[Bear]

So we have a couple very different designs here.   I am contemplating these two speakers, I will be using the speakers for both music and and home theatre.  current amplification will be via a sony str da5300es rated at 120wpc.  I will consider alternate amplification later, based on speaker choice.   Possibly Pass F5, Dodd, or AVA.   Any members please feel free to offer your input here on the board or through pm if you would like.   I like the idea of the open baffle  in the super v as I have heard they our more forgiving with placement and are very dynamic and play very low.

thanks for any and all suggestions/input.
Shane

[PMAT]

My take is that both are fine. I never really understand the dual role speakers idea. Home theater is really about clear dialog and big bass for movie effects. Music, on the other hand, is all about seamless sound. Both of your choices have great followings. Buy the speakers you love for music and buy a nuclear subwoofer. With both of those speakers, turn the sub on for movies and off for music. Both choices are too good for movies only. Also, a good center channel speaker is a must for movies. I have a serious video sound system but my music system is separate. I prefer it that way.

[ebag4]

OB speakers don't excite bass nodes like box speakers can but you will need to place the Super V at least 4' from the front wall.  If you have that much space then you should look at the other differences/similarities between the speakers, if you do not have that much space then you have limited your options down to one speaker.

Best of luck in your search!

Ed

[Bear]

My take is that both are fine. I never really understand the dual role speakers idea. Home theater is really about clear dialog and big bass for movie effects. Music, on the other hand, is all about seamless sound. Both of your choices have great followings. Buy the speakers you love for music and buy a nuclear subwoofer. With both of those speakers, turn the sub on for movies and off for music. Both choices are too good for movies only. Also, a good center channel speaker is a must for movies. I have a serious video sound system but my music system is separate. I prefer it that way.

I agree that movies only require clear dialog and dynamics and as such I would not give second thought to ht speakers.  So I suppose the weight of my decision is music based.  As for dual role speakers...well leisure time limits my ability to enjoy media of any type so it would be difficult for me to justify seperate systems and/or rooms.  thanks for your input.  very much appreciated.

Posted by: ebag4
Insert Quote
OB speakers don't excite bass nodes like box speakers can but you will need to place the Super V at least 4' from the front wall.  If you have that much space then you should look at the other differences/similarities between the speakers, if you do not have that much space then you have limited your options down to one speaker.

Best of luck in your search!

I do have the space.....,however, Is the 4' from the front of the speaker or the rear?  thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated.

[PMAT]

Leisure time is valuable beyond belief for most of us in these times. Movies are great diversions for the mind and sound effects are exciting with the visual palette available nowadays. The sound of most exciting movies is visceral. tight, low, high output bass is the excitement tool of most soundtracks. Most musical speakers are not built for this. Music is far more important to the soul. Build your system for music nirvana. Add the sub for the fun of entertainment.

[zybar]

So we have a couple very different designs here.   I am contemplating these two speakers, I will be using the speakers for both music and and home theatre.  current amplification will be via a sony str da5300es rated at 120wpc.  I will consider alternate amplification later, based on speaker choice.   Possibly Pass F5, Dodd, or AVA.   Any members please feel free to offer your input here on the board or through pm if you would like.   I like the idea of the open baffle  in the super v as I have heard they our more forgiving with placement and are very dynamic and play very low.

thanks for any and all suggestions/input.
Shane

Bear,

Would you be building the Super V's yourself?  If not, you probably should be comparing them to the Salk HT3's from a price perspective.

I owned HT3's and currently have five SongTowers for my HT.  I also have a pair of Danny's OB subs (the bottom part of the Super V's) that I use in the HT. 

I think either speaker would do a great job for both music and HT, but they will definitely sound different and have different requirements.

Here are a few questions:

Are you going with a complete 5.1 setup or just a 2.1 setup?  This helps determine if matching center and surrounds are an important factor.

What is the size of your room? 

Do you have complete control over where the speakers go or is this a multi-purpose room?

What type of sound and music do you like?

Is the look of the speaker important?

With more info some recommendations can be made.

George

[Bear]

zybar, great questions(i will definately take those into consideration).  You may have the right idea with the songtower setup using the super v bass section.  Do you have any impressions on the setup here(if so i will check out your previous posts).

Does anyone have any impressions or thoughts on the off axis listening between the super v(open baffle) and the ht2-tl?

thanks,
shane

[cujobob]

I thought the Super Vs could be had for around $4,000 completed?  If so, it would be in the same category as the HT2-TL

I use my speakers for dual-purpose 2-channel and HT and they sound tremendous, I don't even use a center channel because they work so well.  So a dual purpose system is obtainable and fantastic!

The two designs mentioned are both very good and between the two, I'd go with the Super Vs.  I like the Salks, they are nice speakers and they look fantastic, but Danny's work I'm really fond of.  I've not heard the Super Vs but am familiar with the OB servo subs (used in my system) and I own several other Danny Richie designs (OB7s, N2X, X-Omnis, and a few others).  The Super Vs are efficient and should work extremely well in your room because the bass can be adjusted and they are open baffle.  The First Watt F5 is an amazing amp (I own one) and I've heard great things about the Dodd battery amp, as well.

[zybar]

I thought the Super Vs could be had for around $4,000 completed?  If so, it would be in the same category as the HT2-TL

I use my speakers for dual-purpose 2-channel and HT and they sound tremendous, I don't even use a center channel because they work so well.  So a dual purpose system is obtainable and fantastic!

The two designs mentioned are both very good and between the two, I'd go with the Super Vs.  I like the Salks, they are nice speakers and they look fantastic, but Danny's work I'm really fond of.  I've not heard the Super Vs but am familiar with the OB servo subs (used in my system) and I own several other Danny Richie designs (OB7s, N2X, X-Omnis, and a few others).  The Super Vs are efficient and should work extremely well in your room because the bass can be adjusted and they are open baffle.  The First Watt F5 is an amazing amp (I own one) and I've heard great things about the Dodd battery amp, as well.

Danny is selling a finished pair of Super V's for $6500 and says they are a deal (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=73341.0).  That puts them at or above HT3's, let alone HT2-TL.

George

[cujobob]

Hm....maybe I'm thinking of the V1s or V2s, then.  HT3 are about that when you figure that most people get plenty of the 'extras' (special veneer, cabinet lining, etc.)

[PMAT]

The two channel movie soundtrack playback sounds like shit. Movie soundtracks are mastered for 5.1 or more. 3.1 works fine with it, but 2 channel for movies is missing the main dialog input/output. Speaker placement for music is so critical that the chance it will work for your movie room is unlikely. Spending big money ($6500) for two mains without a center or a sub is not serving either application well.

[Will2]

The other aspect to consider between the Super-V's and the HT2-TL is amp requirements.  The Super-V's include the amps for the woofers so I expect the HT2's will require the purchase of a more powerful amp, adding somewhat to the total cost.  From what I read both are great speakers.  I would put money on your being very happy with the sound of either, with the biggest distinguishing factors being the HT2's winning in aesthetics and the Super-V's winning in the bass area.  Which is more important to you? 

[Voiceray]

I thought the Super Vs could be had for around $4,000 completed?  If so, it would be in the same category as the HT2-TL

I use my speakers for dual-purpose 2-channel and HT and they sound tremendous, I don't even use a center channel because they work so well.  So a dual purpose system is obtainable and fantastic!

The two designs mentioned are both very good and between the two, I'd go with the Super Vs.  I like the Salks, they are nice speakers and they look fantastic, but Danny's work I'm really fond of.  I've not heard the Super Vs but am familiar with the OB servo subs (used in my system) and I own several other Danny Richie designs (OB7s, N2X, X-Omnis, and a few others).  The Super Vs are efficient and should work extremely well in your room because the bass can be adjusted and they are open baffle.  The First Watt F5 is an amazing amp (I own one) and I've heard great things about the Dodd battery amp, as well.

I've received the F5 amp and the F5 power supply boards.  I plan to buy 4 ea 10" x 6" heat sinks for $88.00.  I already have two 12.5" x 17" chassis.  I'll be purchasing Dale's Vishay metal film resisters and 8 ea. TO-220 Mur2020 rectifiers.  I've plan for two mono-blocks.  After the build I will do the testing with the thermistors in the circuit, but once I get stabilization I'll will remove the thermistors.

I live in Texas, I drove to Wichita for a demo. I was very impressed.  I'm a little scared that the F5 won't be as good as the Dodd.  What do you think?  If you have a comparison I would appreciate it.
Danny doesn't like Pass, but maybe he hasn't heard the F5.

Ray   

[jtwrace]

Danny doesn't like Pass
Ray   

I would love to hear his reasoning on this...

[Danny Richie]

I would love to hear his reasoning on this...

I have heard various Pass Labs gear over the years and frankly have not been that impressed with it.

A customer brought over one of the amps once. It was a pure class A solid state amp (I think). I had, and still do have, a 30 watt pure class A solid state amp that Gary Dodd built years ago. The Pass Labs amp sound fairly similar. It was a nice amp, that also doubled as a room heater, but did not strike me as being near the level of anything I currently own.

I also know that Gary Dodd assembled one of the Pass Labs passive pre-amp kits for a local guy not long ago. I think it was a passive buffer. Gary thought that it was not to bad, but it did not strike him as any break through product. Most of the Dallas group heard it and played with it too I think. I don't think anyone thought it to be at or near the level of Gary's battery powered, tube buffer. Like me that group of guys are always making subjective comparisons. It's a good way to learn. If anything that stands out as good I usually hear about it.

So I have always been pretty ho hum about that gear. I have not heard the new F5 and am open to giving it a listen.

This sure is an odd comparison from this thread title. It is pretty much an apples and oranges comparison. It is about like me comparing our Super-V to one of our old Criterion or Diluceo models.

http://www.gr-research.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=128

http://www.gr-research.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=127

[jtwrace]

Danny-

fair enough. 

[2bigears]

  if you have a few tools,you can build the Super V for in around 4 grand done deal.a real heavy wood kit that fits together like a glove all cnc'ed and the kit from GR.i put off buying Vandy 5A or Aerial 20T's to make and hear the Super V's.the big V's are amp friendly if you dig tubes,and tuneable bass is also a nice option.one month count down,can't wait....

[Bear]

GR Research super v kit $2495
1 sheet of MDF $40
Misc.(glue/screws etc.) $30
Blood, Sweat, and Tears?

$2565 aa

[cujobob]

The F5 costs literally nothing to build and can be sold used in no time at all...so there's no risk to building one, that's how I see it.  A tube amp without any noise should sound fantastic...but the F5 is quite good in itself...it definitely won't be beaten up on.  Pass makes a large variety of equipment...and many of his designs are quite different from each other and built for a different purpose.  His First Watt series are all unique, even...The F4 and F5 are fantastic but the F4 is harder to drive.


-Dave

I've received the F5 amp and the F5 power supply boards.  I plan to buy 4 ea 10" x 6" heat sinks for $88.00.  I already have two 12.5" x 17" chassis.  I'll be purchasing Dale's Vishay metal film resisters and 8 ea. TO-220 Mur2020 rectifiers.  I've plan for two mono-blocks.  After the build I will do the testing with the thermistors in the circuit, but once I get stabilization I'll will remove the thermistors.

I live in Texas, I drove to Wichita for a demo. I was very impressed.  I'm a little scared that the F5 won't be as good as the Dodd.  What do you think?  If you have a comparison I would appreciate it.
Danny doesn't like Pass, but maybe he hasn't heard the F5.

Ray