Salk Sound HT built around SS8 Towers

[Swerd]

I've got 2 systems that come out to within 500 dollars of each other that look very appealing. One with RAAL tweeter, one with beryllium. It'll be interesting to me to see which Jim likes best or if he comes up with something completely different.

Veracity---HT3 towers 6,500
HT2 Center 2,000
HT1 surrounds 6,400
HSU VTK 15 MKII x2 1,800
TOTAL 16,700

Song3----Encore towers 6,300
Supercharged center 1,500
SS6M surrounds 3,800
HSU VTK 15 MKII x2 1,800
TOTAL 17,200

Be aware that the Veracity HT3 towers are harder to drive than the Song3 Encores. Salk recommends 200 watts/channel for the HT3 and 100 watts/channel for the Song3 Encores.

 

[gr8eyes]

I wonder if the monolith 7 channel amp with 200 watts per channel would work or should I shhoot for something with more to have a little extra say something rated at 250 watts/channel for the front 2 channels/

I do like the Encores but the center channel in my example system seems like the odd man out, being the rest of the system is beryllium tweeters. Maybe Jim could put a beryllium tweeter in that center cabinet and charge 500 more or whatever it would take to make the profit he needs. Thats something i'll ask

Glenn

Thanks for the input swerd

 

[oldgoalie33]

I personally would avoid HT3’s. I always wanted a pair but they need tons of power. I’ve used a cheap Denon AVR that’s 75 wpc to power my Encores to louder than I would normally ever listen. The reason I went with the Encores over the BeAT’s is they go lower and have a ‘fuller’ sound. Lots of folks prefer the BeAT’s.

Though it sounds easy to just substitute drivers the crossovers would need to be redesigned which isn’t a simple process.

We can speculate all we want on this forum but you’ll be better off talking to Jim. Tell him your musical preferences and budget and he will guide you.

 

[gr8eyes]

OK Oldgoalie,

I think I will prefer the Encores as well.

I didn't realize the crossover would be new as well, that doesn't sound economically feasible to do a one off.

I'm going to try and e-mail or call Jim soon, I just feel like I'm bothering him and I'm sure he's busy

gr8eyes

 

[NINaudio]

For What it's worth, I just went through my emails with Jim and it was a string of 55 emails before I ordered! Here's a quote from one of the emails where I asked about Song 3'a possibly being too revealing for my musical tastes (rock/metal/industrial mostly):

"When we originally designed the Song3’s, we used a driver with a bamboo cone. Later, that product was discontinued by the US distributor. But it is still available in Europe.

Fortunately, the titanium cone version is exactly the same driver. So it was a drop-in replacement. But it is a bit less forgiving than bamboo. Based on what you listen to, I would advise going with the bamboo cone. It costs $100 more since we have to pay a higher price and import it, but that is no problem.

The most forgiving speaker in the line is the Song3 BeAT with the AudioTechnology midrange. This was designed for us by the same Skanning family that founded ScanSpeak and then Dynaudio. In fact, if you look at the midrange in this design, you will see that it looks exactly like a Dynaudio driver. That is because it is."

I think based on your musical tastes that Jim would point you in the same direction he did myself. BeAT's or original Song 3's, possibly with the original bamboo driver, he believed the accuton mid would end up sounding harsh to me. When I listened to a span of music on the Song 3's with titanium driver, there was only one song that came across sounding a bit harsh, and I'm fairly certain it was because of how it was mastered. This led me to just keeping with the titanium cones.

I also don't think you'd be disappointed in the encores. I'd feel fairly confident that Jim could most certainly adjust the Song3 center with the encore tweet and mid for you as well. He has no issue doing custom work like that.

As far as dye choices, well, that's the difficult part. It took me a while to finalize on what I wanted. I REALLY wanted quilted maple with the burst silver gray dye, but didn't want to spend almost another $1000 on veneer, so I ended up with curly maple in that dye.

 

[gr8eyes]

Thanks for the input NINaudio

I'm really liking what I see with the Encore. I'm really curious to see if he would make a matching (sonically) center and surrounds for me. That would be sweet, or maybe some from the list ryanosaur gave me already are sonically the encores match.???

I'll look more closely at the Song3 and the BeAT's

So the curly maple with the silver gray dye wasn't more than the cost already listed for the standard veneers, correct? I bet they are very classy looking.

Gr8eyes

PS. NIN did you end up with the BeAT's? or the 3's?

 

[NINaudio]

Thanks for the input NINaudio

I'm really liking what I see with the Encore. I'm really curious to see if he would make a matching (sonically) center and surrounds for me. That would be sweet, or maybe some from the list ryanosaur gave me already are sonically the encores match.???

I'll look more closely at the Song3 and the BeAT's

So the curly maple with the silver gray dye wasn't more than the cost already listed for the standard veneers, correct? I bet they are very classy looking.

That is correct, with the standard veneer price you can choose any dye.

Sonically speaking, all his speakers are voiced to the same standard. In terms of a matching center for me Jim said the following:

"The Song3 Center would be a great choice if you have the room for it. If not, the Supercharged SongCenter would probably be the best option. Another option would be the Veracity HT2C Center channel speaker. "

I went with the Song3 center since I wanted to avoid the inherent flaws of a 2 way center as my wife usually sits pretty far off-axis.

 

[gr8eyes]

OK great stuff, I t would seem to me, since the center carries a lot of the load for movies, 3 way might work better.

I edited my post above while you posted so you didn't see my question about which towers you wound up with.

 

[NINaudio]

I went with the Song3's and a Song3 center

 

[gr8eyes]

OK great I bet they sound fantastic. So you like the Raal tweeters.

I'm one to think outside the box on occasion, and got to thinking could some one pick out say the encores for domes, or say the SS7F for ribbons as Mains and match them up to surrounds using the song towers domes or the song tower RT ribbons? Or ,would this be overkill. The cost is right inline with some of the other monitors or surrounds that are stand mount.

Good idea? Bad idea?

 

[gr8eyes]

Ok I emailed Jim again.

Gave him my vitals so we'll see what he says and recommends

 

[NINaudio]

OK great I bet they sound fantastic. So you like the Raal tweeters.

I'm one to think outside the box on occasion, and got to thinking could some one pick out say the encores for domes, or say the SS7F for ribbons as Mains and match them up to surrounds using the song towers domes or the song tower RT ribbons? Or ,would this be overkill. The cost is right inline with some of the other monitors or surrounds that are stand mount.

Good idea? Bad idea?

I loved the raals. I heard details I'd not in heard in songs I've been listening to for 25 years! I'm not really sure what your question is asking there. My personal preference is to match the front 3 as closely as possible with matching tweets and mids. Surrounds are not as critical, and even according to Jim you'd be fine having a RAAL based front stage and dome based surrounds. That is exactly what one member here, @baronvonellis did with his setup and I thought it sounded spectacular with multi channel music when I auditioned the Song 3's at his house. I think you'd be hard pressed to pick out one from the other in normal use. Maybe if you were to sit down with the intention of noting and finding the differences you could. Maybe.

Edit: If you don't hear back from him through email, try calling his shop. He has answered the phone every time I called with a question.

 

[NINaudio]

Here is the thread with baronvonellis's setup:

Salk Sound System 5.0

I recently got a 5 channel Salk Sound System consisting of Song 3, Supercharged Center, and Wow surrounds in waterfall bubinga wood veneer. Thought I'd share them here. They sound amazing! Such a big upgrade from the previous Phase Tech speakers I had in every way. I requested the Song 3's with...

forums.audioholics.com

 

[gr8eyes]

Thanks for that link NIN, ill dig into that tonight.

There are so many choices and combos that will work great together. This is going to take a while.

Good to know you guys think mixing tweeters from front stage to the surrounds is OK. I won't be so worried about that.

 

[gr8eyes]

Great thread NIN thanks for referencing it.

 

[gr8eyes]

does anyone know if the beryllium tweeter in the Song3 Encore is a Satori?

gr8eyes

 

[ryanosaur]

does anyone know if the beryllium tweeter in the Song3 Encore is a Satori?

gr8eyes

It is.

 

[gr8eyes]

It is.

Ok great
Thank you

 

[gr8eyes]

Dreaming of a Center to pair best with the Encore or BeAT

What would that look like??

For me It would be the Satori Be tweeter with either the Eaton or Audio technology mid range woofer with dual 6 or 7 inch Seas bass woofers.

Could that come in around 3,300 dollars ?

Of course its a dream................................................................for now, but some dreams do come true.

Gr8eyes

 

[ryanosaur]

As I suggested, it is possible Jim has done such a speaker; many ask him for customization work.

I would also point out that many of us have already expressed that his Speakers are all closely voiced and the differences between a Raal tweeter and the Satori Be, though there are some, will not be so pronounced.

My concern, while appreciating your fanciful speaker lust is that if you don't end up with a full set of matching drivers, you will be unhappy. This is unwarranted, and unnecessary.

For one thing, I would consider something like the HT2TL or Veracity ST for mains... use the traditional Center like Supercharged Song Center, or use the Standmount Vercity ST Monitor at Center and Surround (yes, I said at Center).
Without having heard the Raals, I presume, it would be unwise for you to dismiss them. Most people I've heard from say that they would never give up their Raals. Yes, the Satoris are very nice too.

Just encouraging you to slow down a wee bit and let this play out.

One last point, please: in speaker design, not all drivers will perform well together and cover the ranges necessary for the Speaker to perform well. If a Tweeter and a Mid-Woofer don't cross properly, you will have a serious drop in FR. Likewise, if you try to push a Mid Woofer to far, you will experience it Beaming, and possibly breaking up with FR Peaks that will ruin playback.
If Jim can do it, he will. But please, be patient, and know that even his less expensive speakers are some of the best that can be had, even at twice or three times the cost! You won't be disappointed.