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Thoughts about the entry level room in RMAF - 2018

Hi,
Wanted to get some opinion on the RMAF entry level room for 5000$ as posted here - 
https://www.audiofest.net/attending/show-schedule/ (Entry Level Room: $5,000 @ Room 2018, Summit Tower 2)

$5,000 Analog Setup
Speakers: Salk Song Tower, 2-way floor standing ($1995)
Amp/Digital Streamer/Phono Preamp: Peachtree deco 125 SKY ($999)
Turntable: VPI Cliffwood ($900)
Speaker Cables: Danacable Duo Mk.2: ($479)
Interconnects: Danacable Onyx Mk. 2: ($199)
Power Conditioner (provided by Audio Advisor): Furman PST 6 ($99)
Rack (provided by Audio Advisor): Pangea Vulcan ($99)
Vibration Control: Gingko Audio ARCHs ($299)

Wanted to understand that for a 5000$ budget do we really need to spend money on power conditioners, speaker cables and interconnects?

Also, for the speakers Salk Song Tower (http://www.salksound.com/model.php?model=SongTower ) - will they hold their value when selling? I did a little research and was not able to find someone selling these speakers. Although I am new to all this, it seems sensible to put money in components that hold their values when being sold (like B&W 805D3 speakers - they are a bit pricey for me).

Thanks.
neo_the_one
8 responses Add your response
jon_5912
252 posts
 
Dealers don't want to say it's the best $5,000 system with a fat profit margin but that's obviously a factor.  I can't personally imagine spending as much on cables and vibration control as I do on the integrated.  Not to mention another $200 for a rack and power conditioner.  I don't blame dealers for not recommending better performing systems that would put them out of business.  It'd be better if components had higher margins so dealers wouldn't have to pretend $500 for speaker wires in that system makes sense but that's probably an unsolvable problem.  
d2girls's avatar
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d2girls
641 posts
 
"Wanted to understand that for a 5000$ budget do we really need to spend money on power conditioners, speaker cables and interconnects?"

Any dealer or audio manufacture (hint: the people running the show) will say yes. That is almost certainly why 1/5 of the budget is towards tweeks.

Setting a hard limit for your budget seems like a stupid idea anyway. I find it hard to imagine that someone purchasing they Salk Sound system wound really be content forever. And this my opinion which is purely subjective, I think the Salk speakers look positively dreadful. I can't stand those brass coloured whizzer cones.
danoroo
166 posts
 
"Dealers don’t want to say it’s the best $5,000 system with a fat profit margin but that’s obviously a factor. I can’t personally imagine spending as much on cables and vibration control as I do on the integrated. Not to mention another $200 for a rack and power conditioner. I don’t blame dealers for not recommending better performing systems that would put them out of business. It’d be better if components had higher margins so dealers wouldn’t have to pretend $500 for speaker wires in that system makes sense but that’s probably an unsolvable problem. "

You are absolutely correct. In fact, you could forgo the last 6 items on that list, spend about $50 on interconnects and speaker wire, pick up an amp rack at a garage sale, a $200 to $300 dollar DAC online and spend the savings on carefully selected loudspeakers and get a better sounding system. Of course, some very high profit margin companies will be left out of the loop which defeats the purpose of these shows in the first place.
d2girls's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
d2girls
641 posts
 
Wanted to share a story. I once asked Israel Blume if I should get his Dynamite Speaker + Dynamo amp and line stage or perhaps one of his other speakers like the super victory 2. I said I had a budget if $10k

His response?

He suggested I spend $8k in all of his top of the line interconnects and power cables and a pair of his Dynamites and quoted me exactly $10k, no tax. Funny guy... 
analogluvr
800 posts
 
Yeah Israel's a real 🍑 🙄
+1 Danoroo
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio
643 posts
 

And watch the pendulum swing!

Over priced HEA gear has almost run out of steam and has definitely run out of buyers. Thank God, it is almost over. Price guilt audio reviews and marketing are almost out of our blood stream, now we can get back to listening.

It was the biggest scam (insert a softer word if you like) in stereo history. I remember sitting in the room with then owner of MoFi records Herb Belkin talking about how long HEA’s pushing everyone to buying up was going to last before it all came crashing down. Herb understood audiophile quality, pricing and demand, we both did. Stereo going from HiFi to HEA lost it’s mind, offering less for much, much, insanely much more. The advancements in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s got stepped on and over just because a few guys wanted to get filthy rich before they got out. I have no problem of selling jewelry to the wealthy, but be honest! Telling folks that you have to spend your life’s savings on components to get great stereo is a total deception.

Playback always was and always will come down to a "Method of Tuning". The Audio Trilogy, Acoustical, Electrical and Mechanical. Play these 3 cards right (at any price) and you will have great sound. It’s maybe the most exciting time in the hobby of listening to music, and the best part is, we are now at the era of being the masters of our own sound. It’s fine for those wishing to throw money at the wall, but it’s the age of the listener. In a way it’s like going back to the 80’s and 90’s where we left off before we were programed to only buy up.

gonna be fun to watch, but it’s gonna be more fun to listen

Michael Green

jsalk
2 posts
 
And this my opinion which is purely subjective, I think the Salk speakers look positively dreadful. I can't stand those brass coloured whizzer cones.

Just a quick comment...
None of our speakers have drivers with whizzer cones. Some have copper phase plugs, but those are high-end drivers from Seas and the phase plugs drastically improve the performance of the drivers.  The SongTowers in this room do not have phase plugs or whizzer cones.

- Jim Salk
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
1,962 posts
 
Salk speakers are very good, Annually I hear them at Axpona.They sound so live, and musical  too...
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