HT2 TL's ...the're here! Center channel too!

OgOgilby · « **on:** 24 Apr 2009, 04:57 pm »

First things first. Thanks to Jim Salk, Dennis Murphy, and everyone at Salk Sound for creating some amazing products! Thanks to Mary who did a nice packaging job. Thanks to Nuance/Brandon for your help and sound advice, and kudos to the AudioCircle / Salk Signature Sound forum members for creating a great atmosphere to discuss Salk Speakers and audio in general. I have learned a lot about audio over the last couple months (and have a lot more to learn).

This won't really be a review since I am not an audio expert, so just some quick impressions, and I won't attempt to be technical like many Salk owners are able to do here...

At long last our HT2 TL's arrived (we have a matching Center coming also but that is a week or two behind). FedEx managed to split up the shipment so one speaker arrived a day after the first. Unfortunately, I just managed to get a shot of one of the trucks as it was leaving... should have had the camera ready

The speakers were packaged quite well and it took some time to get both large boxes open. FedEx had dinged the packages up a bit - but the speakers arrived without a scratch, which might have something to do with the fact that they were surrounded by 4-5 inches of foam padding! The included "Birth Certificate" and cleaning cloth are nice touches. It was easy to install the plinths and the spikes (BTW, the silver spikes are being replaced with black ones).

The Santos Rosewood satin finish is amazing! Too bad the pics I shot don't do the speakers justice.

How do they sound? Well, this is where I wish I was more of an audio expert. At the moment I have a Denon 4308ci receiver (140 watts for surround, 155 for stereo), OPPO DV-983H for DVD's and SACD's using HDMI, Sony NS999ES I use for CD's using analog outputs, and a PS3 using HDMI for Blu-Ray. I am sure that I will revise this setup, but I am not sure what direction I should head. I wasn't sure the Denon would have enough power for the HT2's, but so far it seems OK. The HT2 TL's appear to be as efficient as the Rocket 750's they replaced, possibly even more efficient judging by the volume settings I was using.

I decide to save Jim's Cd for later - I though it would probably have better recordings than most of our Cd's and I wanted to hear the Salk's with middle of the road recordings. I was able to throw a few Cd's in before my wife got home and play a few tracks that I am very familiar with. The first tracks I played were "released" and "gather" from Glen Phillips "Winter pays for summer" CD. Any question that the Salk's were a big improvement over the Rocket 750's vanished immediately. The song "released" that I always thought had one accoustic guitar playing now clearly had two, it surprised me to the point that I checked the album info - yup, two guitars. Both songs sounded better than I have ever heard them.

Then I played some tracks from Supertramps' "Crime of the Century". It's a fun album/CD to listen to with lots of stuff happening, and it's an OK to good recording depending on which of the 3 CD versions you have. Unfortunately non of the CD versions are as good as the original LP, which I sold years ago

Even so, the HT2's out performed my favorite speakers of old in most, if not all areas (Dahlquist DQ10's, which I sold due to low WAF - again

). My 54 year old ears might be a factor here but I am pretty sure I was hearing thing I never noticed before. The decay on the piano and on cymbals is amazing.

Then my wife arrived. I had stopped listening to music to go feed the dogs. Her first comment was that they were "pretty" speakers. WAF, check, and the grills were off at the time (they still are). I was sure she would ask about the grills, but she never did. Way to go Jim!

We sat down to listen to our new "toys" and I put in Jim's CD. I wasn't sure what to expect and we weren't familiar with any of the tracks. OMG, what an experience, I was blown away and my wife "really liked them and the music" - pretty good, since she isn't an audio buff at all. Music is tight with great imaging, which is exactly what I was hoping for. In our room (17 wide x 22 with 8' ceilings) there is plenty of bass. The guitar on Nils Loftgren's "Keith Don't Go" was breathtaking. I actually called Jim and thanked him right after listening to the song - and probably sounded like an freaking idiot at the time!

It is going to be a lot of fun going through our music library, and expanding it. I'm sure I can improve our room setup and electronics, and it won't surprise me if the Salk's break in and improve a bit. As it stands right now, the HT2 TL's are a joy to listen to.

rockadanny · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 05:16 pm »

Wow! Gorgeous. You're a lucky dog.

DMurphy · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 05:35 pm »

I'm obviously pleased that you seem pleased. I thought it was particularly interesting that you singled out the Nils Loftgren cut for special mention. After I finally got the HT4's to where I wanted them, I went through Jim's demo CD trying to find cuts that would be particularly good vehicles for showing off some of the special characteristics of the HT4. A lot of the studio mixes didn't cut it, and Ray Charles pretty much sounded like Ray Charles no matter what (Salk) speaker I played him on, but the Loftgren is particularly well recorded, with a natural acoustic environment (it was live as I recall). There I could hear clear differences, with things getting sequentially better as I moved up the price line. (I didn't get to try him out on the HT2 TL's, though. I don't have one of those.) If anyone auditions Salks and has access to the demo CD, you should make sure you get to hear Nils.

rahimlee54 · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 05:39 pm »

Hopefully mine look like that

, congrats.

joelmilr · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 05:59 pm »

OgOgilby - Congratulations. I am still waiting for mine to arrive - they had a trans-atlantic trip to get to my house and hopefully I will have my HT2-TL's in about two weeks. Reading about your impressions and excitement as well as those of others receiving their speakers lately, is very helpful in holding onto my sanity while I wait.
ENJOY!! They're great looking.

rahimlee54 · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 06:01 pm »

Why is that edge along the bottom right a different color than that stain where the front and right side meet, or is that just the picture?

earthbound · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 06:26 pm »

Congrats OgOgilby! Those are real beauties, and a nice room too!

jsalk · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 06:27 pm »

Quote from: rahimlee54 on 24 Apr 2009, 06:01 pm

Why is that edge along the bottom right a different color than that stain where the front and right side meet, or is that just the picture?

That is simply an area in the veneer where the grain pattern changes. It is part of the wood. There was no stain or color used on theses speakers.

- Jim

bahorn1 · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 06:28 pm »

Congrats! The speakers and your setup look great! Enjoy.

--Doug

OgOgilby · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 07:01 pm »

Quote from: DMurphy on 24 Apr 2009, 05:35 pm

I'm obviously pleased that you seem pleased. I thought it was particularly interesting that you singled out the Nils Loftgren cut for special mention. After I finally got the HT4's to where I wanted them, I went through Jim's demo CD trying to find cuts that would be particularly good vehicles for showing off some of the special characteristics of the HT4. A lot of the studio mixes didn't cut it, and Ray Charles pretty much sounded like Ray Charles no matter what (Salk) speaker I played him on, but the Loftgren is particularly well recorded, with a natural acoustic environment (it was live as I recall). There I could hear clear differences, with things getting sequentially better as I moved up the price line. (I didn't get to try him out on the HT2 TL's, though. I don't have one of those.) If anyone auditions Salks and has access to the demo CD, you should make sure you get to hear Nils.

Nice work on the crossovers Dennis. These speakers are very smooth. I heard about the excellent mid range and tight bass, but I am really impressed with the high end. I agree about the Nils Loftgren track, it stood out to me and the section that really stands out starts about 3:30 minutes in. Really amazing.

So the HT3's and HT4's are better on that Nils Loftgren track? I'm not sure how that is possible and I'm not sure I wanted to hear that since I can barely afford the HT2's!

Nuance · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 07:12 pm »

OgOgilby,

Congratulations bud! Those are seriously the most beautiful HT2 TL's I have ever seen. That wood gain is to die for!

I am very happy that you're enjoying your new babies. It doesn't get better than that (well, unless you have the HT3's or 4's haha).

Enjoy my friend.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 07:15 pm »

Nice. Know yer happy. A wee suggestion . . when listening to music, pull those lovelies out bout 2.5X their depth from the back of the speaker to the wall behind and adjust to your triangle postion if need be. Were it me, I would add two GIK acoustic panels to put in front of my TV, too. Happy trails.

OgOgilby · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 07:21 pm »

Quote from: rahimlee54 on 24 Apr 2009, 06:01 pm

Why is that edge along the bottom right a different color than that stain where the front and right side meet, or is that just the picture?

There are some interesting "flaws" in the grain pattern, and that's one of them. We actually like the pattern, sometimes things can look too perfect and fake. That veneer may not be for everyone but we are happy.

Quote from: bahorn1 on 24 Apr 2009, 06:28 pm

Congrats! The speakers and your setup look great! Enjoy.

--Doug

Thanks Doug!

Quote from: joelmilr on 24 Apr 2009, 05:59 pm

OgOgilby - Congratulations. I am still waiting for mine to arrive - they had a trans-atlantic trip to get to my house and hopefully I will have my HT2-TL's in about two weeks. Reading about your impressions and excitement as well as those of others receiving their speakers lately, is very helpful in holding onto my sanity while I wait.
ENJOY!! They're great looking.

Thanks Joel. I think you will be pretty happy with yours when they arrive. The wait is worth it, but I wish I had set up some listening material ahead of time... that might give you something to do until they arrive

Quote from: earthbound on 24 Apr 2009, 06:26 pm

Congrats OgOgilby! Those are real beauties, and a nice room too!

Thanks, not too bad for a 60 year old home.

Quote from: rahimlee54 on 24 Apr 2009, 05:39 pm

Hopefully mine look like that , congrats.

Hey, they might look even better! Aren't yours due soon?

Quote from: Nuance on 24 Apr 2009, 07:12 pm

OgOgilby,

Congratulations bud! Those are seriously the most beautiful HT2 TL's I have ever seen. That wood gain is to die for!

I am very happy that you're enjoying your new babies. It doesn't get better than that (well, unless you have the HT3's or 4's haha).

Enjoy my friend.

You played a big part in our getting them. If you and you family are ever in the Boston area we owe you a dinner

Nuance · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 08:06 pm »

Quote from: OgOgilby on 24 Apr 2009, 07:21 pm

You played a big part in our getting them. If you and you family are ever in the Boston area we owe you a dinner

Haha - thanks. If we're ever up that way I'll certainly take you up on your offer.

So what are you doing here on the forums? Go listen to those speakers! HA!

targa02 · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 08:46 pm »

Congratulations! They are beautiful! I recently "discovered" Salk's and I really feel like I've been missing out. I can't wait to actually see and hear a pair.

floresjc · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 08:56 pm »

All I can say is wow. Those Santos Rosewood pics are just amazing, they have to be one of my all time favorites that I've seen on here. I have the Rocket 760's in rosewood, and it looks nowhere near that nice (and they are quite nice in their own right). If I hadn't shipped Jim a significant amount of waterfall bubinga veneer, I'd definitely get those. The other one in my top 3 is the fireburst red/black finish, but my wife wouldn't go for that.

I'm really excited that people are just blown away by the HT2-TL's. I really liked the ST, and I bought the HT2's based on the stellar reviews of it being a ST+, and I got to listen to a regular HT2 and really like the top end, its probably amazing with lower bass. I'm noticing a growing trend of photos of FedEx trucks, perhaps I'll have to do the same.

rahimlee54 · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 09:09 pm »

Quote from: OgOgilby on 24 Apr 2009, 07:21 pm

Quote from: rahimlee54 on 24 Apr 2009, 06:01 pm
Why is that edge along the bottom right a different color than that stain where the front and right side meet, or is that just the picture?

There are some interesting "flaws" in the grain pattern, and that's one of them. We actually like the pattern, sometimes things can look too perfect and fake. That veneer may not be for everyone but we are happy.

I am glad I like yours since I ordered the same speaker and veneer

.

oneinthepipe · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 10:23 pm »

OgOg:

Beautiful HT2-TLs. Nice FedEx truck, too.

Really happy that you are pleased with the speakers.

TJHUB · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 11:06 pm »

Quote from: oneinthepipe on 24 Apr 2009, 10:23 pm

OgOg:

Beautiful HT2-TLs. Nice FedEx truck, too.

Really happy that you are pleased with the speakers.

My sentiments exactly.

I'm happy the delivery truck pics live on.

earthbound · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Apr 2009, 11:12 pm »

Quote from: Nuance on 24 Apr 2009, 08:06 pm

Haha - thanks. If we're ever up that way I'll certainly take you up on your offer. So what are you doing here on the forums? Go listen to those speakers! HA!

This from the guy who has over 7,400 posts on AVS alone!?! When do listen to your Salks?