Texas Revelator Tower

FredT300B · « **Reply #20 on:** 29 Mar 2009, 11:01 am »

Quote from: rklein on 28 Mar 2009, 09:16 pm

Does putting the port in the front give you more freedom in regards to placement?

So I'm told, but the reason I positioned the port on the front is because I think a big flared port looks good, and you can't see it if it's in back.

Jack, thanks for the nice comments about the TRT's, and I'm sure Rick appreciates them too. Whenever I build a speaker, even if it's somebody else's design and my only part was pushing mdf through the saw, I know I'll be biased, and I hesitate to comment on the sound. Even an ugly baby is beautiful to a new mom. But these speakers really do seem to outperform every other speaker I have owned in their clarity, resolution, and lack of coloration. Of course they don't have the soundstage or the effortless sound at high volume levels of the line arrays, but they are a better fit for the small room in which they're located.

Rick Craig · « **Reply #21 on:** 3 Apr 2009, 03:16 pm »

The TRT is also available assembled for $2,550 (includes shipping to the mainland USA).

cadobhuk · « **Reply #22 on:** 3 Apr 2009, 09:26 pm »

That's a fantastic price for a floorstander of such quality.

FredT300B · « **Reply #23 on:** 4 Apr 2009, 10:25 am »

Quote from: cadobhuk on 3 Apr 2009, 09:26 pm

That's a fantastic price for a floorstander of such quality.

I've concluded that in high end audio a high price, upscale cosmetics, and a recognized brand name are more influential than sound quality in many audiophiles' decisions about which speaker to buy. This isn't to disparage any brand, but mainstream speakers that use high quality drivers like the Scan Speak Revelators often cost several times the price of non-mainstream brands like Selah.

http://www.wilsonaudio.com/images/sophia/Enlargements/Sophia-08-2.jpg

http://www.friedproducts.com/reference.html

cadobhuk · « **Reply #24 on:** 4 Apr 2009, 09:46 pm »

Yes I knew that, but even Rick didn't have a floorstander below $5k before, apart from 35f. Now the gap is somewhat filled.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #25 on:** 20 May 2009, 12:41 am »

I heard these too briefly on 5/16 with a few other guests at Fred's house. Fabulous speaks across the broad from what I heard. Cactus Jack said right. Hope the lot of us will get to hear these at a meet very soon. Thanks, Fred.

Rick Craig · « **Reply #26 on:** 20 May 2009, 06:19 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 20 May 2009, 12:41 am

I heard these too briefly on 5/16 with a few other guests at Fred's house. Fabulous speaks across the broad from what I heard. Cactus Jack said right. Hope the lot of us will get to hear these at a meet very soon. Thanks, Fred.

That's great to hear. In a few weeks we are shipping a pair to California.

FredT300B · « **Reply #27 on:** 20 May 2009, 08:45 pm »

Here's the link to a thread I started to get attendees' comments about the equipment we heard at the 5/16 meet. I really wanted comments about the speakers and amps we were here to audition, which were the SP Timepiece Mini's and the Eminent Tech planars, but the TRT's are the topic of most of the comments. I especially apprecated Jim Anderson's comments. Jim is the former CEO of Wadia and former owner of Hales Design Group. A guy who knows high end audio.

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/houstonaudio/message/3613

Rick Craig · « **Reply #28 on:** 21 May 2009, 04:19 pm »

Quote from: FredT300B on 20 May 2009, 08:45 pm

Here's the link to a thread I started to get attendees' comments about the equipment we heard at the 5/16 meet. I really wanted comments about the speakers and amps we were here to audition, which were the SP Timepiece Mini's and the Eminent Tech planars, but the TRT's are the topic of most of the comments. I especially apprecated Jim Anderson's comments. Jim is the former CEO of Wadia and former owner of Hales Design Group. A guy who knows high end audio.

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/houstonaudio/message/3613

Thanks for the link and feedback from everyone. Looks like we nailed it on this one.

Cacophonix · « **Reply #29 on:** 21 May 2009, 05:17 pm »

Kudos to fred for arranging another get-together. It was in his house that i first heard an array, and fell in love with its sound. Ever since then i was looking to build a selah array, and recently have completed a planar-based symmetrica. Admittedly the speakers are in too small a room (11x10), but inspite of that they sound awesome!

Given a bigger place, i'm sure they'll sound even better!

kaisernaut · « **Reply #30 on:** 22 May 2009, 06:46 am »

Quote from: Rick Craig on 20 May 2009, 06:19 pm

That's great to hear. In a few weeks we are shipping a pair to California.

Am looking forward to it.

ichillpill · « **Reply #31 on:** 29 May 2009, 01:35 pm »

Any chance it would be in the LA area of california?

Rick Craig · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 May 2009, 01:51 pm »

Quote from: ichillpill on 29 May 2009, 01:35 pm

Any chance it would be in the LA area of california?

Yes.

ichillpill · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 May 2009, 02:01 pm »

Great! Please update this thread when the pair gets shipped. And to the lucky owner, hopefully a review of the speakers and an open invitation to demo them would be most welcoming

thronbocaj · « **Reply #34 on:** 29 May 2009, 06:09 pm »

Quote from: ichillpill on 29 May 2009, 02:01 pm

Great! Please update this thread when the pair gets shipped. And to the lucky owner, hopefully a review of the speakers and an open invitation to demo them would be most welcoming

I'm also in the LA area. Give it a few weeks & you can come by & hear my Selah's.

Jacob

ichillpill · « **Reply #35 on:** 30 May 2009, 12:28 am »

jacob,

So they're yours! I was planning to pm you once I get back in town as I wanted to listen to your Galena's (if still available) and now the TRT's will be in the same roof. Thanks for the offer!

James

kaisernaut · « **Reply #36 on:** 30 May 2009, 05:26 am »

Quote from: ichillpill on 30 May 2009, 12:28 am

jacob,

So they're yours! I was planning to pm you once I get back in town as I wanted to listen to your Galena's (if still available) and now the TRT's will be in the same roof. Thanks for the offer!

James

Actually it's mine....

djdube525 · « **Reply #37 on:** 3 Jun 2009, 07:52 pm »

I got a chance to listen to some TRTs at Rick's house last night (kaisernut's?)...

First off... I have to thank Rick for extending the very generous offer to come out and listen to them. The visit lasted a bit longer than originally planned - seems to happen when you get listening to some good tunes and then get to chatting.

Another thing I noticed... I really need to revamp my listening collection. Rick kept pulling out CD's that were really well recorded... I noticed a big difference with what I brought.

As for the speakers... I'm not the best of reviewers... not a huge amount of listening experience. My 2ch listening is with some Mini Stratas from AV123 which is quite a bit different beast - very laid back, almost syrupy if that makes sense.

In comparison, the TRTs are quite a bit more lively - a very dynamic speaker that were at ease at keeping up with (IMHO) some pretty complex passages. The biggest thing I noticed was the soundstage - nice, big, airy and detailed (great decay on the cymbals, can pick up various nuances from the artists voices, fingers on guitars, etc). They are a really nice set of speakers.

Dave

richidoo · « **Reply #38 on:** 4 Jun 2009, 05:15 pm »

Thanks to Rick and his wife for allowing me a quick to listen to TRT this morning. I echo Dave's comments. It is amazing the clarity and frequency extension of this speaker. Bass is clean and punchy, mids extremely detailed but not aggressive. Highs are detailed and uncolored. The speaker is dynamic but it has a subtle soft feeling in the midrange that is very nice. Not tonally soft, no... all the tonal texture in a piano string is easy to hear. More like dynamic transients hit you with a pillow instead of a wood board. I really like the relaxed easy feeling. Like Mejor, it feels like there's no speaker there. Incredible sound for this price. Congrats Kaisernaut, you have a nice present coming!

djdube525 · « **Reply #39 on:** 4 Jun 2009, 09:26 pm »

Quote from: richidoo on 4 Jun 2009, 05:15 pm

.... it feels like there's no speaker there.

I agree whole heartedly!