Revel Salon 3?

Yyzsantabarbara,

The thiel 3.7 is a special speaker and they have always sounded great. I was about to buy them before I ran into money issues (wife lost job) and just garbed the 2.4 to hold me over. Anyway all is good now and I am looking again.

Having owned the 2.4 for about 2 years now I just want something different and will most likely move from thiel for the sake of change. I have demoed the 3.7 and salon 2 at different dealers (rooms/amps) so it is hard to say. Generally I feel the Salon 2 has better highs and much deeper bass. In between the extremes it gets hairy. I feel the impact (leading edge) is stronger on the thiels and drums snap a little more. In the mid band I also found the thiels more engaging. I guess I want a 3.7 with more bass.... Where is the 7.3?!? A sub would not fix the problem for me because I want that added power throughout the lower band not just depth.

This time around I want a full range speaker with lots of bass. Even if the bass is not ture to source (a little humped is ok). About a year ago I heard the Sophia 3 and Thiel 3.7 in the same room/system and thought the 3.7 was the better speaker (better=true to source) but enjoyed the Sophia's bass more because of the added power (not depth).

Anyway at this time I would maybe buy the Studio 2 over the thiel 3.7 just for a change in house sound. This time around I have put a much higher priority on bass power/depth but at the end of the day either would be a big upgrade for me. I also have the Kef 207/2 on my list. Used these are all about the same price.

If you have even the slightest sensitivity to aggressive tweeters - these are for you. The Revel tweeter is as smooth as silk. I've owned both the Salon 2 and Studio 2. Both are excellent. Big room, go Salon 2. Small room, go Studio 2.

Other than MAYBE the Magico S5, there isn't a better full range speaker under $30,000 that I have heard.

Anyone who wants to know more, can PM me.

@James63 - give the Magico S5 a listen. Amazing bass.

mbovaird:
what is your definition for 'small room'?
I am interested in the Studio 2 and Voice 2, to replace my existing front 3, in my living room HT. This is not a dedicated room HT, just a standard living room that I have my HT system in. Generally speaking, its a rectangular room that runs about 22' x 15'. I would be running the 3 speakers with my new bryston 3-channel sst2 amp.

The studio's should probably be fine right? The Salon's overkill? I have a small gut feeling, based on the great feedback of the studio's, that I dont necc. need salon's for a standard living room. Especially if I get the voice center.

thx in advance

James63,
I totally agree with your assessment of the Thiel 3.7 relative to the Salon. I would not go back to the Salon since I have already owned it but if somebody gave me one as a gift I would happily take it.

I am doing some active searching now. I heard the TAD Evolution 1 recently and liked it but not enough to commit to it. I liked the Salon better. I think the audition room was not correct due to lack of side walls. I also heard the Wilson Alexia at the same store and was blown away. Some fantastic sound. I was never a WIlson fan but I left thinking what extra job can I do to afford that speaker. Normally I would never consider such an expensive speaker.

I am going to listen to the KEF Blade at the end of the month. So far the Thiel 3.7 is still my number 1 choice due to financial sanity issues.