Revel Salon 2 speakers

About a year ago, I had to move to a smaller listening space in my home, so I downsized from separates to an integrated amp. I now drive the Salons with an Hegel H590 integrated, which, combined with my Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty reference DAC, produces an absolutely superb sound. The Hegel H590 has the horse-power to drive the Salon 2s beautifully (especially in rooms that aren’t real large), while possessing some of the very highest sound quality available. I believe that the Salon 2 and Hegel H590 combo is a brilliant combination. I strongly believe that the Hegel H590 integrated, although not cheap, given it’s superb sound quality and huge power reserves, is the best integrated amp on market.

You are exactly right! The H390 does not have the headroom to properly drive the Salon 2s. When I first got my Salon 2s, like yourself, I was driving them with an H390, which I was using with my previous speakers. The H390 is an extremely powerful integrated amp by it’s own right, and was just fantastic drive my previous speakers, but the notoriously inefficient Salon 2s were an entirely different animal, so I stepped up to the H590. Well... the H390 and the H590 are also two entirely different animals with the H590 being superior in every parameter, especially in the power reserve and damping factor departments. When switching from the H390 to the H590, I was somewhat shocked at the degree of which the H590 put a vise-grip on the woofers of the Salon 2s. Not to mention (I already did) the phenomenal sound quality of the H590. This is why I speak so very highly of the remarkable Hegel H590. So, yes, everything got better with the H590, which produces a huge soundstage. Soundstage height, width and depth with the H590 driving the Salon 2s were all there, in spades.

Here in Northern Cali, there’s a dealer near me that sells the entire line of Wilsons and Sonus Faber speakers that I visit regularly, and they all sound fabulous. Every High End Audio dealer that I visit, and listen to whatever speaker brands they carry, or, whatever High End Audio Shows I attend, I have the opportunity to hear a plethora of simply outstanding sounding speakers. I paid $11K for my Salon 2s, preowned, and when I compare what I have, to what I hear at the dealers, or at shows, I honestly feel like I robbed the bank with the breathtakingly superb, and still, Stereophile Recommended Class A rated Salon 2 speakers.

steve59, We all have our own preferences and opinions, and I welcome yours.  However, you’re missing the point here. As noted, I’m fully aware of the Salon 2s age. Also, although there’s been a new line introduced (228/328), fact is, they’re not designated as replacements for the older Ultima line. My point, simply, based upon the Salon 2s price-to-performance factor, compared to todays current speakers, even after 15 years, they still represent an outstanding value for the money. Have you ever heard the phenomenal Salon 2 speakers? I would be willing to bet that you haven’t. Stereophile Magazine, probably the most venerable and highly-regarded High End Audio publications on the planet, still, yes, 15 years after it’s introduction, are on Stereophiles, full Range speakers, Class-A Recommendation list. This is quite a feat, and a true testament as to the longevity and greatness of the Salon 2s, especially considering their age. Just take a gander at the company the Salon 2s are keeping on that Class-A list. Amazing!!! There are those of us Audiophiles who don’t have "deep-pockets" and seek out bang-for-the-buck items on the market, which the Salon 2s are a prime example of. "Cancel the monthly Salon 2 parade?" Don’t hate.

My Revel Salon 2 speakers are in a smaller room but, because they work so well in smaller rooms, and I have them dialed-in so beautifully in the smaller room, they are producing some of the best bass imaginable. The Salon 2s are capable of producing that next-level kind of bass that audiophiles always dream of.  The Salon 2s produce bone-chilling, gut-wrenching bass, slam and dynamic to die for.  And the Salons let all the detail, transparency and bass come through even at low to moderate volume levels for those nice quiet midnight hour listening sessions.  The Salon 2s really are quite amazing!!!