oops, they can't ship the Philharmonitors due to their shipper in Taiwan passed away recently.
they will custom order in a choice of veneers. but due to the custom cabinet cost is higher. 1000.00 a pair now. guess i can look at that as an extra 75.0 a speaker now. but shipping is included.
i know zilch about veneers but Dennis mentioned the buyer could state a veneer choice. he's to get back with me about that. their webpage states, "finished in walnut with 5 coats of stain to close the grain and darken the color to near-black."
would veneer be as good as that walnut with 5 coats of stain or what?
he also said the AA towers might surprise me.
Ouch! Problems being a small operation and going international. The shipper is probably largely one man, just as Philharmonic Audio is one man!
The standard walnut finish is also veneer atop of mdf.
No one uses solid wood. Mdf is a better material because it is dimensionally stable, not as prone to resonance as natural wood (which has a grain direction, giving different properties in different directions), has inconsistencies (such as knots, reaction stress, and wind shake), and much cheaper.
The different veneers might be a nice option since it allows you to choose the "color" of your speakers. It is very likely that the standard walnut finish is not walnut wood at all. I'm sure it looks good, but it would be a waste to use real walnut wood, then darken it the way they describe. Walnut is a domestic to North America and expensive. Here is a quick blurb on Asian Walnut:
Asian walnut is a type of lumber often used for flooring. Its name is somewhat misleading, and confusing, however. The wood commonly marketed and sold under this name is not walnut at all but
acacia. Walnut trees belong to the family Juglandaceae, of which there are several species. Acacia trees are members of the family Fabaceae. Many species of acacia, from almost every continent, are also known, but they are primarily from the drier areas of Asia, Africa, and Australia. Acacia wood is marketed as Asian walnut because
suppliers and retailers feel that the name is more appealing to buyers.
This really doesn't matter. I'm sure the Asian wood works fine. It may be a little softer than American Walnut, but if it is commonly used for flooring, it will hold up fine (as will any option you are offered- Dennis won't give you the option of balsa veneer).
He may be able to give you a solid color for the same price if that would work better. Not gloss finish - that costs!
I am assuming you would be getting a custom built cabinet from a craftsman/cabinet-maker local to Dennis. That is not a bad thing.
I have no doubt that the AA Towers would surprise you!
Dennis is unique (to my knowledge) in that he is not trying to make money off of his speaker sales. He does charge a little something for his time, but I know for my (and all) Philharmonic3's he made less than minimum wage for the hours he spent building the crossover and assembling the speaker. That is kind of like getting Bob Carver to build your amp, but at illegal immigrant labor rates!
My point is, he is retired and at this point in his life, he is more about sharing his passion for music and sound quality and not worried about money. At least, that is my read of him (supported by his business practices).
You may want to talk to Dennis again. He knows these speakers better than anyone, and can best tell you what the Philharmonitors offer over the AA towers - soundwise. As with most things, you pay a lot for the last few percent improvements in performance.
Unlike a typical sales guy, he will take what you say about budget at face value instead of trying to maximize the sale.
One thing I would point out is the AA towers are the deal of the century, but they are a somewhat bland-looking speaker. If you have a BB nearby, you can check out what they look like (Dennis doesn't change anything you can see aside from the tweeter). The Philharmonitors are clearly "not your pappy's speakers".
Some here would consider this sacrilege, but at the end of the day, we are human, and looks are a factor. If you want a speaker than gives good sound with an understated look, the AA's in black oak vinyl are perfect. If you want something more unique, the Philharmonitors are a good option.
Good luck! Hope this helps!
