MHO is something as close to heavenly sonic bliss.  The MC-275 would make the HT2's, or Salk Song Tower or V-3's sing no matter what you play through them!