Gallo ref 3.1's or a different one?

Alexdad54 · « **on:** 16 Jun 2009, 02:32 pm »

Hi, I'm trying to get some input from as many sources as I can re my new speaker choice.
Following some previous advice I listened to Maggie 1.6's at two different dealers but I guess I'm not a Planar Person as I thought they left something to be desired in the fullness and depth of playing the music I prefer (70's non-mainstream rock, reggae, blues, some jazz...). I have a smallish listening room at 14'x21'x8'

I would prefer to use a tube amp, but haven't picked one yet.

Based on reading and some listening I have turned in the direction of these finalist (which I will most likely buy used and probably w/o being able to audition). In no particular order and being aware that the price difference is pretty big:
PSB Stratus Gold i
Quad 22l2
Gallo Reference 3.1
Energy 22.3

I have also had Vandersteen's and totem's recommended but haven't a clue as to which model is preferable .

Any and all advice is appreciated.

jaywills · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 04:17 pm »

Good morning, here's my 2 cents on your inquiry. My main speakers are a pair of Gallo 3.1's, bi-amped as per Gallo instructions. They replaced a pair of Quad 63's, Spendor 1/2's, Maggie 1.5's and Celestion SL600's (and others) as my principal speakers. I have not been able to bring myself to sell the Quads or the Celestions, however, and I occasionally rotate them into the system. Always end up going back to the Gallo's though. Smallish room (~11x16x8.5, IIRC) and I listen to them along the long wall for reasons idiosyncratic to my setup.

The Gallo's mids sound closest to the Quads to my ears and their highs better the Quads. Much better dynamics and the ability to play quite loud, which the Quads lack (I've blown and had repaired several of the Quad panels in over-enthustiastic listening sessions--both speakers can urge you to keep pushing them louder, depending upon your amplification resources). I find that the Gallos image as well as the Quads and both are very transparent. I keep going back to the Gallos for their bass and dynamics as compared to the Quads.

Solid-state, high current amps and a tubed pre. Also use TacT 2.2x room correction, supplemented by the Good Vibrations software in some cases. I've no experience with PSB and Energy speakers, but have owned a pair of Maggies, which are long gone now. Hope this helps.

Good luck with your search. Cordially,

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 06:28 pm »

Thanks jaywills, this is very helpful with the plus that it comes from a former Maggie owner.. The Quad 22l2's I've been considering are full range floorstanding speakers and seem to be quite highly regarded and are half the price of used gallo's.
That being said, the Gallo's get very high marks from just about everyone writing about them. One commentator at the Speaker Asylum did comment that the break-in actually "veiled" the tweeter a bit, has that been your experience?
cheers,
Dave

jaywills · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 11:48 pm »

Hi, Dave. I have not noticed any veiling in the highs over the couple of years that I have owned them. However, at 56, my high-frequency hearing is limited to ~14.5-15K these days, depending on the environment. Cordially,

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 12:34 am »

Thanks Jaywills, again this is useful. I have ears only 12 months younger than yours so I can relate!

I've discovered where the local Gallo dealer is in the Philly area so I'm going to go for a listen next weekend, which will only give me an idea but honestly the more I read about them, the better they sound for my needs.
cheers,
Dave

timind · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 02:34 am »

I have owned the Quad 12L2s and currently have a pair of Quad 21L2s; extremely musical and easy to listen to. These are exceptional speakers for the money. I would expect similar results with the 22L2s. As for the others on your list? I have owned several PSB speakers but not the Stratus Gold. They haven't been to my taste (too bright). Haven't heard the Gallos or Energy models you mention. The Gallos are on my "would love to hear" list.

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 11:02 am »

Thanks Timind, first input I've had from a Quad user. I'm down to the Gallo's or the Quads, about $15000 difference between them, even used so the Gallo's are really going to have to knock them out of the ballpark! I'm also reviewing the Magnepan MMG option with a sub but the placement issues, ability (or not) to drive them with a tube amp, etc. are keeping me on the skeptical side....

KKM · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 08:07 pm »

Hi Alex,
I'm also a former Maggie owner with the 3.6 model. Have had the Gallo 3.1's for a few years now and enjoy them very much. I wrote up a comparison a while ago either on this forum or AA so if interested do a search, otherwise I can look for it later if you can't find it.

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 01:17 pm »

Thanks, found it, very useful Folks over at the Planar asylum didn't take to it very much tho'!

Two years later, what do you think of the whole sound stage height thing?
Also, how did you break them in and is this crucial? There's a good used pair for on 'Gon that were broken in according to the manufacturer's instructions but others have said you have to use a "harder" process,,lots of bass and volume , I think.

bushbison · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 01:38 pm »

PM sent

KKM · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 03:17 pm »

Quote from: Alexdad54 on 20 Jun 2009, 01:17 pm

Thanks, found it, very useful Folks over at the Planar asylum didn't take to it very much tho'!
Two years later, what do you think of the whole sound stage height thing?
Also, how did you break them in and is this crucial? There's a good used pair for on 'Gon that were broken in according to the manufacturer's instructions but others have said you have to use a "harder" process,,lots of bass and volume , I think.

There is a difference in image height but that is expected with the how the sound is launched from the difference in the location. With elevating the Gallo's and tilting, you can adjust the image height somewhat but it isn't as large as the Maggies. But there are plus and minus depending on what you are listening to. Listening to a 6 foot solo saxophone on the Maggies is not as realistic as one coming from more of a point source from the Gallos.

I do miss the Magnepan sound sometime and might repurchase a model in the future for kicks.

In regards to break in, it does take a long time to break them in. I didn't do a hard break in at once since it wasn't practical with a family at home. I broke it in over time just by listening, and realistically probably took over a year to sound their best. Some say 100 hours, but that might be continously at a high volume. I wasn't a believer of break in at first, but with my Maggie 3.6's, I know it took about 500 hours.
Good luck.

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Jun 2009, 02:13 pm »

Update: Well, still haven't heard the Gallo's yet, I just learned about a local Philly dealer that I'll try next week.
Have heard others though, including Rega R-5's, Thiel 2.4's (out of my price range), B&W 804's and Totems. Of all, I think I like the Totem Hawk's the best. They were driven by a Jolida tube integrated (302, I think) and sounded very laid-back and musical with pretty good bass. I heard Forest's in an HT showroom driven by Marantz SS and didn't like them much, too bright and forward.

A question, I saw a very nice used Tube Audio Design TAD-60 that's available for less than half of the Jolida, would that be enough for the 6 ohm Totem Hawks?
As before, thanks for all your feedback!

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Jul 2009, 04:47 pm »

Had a chance to hear the Gallo 3.1's in a shoroom driven by an Anthem 250w amp. Amazing imaging and soundsatage. As others have described before, it's better when you're sitting. Supposedly they were well broken-in but I still found the tweeters to be somewhat harsh, sort of "blaring".....

Went recently to Quest for Sound near Philly and heard Usher V604's, Paradigms, Steven''s own Soundquest speakers and A/B'ed the Totem Hawks and Forests. Of all of them I preferred teh hawks and the Ushers. The mid-range of the Ushers sounded somewhat congested whereas the Hawks were the best overall of all of thse. The only thing that concerns me is the fact that they choked when I raised the listening level on Bob Marley's "Exodus", had the bass but coudln;t go very loud. Might a sub help that?

By far the most amazing speaker I heard (out of my budget range though) were FJ Om's, small (3' high) omnidirectional speakers from Germany. Absolutely amazing soundstage and very musical. I have read the Morrison Audio speakers are similar but both lines are out of my budget range unless I can find them used.
The search continues......

geezer · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Jul 2009, 06:34 pm »

I'm a Gallo pusher too. I fell in love with them on first hearing, but they sounded even better when I got them home. I bought them new, but that was before the price went up. (My listening is almost exclusively classical, including opera.)

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Jul 2009, 07:15 pm »

I'm going to go back and give the Gallo's another listen in a couple of weeks but right now I thinking about pulling the trigger on the Totem Hawks unless someone has some better suggestions for floorstanders to audition?....

carusoracer · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Jul 2009, 07:53 pm »

Go with your gut instincts

I have heard the Totem's several times and they are a very good speaker.

With that said I own the Gallo's and I can say that they will reveal much more on the top end with the equipment up stream. The Anthem is really suited for HT use. While the Jolida 302b is exactly what you stated it is a very musical combination, I have the exact same pairing with my 3.1's. The Gallo's luv to be mated with a tube amp of 50 watts or more.

For a very thorough review check the six moons article written by Srajan Eben.

With that said, the floorstander that IMHO is very nice but does not have a brick and mortar place to hear is the Salk HT2 TL.

Good luck

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Jul 2009, 08:07 pm »

Thanks for the info. It figures that the Anthem is an HT amp as I was listening in a store that sells 90% HT gear. I will give them another listen though, I had forgotten my sample CD's so I'll try again. I am very curious about the Salk HT2's I have read good things but there is really nowhere to audition them here (Philly) and it's a big chunk of change for me to put down without being sure.....

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Jul 2009, 03:18 am »

Dave/Alexdad54 ....

Quote

Thanks for the info. It figures that the Anthem is an HT amp as I was listening in a store that sells 90% HT gear. I will give them another listen though, I had forgotten my sample CD's so I'll try again.

Maybe you can bring you amp/preamp or whatever your going to use to the store....and your test Cd's to recheck the Gallo's...

Quote

I am very curious about the Salk HT2's I have read good things but there is really nowhere to audition them here (Philly) and it's a big chunk of change for me to put down without being sure.....

Send a PM or call Jim Salk...or post in his circle...there may be an owner close to you that can give you an audition.

Remember....audio is not a race....take your time and make a "smart" decision....good luck Dave.

Alexdad54 · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Jul 2009, 11:06 am »

Thanks Lonewolfny, I was planning on returning with my test CD's/ I haven't got an amp yet as I want to match one with the speakers when I eventually buy them, sort of a chicken/egg situation. I will call Jim Salk and check out the possibilities. No rush, as you said.....especially when the WAF means it's a one-shot deal!

simon wagstaff · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Jul 2009, 11:28 am »

Quote from: Alexdad54 on 16 Jul 2009, 04:47 pm

By far the most amazing speaker I heard (out of my budget range though) were FJ Om's, small (3' high) omnidirectional speakers from Germany. Absolutely amazing soundstage and very musical. I have read the Morrison Audio speakers are similar but both lines are out of my budget range unless I can find them used.
The search continues......

If you liked the FJ Ohms I would suggest you check out the Ohm E-bay store. Every now and then they get a Super Walsh and some other higher end variants of the same thing that might come into your budget.