Quality construction brands

[ematthews]

Looking for some input on these speaker brands in reference to craftmanship. Which company has the better qualities, fit and finish, etc. Nothing to do with sound. Just build. I should add their low to mid level speakers. Not their high end models.

Focal
Kef
Monitor Audio
Revel

 

[PENG]

Interesting question but is a hard one to answer for anyone because one would have to bring a good magnifying glass, know a lot about wood working/finishing, and must remove the drivers and crossovers to really do a good inspection and assessment.

Focal and KEF are the only two in the group that make speakers in the price range from hundreds to well over >$100,000, but Focal may be the only one that makes it to the top 30 most expensive hifi speakers list. My quick guess is that the way you list those 4 would be the way I rank them, from top to bottom.

 

[ematthews]

Funny. I didn’t mean to list in any order. I own Kef and they are very nice.

 

[PENG]

Funny. I didn’t mean to list in any order. I own Kef and they are very nice.

Yes, me too and if you look at the LS50's the fits and finishes are first class. Same for my Focal, very nice finishing. I have seen the high end Focal Utopia lines they are not only nicely finished, but look great as well. I have not seen the KEF Muon in person, but am not impressed with their Blade at all, though they sound great, best sound I have ever heard.

 

[Cos]

Definitely not on the cheap side, the Paradigm Persona line of speakers have an incredible fit and finish. They do make their own enclosures for those speakers in Canada

 

[DigitalDawn]

Check out this video. Very cool. Shows how Triad hand builds their speakers to order in Portland, Oregon.

http://www.triadspeakersforum.com/showthread.php/17-Triad-Factory-Tours

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Looking for some input on these speaker brands in reference to craftmanship. Which company has the better qualities, fit and finish, etc. Nothing to do with sound. Just build. I should add their low to mid level speakers. Not their high end models.

Focal
Kef
Monitor Audio
Revel

My thinking is that the fit and finish will be very comparable among them.

For the low to mid models, all the cabinets and parts are probably pre-made very well from machines in countries with cheaper labor.

I think the salient factor is how they package these speakers for shipping to your house!

Do they double-box them with heavy duty boxes? Or single box?

For speakers weighing more than 50 pounds, will they ship freight?

Are you worried about speakers reliability?

Or just how pretty they look?

 

[everettT]

Salk. *drops mic*

 

[ematthews]

My thinking is that the fit and finish will be very comparable among them.

For the low to mid models, all the cabinets and parts are probably pre-made very well from machines in countries with cheaper labor.

I think the salient factor is how they package these speakers for shipping to your house!

Do they double-box them with heavy duty boxes? Or single box?

For speakers weighing more than 50 pounds, will they ship freight?

Are you worried about speakers reliability?

Or just how pretty they look?

Neither really. You know. My RBH came single boxed??? Those things are heavy beast..Was just looking at so many threads about sound. I saw Gene's post about quality which was a very old post and didn't have many brands on it. Was very curious however on Focal. Never seen the Aria and up lines from them. Sometimes when sound is close and you can't deiced, build material and quality will make that decision for you.

 

[everettT]

145 days and I can see how the Salk Song 3 Encores are boxed. Gotta assume over 120Lbs per...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Neither really. You know. My RBH came single boxed??? Those things are heavy beast..Was just looking at so many threads about sound. I saw Gene's post about quality which was a very old post and didn't have many brands on it. Was very curious however on Focal. Never seen the Aria and up lines from them. Sometimes when sound is close and you can't deiced, build material and quality will make that decision for you.

Single-box?

Did your RBH speakers come from Joe or directly from RBH?

I prefer my speakers directly from RBH.

Every RBH speaker I've bought (even the ceiling speakers) came Double-Boxed, not single-boxed. But they were shipped directly from RBH.

When I got my RBH SVT towers, they were freight-shipped with heavy-duty double-box (plus extra cushions inside) on a wood pallet.

I used to own one of the Focal $3K towers. Also the $3K Dynaudio towers.

Fit and finish looked about the same as any other $2K-5K speakers I've seen.

 

[ematthews]

From Joe. The freight company beat those boxes up as well. Speakers were perfect however. I’d go RBH again for my music. I just need the low end to have a tighter sound than my current SX 6300 R towers. Those have always sounded muddy to me since day one. They are in my HT set up and doing well.

 

[Swerd]

145 days and I can see how the Salk Song 3 Encores are boxed. Gotta assume over 120Lbs per...

I didn't know you had ordered them . Congrats!

I'm curious, what made you decide on the Encore version of Song 3? People have one type or another, but few have been able to compare types.

What finish are you getting?

 

[everettT]

I didn't know you had ordered them . Congrats!

I'm curious, what made you decide on the Encore version of Song 3? Sine people have one type or another, but few have been able to compare types.

What finish are you getting?

Putting deposit down tomorrow (crazy lead time) doing curly maple in smokey silver

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

From Joe. The freight company beat those boxes up as well. Speakers were perfect however. I’d go RBH again for my music. I just need the low end to have a tighter sound than my current SX 6300 R towers. Those have always sounded muddy to me since day one. They are in my HT set up and doing well.

I think there is a good reason their flagship speakers come in 2 different cabinets - the $50K Status Acoustics 8T (Gene's speakers) and the new SVT Towers and the previous SX-T2 Towers.

I think the ability to easily control the bass with a knob is salient.

For example, if the bass is too much for your room and causes "muddy bass", reducing the bass level will fix this issue.

 

[everettT]

I didn't know you had ordered them . Congrats!

I'm curious, what made you decide on the Encore version of Song 3? Sine people have one type or another, but few have been able to compare types.

What finish are you getting?

I went for the extension and midrange. Not sure the Be is superior to the others. These are going in a new room that is basically 2 channel. I have a 60" display going in but didn't want a center or sub. Using a 6011 marantz as a preamp and ordered a qcs two channel amp, GX5

 

[ematthews]

I think there is a good reason their flagship speakers come in 2 different cabinets - the $50K Status Acoustics 8T (Gene's speakers) and the new SVT Towers and the previous SX-T2 Towers.

I think the ability to easily control the bass with a knob is salient.

I may need to PM you again on RBH questions.

 

[Swerd]

Putting deposit down tomorrow (crazy lead time) doing curly maple in smokey silver

Nice. Curly maple is a standard veneer, so you shouldn't have to wait for it. Still, it's a long wait – BUT WORTH IT!

Feel free to vent here as you wait, and wait, and wait . I've been there myself, in the summer of 2016. I ordered Veracity STs in late May and got them in early August, about 2½ months.

Once the long wait is over, you'll be very happy. (After the 30-day return period expires, we can initiate you into the Secret Salk Club and you'll learn the secret handshake.)

I went for the extension and midrange. Not sure the Be is superior to the others. These are going in a new room that is basically 2 channel. I have a 60" display going in but didn't want a center or sub. Using a 6011 marantz as a preamp and ordered a qcs two channel amp, GX5

I've heard the standard Song3 with the 7½" woofer, but not the 9½" woofer. I've heard good things about the Eton mid and the Be tweeters, but haven't heard them. I think you will not be sorry with your choice .

 

[Bucknekked]

Putting deposit down tomorrow (crazy lead time) doing curly maple in smokey silver

If I understand you correctly, and Swerd, you put in an order for some Salk speakers !
Congratulations and condolences in one high five !
Congrats on the great choice and condolences on the wait time.
Like Swerd said, the wait is painful but once its over its all worth it.
Curly Maple is drop dead gorgeous. I learned a new word when I got mine. Chatoyance.
My wait time was late January to late June: 5 months. Worth every day.

I just came out from my music room after an hour of great music. The Salks never disappoint.

 

[everettT]

Nice. Curly maple is a standard veneer, so you shouldn't have to wait for it. Still, it's a long wait – BUT WORTH IT!

Feel free to vent here as you wait, and wait, and wait . I've been there myself, in the summer of 2016. I ordered Veracity STs in late May and got them in early August, about 2½ months.

Once the long wait is over, you'll be very happy. (After the 30-day return period expires, we can initiate you into the Secret Salk Club and you'll learn the secret handshake.)
I've heard the standard Song3 with the 7½" woofer, but not the 9½" woofer. I've heard good things about the Eton mid and the Be tweeters, but haven't heard them. I think you will not be sorry with your choice .

When I emailed Jim last week that was the time frame. Sooner surely what mother me