Salks are quite good!
Boutique or Big Brand?
Good evening everyone! I am looking at new speakers in the $5k, maybe $6k range. My electronics and room dimensions are on "my system" posted on my profile so I won't repeat them here. I currently have Tekton Impact Monitors, but feel they do not have a good low end (I posted my review on another post so won't bore everyone here). That said, they were the best I could afford at the time and above 40Hz sound good to me.
Now I am ready to upgrade and am faced with a decision... Do I go boutique with a bigger pair of Tektons, or maybe the Salk Song3 A or BeAts; or something from Zu or Devore? Or do I go with a Big Brand like the Sonus faber Sonetto V, B&W 702, or Focal Arias?
I have heard the Tekton, Sonetto V, and B&W 8-series (not the 7 in my price range). I want a slim tower because I feel a lot of them have the same footprint as a pair of standmounters and have better bass extension.
So, what are the benefits of boutique over big brand and vice-versa? It seems in my price range boutique may be the way to go? Thoughts? Any other recommendations?
Because of the pandemic I had to move to a place that doesn't have the audio stores that N.Y.C. and Columbus, Oh. did when I lived there, so I am asking your opinions. Please keep it positive and constructive, thank you.
Showing 2 responses by hilde45
@l1975r OP, you asked how the Salks sound? I would describe their sound as accurate without being clinical. Their Be tweeters are very well implemented and, in contrast to other speakers I tried with a Be tweeter, these are clear and crisp without a hint of over-brightness. Cymbals ring out, violins are precise and distinct, drum hits have detail and resonance -- but there is no fatigue. The midrange is startlingly accurate -- voices are intimate and right-sized, instruments sound like themselves (e.g. including pianos, bassoons, etc.). The speakers are nimble, too, conveying transients and dynamics with a sense of drama. As for the bass, it was probably the most surprising element -- it’s incredibly full without bloat. Probably the front ported, transmission line design. I put on "Little Bit of Loving" by Shelby Lynn and the initial "thump" of the bass drum was really took me aback. At many points, I’ve had to go check that my subs were on while the Salks were playing. Does that help?
|