Impressions of Salk SongTowers

[Ponzio]

My OCD was acting up yesterday morning and I got to thinking about getting 2 pieces of granite (11"x16") to slide under the plinths, so as to raise the ST's another inch off the floor which would put the tweeter closer to ear level as I sit at my desk. Besides wasting money, is this a good or bad idea or should I just leave well enough alone?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

My OCD was acting up yesterday morning and I got to thinking about getting 2 pieces of granite (11"x16") to slide under the plinths, so as to raise the ST's another inch off the floor which would put the tweeter closer to ear level as I sit at my desk. Besides wasting money, is this a good or bad idea or should I just leave well enough alone?

If they already sound great, why fix it?

 

[GranteedEV]

My OCD was acting up yesterday morning and I got to thinking about getting 2 pieces of granite (11"x16") to slide under the plinths, so as to raise the ST's another inch off the floor which would put the tweeter closer to ear level as I sit at my desk. Besides wasting money, is this a good or bad idea or should I just leave well enough alone?

I say why not. But personally, rather than granite, I would get high resilience or latex foam. Not only will it raise tweeter level, but it'll decouple the speaker from the floor.

Cube shaped foam products - used for packaging foam, foam furniture accessories, boat pdding and more

 

[Ponzio]

If they already sound great, why fix it?

You're right but I'm suffering from speaker upgradeitus withdrawal and you know what they say about idle hands.

I say why not. But personally, rather than granite, I would get high resilience or latex foam. Not only will it raise tweeter level, but it'll decouple the speaker from the floor.

Cube shaped foam products - used for packaging foam, foam furniture accessories, boat pdding and more

Sounds good but how stable are they? Foam is malleable right? That can't be good. I already have carpeting on the floor. I'm having visions of one of my kids/relatives barreling into the room ... now I'm in a cold sweat.

 

[GranteedEV]

Sounds good but how stable are they? Foam is malleable right? That can't be good. I already have carpeting on the floor. I'm having visions of one of my kids/relatives barreling into the room ... now I'm in a cold sweat.

That's a fair point. For such a tall, slim speaker like the ST, foam might not be the best idea but I am not actually sure.

 

[Swerd]

I doubt if raising STs by 2" will make much of a difference. As long as the material is strong and stable, it probably won't matter.

For an MTM speaker, it's more important to listen with your head somewhere between the upper and lower woofers than it is to be seated at precisely the same level as the tweeters. This becomes less critical as you sit farther away from the speakers.

Most people find it easier to say "sit at tweeter level" than to say "between the upper and lower woofers". That works for all speakers, MTM or not.

Rather than raising the speakers, get a lower chair .

 

[walter duque]

My OCD was acting up yesterday morning and I got to thinking about getting 2 pieces of granite (11"x16") to slide under the plinths, so as to raise the ST's another inch off the floor which would put the tweeter closer to ear level as I sit at my desk. Besides wasting money, is this a good or bad idea or should I just leave well enough alone?

Try it out. Mine come with a marble base (that's what it looks like to me anyway, I am not a stone expert) as standard equipment. Heavy little suckers.

 

[Ponzio]

I doubt if raising STs by 2" will make much of a difference. As long as the material is strong and stable, it probably won't matter.

For an MTM speaker, it's more important to listen with your head somewhere between the upper and lower woofers than it is to be seated at precisely the same level as the tweeters. This becomes less critical as you sit farther away from the speakers.

Most people find it easier to say "sit at tweeter level" than to say "between the upper and lower woofers". That works for all speakers, MTM or not.

Rather than raising the speakers, get a lower chair .

My head is currently even with the top woofer, so it sounds like I should leave well enough alone.

... back to chasing for a used reasonably priced SVS SB-1000.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You're right but I'm suffering from speaker upgradeitus withdrawal and you know what they say about idle hands.

You need to spend 100% of your time ENJOYING and 00% of your time WORRYING.

 

[Ponzio]

I do spend 90% of my time enjoying it but I think the 10% worrying keeps me sharp.

 

[Swerd]

My head is currently even with the top woofer, so it sounds like I should leave well enough alone.

Here's an easy way to test it. First listen while sitting as you normally do, and compare it to:

1) Listening while slouching in your chair to lower your ears by about 1-2".

2) Listening while standing up so your ears are above the upper woofer.

If the difference between Normal and 1) is smaller than the difference between Normal and 2), leave well enough alone.

 

[Ponzio]

I did the slouch test already and just tried the stand up and I'm golden as is. I just thought another inch off the ground would get me closer to nirvana instead of being happy in heaven.

... there's just no pleasing some people ... you know what I mean?

 

[Alex2507]

Take the wheels off your chair.

 

[Ponzio]

Take the wheels off your chair.

some would say the wheels are already off.

boy I wish I lived in Auburn, NH. the itch to replace my Epic 2's is on.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281617945369?rmvSB=true

 

[Swerd]

Those look very nice. I like the burl front panel.

Even though I've never heard SongBirds, I think I know exactly what they sound like. Like a CAOW1 with more bass, or a SongTower with less bass.

 

[Swerd]

Jim Salk just made a youtube video for the SongTower

 

[Ponzio]

from the FWIW department:

I recently purchased a 6 month old SVS SB-2000 and paired it with the ST's and associated center and I'm here to tell 'ya, it's the cats meow. here are my impressions that I shared with Swerd soon thereafter.

Richard … if I remember correctly … now there’s a loaded statement coming from me … ur running ur ST’s without a sub, which is perfectly fine, since they already get down to 42Hz, an amazing spec for a speaker its size and the lack of a dedicated woofer driver. There’s no denying the inspired design/engineering involved in the Martin King TRL(?) in getting the speaker to get that far down but I always felt like the soundstage was a bit limited.

You’ve talked previously of upgrading to a pair of Veracity TL’s and I’ve no doubt that the drivers, cross-over and design are an upgrade from the ST’s but if ur basing that want on a wider soundstage u might want to seriously consider picking up a SB-2000 unit … or two, for even more slam.

I originally paired the ST’s with a EMP Tek 1010i, which added a wee bit more depth … bottom end of 32Hz … to the soundstage but not enough to satisfy me, like the SVS PB-12NSD sub did with my Focal 1027Be’s in the living room. The only hesitation I had though was that another PB-12NSD in here … 14’x14’ vs. 20’x20’ in my LR … would’ve been a bit too much and the ported models are more geared to HT anyway. I was looking for a tighter floor, something a bit more nimble with music. So at that point I set my sights on a sealed sub, specifically the SVS SB line. While I would have been happy with the SB-1000, I wanted the 2000 model based on specs … 19Hz vs. 24Hz … and it comes in a gorgeous piano black finish with unbelievable fit & finish vs. the plain Jane black wood veneer of the 1000 model and size; at 20.9" (H) x 17.3" (W) x 25.4"(D) it’s just downright Lilliputian. It took me a year and half but finally bagged one. It finally arrived yesterday and … words fail me. It’s like I have a brand new set of speakers ... seriously. It’s the perfect complement to the ST’s … in this room at least.

Hope all is well with u & xxxxx ... V.

I can literally feel the floor vibrating and the pressurizing of the room to my whole body, my chest, with no loss whatsoever … none … to the clarity of the mid’s and high’s while listening to this song. it’s a good day in Mudville. Take care.

 

[Swerd]

from the FWIW department:

I recently purchased a 6 month old SVS SB-2000 and paired it with the ST's and associated center and I'm here to tell 'ya, it's the cats meow. here are my impressions that I shared with Swerd soon thereafter.

And the requisite follow up question: What frequency do you set the crossover between the SB-2000 and the SongTowers?

 

[Ponzio]

And the requisite follow up question: What frequency do you set the crossover between the SB-2000 and the SongTowers?

80Hz ... I have not rerun Yamaha's YPAO equalization program as of yet; it's working with the same settings that I was using for the EMP Tek 1010i sub and sounds great.

 

[zieglj01]

I recently purchased a 6 month old SVS SB-2000 and paired it with the ST's and associated center and I'm here to tell 'ya, it's the cats meow. here are my impressions that I shared with Swerd soon thereafter.

80Hz ... I have not rerun Yamaha's YPAO equalization program as of yet; it's working with the same settings that I was using for the EMP Tek 1010i sub and sounds great.

So, you are not ready for an upgrade?