Towers of Power: A Look at the Best Super Speakers

[shadyJ]

No doubt the JBL cabinet is going to be first-rate. As for the crossover, that is handled in the accompanying Crown amplifier; the M2 is an active system.

 

[milt1999]

Any list that doesn't include Revel speakers is BS. Sorry Gene, I've heard the Legacy and some others on this list and Revel deserves to be in the list.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Any list that doesn't include Revel speakers is BS. Sorry Gene, I've heard the Legacy and some others on this list and Revel deserves to be in the list.

Revel is great. So is KEF and other brands not mentioned.

But the Salon2 doesn't have the higher sensitivity and dynamics as these "super power towers".

Stereophile measured the Salon2's sensitivity as 86dB/2.83V/m.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/revel-ultima-salon2-loudspeaker-measurements#GoHsJKM05DeZfm5X.97

Salon2 has 1" tweeter, 4" midrange, 6.5" midrange, 8" x 3 woofers, 86dB/2.83V/m.

These "super towers" are just much bigger.

For example, the RBH SV-831/1212 has like a 5" ribbon tweeter, 8" x 3 midrange, 12" x 2 woofers, 94dB/2.83V/m.

 

[Thunder240]

I'm very intrigued by the JTR 215RTs!

I don't doubt that they have excellent dynamics, dig deep, and that they crush in a home theater setting. However, can those who have owned or auditioned them speak to their musicality? I'm especialy interested to know how their musicality compares to other floorstanders in a similar-ish price range, e.g. Salk Veracity HT3, Dynaudio Focus 3XX series, PSB Imagine T3, Golen Ear Triton One (a little less), B&W 803D3 (a little more)? I'd use these guys about 50/50 for HT and music. It would be a rare day that I'd deliver them anywhere close to their power handling capacity, but I do like Gene's theory that speakers that have been massively over-engineered from a mechicanical point of view will be highly linear at lesser volumes.

 

[rmk]

I'm very intrigued by the JTR 215RTs!

I don't doubt that they have excellent dynamics, dig deep, and that they crush in a home theater setting. However, can those who have owned or auditioned them speak to their musicality? I'm especialy interested to know how their musicality compares to other floorstanders in a similar-ish price range, e.g. Salk Veracity HT3, Dynaudio Focus 3XX series, PSB Imagine T3, Golen Ear Triton One (a little less), B&W 803D3 (a little more)? I'd use these guys about 50/50 for HT and music. It would be a rare day that I'd deliver them anywhere close to their power handling capacity, but I do like Gene's theory that speakers that have been massively over-engineered from a mechicanical point of view will be highly linear at lesser volumes.

I have been on this Pro Audio derived train for quite a while now and decided to go to RMAF this past fall to hear the current state of the Audiophile world products. That allowed me to heard demos of virtually every brand you mentioned with the exception of Salk. JTR was there as well with the smaller full range tower (the 210RT) and so I had a means of comparison. I heard many speakers that sounded great and the focus was on music (both 2 and multi channel).

The conclusion both my wife and I reached was that while we enjoyed seeing and hearing 6 figure plus examples of the best of audiophiledom, neither of us felt we were giving up much if anything to these audiophile brands. I suppose the best example is our insistence on listening through the closing credits on virtually every bluray movie we watch. This is the sound engineers time to shine and very often we hear interesting and very well recorded music. An example was a re-watch of the Life of Pi this weekend. The music in the closing credits is very detailed and for lack of a better description ethereal. We just sat there transfixed by the beautiful and detailed sound.

Below are some comments made by a couple of audio website reviewers who happened upon the JTR room at RMAF. I was actually in the room when they were listening the first time and really enjoyed the looks on their faces.

Tyson’s Notes JTR Audio Room

General Room Notes – We were here after hours on Saturday night and had Tool CRANKED and it was absolutely better than being at the concert. Just incredible dynamics, punch, and power. This room also has the DAC Cherry amps that impressed me so much last year. Hearing them again this year I’ll say flat out that they have the best control, slam, dynamics and clarity, without being sterile or cold.

Looking around a bit today – they have room treatments! One of the few vendors that cares enough about the sound of their room to bring them. Kudos.

Sibelius Violin Concerto – Excellent separation of the violin and clarinet, with the massed strings doing their mysterious bit in the background.

Mahler Symphony 6 – Nice forward attention grabbing horn presentation and cymbal crash. And with the whole orchestra comes in at full cry the result is power and fury, yet fully controlled.

Tom Waits - Good, large presentation of this larger than life personality.

Natalie Merchant (Peppery Man) – Soundstage is between the speakers, with nice depth. This is not a laid back “oh, the music is happening somewhere over there, that’s pretty” it’s a grab you by the balls, slap you around and get your ass on the dance floor. I suggest never, ever trying to read (or type) while this system plays – it demands your attention

Side note – one of the few rooms set up for multichannel, we spent WAY too long in this room just jamming out to some outstanding surround sound. I always have poo-pooh’d surround sound, being a 2 channel guy at heart, but this is phenomenal and might make me have to change my mind.

Jason's notes

Ok JTR room we had a chance to pop in yesterday because we heard Tools 'Sober' from about five rooms down and thought DAMN!!!! What room is that. I was absolutely stunned at the sound quality and volume coming from this setup. Holy ****!!!!!

Sibelius wow wow won the dynamics and emotion are damn near miraculous.

Mahler are you kidding me????? Easily and by a wide margin the best I have heard this track at the show. Possibly EVER! No joke, this is next level I'm talking about.

Waits huge soundstage incredible control. A bit dry sounding in vocals. Tyson and I traded seats and I think the bass control is better from the seat I was in. In this position it's a bit overblown.

Merchant good holy god the soundstage is incredible! I can't believe I'm hearing this from behind a screen! Seriously great soundstage. Wowy wow wow wow.

The aside from the dryness in Waits vocals the only other issue I have with this setup is the soundstage presents a bit two dimensionally and lacking a it in nuance. I'm sure that if these speakers were set up in a great room and pulled out they would blow my mind. And that wouldn't be a problem.

We're now demoing the surround sound capability of this system. This system is top notch in every way. Staggering stuff here. I am certain that all of their neighbors HATE these guys. We are listening at at least 120 db right now and it sounds ****ing amazing not ****ty loud like JBL but beautiful loud that is hard to describe.

Pulling out a calibrated mic and the level is at 118db with 129.8db peaks. In a 13X19 foot room. This room frightens me. There is just no other way of describing it.

 

[Thunder240]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!


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[rmk]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!


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Sure, when you own speakers like these there is a temptation (based upon the source material) to go loud. It is very easy to find yourself in reference plus territory as it doesn't sound loud (e.g. strained or distorted). It does require some discipline to keep the volume at reasonable levels. My wife is a great help in that regard. ;-)

 

[3db]

Sorry, man. Cut off sensitivity to qualify is 93dB/2.83V/m. 92dB doesn't qualify.

Power's cheap sooooo that whole 1db ain't gonna bust the piggy bank......unlike these speakers...

Seriously, I would really like to these thing tested. Gene said they sound really good.

 

[Thunder240]

Sure, when you own speakers like these there is a temptation (based upon the source material) to go loud. It is very easy to find yourself in reference plus territory as it doesn't sound loud (e.g. strained or distorted). It does require some discipline to keep the volume at reasonable levels. My wife is a great help in that regard. ;-)

I have no trouble believing this! God help my neighbors


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[rmk]

I have no trouble believing this! God help my neighbors


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Yeah, I'm lucky in that regard but keeping peace in the hood is another good reason for selective high SPL sessions.

 

[rmk]

Any list that doesn't include Revel speakers is BS. Sorry Gene, I've heard the Legacy and some others on this list and Revel deserves to be in the list.

This response is typical of someone who has never heard a good demonstration of high efficiency full range towers like those included here. Your mention of Revel is ironic as that was my brand of choice and they were wonderful speakers for 2 channel music at reasonable playback levels. The clarity and detail were goose bump producing but on my occasional venture into rock, heavy metal'ish music or even full blown orchestral music they would give out before I got to what I felt were live venue SPL levels (before you ask, yes I fed them more than adequate power).

The lack of serious interest in this Thread is indicative of the fact that these speakers are not for everyone. The costs/compromises required to get this level of performance make them an esoteric choice. But if you are a hobbyist and can pay the toll, I suggest a demo. Be careful though as this can be a transformative experience and you may never look at speakers and sound reproduction the same way again.

 

[Steve81]

The lack of serious interest in this Thread is indicative of the fact that these speakers are not for everyone. The costs/compromises required to get this level of performance make them an esoteric choice.

That and not everyone is looking for live venue levels, whether its a matter of comfort or concern about long term hearing.

Funny story, my wife and I used to go out regularly to see a cover band called The Legwarmers who specialized in 80's pop/rock. They put on a great show (if the genre is your thing), and we saw them at a relatively small venue (the State Theater in Falls Church, VA), so it got LOUD. The last time we went to see them, we realized we were getting old because instead of rocking out, we were bitching about the volume. That probably meant we weren't drinking enough, but whatever

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think there are plenty of interest for these big speakers among guys who don't listen to extreme volume. But not everyone wants to spend $5K for a pair of Towers of Power.

I think most people may be in the $2-3K/pair range.

 

[rmk]

I think there are plenty of interest for these big speakers among guys who don't listen to extreme volume. But not everyone wants to spend $5K for a pair of Towers of Power.

I think most people may be in the $2-3K/pair range.

You're probably right and you can certainly get a very nice sounding speaker for that price. Just not one that will play reference level at 20hz -24khz with ease. I'm just guessing about 24khz cause my hearing drops off at 16khz. ;-)

 

[JRT3]

Too bad you didn't include the venerable Klipschorns, but, they aren't true towers. I suppose their corner placement limits them. I've heard them - many years ago - but that experience set a standard. Cost per pound - and high SPL - would still favor them. My chronologically challenged ears - with tinnitus - and limited budget - puts them all in the 'conceptual' plane, anyway!

 

[shadyJ]

I do like the Klipschorns, one of the first truly hi-fi speakers I have ever heard. Like yourself, that set a standard for me to, a speaker that sounded as big as life and clear as a bell. I wouldn't mind owning a set, if I had room for them.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You're probably right and you can certainly get a very nice sounding speaker for that price. Just not one that will play reference level at 20hz -24khz with ease. I'm just guessing about 24khz cause my hearing drops off at 16khz.

Yeah, I don't think I can hear very much beyond 16kHz either.

 

[Defcon]

From what I've read Danley speakers should be considered in the same class although they are pretty much the opposite of a tower. The speaker they are most compared to is the JTR, loud and dynamic with very sweet sound according to everyone who's heard them.

 

[rmk]

From what I've read Danley speakers should be considered in the same class although they are pretty much the opposite of a tower. The speaker they are most compared to is the JTR, loud and dynamic with very sweet sound according to everyone who's heard them.

I have heard properly setup Danley speakers (SM-60's) in a Home Theater environment and they sounded really good but Danley speakers are not full range and so do not belong in this category.

 

[Defcon]

I have heard properly setup Danley speakers (SM-60's) in a Home Theater environment and they sounded really good but Danley speakers are not full range and so do not belong in this category.

Didn't realize they had to be full range but looking at the article it makes sense now. IMO most people buying this kind of speaker also get a sub though, since many of these for HT use as well.