Which one, Salk Song surround or LSA-1?

F

fred1942

Audioholic Intern
I posted previously to get opinions for a bookshelf size speaker for my bedroom. A lot of you suggested the Salk Song surrounds. I also looked at the review of Living Sounds Audio LSA-1 which sounds pretty good. I have heard neither and doubt if anyone in the Tampa area has them for audition. Which would you prefer to have, and why?
stereomojo.com/LSA%20ONE%20MONITOR%20SPEAKER%20RE... for LSA review.
 
Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
I posted previously to get opinions for a bookshelf size speaker for my bedroom. A lot of you suggested the Salk Song surrounds. I also looked at the review of Living Sounds Audio LSA-1 which sounds pretty good. I have heard neither and doubt if anyone in the Tampa area has them for audition. Which would you prefer to have, and why?
stereomojo.com/LSA%20ONE%20MONITOR%20SPEAKER%20RE... for LSA review.
I've never heard or seen the LSA-1 monitors before. Unfortunately that review gave very little info to help know them better. It did start out with a nice photo of Elvira – Mistress of the Dark… and we all know what that tells us about how speakers sound :rolleyes:.

It did mention that their bass response goes down to 37 Hz, which I find hard to believe. The LSA-1 web page says 42 Hz. But neither the review nor LSA provide any qualifier, such as ±3 dB, so claims of frequency response without any ± value mean nothing. It may very well produce sound at 37 Hz, but at levels 10 dB lower than higher frequencies. Unless they specify some volume level, no one knows what that means.

More importantly, neither the review nor the web page tells us what these speakers sound like through the midrange. They might be very good speakers, but unless you hear them you won't know.

The web page mentions a crossover frequency of 3,000 Hz but it isn't clear if that is for the ribbon tweeter version or both versions. The review mentions a 2,000 Hz crossover point for the dome tweeter version. So that is unclear. It's important because, I suspect that a 6¼" woofer will have significantly narrower dispersion at frequencies above 2,000 Hz. Because of that off-axis sound will suffer and the speaker will have poor imaging in that important range of sound. So that's a possible source of concern.

I was unimpressed by offers to sell you these speakers with more expensive crossover parts (LSA-1 Signature), or a ribbon tweeter (LSA-1 Statement) at triple the cost for the standard version of the monitor.

On the other hand, I have heard the Salk SongSurround I, like them a lot, and can very confidently recommend them. At $895 for a pair with one of five standard veneer finishes, it costs 10% less than the LSA-1. If you assume that the LSA-1 is as good a speaker as the SSI, which we don't know, you can always decide by price :D.
 
F

fred1942

Audioholic Intern
I've never heard or seen the LSA-1 monitors before. Unfortunately that review gave very little info to help know them better. It did start out with a nice photo of Elvira – Mistress of the Dark… and we all know what that tells us about how speakers sound :rolleyes:.

It did mention that their bass response goes down to 37 Hz, which I find hard to believe. The LSA-1 web page says 42 Hz. But neither the review nor LSA provide any qualifier, such as ±3 dB, so claims of frequency response without any ± value mean nothing. It may very well produce sound at 37 Hz, but at levels 10 dB lower than higher frequencies. Unless they specify some volume level, no one knows what that means.

More importantly, neither the review nor the web page tells us what these speakers sound like through the midrange. They might be very good speakers, but unless you hear them you won't know.

The web page mentions a crossover frequency of 3,000 Hz but it isn't clear if that is for the ribbon tweeter version or both versions. The review mentions a 2,000 Hz crossover point for the dome tweeter version. So that is unclear. It's important because, I suspect that a 6¼" woofer will have significantly narrower dispersion at frequencies above 2,000 Hz. Because of that off-axis sound will suffer and the speaker will have poor imaging in that important range of sound. So that's a possible source of concern.

I was unimpressed by offers to sell you these speakers with more expensive crossover parts (LSA-1 Signature), or a ribbon tweeter (LSA-1 Statement) at triple the cost for the standard version of the monitor.

On the other hand, I have heard the Salk SongSurround I, like them a lot, and can very confidently recommend them. At $895 for a pair with one of five standard veneer finishes, it costs 10% less than the LSA-1. If you assume that the LSA-1 is as good a speaker as the SSI, which we don't know, you can always decide by price :D.
Thanks for your detailed reply. I appreciate your help as I don't want to sink almost a grand on a blind date, even if she looks like Elvira, unless she sings well.
 
GranteedEV

GranteedEV

Audioholic Ninja
Nice. Read a bad review of the LSA's so they may be out of the equation.
Not only are they a speaker I would have recommended anyways, but AJ is located very near you so an audition should be easy to get.
 
F

fred1942

Audioholic Intern
Not only are they a speaker I would have recommended anyways, but AJ is located very near you so an audition should be easy to get.
Looked at their website. The specs look really good. I will definitely get in touch with them. Thanks for the info.
 
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