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Yes--by something like 5 dB. I agree that the ST's, perhaps with the RAAL, would seem like a perfect compromise. Remember--there will be a sub in line.
I suspected that. The newer ones sound much more like the SongBirds because of a little smoother output in the 1k-2k region thanks to the ER15.
Lastly, it is my opinion that if one spends buckets of hard earned monies on excellent speakers and gear and neglects room treatment and placement then one will still be an "audiophile" but he will never enjoy music. Especially if you have a smaller room, you need to look at effective bass traps of the like of GIK Acoustics or Real traps. Or, if you're handy, build your own traps. Traps are not sexy, like wires or tubes, but treating your room should be of the utmost priority to get the most out of your loud speakers. The Salks will reward you with a literal jaw-dropping in a properly treated room. I would rather have the Songs in a treated room that the TL2's in an untreated room, if you get my drift.Please take a look at the the RealTraps website for some very informative information. Link: http://www.realtraps.com/index.htmI have TL2's in New York City. If your near the tri-state area, PM me.Sincerely,Nick
FWIW, I had a guy come listen today my SongTowers and HT2-TL's today (with his father as well), and both were blown away with both speakers. They definitely liked the HT2-TL's better, it was kind of their idea of "ultimate" as well giving the price ranges they would be willing to put out. In the end, we spent about an hour talking about the differences between the two, and I could tell the kid was really torn between getting SongTowers now, and saving a bit and getting the big fish because his budget was in the low $3k range. In the end, I think he goes HT2-TL, because it would remove any trace of "maybe" he would have later.
My opinion is this: the speakers are by far the weakest link in the audio chain. As a first cut, power is important in terms of quantity, you want to have sufficient power to drive whatever you purchase. Depending on the speaker it could be 50W or 500W. Once you have quality speakers and adequate power, you can worry about making the transition into what I'd call 2nd order effects, like buying botique power, going from a cheap Yamaha amp to something like a piece of AVA gear. ..... Myself, I consider HT2-TL's the pinnacle of Salk engineering for what I would call the common audiophile. They are expensive, but they aren't so expensive a guy with this kind of hobby couldn't save up for. They will last a *long* time, it may be the last speaker you ever buy. They are pretty easy to drive power wise for a speaker of its range. They have *excellent* reach on the high and bottom end. They are easy to place in a room and their basic design and veneers are wife friendly. They are heavy and well made, when you plunk down that kind of cash, you want to be able to see and feel the quality. Are there better speakers? Yes, there are. But HT2-TL is where it all kind of comes together as a value for me. The SongTowers are certainly no slouch either and easier to drive than SongBirds. If I were you, I'd either save for the HT2-TL, or swap out your SongBird selection for the SongTowers.
I have to credit Jim with solid craftsmanship, my HT2-TL's have never undergone an incident, but all 4 of my SongTowers have dings and crashes of varying degrees.
My dog knocked one over and it dominoed into the other, and I thought for sure the sidewall was punctured because my home theater processer "caught" it on the corner. There is a very very slight impression (can't really see it, only feel it), but performance is no worse for the wear.
How would the HT1-TLs compare to the STs?They are in between the ST and HT2-TL in terms of cost. I am wondering if they are a step up from the Songtowers and thus might be another option?Rob
SoundScapes; they'll melt your brain!
Duh? Whatcha tell'n me!? Bob
But the SongTowers remain an option. Ideally I'd like to bring my set up and give a listen. Anyone live in central florida? I'm in New Smyrna Beach.
