The Salks Have Landed!!

[Swerd]

My brother in law is intown this week from Cali. He's the only one that's kinda into hifi. He has a pair of 600 series B&Ws, influenced by my B&W purchase 20 yrs ago.

I said this system is a different animal from what I had before, the speakers are in a different league. We listen to about 5 songs...he was in awe...he's ready to junk his B&Ws...wants to come back over today!

The B&W 600 series speakers I've heard in the past all suffered from a high-frequency resonance (about 3.8-4 kHz) from those yellow Kevlar drivers. For most music, they seemed add detail above and beyond what is in most recordings. At first, it sounds interesting, but with time it becomes fatiguing. If music is played loud enough, or contains signals (typical in prominent trumpet) that directly stimulate the resonance, they can "shriek". Not surprisingly, many people mistakenly believe this fatiguing sound comes from the tweeter and not the woofer.

Different league is right, your new Song 3As should run rings around a B&W 600 series speaker. If I recall, your B&Ws are the CM series. Those that I've heard also suffer from the Kevlar resonance, but not as badly as in the 600 series. As you get used to the Song 3As, occasionally plug in your old speakers, if you still have them, and compare them.

Thanks...there is something about the ribbon in general I liked…. The RAAL is even cleaner...high hats don't sound splashy, they maintain detail.

That's been my impression of RAAL ribbon tweeters too. It's not what they do, it's what they don't do that makes then sound good.

Swerd,
I think you got your Song Towers about the same time I did. Picked mine up on Labor Day weekend of '07. In fact I think we corresponded back then about them (maybe on another forum?). Anyway, Jim's speakers just have a sound I've always enjoyed.

Yes, I think I remember you too from then. I also received my STs around Labor Day weekend in 07.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I'm sure I speak for virtually every married person here when I say,
"You, sir, suck!"

Short story, during AH GTG2012 which I dragged me wifey with, we both loved sound of SS8s.

 

[2channel lover]

If I recall, your B&Ws are the CM series.

That's been my impression of RAAL ribbon tweeters too. It's not what they do, it's what they don't do that makes then sound good.

My B&Ws are the 804 Matrix (last gen before the nautilus series)...I've done a little A/B work and will do some more before making some noted comparisons in a few weeks.

RAAL...I think that's my general comment of the speakers early on...they just give you what's in the recording. The Accuton mid sounds open but so natural.

 

[Swerd]

My B&Ws are the 804 Matrix (last gen before the nautilus series)...I've done a little A/B work and will do some more before making some noted comparisons in a few weeks.

Right, now I remember, you have an older (~20 years?) 804 Matrix.

I certainly haven't heard all the different models B&W has produced over the years, but it's been my impression that most 800 series speakers sound good. Those I've heard seemed to lack the harshness or excessive detail of the Kevlar mid woofers that I did hear with various less expensive B&W models.

Your comparison of the Song 3-A and the 804 Matrix will be interesting.

 

[2channel lover]

Right, now I remember, you have an older (~20 years?) 804 Matrix.

I certainly haven't heard all the different models B&W has produced over the years, but it's been my impression that most 800 series speakers sound good. Those I've heard seemed to lack the harshness or excessive detail of the Kevlar mid woofers that I did hear with various less expensive B&W models.

Your comparison of the Song 3-A and the 804 Matrix will be interesting.

804M...exactly...the last generation of the Matrix series production was mid 90s. The Nautilus were not shipping yet...the dealer was getting in their shipment within about 2 weeks and they were looking to move out their remaining matrix inventory...I had been in there maybe 5 times listening to those speakers...the owner's son who was really sharp called me and said I can get you a great deal if you can act this week... They only carried the 800 line and didn't give anything off the B&W list before but said they could now give me $500 off the speakers which were $2500 iirc...and threw in two 6' lengths of Straitwire speaker cable...I jumped on it and that was either summer of '97.

The 800 series reportedly had it's own set of drivers, but the only one I know for sure was not the same was the tweeter as the 600 and CM series, and cabinet bracing.

In that era, the 805, 804 and 802 were the ones that this particular dealer thought were worthy of buying...the 803 had some crossover issues, that plagued it...the hifi media never embraced that model until the Nautilus line.

Yeah...I've got 10 days off starting this Friday so I will get a lot more A/B work in.

 

[Swerd]

Yeah...I've got 10 days off starting this Friday so I will get a lot more A/B work in.

Nice . You will truly have a happy holiday.

For what its worth, when I've bought new primary speakers, I tended to listen to them exclusively for a few weeks, maybe a month. At that point, I hauled out my old speakers and found they didn't sound as good as I had previously thought. It takes me that long before the new speakers become the new normal.

This has has been a rare occasion for me. I bought my first speakers, JBL L-100s in 1973 (significantly improved them with new crossovers in 2006), replaced them with Salk SongTowers in 2007 (a major step up in sound quality), and finally replaced the STs with Salk Veracity STs in 2016 (a more subtle change in sound).

I'm slow to change speakers, and it seems you are similar. We may be the opposite of those who suffer from chronic Audiophilia Nirvana Nervosa, and frequently flip their speakers.

 

[ErnieM]

Nice . You will truly have a happy holiday.

For what its worth, when I've bought new primary speakers, I tended to listen to them exclusively for a few weeks, maybe a month. At that point, I hauled out my old speakers and found they didn't sound as good as I had previously thought. It takes me that long before the new speakers become the new normal.

This has has been a rare occasion for me. I bought my first speakers, JBL L-100s in 1973 (significantly improved them with new crossovers in 2006), replaced them with Salk SongTowers in 2007 (a major step up in sound quality), and finally replaced the STs with Salk Veracity STs in 2016 (a more subtle change in sound).

I'm slow to change speakers, and it seems you are similar. We may be the opposite of those who suffer from chronic Audiophilia Nirvana Nervosa, and frequently flip their speakers.

Thanks for this. I'll wait then bring downstairs my old fronts: Infinity Primus 362 to compare with my new Salk Song 3-A s - maybe in a couple of months. The Infinitys went upstairs to my son but I'm sure he will let me borrow them for a comparison. . .