Denver GTG Speaker Comparison: EMP, SVS, Gallo & Philharmonic

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bitterwaste

Audiophyte
Hi audioholics! We just had a great GTG in Denver, CO with 4 different speaker types to see what one sounds the best and what impressions we had for the speakers. I thought this might be of some intrest in the future with avid audio fans.

It’s a lot of reading but it was 3 members off of AVS forms that had this GTG
reviews on our GTG with SVS Ultra Towers, Phil's 2, Gallo CL-3 speakers and EMP tek E55ti speakers,


NewHTBuyers first member of AVS Forums that created the GTG

We had a fun listening session today. Vic brought over his Gallo CL-3s and Bitterwaste brought over his EmpTek E55ti towers. I enjoyed it, especially because I was able to hear some different music other than the same stuff I have been using for the last couple weeks. It is impressive how big the E55 towers are, even taller than the Ultra towers. The finish is also is very nice. The CL-3s are definitely the midget of these speakers. It was also pretty apparent to all of us that the EMPs and SVS towers were cousins, so to speak, as far as their sound. The Gallos and Phils also were similar, probably because of their tweeters. We also tried with Vics PB1000 sub both on and off.

As far as how they sounded, again it was somewhat track dependent, but we did notice definite differences. With most tracks you could really not notice if the sub was on or off while the Ultra towers were playing. The other 3 sets did benefit from the sub at the bottom end. Everybody marveled at the wide soundstage of the Phils and commented how they disappeared compared to the others. We all liked the richness and fullness of the SVS towers. The difference between the Ultras and the EMPs was subtle. I can't really put a good description on the difference. On some tracks the EMPs were a bit thinner in the mids but on some the SVS seemed to be a bit less clear. The SVS to me did sound overall a bit better with all genres, but value-wise what you get with the EMPs at $800/pair is remarkable. Did I mention they are really tall!

As far as how the Gallos sounded vs. the Phils, I thought they were a bit too bright and the lacked some depth to the mids. (I have both diffuser pads on the Phil tweeters, so they are not running hot right now.) The Gallos definitely needed the sub the most of the 4 sets. On some classical and acoustic tracks they shined and did the best, but overall they were not my favorite sounding set.

It is interesting to compare ears to specs. The amount of bass on the Ultras seems considerably more than the other sets, but they are only rated 4 hz lower than the Phils or the Gallos, which are rated down to 32 Hz. Also, the EMPs are only rated to 40Hz. But, listening, I would say the EMPs and Phils had similar low end, pretty great, while the Gallos were not nearly getting as low. I have read that the bass gets better once the filling in the Gallos settles, so maybe the fact that they were transported over to my place adversely affected them. Also, Vic noted that they sounded better to him at his place away from boundaries, maybe due to their wide dispersion tweeter. But that was impossible with the speakers all next to each other. So, maybe they did not get a fair shake.

I think the other guys agreed with me that the SVS and EMPs did best on rock and more intense music while the Phils/Gallos were better with acoustics.



Vic; another member of AVS forums

This was definitely a fun experience. While I am a serial killer, I unfortunately didn't have a good opportunity to take out either NHTB or bitterwaste as bitterwaste brought a friend and I only had enough hydrochloric acid for two bodies. Despite my initial plans, I was able to enjoy some good music and good beer with some fellow audiophiles.
My analysis:

All of the speakers sounded good and none had any glaring deficiencies; however, there were some subtle and other not so subtle differences between the speakers. The SVS Ultras and the EMPTeks both shared a similar sonic signature as did the Phils and the Gallos. The differences were less apparent between the Ultras and EMPTeks compared the differences between the Phils and Gallos. While I likely don't listen to as much rock as NHTB or bitterwaste, the sound of the Ultras and EMPs is still appealing for jazz, acoustics and female vocals, but these two speakers definitely handle rock well. They also seem very versatile for use as home theater speakers due to their good range. The Ultras seemed to go the lowest and didn't have any real noticeable deficiencies. As an all around speaker (for both music and movies), especially if no sub was used, I think the Ultras were the most complete.
The EMPs are not just a bargain at their price; they are good speakers. The pair cost approximately the same as one of the Gallos and roughly 75% of the cost of one speaker of the Ultras or Phils. These speakers definitely held their own. While the finish is a vinyl wrap, it looks expensive with high gloss over wood grain accents. As stated above, these speakers were most similar to the Ultras. They don't go as deep, but have a nice range nonetheless. With music that didn't have much bass, it was hard to tell a difference between the Ultras and EMPs unless you were switching back and forth. In addition, I think the timbre of these speakers was strikingly similar. Both the Ultras and EMPs were warmer than the Phils and Gallos, but not in a bad way. After the GTG, I've already recommended these speakers to my cousin who is setting up a new theater/music room.

Admittedly, the Phils were my favorite of the bunch. Unfortunately, I don't have the space in my theater room to keep them 2 feet from the wall. Otherwise, I would have definitely found an additional supply of hydrochloric acid, and the Phils would be sitting in my basement right now. I think they produced what I would call the most neutral sound of the group. Since I do tend to listen to more jazz and acoustic music, I think the sound reproduced by the ribbon tweeter is quite nice. The bass extension, while not as good as the Ultras, was definitely adequate. As both NHTB and bitterwaste noted, when played, these speakers disappear and the sound-stage really opens up.
The Gallos seem to be not too distant cousins of the Phils. It wouldn't be illegal for them to marry, but they might show up at the same family reunion. I personally like the tweeter on the Gallos the second best of the group. It was noticeably brighter at the GTG than in my current setup, but I don't have them close to any sidewalls. As I said, I like jazz, blues and acoustic music, and I don't necessarily favor a warmer sound. Nonetheless, switching between the Phils and Gallos, which have a similar sensitivity, was revealing as to what was missing in the mid-low to lower range from the Gallos. The Gallos go great coupled with a musical sub. When I was in home auditioning a REL subwoofer and had the Gallos crossed over at 80hz, it was a great compliment to the Gallos. But if you are going strictly two channel, no sub, the Gallos (at least compared to the speakers present at the GTG) seemed like their range in the mid-low to bottom end wasn't as capable. I currently have the Gallos connected to an XPA-3 and Marantz SR6007 and they sound great, but I'm still debating whether I will be keeping these. I'm running them with two SVS PB1000s.


One thing I've noticed after bringing my Gallos back home is the room eq definitely makes a difference in their sound.


My own review of the GTG

I would have to agree NewHTbuyer about the speakers in the most part and within about 10 minutes without really knowing what speakers was what you kind of figured it out as time went. If I had to choose any of these speakers to take home yesterday I would have picked the SVS ultra speakers due to their bass extension as well as how tight they sounded with most of the things we played throughout the day. The finish looked amazing on these speakers as well as the overall design of them.

Phil’s for me had the most amazing sound stage I think I’ve ever heard where the speakers disappear in the room without any issues and they seem to pick up acoustic music as well as horns with no problems and some music like Apocalyptica sounded out right amazing on these speakers. The two down sides for me is by far is the look of them next to the rest of the speakers they looked a little bland and the bass extension wasn’t anywhere near as good as the SVS ultra speakers. Now this is only my opinion due to the music I enjoy and listen to most of the time but I can see why so many people would love these speakers if you enjoy more mellow style of music/ acoustic based they are not just a speaker to look at but to pick up and enjoy for a life time.

Anthony Gallo speakers had the same idea as the Phil’s with the ribbon tweeter and I would love to see how these speakers sound in Vic’s theater. The thing I enjoyed the most with these speakers is the size and how well they hit the high end sounds, again very good with Mellow music and I could see Jazz or blues being killer on these speakers with singers with a higher pitch voice. On the flip side for the price they seem to be lacking a lot in mid range to low range and I think a lot of that is due to their size and what they can handle (or Power because Vic says they sound amazing in his HT). If they were priced maybe around 800 dollars then I might say they would be a steal.

EMP tek, I can’t give my full opinion on these speakers since I hear them every day but I will give quick impression for our GTG. When we would switch to the E55ti speakers I could tell because of the full range they have and over all they seem to fit closest to the SVS towers in sound, NewHTbuyer had it right next to the SVS speakers though they sounded thin and not as full or as tight as the SVS speakers but on the flip side I don’t think the SVS speakers had double the cost better sound of the EMP tek. For the price I think the EMP are an amazing deal if that is what you can afford for a system which I can tell you now would not let you down, but if you are looking for a really nice HT then I would go with the Ultras over the EMP tek
ers.
 
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brianedm

brianedm

Audioholic General
Denver GTG Speaker Comparison: EMP, SVS, Gallo & Philharmonic

Very interesting read :) I'm especially interested in the SVS ultra series. Thanks for posting :)
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
Good job. Can you also list the associated equipment used in the GTG?
 
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bitterwaste

Audiophyte
Good job. Can you also list the associated equipment used in the GTG?
Sure we used a Harman Kardon AVR 3650, and a Sony BDP-S790, so nothing over the top but the Harman Kardon seem to give enough power to give a good test. Also we used just monoprice speaker cables and and switching box for the speakers. I hope that helps.
 
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N

NewHTbuyer

Audioholic
Sure we used a Harman Kardon AVR 3650, and a Sony BDP-S790, so nothing over the top but the Harman Kardon seem to give enough power to give a good test. Also we used just monoprice speaker cables and and switching box for the speakers. I hope that helps.
Actually, minor correction, it is a HK 3490 stereo receiver and s590 player. I have the digital coax from the player hooked to the receiver, using the DAC in the HK3490, which from the reviews I have read, is of pretty decent quality. The interconnects are also from Monoprice. As far as the sub, since we listened with both the sub on and off, it should be noted that the HK has no bass management. So, when the sub was on the speakers were still getting a full range signal. We had the LPF on the sub at 80 Hz I believe.
 
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BigJoeXXL

BigJoeXXL

Audioholic Intern
Re: Denver GTG Speaker Comparison: EMP, SVS, Gallo & Philharmonic

I'm glad I came across this because right now I've been debating on taking the cheap route and getting the EMP's or expanding my budget and going with SVS. My wallet says go with the EMP's and my heart says SVS. Lol. Let me ask you guys this though.. Which would match my subwoofer better overall? I have a PSA XV15 sub and what do you guys think would be best for my Call of Duty experience.. SVS or EMP??
 
N

NewHTbuyer

Audioholic
I'm glad I came across this because right now I've been debating on taking the cheap route and getting the EMP's or expanding my budget and going with SVS. My wallet says go with the EMP's and my heart says SVS. Lol. Let me ask you guys this though.. Which would match my subwoofer better overall? I have a PSA XV15 sub and what do you guys think would be best for my Call of Duty experience.. SVS or EMP??
While I did like the overall sound of the Ultra tower vs. the E55s, the biggest advantage was in the bass. In your case, assuming you xover at 80Hz, that would be negated. So, I would probably go with the Empteks if budget is an issue.

A very interesting comparison would be the E55 towers vs. the Ultra bookshelves with your sub, since those two options are priced the same. It is eternally debated whether having towers with a sub is a waste or not vs. good bookshelves. Since both companies offer in home trials, maybe you could compare and tell us which you like better?

One thing I learned is that all the reviews in the world can't equal your ears. It is best to listen on your own and pick your favorite.
 
BigJoeXXL

BigJoeXXL

Audioholic Intern
Re: Denver GTG Speaker Comparison: EMP, SVS, Gallo & Philharmonic

You make a good point about the SUV's subwoofer basically being cancelled out with the 80Hz. Sounds like I'll be really considering buying the EMT's. Should I get their matching Center peace also? I know it's important to have your front 3 speakers identical but I have to ask it's a lot of money. Lol
 
N

NewHTbuyer

Audioholic
I would get the matching center in either case. Also, if you can fit it, I would get the better Emptek center, the E56ci.
 
BigJoeXXL

BigJoeXXL

Audioholic Intern
Re: Denver GTG Speaker Comparison: EMP, SVS, Gallo & Philharmonic

It can definitely fit. Lol. But you know what to be completely honest there's something telling me to go with SVS. But my wallet does not agree with that..
 
N

NewHTbuyer

Audioholic
You could call SVS and tell them your setup, room, listening preferences etc. and ask about towers vs. bookshelves. They are known to be pretty honest about not up selling you on more than you need. Worth a call. That would save you a bundle if you got the bookshelves.
 
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bitterwaste

Audiophyte
For myself knowing that I play COD a lot with the EMP tek's they will not let you down and to add a sub to them will sound as good as speakers going for double the amount, Even in this GTG I still enjoy the EMP tek's and would not trade them for the SVS towers all though the towers are great speakers IMO I don't think its worth another 1k to pick them up. But NHTB is right it comes down to your hears and what you like, I would say for the budget go with EMP unless you have more money to spend on Ultra towers. Vic the other person at the GTG agreed with me on this issue and he has already help his friend buy a pair of EMP tek speakers saying they sound as good as the Ultra towers did.
I hope this helps you out a little bit from two members.
 
Alex2507

Alex2507

Audioholic Slumlord
Thanks for posting your thoughts after going through all the work involved in doing the comparison. It's clear that each of those speakers has a place in regards to room sizes, budgets and type of residence. I can just see the Gallos being perfect for a place like mine where thunderous bass and massive speakers might not be so welcome. It's good to know they sound similar to the Phils on the top end without requiring as much floor space.

You guys seem to have this comparison business very well organized. Factoring in a sub adds a lot of variables and complicates the comparison. That monoprice speaker selector has me all curious. I'll have to see if I can find that on their site. A few of us did something similar at Swerd's recently and like peasants we just shifted the speaker wire over to the different speakers. I thought we were high tech because Swerd uses banana plugs.

I was glad to see it mentioned how much different the Gallos sounded from one room to another. As much as we try to keep all things equal, they never really are. In the end you do have to go with what you like even though the basis for that sometimes isn't purely sound related. Looks, budget, size and room all factor into preference but so long as we are happy listeners, all is groovy.
 
Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
I'd also like to add my thanks for posting this. Not only is it hard work to obtain the speakers and set up the comparison, it's also hard to collect your thoughts and write it all down. It's appreciated.

… A few of us did something similar at Swerd's recently and like peasants we just shifted the speaker wire over to the different speakers. I thought we were high tech because Swerd uses banana plugs.
What do you mean WE? I did all the plugging and unplugging.

And yes, my banana plugs are high tech – I got them at Radio Shack :).
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Everybody marveled at the wide soundstage of the Phils and commented how they disappeared compared to the others.
You really don't need any more information than that to declare a clear winner. That is what is supposed to happen, and it means those speakers are right where it counts.
 
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Lordhumungus

Audioholic
I really appreciate this thread because it helps ease my mind that that I probably won't get the same value as many from the Phil's and SVS, despite their obvious superiority and quality, due to the type and volume of music I listen to. I have been absolutely smitten with my EMPTek's and that much more after reading this thread and realizing I paid less for my entire system, including all speakers, sub and receiver than even the SVS system. I really think these speakers are one of the better bargains I've seen. Still, I'd love to at least hear the Phils and SVS, maybe someday.
 
GranteedEV

GranteedEV

Audioholic Ninja
You really don't need any more information than that to declare a clear winner. That is what is supposed to happen, and it means those speakers are right where it counts.
They're more than right... they're just spectacular.

I realize the bass extension matters to some, but for me, that's what subs are for, so it wouldn't even be a factor in my purchase decision.
 
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