Impressions of Salk SongTowers

[Adam]

...to where the Show Time theme music produces only a mildly disturbing low frequency rumble...

All that work and new gear, and "success" is measured by it only being mildly disturbing?

Well, unless you mean that it's only mildly disturbing to your neighbors...

 

[fuzz092888]

Another idea is port plugs if you want to avoid putting anything on the wall. Just not ones that are very dense so air can still escape.

That really was a great center, but definitely needs some extra room or help as you said.

LOL !!! ... Speaking of kick a$$ ... look at this!





It's been a long week and I'm a bit sluggish so I tried to keep that post from roaming all over but your point is well taken. These speakers are in a home theater setting. The thing I was most looking forward to and what I am most critical of and what it turns out that I am best able to critique is speech.

That's what was most lacking in my prior Infinity set up and it's still the weak link in this set up. Over time I have learned to nit pick, especially in this one narrow band of the audio spectrum and part of my problem may very well be boundary proximity related.



I'm going to try out some small absorption panels along the boundary to try breaking up the pressure wave from the ports. I've had the panels in place but took them away to cover them in black Spandex. I think TLS has a point about the demands being placed on the center being rather extraordinary considering it's normal placement and size limitations. That's not to say that this center isn't about as nice a center as I have ever heard. I just think it could use a little help with killing a little bit of echo that I sometimes think I notice. I'm most critical of it when we switch over from normal TV to full surround as it provides me with a reference of sorts, not that there is any comparison.

Having said all that I want to point out that the way that this set up is normally used the biggest improvement has been due to the improved center. However the mains are where the real potential lies. When a movie starts to crank out music, it's bliss.

 

[Alex2507]

All that work and new gear, and "success" is measured by it only being mildly disturbing?

Well, unless you mean that it's only mildly disturbing to your neighbors...

I wasn't clear at all.

After I adjusted the channel levels with the current Yamaha RX-V663, the bass was so loud during the Show Time Intro that the rumble produced was alarming. It must have something to do with Dolby running the LFE 10dB hot or some such thing that 'I THINK' I remember reading about. I had not read the the manual but I did take a 'SECOND' to turn the sub down 10dB and that took care of that.

Another idea is port plugs if you want to avoid putting anything on the wall. Just not ones that are very dense so air can still escape.

That really was a great center, but definitely needs some extra room or help as you said.

Amazingly enough I would never stuff anything into one of these ports or do anything else to alter any of these speakers. It's a small, small nit that I pick and I'm old enough to know that sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

I may have to put you on IGNORE because if you ever decide to sell your Phil Center I don't even want to know.

 

[fuzz092888]

Amazingly enough I would never stuff anything into one of these ports or do anything else to alter any of these speakers. It's a small, small nit that I pick and I'm old enough to know that sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

I may have to put you on IGNORE because if you ever decide to sell your Phil Center I don't even want to know.

It's less of an "IF" but a "WHEN" . A day that I see is closer than it is further away.

 

[JerryLove]

I guess I've been enjoying my SongTowers for about 6 months now. Every time I watch something on TV I find myself thinking about how good the audio sounds. It's like for a second or two I stop and appreciate some aspect of the audio track and then I go back to the show. It might be that I appreciate my set up more because it was so much work to get from 'there' to 'here' but now that I am 'here', I'm here to say that it hasn't gotten the least bit old.

Same here. My SCST's are my favorite speakers (and you know what I've got here). I hope over the coming decade to migrate everything to portions of the Salk line (I want more SPL, so I was looking at the V HT2-TL, but now the new ones have my eye.)

 

[Alex2507]

Same here. My SCST's are my favorite speakers (and you know what I've got here). I hope over the coming decade to migrate everything to portions of the Salk line (I want more SPL, so I was looking at the V HT2-TL, but now the new ones have my eye.)

I don't remember where but I saw you mention SCST before and it just hit me that it stands for Super Charged Song Towers ... well, congratulations! Did you get those at the GTG down there? You like them better than Chris' speakers? That's huge. I wish you had heard that omni polar rig. I've heard some real nice stuff since but nothing quite that nice. What a long and windy road this has been, huh? If you really want SPL I think you need some Sig8's. Hands down the loudest in home audio experience ever for me and probably for everybody else in that room. I still laugh when I think about that and I'm so glad to have been a part of that.

Glad to see that you're enjoying SongTowers nowadays. If I am able to resist ever hearing better Salk offerings I think I'll be better off for it.

 

[JerryLove]

I never got to listen to Chris' omnipolars. I wish I had so I could differentiate with the customs in regards to what Chris might himself have noticed and fixed given time.

Chris' speaker still do mid/low bass better than anything I have and almost anything I've heard. The dual JL 8W7s are so crisp (very short specific impulse?). If you want an honest opinion: I think ending up with the ST's is more useful for you than had you ended up with Chris'. But if you ever want to come listen to them, you are certainly welcome.

But yes: The SCSTs (which I did get from last year's GTG) are my favs. I run towers with a sub, so it's really midrange where I need more SPL. Assuming that the HT2-TL (or new Veracity) doesn't lose midrange quality, I'm not honestly sure the SS8 will add anything I actually need.

Perhaps I will go audition somewhere Jim is at with both before I actually buy. With a daughter expected in October, I may be a bit poor.

 

[Alex2507]

With a daughter expected in October, I may be a bit poor.

More congratulations are in order!

When you get a chance post pic's of your SCST's. IIRC they fit into an odd niche making them sort of specialized and collectible. When it comes to being poor I can probably offer you some moral support when the time comes. I've had plenty of experience with that over the last few years. If you go to sell your SCST's lose my number. I don't want to know.

 

[Swerd]

Jerry – congrats on the expected daughter, and on the SCSTs. I hope you'll be happy with both for a very long time .

Alex – I'm very glad to read about how much you like those STs. In my opinion, EVERYONE should have them .

 

[Alex2507]

I'm very glad to read about how much you like those STs.

I don't think anybody will ever really get how happy I am about all that. The entertainment center and room renovation are a big part of that deal. The MB-27s and the Aragon amp figure into all that too. All that work and all that waiting being done are a part of that. So when I hear something I like out of the speakers, it's not just about sound, it's about being done with having bitten off more than I could chew. Yeah, this is a huge ball of happiness that encompasses about a 5 year span of time finally being over and done with. It's also about being done with stacking equipment on a flippin' hope chest! It wasn't even a rack! This happiness is still palpable.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

I don't think anybody will ever really get how happy I am about all that. The entertainment center and room renovation are a big part of that deal. The MB-27s and the Aragon amp figure into all that too. All that work and all that waiting being done are a part of that. So when I hear something I like out of the speakers, it's not just about sound, it's about being done with having bitten off more than I could chew. Yeah, this is a huge ball of happiness that encompasses about a 5 year span of time finally being over and done with. It's also about being done with stacking equipment on a flippin' hope chest! It wasn't even a rack! This happiness is still palpable.

What is it that Dr. Mark told you about the work being worth it? You probably don't remember being mad any wishing bad things to happen to me for winning speakers anymore.
Glad you are happy!

 

[STRONGBADF1]

With a daughter expected in October, I may be a bit poor.

Congrats Jerry!

You got the same SCST's that were at the show just afterwards right?

 

[majorloser]

He ain't completely happy. Give him a couple weeks till he finds something else for sale he wants.

 

[Alex2507]

You probably don't remember being mad any wishing bad things to happen to me for winning speakers anymore.

That was a pretty sweet score. I remember you talking about liking the center well enough to switch over. I admit to being just a little jealous.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

That was a pretty sweet score. I remember you talking about liking the center well enough to switch over. I admit to being just a little jealous.

And now I'm the one who's jealous... other than I would have that front ported center by now.

You should have been at the gtg...it was difficult to leave the Salk demo room. The sound was just so nice. Brenda was so enchanted that ~$4000 for SCST's was completely doable.:what:

Should have taken advantage of that but I wanted the SS8's. the most impressive speakers there were the bookshelves ... telling them from the others was not easy. F3 of ~43hz and the Raal ribbon tweeter....I thought the SCST's were on more then once.

 

[Swerd]

Should have taken advantage of that but I wanted the SS8's. the most impressive speakers there were the bookshelves ... telling them from the others was not easy. F3 of ~43hz and the Raal ribbon tweeter....I thought the SCST's were on more then once.

That's the not-so-well-known secret of nearly all Salk and Philharmonic speakers designed by Dennis. They all sound more similar than different. Often, its only in the bass response that you can readily tell differences.

You should have been at the gtg...it was difficult to leave the Salk demo room. The sound was just so nice. Brenda was so enchanted that ~$4000 for SCST's was completely doable.:what:

If you come to the Capitol Audio Fest, you can hear Salks and Philharmonics in adjacent rooms.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

That's the not-so-well-known secret of nearly all Salk and Philharmonic speakers designed by Dennis. They all sound more similar than different. Often, its only in the bass response that you can readily tell differences.



If you come to the Capitol Audio Fest, you can hear Salks and Philharmonics in adjacent rooms.

I really want to hear some Phils...but the boy has a Baseball tournament that weekend.

 

[cpp]

Originally Posted by JerryLove
With a daughter expected in October, I may be a bit poor

Congrats Jerry!

But don't worry Jerry, you will experience that poor feeling yet again when she goes to college and when she get's married... My youngest daughter gets married this Saturday. I have already experienced the cost of 4 years of college, the wedding so far is easier to deal with. And I actually was looking at some Phil 3's a friend has for sale....

 

[cschang]

But don't worry Jerry, you will experience that poor feeling yet again when she goes to college and when she get's married... My youngest daughter gets married this Saturday. I have already experienced the cost of 4 years of college, the wedding so far is easier to deal with. And I actually was looking at some Phil 3's a friend has for sale....

cpp...don't sugar coat it like that. You left out all the girly stuff you have to buy before she goes off to college.

Seriously though, congrats Jerry!

 

[slipperybidness]

Congrats Jerry!

But don't worry Jerry, you will experience that poor feeling yet again when she goes to college and when she get's married... My youngest daughter gets married this Saturday. I have already experienced the cost of 4 years of college, the wedding so far is easier to deal with. And I actually was looking at some Phil 3's a friend has for sale....

Where would those Phil3s be located

Just saying, if you can't get them, somebody else might be interested