My shoot-out. Salk Songtower and Aperion Verus Grand

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thread bookmarked for those times when I need to show someone just how much something OTHER than the speakers can influence sound

How many of these examples do you think exist? A thousand?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I promise you that isn't it. My wife and son could care less about the speakers, and when I was testing them with no break-in, and we were switching back and forth between the two, and not telling each other which was which, everyone could easily tell the two apart. The Salks, the first night, had a thin midrange and treble and just didn't fill the room. It was painfully obvious which speakers were which. I ran them for 12 hours the next day when I wasn't home, so there was no "getting used to them." When I got home I went to do the same tests, and was blown away. I could hardly tell the two speakers apart. The Salks had completely filled in. The Salks are just a little cleaner sounding, so with careful listening, I could tell the two apart, but it was much, much harder than the night before. My wife and son both agreed that the Salks suddenly sounded much richer or more full than the day before. I should note that I had not changed the speaker positions or sub setting from one day to the next. I have the Salks on the left side of the Aperion, on both sides of the room, so the spacing between the speakers is identical. I just have to slide my self 1 foot to the right if I want to be as perfectly centered between the Aperions as I am for the Salks.

I believe in a break - in period too, just not the speakers. It is our minds that break - in and become accustomed or used to the sound. It grows on you. But it depends on the speaker and room.

 

[Ricardojoa]

It is interesting to me that pretty much regardless of the subject and data, people's perception will vary. Not saying either of these 2 speakers is "better", or anyone's experience is flawed. It's just interesting to read, "I heard this", and "I thought that", and "I heard that, too", and "I didn't hear that", etc.

I notice this happens not just w/ audio, but with other subjects. When data is cited, it's fun to see how both sides can find numbers to support their position. Having spent a good portion of my career being paid to use statistics to support this position or that, I know how easily it can be done on either side. And when subjective observation is used, who can argue with, "I heard/saw that"?

It all seems to support the wisdom of letting your own senses be the final arbiter. Ricardojoa, I commend your effort and patience to order, install, seriously listen to both speakers, decide, then return the pair you don't choose. It is a process few are willing to execute... thus the plethora of, "Which is better?" threads.
YOU are The Man!

Im just expressing my initial experience about the three pair of speakers i have. I m not involved with the shootout,i think you got confused.

 

[herbu]

i think you got confused.

It is the state in which I am the most familiar and comfortable.

I meant rdelcanto.

 

[rdalcanto]

Update:
I had my brother, who hasn't heard either, come over for a listen. I played 3 songs from the Salk demo CD, that ranged in style from more Operatic with a lot of instruments in the back ground, to more voice centered songs. His initial reaction was a preference for the Aperions, because the Salks sounded thinner in the midrange and treble. With more listening, he started to prefer the cleaner sound of the Salks. His final thought was: "If you want to blow people away with loud music, get the Aperions. For Home Theater where you will listen to a lot of voices, get the cleaner sounding Salks. Personally, I think I've decided to go with the Salks. I would say both a worth a good listen.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Update:
I had my brother, who hasn't heard either, come over for a listen. I played 3 songs from the Salk demo CD, that ranged in style from more Operatic with a lot of instruments in the back ground, to more voice centered songs. His initial reaction was a preference for the Aperions, because the Salks sounded thinner in the midrange and treble. With more listening, he started to prefer the cleaner sound of the Salks. His final thought was: "If you want to blow people away with loud music, get the Aperions. For Home Theater where you will listen to a lot of voices, get the cleaner sounding Salks. Personally, I think I've decided to go with the Salks. I would say both a worth a good listen.

Do you think the bass adversely affects the clarity of the treble & midrange?

 

[Ricardojoa]

Do you think the bass adversely affects the clarity of the treble & midrange?

It is possible, if wrongly tuned. I hope those additional bass drivers would have given the aperion the purpose of its midrange.

 

[rdalcanto]

Do you think the bass adversely affects the clarity of the treble & midrange?

I honestly don't know. I don't know enough about speaker design and the quality of different drivers to answer that question. Someone else had mentioned previously on this thread that maybe the base resonates more in the Aperion, giving it more of a feeling a fullness, but at the same time mudding the sound a little.

 

[Ricardojoa]

as long as you made the right decision thats all it matters.
Sometimes is not just how a speaker sound. Consider imaging and soundstage it gives.