[gchuva]

Is there anything not to like about matching Salk speakers with the Denon AVP processor and the W4S 550 monoblocks?  I am considering the HT3 or HT2-TLs.

Thanks

[oneinthepipe]

I recently heard a top-of-the-line Denon receiver serving as the preamp in front of a beautiful Parasound A-21 amplifier, in a two-channel configuration, and the Denon's preamp section didn't sound very good, IMO.  The HT3 and HT2-TL are great speakers, and to get the most out of them, you need decent electronics.  The preamp is the heart of your amplification system.  Don't skimp on the preamp, IMO.  (NB:  You don't need to spend a lot of money to get very good amps and preamps.)  And despite that others might say, "Watts are watts are watts" is not correct, IMO, but you might not notice as much of a difference from the amp as from the preamp.  Don't forget your source, BTW, and "Crap in equals crap out," to quote Nuance and others.  Regarding the Class D amps, some people complain that they sound thin, bright, and/or metallic and soul-less.  I haven't heard them.  BRM had a few W4S amps, that he has since sold, and perhaps he will comment.  (There is an endorsement for you.          )

[Big Red Machine]

2 channel only?  Or a multi-purpose setup?

If you need the Denon to do surround duty then you're kinda stuck.  If you are after good 2 channel then ditch it.  It won't be up to par.  One of the things you'll get hit with about 10 minutes into listening to these speakers in your home will be the realization that your electronics need to be upgraded significantly to keep pace.

So for now let's table the preamp discussion and talk amps.  I owned 7 of the Wyreds at one time and for the money they are a great value.  No real downside except they aren't tubes

If you like the idea of solid state and want that topology of amp, then I'd highly recommend one of Tommy's Cherry amps.  Even the 4800 amps is a killer unit.  Will cost you more but will be exceptional with these speakers.  They (speakers) are power hungry and headroom is highly recommended by me.

Stay away from Rowlands, PS Audio, Carver, and other wannabe "digital" amps.  I've tried most of them and feel the Wyreds do a great job and Tommy's amps, while not really "digital" do an exceptional job.

But we'll get ahead of you without knowing your budget.  And what is your source or DAC?

And on preamps, I'd get in on the tour of the Response preamp based on the 6SN tubes and you'd be on your way to an awesome experience.  Disregard all the guys (Marty) who will recommend Frank's gear, they're just fanboys!  ha

You'll get great sound out of the speakers with any decent electronics.  But for a real goosebump experience, you'll need tubes in the system in at least 2 of the 3 slots IMO: preamp, dac, amp.  I was tube preamp and SS amp for years and wile good sounding, never goosebumps.  Now I have tube pre, tube dac, and high power tube amps.  Goosebumps and real music versus just good sound anybody can do by slapping a receiver on the front of the speakers.  (That will cause some folks to jump me.  Bring it on if you can jump that high.)

[gthomas]

I have the Denon AVP/POA combo with HT3 mains, HTC center and HT1 for surrounds.  The denon sounds great both for HT and for two channel.  come to my house and I'll show you.  I had the Anthem D1 and the Denon is as good for two channel and better for HT.  Just my opinion with my ears.  I think most of us are going to like what they have.

[avahifi]

Hey Red, since Jim Salk recommends our electronics too

http://www.salksound.com/speakers_other_ava.shtml

Does that make him a "fanboy"?

[Big Red Machine]

Hey Red, since Jim Salk recommends our electronics too

http://www.salksound.com/speakers_other_ava.shtml

Does that make him a "fanboy"?

Oh yeah Frank, the biggest!! ha  I was just poking at Marty, Frank, expecting him to be right in here first but he blew that!  Hope I can get you over for more apple pie in the spring during AKFest.

[martyo]

Hey Red, since Jim Salk recommends our electronics too

http://www.salksound.com/speakers_other_ava.shtml

Does that make him a "fanboy"?

Oh yeah Frank, the biggest!! ha  I was just poking at Marty, Frank, expecting him to be right in here first but he blew that!  Hope I can get you over for more apple pie in the spring during AKFest.

Hey Pete,
I'm working on brother Mark already, a brother road trip to AKFest. Can I tell Mark there will be apple pie?

[avahifi]

No problem Red, you just gave me a real good excuse to post the link to Jim's nice plug here.   

Frank

[Big Red Machine]

Hey Red, since Jim Salk recommends our electronics too

http://www.salksound.com/speakers_other_ava.shtml

Does that make him a "fanboy"?

Oh yeah Frank, the biggest!! ha  I was just poking at Marty, Frank, expecting him to be right in here first but he blew that!  Hope I can get you over for more apple pie in the spring during AKFest.

Hey Pete,
I'm working on brother Mark already, a brother road trip to AKFest. Can I tell Mark there will be apple pie?

And milk!

[martyo]

I'm lactose intolerant, make mine tea.

[K Shep]

Is there anything not to like about matching Salk speakers with the Denon AVP processor and the W4S 550 monoblocks?  I am considering the HT3 or HT2-TLs.

I would highly recommend investing in a good preamp.  I, like Big Red, own a tube preamp and love the sound of tubes in an audio system.  The first tube preamp I purchased on Audiogon for $950.00.  If you can afford and AVP from Denon you should be able to wrangle the $ for a sub $1k preamp.  Take a look at AVA website for used gear: http://www.avahifi.com/root/equipment/used/used.htm

I own a Denon receiver, love it, in my HT setup.

[jsalk]

Is there anything not to like about matching Salk speakers with the Denon AVP processor and the W4S 550 monoblocks?  I am considering the HT3 or HT2-TLs.

Thanks

My take on this is slightly different than that expressed in a few of the previous posts.  Sure, there is no doubt that the better the source gear, the better performance you would get out of a pair of HT3's or HT2-TL's.  That only makes sense.  And given an unlimited budget, the Denon/W4S would probably not be the combination you might choose.  But budgets are rarely unlimited.

Given the fact that few people have unlimited funds, I tend to think of it this way... the HT3's or the HT2-TL's would certainly get the best performance possible out of that particular combination of source gear.  We have many customers driving our HT3's, HT2-TL's and other speakers with Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer and other receivers.  And they are VERY happy with the results. 

As I recall, when searching for the "perfect speaker" funkmonkey initially heard a pair of HT3's powered by a receiver and knew instantly that they were the speakers for him.  Would they have sounded better with upgraded separates?  Certainly.  But the sound quality was as good as it gets with the receiver in question and that is pretty good, all things considered. 

If a person does not have unlimited funds, the question is whether they would be better off spending more for better source gear and less for speakers, or getting HT3's/HT2-TL's with a more limited budget for source gear.  I don't think this is even a contest.  Speakers are by far the weakest link and the better they are, the better the system will sound.  What's more, you can always upgrade the electronics over time to increase sound quality.  The same isn't necessarily true with lesser speakers.

I think most people would be extremely happy with a Denon/W4S combination.  Are they getting the absolute best performance out of the HT3/HT2-TL's.  No.  But the sound quality they will get will be quite high.  Chances are, they will be getting the best sound quality for the money they have invested in that no alternative allocation of those funds would result in a superior overall system.

Of course, this is just a different approach to the initial question and just one person's opinion.  Your mileage may vary.

- Jim

[ctviggen]

My advice is to never try anything other than the Denon processor and the current set of monoblocks.  You'll be perfectly happy.  Trying other gear just leads to an inexorable, money-sucking, slippery slope from which there is no return. 

Seriously, I had an Onkyo receiver driving three Linn speakers and two Mirage surrounds.  I bought a high quality two channel amp that was 10x the cost of the receiver for the front R/L Linns.  The improvement was shocking. Moreover, because the Onkyo no longer had to drive the R/L speakers, the center channel sounded much better.  But these are things you can do down the road; assuming, that is, you choose to brave the slippery slope.

[mathgeek97]

I agree 100% with Jim, which is how I settled on HT2-TLs with my Denon receiver.  I also figure a great set of speakers will last a LONG time compared to electronics which seem to have newer, better things all the time.  I could have gotten lesser speakers and nice separates, but then I'd eventually want to upgrade everything!  I also think it's easier on the wife to switch out the electronics, since that won't really change the look of her living room.

[oneinthepipe]

Maybe I misunderstood your post, and I assumed that you had already decided upon Salk speakers.  Jim made an excellent point.  Speakers should be selected, if possible, before the electronics.  IMO, the Denon/W4S combo will sound a lot better driving the HT3 or HT2-TL than the Denon/W4S combo will sound driving some other speakers.   Get the speakers that you like the most (that will work in your room; the HT2-TL will work anywhere), and then pursue amplification.  The Salk speakers have very nice high end, and you won't have to worry about them sounding harsh or shrill compared to other speakers.  Later, I think that you might find, having the Salk speakers, that you can improve your amplification.  I have two AVA DACs, two AVA preamps, two AVA amps (tube and solid state of each), and only one pair of speakers that I listen to (HT2-TL).   If I hadn't obtained great results from my AVA gear, I would not own any AVA gear, and I certainly wouldn't own two separate AVA amplification/DAC systems. (Each system is a little different, and I listen to both.)  I don't have an unlimited budget, but there are a lot of choices in audio purchasing, and I would have spent my money on something else if I decided that there were better choices.  In addition to the other attributes of the AVA gear, Frank voices his amplification in a way that is very compatible with the way that Dennis voices the speakers, and Frank and Dennis seem to have similar opinions about the way music should sound. 

You will enjoy the Salks.  Good luck.

[nyc_paramedic]

Is there anything not to like about matching Salk speakers with the Denon AVP processor and the W4S 550 monoblocks?  I am considering the HT3 or HT2-TLs.

My advice will be in disagreement with all the replies --except Jim's-- on the issue. ut But before I type out a couple of paragraphs and give out some some links to read, I need to know if this will be a 2 channel setup only.

If it's home theater or multi-channel then my advice concerning the front does not apply.


EDIT: I'm not using the word "disagreement" in the pejorative. I don't want to sound like I'm poo-pooing other Salkers advice; most here are very knowledgeable.

[funkmonkey]

As I recall, when searching for the "perfect speaker" funkmonkey initially heard a pair of HT3's powered by a receiver and knew instantly that they were the speakers for him.  Would they have sounded better with upgraded separates?  Certainly.  But the sound quality was as good as it gets with the receiver in question and that is pretty good, all things considered. 
...

That is true.  I first heard the HT3s driven by a "second to top of the line" Yamaha receiver (about 2 years ago now) and they managed to give me chills repeatedly.  I was sold, right then and there... So, "is there anything not to like?"  of course not.  Is there room for improvement? YES.

[Vulcan00]

I don?t post much and when I have I don?t think many have paid much attention to me, mainly cause I still on a learning curve, but dang it I have to place my comment in this tread, which is of course just ?MY? opinion.

In the last two years I have read everything I could concerning A/V. I upgrade my old HK receiver to a newer Onkyo SR875.  I was expected great things since I was caught up for in SUROUND SOUND, Multi-channel, ETC ETC.

I purchased a new BD player, traded it in. Now for movies and Blu-ray it was great, I just could not find the music sound I wanted. I demo all the stuff I could. I bought some speakers higher ?up in my speaker line. It was just not that much different.

Then weeding through the mass posting on the forums, I found couple of guys I could just tell was honest, not over bearing about their gear or opinions. Now relax guys-this person lead me to the Salk site and forum. Eventually to a pair of HT2-TL and center.

What I found out:  Most all electronics A/V home theater and moderately price modern equipment sound pretty good and RELATIVELY the same. This is not true when it comes to speakers; they have a wider range of influence in the sound IMO.

When I got my Salk speakers I WAS FLOORED and I mean seriously. Yes it was a wait but man was it worth it. They (Salks) made my system sound much much better, even impressive; I mean the average person would be impressed as my system was onkyo as a pre, with power amp and Salks.

Now I added a pre-amp, new source and YES its better but believe me the up-grade in sound is coming very slowly and in little bits. Yes I am sure I still have not gotten ?the best? pre & amp combination yet. The point is I am so glad I chose the Speakers I did, now I can make adjustments as I go. But I know I have a  solid point of reference in my HT2-Tl to judge.

MY Thanks to Jim, Swerd, Nel, and the astute guys of this forum for helping make my speaker choice.

[oneinthepipe]

... Most all electronics A/V home theater and moderately price modern equipment sound pretty good and RELATIVELY the same. ...

When I got my Salk speakers I WAS FLOORED and I mean seriously.

Now I added a pre-amp, new source and YES its better but believe me the up-grade in sound is coming very slowly and in little bits. Yes I am sure I still have not gotten ?the best? pre & amp combination yet. ...

MY Thanks to Jim, Swerd, Nel, and ....

Harrison,

Well stated.  That is consistent with the past, present and future experiences for many of us, I suspect.  This last time around, I upgraded my electronics before my speakers, but the upgraded electronics caused me to appreciate my existing speakers' limitations.  Now, I am in HT2-TL heaven.   

What types of preamp, source, and amp are you currently using?

[gchuva]

Is there anything not to like about matching Salk speakers with the Denon AVP processor and the W4S 550 monoblocks?  I am considering the HT3 or HT2-TLs.

My advice will be in disagreement with all the replies --except Jim's-- on the issue. ut But before I type out a couple of paragraphs and give out some some links to read, I need to know if this will be a 2 channel setup only.

If it's home theater or multi-channel then my advice concerning the front does not apply.


EDIT: I'm not using the word "disagreement" in the pejorative. I don't want to sound like I'm poo-pooing other Salkers advice; most here are very knowledgeable.

Thanks for all the advice.  This is mainly an HT system.  And the Denon AVP and W4S combo are generally regarded as very strong for HT.  Music is less important to me.  I don't think the wife will approve funds for a separate pre-amp for music so I will have to wait for a while.

Now it is time to check out where I can audition (I live in Singapore but am back in Long Island, NY for Christmas).  I will go check the audition list, but if anyone has a suggestion where to audition, please let me know. Thanks