Fin1bxn, sounds like they were either undergoing break-in (for the first hundred hours they sound pretty ghastly) or were miswired, intentionally or unintentionally. Set up and broken-in properly, they are anything but congested and veiled. |
Set up and broken-in properly, they are anything but congested and veiled. I couldn't agree more. I don't own them, but have heard them. They were driven by a Musical Fidelity A5(?) integrated. Stunning detail, air and delicacy. I keep saying I'm going to buy a pair, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Maybe next year. |
I must admit the two times I've auditioned these speakers I
wasn't impressed. They do have a great top end and good bass
extension.
Where they lack for me, is the all important midrange. The
speakers sound thin on both occasions in two separate
systems and rooms, I've heard them in. Even the owner of the
last pair I heard was a little disappointed. Not my cup of
tea by a long shot. I went with the intention of buying the
last pair. Thinking maybe the first pair weren't set up
properly...no dice though.
They do look cool though! I'm sure they make great
conversation pieces if nothing else. |
to me, the overarching question is whether anyone would buy the gallos if they didn't look so unique. not that there's anything wrong with buying on the basis of style--it's your money--but i can't help but think that with gear generally. many of us are influenced more by form than by actual sound quality. |
Actually, I bought them despite their looks, which I was not fond of. I first listened to the Gallo 3.1s at CES (actually THE Show) a few years back and I thought they were one of the best I heard there. I eventually bought the SA amp to go with them and thick granite stands to raise them a bit as I always thought the soundstage sounded 'short' (for lack of a better description). While I loved the sound (and still do), I eventually sold them and moved on. Currently I have the VS VR 4 Jr's and think they are absolutely fantastic with no weakenesses in any area. |
I bought mine despite thinking they looked wimpy as hell, especially next to my former Gallo Ultimates. Even ended up co-designing some special speaker bases (just listed them on Audiogon) to raise them 6 inches. The trick to these things is POSITIONING. Although Mechdude1 found them pretty much plop-n-play, it's taken me a long time to get them to world-beater status. The Mapleshade bases make an amazing difference, but that was after I had already moved them all over the place and ended up with them 8 feet from the back wall and 3-4 feet from the sides. Don't get me wrong; I liked them from the beginning -- well, after the break-in -- but I like 'em a lot better now. |
I am a 3.1 owner.
I have owned several different types of speakers, 2 pairs in the 10k+ range. These are my favorites! Very open and transparent sounding, with some of the best imaging capabilities out there regardless of cost.
Everyone has different tastes, but when setup properly, I would not describe them as "thin" whatsoever... actually the contrary, I get a very meaty sound out of them. But yes, if you have bright/thin sounding equipment, and/or a room that is reflective with not enough damping, I can see how they might sound harsh.
Very dynamic and BIG sound despite their small size. I personally recommend an amp with some current to drive them. I started with a 60WPC tube amp, but unfortunately the bass was a bit mushy and transients were lacking. A Wyred 4 Sound Class D amp fixed that right up. |
Mapleshade offers upgrades to the speakers as well as the stands, has anybody heard those upgrades or mods? |
Hey anybody remember what that crossover mod was that many said removed need for separate bass amp?was real simple but can't Google it up.I'd like to archive it.
Chazz |
I think this is what you're looking for.
http://www.10audio.com/gallo_ref3-1.htm |
Though it seems that the "mod" was successful for Jerry, I don't think we can draw the conclusion that it removes the need for the bass amp. |
I agree. And I sure don't want to saddle my SET monoblocks with the added chore of reproducing subterranean bass. |
I tried the resistor across the 2nd voice coil tweak and found it made no difference I could hear. So I don't use it.
"Highs are good, but not spectacular, midrange smeared, bass very well extented but muddy" Don't know what to say because I believe the poster heard the Ref 3.1s in this way. In my system the highs are incredibly detailed with big air, the mids are a bit recessed but clear as a bell, and the bass is extended and tight. Imaging to die for.
For the record I think this is one ugly looking speaker. But I buy speakers for their sound, not their looks, and I've been very very happy with the Gallos for a couple of years now. |
Looks are in the eyes of the beholder. I like the looks, without the cover. The cover is ugly.
The Gallo's are very transparent and they will pretty much reflect what the upstream components feed them. They will not make components sound better than they are. I thought they sounded great on my Pioneer AVR but it was not until I went to a Spectron amp that I could really hear what they were capable of producing particularly in the bass. I do use the SA amp bi-wired off the Spectron amp. The result is tight/textured lower bass not muddled at all.
There are some Gallo Ref3 naysayers out there but once they are broken in they are some of the nicest sounding and imaging speakers out there. Of course, that is only my humble opinion. |
These are extremely neutral and very revealing of any upstream equiptment.There just telling you when you are, or not,moving in the direction of audio nearvana. worry not, you will get there. |
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? |
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 |
thanks dopogue, i will send them to gallo and have the tweeters checked. |
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. |
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. |
I would also make two suggestions. If you are pointing the speakers in, I would suggest placing them facing straight forward. The other issue may be your room. I felt mine sounded a little light, I did some measurements, and I learned that my room has a very big suckout from about 50 hz up to about 100 hz. I made adjustments on the sub-amp that significantly reduced, though did not eliminate, the suckout, which gave the speakers significantly more body. Perhaps there is a room issue. |
thanks jamesgarvin. i have tried everything, even different rooms. shooting them straight out is helping a bit. reading up in the maple shade catalogue, i have tilted them back much more, helped also a little.
the only action that make them really sound better is to switch the gallo sub amp to full range. i get a more satisfying fuller sound and the highs seem to be less pronounced. obviously, the woofer is taking on some of the job the midrange units should perform and this with satisfying clarity. it is obvious, that i am acting against gallo's advice by bi amplifying the ref 3's with the complete frequency spectrum into the bass unit. while this may send shudders down the spine of serious audiophiles, it seems the only way for me to get acceptable performance from these speakers. |
