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Gallo REfF3's-All their cracked up to be?

Having won award from Absolute Sound,6Moons etc just wondering if how they compare with others in $25r00-$5K range.With Maggie 1.6/3.6's,Spendors,Harbeths,B&W Nautilus 803's etc not to mention used Quad 988.989,Infinity Preludes that have been seen as low as $3500,Gershman RX-20's used,offerings from Audio Physic (again good values used,heard Sparks where I liked low volume dynamics and read the Gallo's need to be pushed to come alive) well it's a crowded market.But seems like the twop speakers that have major buzz factor are the Gallo and NHT Xd system (selling for a bit over $6K).Live in sticks anbd would like to hear from folks who have put the Gallo's up against other speakers with empahsis on accurate midrange.Had as pair of Ref 2's but never got system set up around them nor dialed them in correctly.Was so nervous that tweeters might blow which were irreplacable got me nervous and I got rid of them pretty quickly.Have heard from dealers that Gallo can be unpleasant in cutomer support and lack of back tweeters could have been his resent ment that they did not sell better.But even though that's speculation is does say that they could be beter in support area.Maybe new models and sales might correct this.,They seemed to have great attributes but also weakneeses.Couldn't shake the feeling they were "gimmicky" in some respects but againn perhaps they were not dialed in proprly.Would lkike to run with 40 watt glass but could go 200+ solid state.Any auditions or owners who could give the good ,the bad and the ugly?
Thanks
Chazzbo
chazzbo
woifi73
8 posts
 
i have been playing to get the ref3's to sound good for 4 years now. (stands, tweeks..). i am throwing the towel.
i listen to classical music and chamber music. while imaging very well, the sound is tinny and etched. the reviewers praising the 3's tweeter may not listen to life music. violins do not sound right through this tweeter. i have tried tube amps (quicksilver v4 monos) in combination with a vtl5.5 preamp and the benchmark dac. alternatively i used the speakers with the musical fidelity kw500. i find that they sound much better with rock and electronically modded music than with classical recordings. i have my guarneri memento's next to the gallo. they portray the music in all its glory. any similar experience and possible remedy?
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Woifi73, after giving them your best shot for 4 years and not liking the result, you should definitely replace them IMHO. I've had mine for 4 1/2 years, listen to the same music you do (plus jazz) via an all-tube system and have no intention of replacing mine. Must be some serious lack of system synergy because mine have never sounded the least bit tinny and etched to me, and with the substitution of the Mapleshade bases sound truly amazing, albeit much better on everything BUT "rock and electronically modded music." That's a real head-scratcher. Good luck, Dave
woifi73
8 posts
 
thanks dopogue, i will send them to gallo and have the tweeters checked.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Well, I'll bet Gallo says there's nothing wrong with them. Do you have any knowledgeable audiophiles nearby who might take a listen and make suggestions? I mean I can't imagine BOTH speakers being infected with the kind of nasties you describe. Are you using a subwoofer amp into the lower pair of speaker inputs? I've heard about some people thinking the lower pair of inputs is for bi-wiring, which it isn't.
barry_e_cohen
83 posts
 
Hey Woifi,

We all hear differently, listening to "Stereo" is a personal thing. As no two speaker systems sound the same, no two people, look the same or hear the same. I have a number of musician friends who love the sound of my Gallo speakers because "it sounds like real instruments". Good luck in your quest.
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