The Speaker Company TST2 Floorstanding Speaker Review

[admin]

I like reviewing budget gear because I know I'm reviewing something that is in the bulk of our reader's price range. Let me speak plainly - These are NOT $450/pair speakers as their price suggests. I have found them to be much closer in performance to $1000/pair speakers. This time I'm going to refrain from making any grandiose claims but I'll tell you this, don't bother asking me what my advice is for budget bookshelf (with stands) or floorstanding speakers. My answer is The Speaker Company TST2s.

Discuss "The Speaker Company TST2 Floorstanding Speaker Review" here. Read the article.

 

[jamie2112]

Thanks Tom for another great review. Have you ever listened to the Sapphire ST-2's in your travels? If so I would love to hear your opinion on how the St-2 compared to the TSC speakers. As you probably know these are exactly like the Sapphire speakers I owned for a few years. I really liked the sound of the sapphires and would love to know how the sound compares. Thanks much...Jamie

 

[Tom Andry]

Jamie,

I have not, unfortunately. I did some internet searches to see if anyone had taken them apart (the Sapphires) so I could compare internal components but I didn't come up with anything. Maybe some owner will chime in here.

 

[jamie2112]

Thanks Tom.I don't know if there are any owners on this forum but hopefully someone will chime in.

 

[Matt34]

Sweet review! I've been eyeing the TST3 with the dual 8" subs but this review works for me as they both use the same mids/tweeters.

 

[lsiberian]

The towers take a sharp dive in the high end. I wonder what tweeter mod would help there.

I've started to ecommend this company's speakers to budget folks since most don't want to Ebay the Infinity Beta Series.

 

[gene]

The towers take a sharp dive in the high end. I wonder what tweeter mod would help there.

There is no sharp dive. The response of the tweet out to 20kHz is quite normal, especially since it was taken in-room over 1 meter away. If you think thats bad, trying measuring a metal dome tweet with a phase plug on axis up to 20kHz

 

[Rickster71]

I got the TST3's a few weeks ago.
I can tell you when I took them apart, the crossover had "Sapphire ST3" silk screened on the board.

 

[jamie2112]

I got the TST3's a few weeks ago.
I can tell you when I took them apart, the crossover had "Sapphire ST3" silk screened on the board.

Aha....I knew it.......they are not exactly like the Sapphire they ARE the Sapphires....... Thanks Rick for comfirming what I have been thinking for 6 months.....they are very nice speakers for the money though and I would recommend them.

 

[Matt34]

I got the TST3's a few weeks ago.
I can tell you when I took them apart, the crossover had "Sapphire ST3" silk screened on the board.

So when can we expect your review?

 

[Rickster71]

Aha....I knew it.......they are not exactly like the Sapphire they ARE the Sapphires....... Thanks Rick for comfirming what I have been thinking for 6 months.....they are very nice speakers for the money though and I would recommend them.

Anytime Jamie, glad I could help.

Here's a question for you, or Gene; Who do you think makes the drivers?

I'd like to take on as a little project, and try to improve the STS2's. Maybe upgrade crossover parts, add some bracing, etc.

 

[Matt34]

Found this:

Here is a quote from Nick V, the GM of tSc:

"our speakers are made with the same components (and factory) as the major brands, they are spec'd by a very reputable firm in the US. There is no "magic" here, we're buying from the factory, we have almost no overhead and we have large company resources. We pass the savings along. Our first speakers are entry level speakers for sure but we're moving up the line very quickly in the coming months."

I am assuming that the original manufacturer in china which made the sapphire line is now making the speakers for tSc, now maybe there was some transfer of rights for that design over to D&M holdings by Tom Devesto and cary christie. They are saying that they are buying them, not manufacturing them which makes me believe that tSc already knew the design existed previously. The reputable firm could be Christie Design Corporation?

 

[Rickster71]

So when can we expect your review?

I can say a little bit about their customer service.

As Gene mentioned, the boxes did show up a little worse for wear.
As I opened one, I heard something roll around inside the cabinet.
I took it apart and found that, despite being hot glued and zip-tied, an iron core inductor had broken loose.
I emailed Mike and Nick, and they told me to send the speaker back. When I mentioned that all the Styrofoam was broken, and asked if they'd send me a crossover instead? They over-nighted one to me.

 

[Tom Andry]

They mentioned to me that they are redoing the packaging on these. I'm not sure when the new packaging will start though. Hopefully soon.

 

[gene]

One thing to keep in mind is tSc although owned by D&M is a completely new company. As such, there will be bumps in getting things smoothly going for awhile, including packaging, shipping, QC, etc. As long as they are proactive in resolving this issue, my hats off to them...

 

[Tommytutor]

Rickster, How is the bass you are getting on your tst3's? The bass on my pair seems to be a little lacking considering the cabinet size and two 8 inch woofers. I run them in the stereo direct mode and using a Yamaha rxv 2400 receiver. Maybe I should have purchased the TST2's. My boxes also had all the inserts trashed and actually had holes through them right to the speakers.


Tom

 

[bandphan]

Matts post is correct and these were orginaly private labled for Tweeter and Sound Advice.

 

[slowlybuilt]

I have the Sapphire ST1s as well as the matching center channel. I bought my Dad tSC TST1s with their version of the center channel for Christmas and to me they are almost identical with the exception of the tweeter. On my Sapphire's the tweeter is a deep blue color, while the TST1's have a black tweeter.

I've never taken them apart. I'm considering it, but I'm nervous that I would damage them. If anyone wants external pictures of them, let me know and I'll post them.

 

[tdwilson78]

These are definitely re-badged Sapphire speakers. I am a former 5-year Tweeter employee. I remember these speakers all too well. They were supposed be made exclusively for us at the time. They were our "store brand" speaker. We were told that one of the top engineers from Infinity and Cambridge Soundworks got together to develop the Sapphire speaker and that they designed them especially for Tweeter. There was a training video on the speakers and everything.

We carried 2 different generations of these speakers. The first generation Sapphires were a bit bright like Klipsch speakers but customers seemed to like them allot. They sounded decent and were fine for home theater. I didn't like them all that much musically. They were a good bang-for-the-buck speaker at the time.

The second generation Sapphire speakers weren't so great. The ST2B's became the ST2IIB's, etc. We had to send all boxed speakers back to have the crossovers replaced because they sounded so awful. Replacement crossovers were also issued company-wide for all of our floor models that had to be installed by our car installation department. Even the average customer with a "non-discerning" ear noticed the sound just wasn't right. They sounded a bit better after the crossovers were swapped out.

They use to have a website at the time we carried them. When we dropped them the website disappeared and I never heard of Sapphire again until now under "The Speaker Company" badge.

I guess D&M Holdings purchased the rest of the speakers this mystery company/manufacturer had left over and renamed them. If they sound like the first generation Sapphires I remember, they should sell pretty well considering the cost. They are priced fairly for what you get, I guess. I'm curious to hear how these speakers sound compared to the ones I used to sell.

I'm a long time reader here on Audioholics, but I had to post a reply for the first time when I saw this speaker review. Brings back old memories...

This is an awesome website. Keep up the great work guys!

 

[Rickster71]

Rickster, How is the bass you are getting on your tst3's? The bass on my pair seems to be a little lacking considering the cabinet size and two 8 inch woofers. I run them in the stereo direct mode and using a Yamaha rxv 2400 receiver. Maybe I should have purchased the TST2's. My boxes also had all the inserts trashed and actually had holes through them right to the speakers.
Tom

Hi Tommy,
I agree, in CD Direct mode the bass is pretty anemic.
I have mine set up in a spare room converted into a listening room.
There're powered with an Yamaha RXV1 and I turn up the bass knob a little and they sound great.

I used Steely Dan's Asia CD, the one engineered by Steve Hoffman in 1984, as an audition disk.
In the first ten minutes I wanted to return them. (for lack of bass) Though they really present a good sound stage.
I'm listening to them in stereo mode, and I'd swear my center channel is on.
I played around a little with bass and treble, and they sound very good now.
I have their woofers facing out and about 2-1/2 ft off the wall.

One fault I've noticed is the lower cabinet suffers from resonance. I have plans to brace them soon.
The upper portion is pretty solid, due to the mids and tweeter having their own box, within the cabinet.

Good luck, let us know how you make out.

Rick