Owner Impressions, Delivery Times and Things to Do While You Wait

Nuance · « **Reply #500 on:** 12 Jan 2010, 05:18 pm »

Congrats, Kinger!

Kinger · « **Reply #501 on:** 13 Jan 2010, 12:22 pm »

Thanks Nuance. Your speaker quest was definitely one that I enjoyed reading and after all that when you decided to go with a pair of ST's I thought how could I go wrong?

Kinger · « **Reply #502 on:** 15 Jan 2010, 11:50 pm »

Well my 30 to 45 day wait time appears to have been significantly reduced. Sent Jim an e-mail today inquiring about possibly changing my mind for a HT1-TL instead of the Songtower and when he replied he mentioned that my ST's were already beginning to be assembled. (Apparently he had some cabinets for the RT's already built) Decided to go with the ST's in the end and now I'm REALLY getting excited since it sounds like they are so close to being done.

mchuckp · « **Reply #503 on:** 16 Jan 2010, 05:58 am »

Quote from: Kinger on 15 Jan 2010, 11:50 pm

Well my 30 to 45 day wait time appears to have been significantly reduced. Sent Jim an e-mail today inquiring about possibly changing my mind for a HT1-TL instead of the Songtower and when he replied he mentioned that my ST's were already beginning to be assembled. (Apparently he had some cabinets for the RT's already built) Decided to go with the ST's in the end and now I'm REALLY getting excited since it sounds like they are so close to being done.

You won't be sorry. I'm amazed every day with my STRTs. Will it ever get old?

Nuance · « **Reply #504 on:** 16 Jan 2010, 07:58 am »

Quote from: mchuckp on 16 Jan 2010, 05:58 am

You won't be sorry. I'm amazed every day with my STRTs.

+1

Quote from: mchuckp on 16 Jan 2010, 05:58 am

Will it ever get old?

It hasn't for me, and its been a year and a half.

Kinger · « **Reply #505 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 02:02 am »

Well, I don't normally consider myself a very lucky individual, but somebody sure has been looking out for me on obtaining new ST/RT's. Jim sent me an e-mail today saying my pair is finished and ready for shipment

Should have them at the house Monday or Tuesday of next week.

K Shep · « **Reply #506 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 02:05 am »

Congratulations Kinger. It is great to jump to the front of the line. I know it happened to me too.

In a previous life.

Nuance · « **Reply #507 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 03:14 am »

Congrats, Kinger! I look forward to pictures and your impressions.

taoggniklat · « **Reply #508 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 04:14 am »

I am torn on how I want to proceed. I absolutely love the HT2TL's....I just don't have the budget for them (moving + 5 month old baby doesn't leave much room for man cave toys).

Do I go with the ST's and turn around and re-sell them when I am in a better financial position to go for the HT2TL's. Or just save my pennies until I can get the HT2's.

Either way, my electronics system is in definite need of upgrading and either speaker will demand some immediate upgrades.

Sigh, touch choices!

Current System:
Pioneer VSX-608
Sony BDP-BX2
Sony DVDR-VCR Combo
Xbox 360 Elite
Rotel RA-970 Integrated Amp
QSC RMX-850 185w x 2 into 8ohms

Paradigm Monitor 9, Mini Monitor, CC350 and Sony SAW2500 "boom box".

Nuance · « **Reply #509 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 05:29 am »

My advice is don't buy what you cannot afford, and don't go into debt. I've been down that road and its not pretty. I say either wait and save or get the SongTower's RT's. I don't think you'll regret either path.

taoggniklat · « **Reply #510 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 06:44 am »

Quote from: Nuance on 21 Jan 2010, 05:29 am

My advice is don't buy what you cannot afford, and don't go into debt. I've been down that road and its not pretty. I say either wait and save or get the SongTower's RT's. I don't think you'll regret either path.

Oh I don't think I will regret either speaker.

It is just trying to make the right decision for now.

evan1 · « **Reply #511 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 09:25 am »

I have thought about upgrading to the HT2TL ,but can't justify the double price tag of my Songtowers. They just sound so good.

charmerci · « **Reply #512 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 02:51 pm »

Go with the ST's - you're electronics sure could use upgrading. After the Salks, changing the electronics will make a bigger difference.

Kinger · « **Reply #513 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 03:27 pm »

I think it just depends on how much time it might take you to save up enough for the HT2's. If it's only a couple weeks/months and you can live with that wait on top of waiting to have them made, then maybe saving up isn't a bad thing to get exactly what you want right from the get go.

However, if you think it would take you longer to save up than you are willing to wait for a good pair of speakers, then it might be best to get some ST's. (Or maybe go with HT1-TL's?) The good news is that it seems like Salk speakers go pretty quickly used and for not much less than what one would pay for a set new so you could have a really nice set of ST's to listen to while saving up that extra amount of scratch to reach the HT2 level.

Just remember that with either speaker you are also indicating that you want to upgrade your other gear. So you are not just saving for the HT2's, but also for new gear. That can be quite a lot of scratch. The ST's at being half the cost could allow you to take the other half you would have spent on HT2's and put it towards other gear which could then be used for either speaker as time goes on.

oneinthepipe · « **Reply #514 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 05:29 pm »

Go with the ST OWII for 1795.00. You'll get the Murphy/Salk sound. What you gain from the HT2-TL is deeper bass, maybe something in the mid-range, and the ability to play louder/handle more power. There isn't an easily discernable difference in the general nature of the speakers' sound. Better to have great speakers sooner than later and not running up your debt. If and when the time comes, you can always "upgrade", although you might not want to replace the SongTowers even if you later have an opportunity.

Nuance · « **Reply #515 on:** 21 Jan 2010, 07:40 pm »

Quote from: oneinthepipe on 21 Jan 2010, 05:29 pm

Go with the ST OWII for 1795.00. You'll get the Murphy/Salk sound. What you gain from the HT2-TL is deeper bass, maybe something in the mid-range, and the ability to play louder/handle more power. There isn't an easily discernable difference in the general nature of the speakers' sound. Better to have great speakers sooner than later and not running up your debt. If and when the time comes, you can always "upgrade", although you might not want to replace the SongTowers even if you later have an opportunity.

Well said. I do think another difference between the OWII and the HT2's is the timbre accuracy in the higher frequencies. That ribbon tweeter really hits home in my opinion.

Like others have said, go with the SongTower's, then start upgrading gear and ensuring your room is treated well. I, however, recommend the ribbon SongTower's, but I am a little bias.

fsimms · « **Reply #516 on:** 22 Jan 2010, 02:12 pm »

Quote

There isn't an easily discernable difference in the general nature of the speakers' sound.

I was surprised that you said this. While both speakers are similarly voiced and you might not notice the difference if you weren't paying any attention to the speakers, I thought the difference was more easily noticed than you do. One has treated paper drivers and the other magnesium cones. This is pretty audible to me. It is comparable to the difference in sound of listening to the live performers on a stage to listening to them in the recording studio for me. Both sound great though! Another way of saying it is that the SongTowers might make a piece sound more beautiful but the Veracity speaker might be more exciting. I personally prefer the excitement. YMMV

Bob

oneinthepipe · « **Reply #517 on:** 22 Jan 2010, 08:32 pm »

Quote from: fsimms on 22 Jan 2010, 02:12 pm

I was surprised that you said this. While both speakers are similarly voiced and you might not notice the difference if you weren't paying any attention to the speakers, I thought the difference was more easily noticed than you do. One has treated paper drivers and the other magnesium cones. This is pretty audible to me. It is comparable to the difference in sound of listening to the live performers on a stage to listening to them in the recording studio for me. Both sound great though! Another way of saying it is that the SongTowers might make a piece sound more beautiful but the Veracity speaker might be more exciting. I personally prefer the excitement. YMMV

Bob

There are a lot of similarities between the speakers. Maybe more similarities than differences. When the SongTowers and HT2-TL were placed next to each other in the Salk/AVA room @ RMAF, most people would be hard pressed to tell which speaker was playing. There just wasn't that much difference in the sound for me and other people to be certain that the ST was playing or the HT2-TL was playing. Regardless which speakers were playing, there was very engaging sound coming from the Salk/AVA room. I think that the HT2-TL is more detailed, having owned both the ST and the HT2-TL. The HT2-TL's bass is much deeper, and the HT2-TL handles more power. I prefer the HT2-TL, and the HT2-TL are well worth the increased cost, IMO. However, the OP can't easily buy the HT2-TL at this time, and my advice would be to buy the ST OWII and enjoy great speakers now rather than wait, because there isn't a discernible difference in the "general" nature of the sound. There are a lot of specific differences between the two speakers. I also don't consider the HT2-TL to be a STRT on steroids or just a bigger STRT.

Nuance · « **Reply #518 on:** 22 Jan 2010, 11:23 pm »

Concerning sound quality differences between the ST RT and HT2 TL's, I am with oneinthepipe. There are certainly differences, but if you guys think said differences above 100Hz are huge then you have super sonic hearing.

With that said, the HT2 TL's are a worthy upgrade.

darwin · « **Reply #519 on:** 25 Jan 2010, 11:18 pm »

As of today, I guess I can be added to the list of Salkers. I've ordered four SongSurround IIs, one SongCenter, all with the RT upgrade, and two SongSubs, all speakers and subs to be done in bamboo and dyed a deep rose red similar, if not an exact match, to the red seen in the some of the Cocobolo and Rosewood veneers that Jim has posted pictures of in the past.
I guess I can pass the time while I'm waiting to shop for some cheap speaker stands, since I just spent my kids' inheritance on these speakers.