[K Shep]

What made you switch to the Ushers? (I've seen some of your earlier threads on your Songtowers and Revels)

I was sitting in my listening attic looking at my Revel Studio 2's and I thought...that is $16,000 (retail) worth of speakers.  What am I doing?  I'd been a fan of the Be-718's and found a used pair on Agon local, so I jumped at the opportunity.  Tried them and made the move.  So IMO I've gone from the best speaker I could find (most expensive I could afford) to the best speaker I could find (least I would spend).

[wywires]

You really should! 

OK

[billmcc]

Well just out of curiousity I just looked at the WyWires site. Very nice looking cables, then I looked at the price sheet . You have got to be kidding me. I bought a pair of SongTowers for what a pair (I hope its a pair) of Xhadow Banana speaker cables would cost, YIKES! Hey if you can get that type of money for audio cables more power to you but not me thats for sure .

Bill

[billmcc]

I was sitting in my listening attic looking at my Revel Studio 2's and I thought...that is $16,000 (retail) worth of speakers.  What am I doing?  I'd been a fan of the Be-718's and found a used pair on Agon local, so I jumped at the opportunity.  Tried them and made the move.  So IMO I've gone from the best speaker I could find (most expensive I could afford) to the best speaker I could find (least I would spend).

K Shep,

I have always wanted to listen to the Be-718s. I have heard that they are an excellent speaker. Maybe someday I will get the chance but right now I will be waiting for the SongTowers to arrive .

Bill

[K Shep]

K Shep,

I have always wanted to listen to the Be-718s. I have heard that they are an excellent speaker. Maybe someday I will get the chance but right now I will be waiting for the SongTowers to arrive .

Bill

Congratulations!

I have been in your shoes before, I ordered a pair from Jim about one year ago, ST RT's.  It's worth the wait.

[billmcc]

Congratulations!

I have been in your shoes before, I ordered a pair from Jim about one year ago, ST RT's.  It's worth the wait.

Thanks . How would you compare the Be-718s to the STs? I was just looking at your gallery and are your STs natural curly cherry? I like your attic room, it looks like a perfect getaway room for kicking back and crankin' the tunes .

Bill

[adydula]

Cacacophony.

In my present domicile I really dont have a good place or room for the hi-fi setup like i had in the past, a room double sheetrocked, built to the Golden Mean Room specs etc..with high end electronics, cables that u needed a loan to buy, and 180 lb 6 tall monster full range speakers almost capable of reproducing thunder...

So I gave up on the audio quality stuff..then for some reason I just decided what would realistically  fit in my man cave room over my garage, wierd ceiling angles and the like..

And I have a budget to follow...but one thing after all these years that makes the biggest difference is those transducers...get the most accurate capable transducers that you can afford that fit your room.

So I started looking on the net for the best speakers for $2000. I read and went listening to many speakers and found Nuances story and called Jim and Voila the SongTowers are here. I had a similar set of speakers from a manufacturer in Canada..rated highy but the SongTowers put them to shame...a difference you can easily hear....not straining like you do when you "try" to hear the differences in cables etc..

So $2K was it. For the speakers. At least I knew I would have some of the best capable speakers in the world as a great base...

The overall budget was $5K or so and this was for HT as well. So a receiver was next, an Onkyo 805...$800 or so.

Followed by a Oppo BD83SE and with this modest system the sound to me is really very nice.

I can easily tell a good or great CD vs a poor one with this setup.

I often get lost in the music and forget if I am using the optical, coax, analog or hdmi outs...

I really dont thing spending more on a new amp etc would buy me anything more sonically capable to my ears..not even close to the speaker selection improvement.

So it always be the transducers in the room follwed by the source material etc.

All the best
Alex
 

Note: I have compared the DAC's in the receiver to the DAC's in the Oppo to the DAC's in a newly acquired toy a Squeezebox Touch..and did many comparos to the various ins and outs...none come close to the affect the speakers have on the sound.

[K Shep]

Thanks . How would you compare the Be-718s to the STs? I was just looking at your gallery and are your STs natural curly cherry? I like your attic room, it looks like a perfect getaway room for kicking back and crankin' the tunes .

Bill

Yes, curly cherry.  Thank you the attic is small but it sets up great for listening.

[K Shep]

I'm curious how everyone views the relative importance of the audio components that make up a particular setup.

In order of importance:

Speakers
Preamp
Amp
Dac/Source
Cabling

[ctouhey]

40% Research over months or years

9% budget...switch out everything at once; buy a balanced system where the components compliment each other

51% never look back and enjoy what you are blessed to have

I can appreciate those that like to tinker.  Been there; done that.  With a tendency toward obsessive compulsive behavior, a hobby began to feel more like work.

I loves (sic) me sum Salk speakers and I loves me sum good music and I loves me some good movie soundtracks!

Of course, your mileage may vary....

Chris

[Russell Dawkins]

I guess some of us have very different opoinions as to the relative importance of the stuff. Here is my ratio:

Analog Source:        31%
Digital Sources:       14%
Preamp:                 16%
Power amps:           16%
Speakers:                7%
Cables:                   16%

I think that analog sources are the most challenging and expensive to get right from a manufacturing and performance point of view. Great preamps are not easy either, hence the cost.

Based on this set of percentages and the cost of your cheapest interconnects/cables ($5450 for the 4 sets required for analog/digital sources, pre to power amps, and mono wiring to speakers)
The cheapest system appropriate to the value cost of your cables would be $34,062.50 which breaks down to
t'table               $10,560
CD player/DAC      $4768
preamp                $5450
power amp           $5450
speakers              $2384
cables                  $5450

I think transducers are the most challenging design exercises - mics, phono cartridges and speakers, and amplifiers and especially cables are relatively easy.

I don't see your logic, except from the business perspective - then I can.

[avahifi]

OK, here is a quote.

"In my estimation, the Salk Sound SongTower and Ultravalve combo represents the most musical audio dollars you're ever likely to spend during a lifetime of consumption."

There is more. 

Frank Van Alstine

[greenhouseman]

OK, here is a quote.

"In my estimation, the Salk Sound SongTower and Ultravalve combo represents the most musical audio dollars you're ever likely to spend during a lifetime of consumption."

There is more. 

Frank Van Alstine

That summation pretty well sums up how most of us have felt at one time or another. Looking forward to reading the entire article. It indeed has the feel of of a great read for us Salk and AVA owners.

[K Shep]

In terms of system cost, the proportions in my system break down this way:

31%   speakers
21%   preamp
27%   amp
15%   source
6%   wires

My current breakdown:

36%   speakers
24%   pre
21%   source
15%   amp
4%     cabling

My opinion and my pocket book are not on the same page 

[eclein]

 40% -Speakers
 30% -Signal Processing, conversion
 30% -Source or type of source input

I'm liking how my simple version is holding up here...LOL

[K Shep]

40% -Speakers
 30% -Signal Processing, conversion
 30% -Source or type of source input

I'm liking how my simple version is holding up here...LOL

 30% -Signal Processing, conversion- includes amplification?

[adydula]

Dang it Frank now I have to go buy an ultravalve amp!!!

 

Alex

[eclein]

30% -Signal Processing, conversion- includes amplification?

Yep...and source includes cabling...its simplistic yet, smooth!! LOL

[ccotenj]

in my "current" system (well, "current" meaning when my new speakers get here, which should be soon)...  rough breakdown of cost is:

65% speakers...
18% amp (bought used)...
8% pre-pro (bought used)...
9% sources...

interconnects/wiring are whatever i have lying around that is the correct length...

[greenhouseman]

speakers -- 37%
sources  -- 28%
pre -------18%
amp-------17%

my current 2 channel system breakdown