[AJinFLA]

Why do I have this feeling that my visit to the Soundfield Audio room is going to cost me? 

Btw, I take AJ's lack of response to my offer means the answer is "thanks, but hell no!"   

I'm not charging at the door this year Jim, come on down. 

No, it means I'm still scrambling to get ready for LSAF.
Tour might happen, though it's not priority #1. Or 2 right now.

cheers,

AJ

[Saturn94]

I'm not charging at the door this year Jim, come on down. 

No, it means I'm still scrambling to get ready for LSAF.
Tour might happen, though it's not priority #1. Or 2 right now.

cheers,

AJ

It's not the cost of getting in I'm worried about, it's the cost of getting out. 

I do understand your concerns about doing another tour.  Bigger, heavier speakers will add to shipping cost, which already wasn't cheap for the M1, and I'm guessing that there's more risk of damage?

Hope LSAF is a success for you.

[neekomax]

Getting back on track, Roscoeiii was over last night for a spell, and we had a good time putting the SAM-2 through its paces. I think it was unanimous, the SAM-2 kicks serious but, and really takes things to a whole other level. Incredible. Very cool to have someone over who was so knowledgeable, homeboy has a deep repertoire of cool test tracks. The SAM-2 imaging is quite good, with the ability for those images to hang in the air holographically. Things like wind chimes are scary real. The SAM-1 is not like that, but has other great attributes of course. Who is going to  get the second pair

Good stuff, very nice to get some listening impressions finally. A full user review would be welcome anytime, of course, and your perspective as an M1 owner is especially interesting, at least to me.

Would you say that you miss the active, high excursion bass driver in the M2?

PS - I wouldn't hate it if I got hear them next weekend     

[Saturn94]

Good stuff, very nice to get some listening impressions finally. A full user review would be welcome anytime, of course, and your perspective as an M1 owner is especially interesting, at least to me.....

+1

[pslate]

When you say "the SAM-1 is not like that", are you referring to imaging properties or instruments like wind chimes sounding "scary real"?

I ask because I think one on the SAM-1's strengths, at least in my setup, is imaging much like you described.  Of course I've not heard the SAM-2, but looking forward to doing so at CAF.

Why do I have this feeling that my visit to the Soundfield Audio room is going to cost me? 

Btw, I take AJ's lack of response to my offer means the answer is "thanks, but hell no!"   

Both image exceptionally well, but the SAM-2 has a bit of that holographic/euphoric quality where you swear the sound is hanging in a specific place in a very real and immediate way. I will attempt a review in a bit. Now I have child superstar Raffi playing and need to change a diaper 

[James Romeyn]

Load your bazooka and fire away.  Most readers will likely find this an annoyingly stupid suggestion.

I'm not the only music lover in the world (at least one other is a professional speaker designer) who can and occasionally does audition speakers in mono.  You'd be amazed how much you can learn comparing two speakers in mono side by side.  Try it yourself sometime.  Adjusting for sensitivity difference is obviously critical, as always.  I suggest covering the unused speaker with thick comforter for two reasons: damp reflections from working speaker and damp potential passive disruption of active speaker output (unused woofer moves in/out and potentially generates small but obnoxious tweeter signal...try the following: listen to well tuned system with no non-functioning speakers in the room...bring in a box speaker and set it down between the stereo functioning pair and listen to the same music...interesting, no?  Thank Ivor Tiefenbrun for this tidbit...one speaker company used to short every input on every unused speaker in the sound room to avoid the distortion described above)     

Yes, you can even get a good sense of image and stage qualities.  You can tell quite a bit, possibly as valuable as stereo.   

Try it yourself with one each of two different speakers.

Possibly AJ could send out one SAM-2 for such audition on tour.  Did members contribute shipping cost in earlier tour of now discontinued SAM-1?   

[roscoeiii]

Getting back on track, Roscoeiii was over last night for a spell, and we had a good time putting the SAM-2 through its paces. I think it was unanimous, the SAM-2 kicks serious but, and really takes things to a whole other level. Incredible. Very cool to have someone over who was so knowledgeable, homeboy has a deep repertoire of cool test tracks. The SAM-2 imaging is quite good, with the ability for those images to hang in the air holographically. Things like wind chimes are scary real. The SAM-1 is not like that, but has other great attributes of course. Who is going to  get the second pair

Yes, many thanks to pslate for having me over yesterday. We listened briefly to the SAM-1s in his living room, before plaste dragged me downstairs to hear the SAM-2s. Wow. I was liking what I heard from the SAM-1s, but with the SAM-2s my eyes bulged and jaw dropped. That's a really great sounding speaker. Loved what it was doing in the highs. My first time falling head-over-heels for a ribbon tweeter (other ribbons I had only heard in show settings). Bass was also quite tight and defined, down to say 40Hz or so. On some real bass torture tracks (James Blake, for example), the sub really helped, but for much of what we listened to the speakers were great with the sub out of the loop. As pslate said, highs from chimes and cumbals were crystal clear. These were taught and well controlled speakers that had excellent clarity. Very very impressed. 

[Saturn94]

Load your bazooka and fire away.  Most readers will likely find this an annoyingly stupid suggestion.

I'm not the only music lover in the world (at least one other is a professional speaker designer) who can and occasionally does audition speakers in mono.  You'd be amazed how much you can learn comparing two speakers in mono side by side.  Try it yourself sometime.  Adjusting for sensitivity difference is obviously critical, as always.  I suggest covering the unused speaker with thick comforter for two reasons: damp reflections from working speaker and damp potential passive disruption of active speaker output (unused woofer moves in/out and potentially generates small but obnoxious tweeter signal...try the following: listen to well tuned system with no non-functioning speakers in the room...bring in a box speaker and set it down between the stereo functioning pair and listen to the same music...interesting, no?  Thank Ivor Tiefenbrun for this tidbit...one speaker company used to short every input on every unused speaker in the sound room to avoid the distortion described above)     

Yes, you can even get a good sense of image and stage qualities.  You can tell quite a bit, possibly as valuable as stereo.   

Try it yourself with one each of two different speakers.

Possibly AJ could send out one SAM-2 for such audition on tour.  Did members contribute shipping cost in earlier tour of now discontinued SAM-1?

I did something similar comparing two Salk models.  It was certainly useful, but I couldn't tell how they would image without auditioning in stereo.  Personally, I would want to hear a stereo pair if participating in a tour.

Participants in the SAM 1 tour paid shipping costs to send them to their next destination.  In my case the total cost was about $95 (shipping, insurance, and new outer boxes per agreement).

[AJinFLA]

Possibly AJ could send out one SAM-2 for such audition on tour.  Did members contribute shipping cost in earlier tour of now discontinued SAM-1?

Hi James,

While I do test/listen (like Harman) in mono, it is mainly for detecting problems with the DUT. For "listening", it's always stereo (one of my contentions with their methods)...and placed as such relative to the room and my ears.
Yes, participants were responsible for shipping (charge) on to the next stop in the (M1) tour, which is precisely why, if an M2 one happens, there will be a weight/size reduction program (without SQ loss of course).

cheers,

AJ

[rollo]

   A worthwhile tour if your in the market for speakers. Still have the M-1 here and not disappointed in the least. In our second system fed by Dodd gear. Pipedreams in the main system.



charles

[neekomax]

   A worthwhile tour if your in the market for speakers. Still have the M-1 here and not disappointed in the least. In our second system fed by Dodd gear. Pipedreams in the main system.



charles

SAM-1: Instant classic, man. 

[Letitroll98]

I guess an appropriate time for the question, if it hasn't already been answered, why the discontinuation of the SAM 1?

[roscoeiii]

I guess an appropriate time for the question, if it hasn't already been answered, why the discontinuation of the SAM 1?

No more driver availability is my understanding. But I wouldn't worry to much about that, because the SAM-2 is fabulous. Grabbed me in a way that the SAM-1 did not (though I had less time with the SAM-1). Don't get me wrong, SAM-1 was quite nice. But it was the SAM-2 that had me saying "wow!"

[AJinFLA]

I guess an appropriate time for the question, if it hasn't already been answered, why the discontinuation of the SAM 1?

KEF asked, very nicely, to stop using their drivers.
I obliged. 

cheers,

AJ

[jtwrace]

KEF asked, very nicely, to stop using their drivers.
I obliged. 

cheers,

AJ

Didn't they sell them to you though?

[AJinFLA]

Didn't they sell them to you though?

No, never directly.
Acquiring the drivers is not the issue. Use of them was.
I've moved on, so to speak.

cheers,

AJ

[neekomax]

Another reason they're instant classics: Rarity.

[Letitroll98]

I figured as much when I saw disclaimers on supplier's pages saying, "Sold for repair only".  Maybe you could make the crossover mod public domain at DIY or somewhere.  Or maybe you could sell it to KEF.   

At the price point you got stuck with that speaker at I wouldn't mourn the loss.  Good deal for the consumer, but I never thought sustainable for you, even at $1300. 

So I've got the reason for the demise of the KEF driver, why did the separately powered bass driver go the way of the dodo?  I always thought that was the more groundbreaking innovation.  (You can tell me to shut up any time, no offence)  And why the separately powered rear driver on the 2?  Why not wire it in series with an on/off toggle a la Snell?  (I should mention I love the rear firing tweeter design)  Lastly, for now, why the in between size?  The question is 1/2 marketing question and 1/2 design question.  I'm guessing larger cabinet for SPL as you didn't design a deeper bass extension?  For marketing I'm thinking either extend the size to floorstander or integral stand?  Thanks in advance for any answers or thoughts you'd be willing to share, and of course wishing the best of luck with the new model to one of the truly gracious gentlemen in high end audio.

[pslate]

I intended to quote a request for review, but just got the +1. This is for you Saturn.

+1

Let me know what tracks you would like me to compare, and I will be happy share my notes. In my mind this is the easiest/best way to provide you with useful information.
Paul

[roscoeiii]

Not sure if Pslate would agree with me or not, but I would take the SAM2 over the SAM1 based on my listening experience.