Let's Help Revel Design their Ultima Salon 3 Loudspeakers

Alpinist

Alpinist

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Mike has informed me that the Revel Ultima Salon 3's are being targeted for CES 2016 launch. I spoke to Revel a few weeks ago about the Salon 3 and they told me that they didn't have a Salon 3 in the works yet but they were looking at various ideas. I think it would be fun to hear everyone's thoughts on what would be the best design for Revel's new Ultima Salon 3. So let's hear everyone's thoughts.

Thanks,
Ken
 
I'll get the ball rolling. I would like to see Revel move to lighter and stiffer speaker cones. Specifically, carbon fiber nanotubes in a sandwich construction with a rohacell or balsa core. I would also like to see them switch to a ribbon tweeter from their current beryllium dome tweeter. As good as their beryllium dome tweeter sounds, I think a properly designed ribbon tweeter is inherently smoother and more lifelike sounding.

I love the current tall narrow design of their cabinet, contoured low diffraction baffle and down firing woofer port, so I wouldn't change that at all. I would also stick with the three 8 inch woofers, one 6 1/2 inch mid-woofer and one 4 inch midrange. I believe this speaker combination and crossover network provides a very seamless integration of bass, midrange and treble. I am not sure if Revel is using an electronic phase adjustment in their crossover between the woofer, midrange and tweeter but if not, I believe they should add this feature. Lastly, I would keep the woofer and tweeter attenuation switches on the back of the speaker, as I feel they facilitate room matching.

Ken
 
Whatever the new Revels turn out to be, I'm buying it. I loved the Studio2 and have heard the Salon2 and a friends house several times. Wow! Love that speaker. A Salon3 or whatever is coming home with me. :)
 
Throw it in a fire. Ooops. Maybe that opinion was meant for a different thread. :D
 
First, don't touch the tweeter. Use the same tweeter that is in the salon 2. Second, keep or improve upon the adjustability options for dialing the speaker into the room. Third, midrange needs to be improved. Vocals, especially with solid state are recessed. Fourth, bass needs to be increased. Fifth, can we please make the drivers much more efficient? 92db or above.
Sixth, look back to the original Salon and integrate the super tweeter. And finally, hire an Italian designer to build the cabinet!
 
Mike said:
First, don't touch the tweeter. Use the same tweeter that is in the salon 2. Second, keep or improve upon the adjustability options for dialing the speaker into the room. Third, midrange needs to be improved. Vocals, especially with solid state are recessed. Fourth, bass needs to be increased. Fifth, can we please make the drivers much more efficient? 92db or above.
Sixth, look back to the original Salon and integrate the super tweeter. And finally, hire an Italian designer to build the cabinet!
Click to expand...

Wow! I owned Studio 2's and they were great, but that pretty much nails everything that would make these great speakers even better.
 
First, do no harm. The Salon 2s are great speakers. I sure as heck wouldn't mess with the things they do so well. One improvement……..these speakers with a higher efficiency would put them over the top.
 
I love Salon 2's !

The only small complaint I had was that I wish they had more of a 3D soundstage.
 
Regarding efficiency, either some low end extension would have to be given up or the cabinet size would have to increase for them to be more efficient...all thanks to Hoffman's Iron Law.

Unlike many other manufacturers, at least they appear to be honest about efficiency ratings. ;)
 
MDP said:
I love Salon 2's !

The only small complaint I had was that I wish they had more of a 3D soundstage.
Click to expand...

Mark, It's so hard to know what we each are hearing, but with the Hegel and the Salons, in my room, the soundstage is excellent. However, I do know what you are saying. There could be greater depth.

Seeing as we both recently parted with the Raidho D3s, I think we may be ruined forever, when it comes to 3D sound stages.
 
BruceLet said:
Mark, It's so hard to know what we each are hearing, but with the Hegel and the Salons, in my room, the soundstage is excellent. However, I do know what you are saying. There could be greater depth.

Seeing as we both recently parted with the Raidho D3s, I think we may be ruined forever, when it comes to 3D sound stages.
Click to expand...

Maybe so Bruce. You're right about me not having the Hegel at the same time I owned the Salon's, that could have made the difference.

The D3's were magic in that aspect!
 
two minor nits about Revels: they should consider anodizing the cones black à la YG and switch to statin/matte finishes on their wood veneers. bigger picture: make them more tube friendly, I believe Voecks doesn't think they're relevant to their market, imo its a mistake not too.
 
My Studio2's were outstanding with my CJ ART monos. I would love to hear the Salon2 with my CJ gear. It was one of those wonderful combinations that was so satisfying.
 
I really enjoyed my Salon 2s.

- I'm ok with the current tweeter and agree that the mid could be improved
- make them more efficient so that a 400+W amp is not a requirement
- Get rid of the silly door that is intended to cover the speaker connectors - I removed it from day 1
- would like to see improved and tighter bottom - although the S2s are very respectable in this area

And, keep them under $30K.
 
Mike said:
First, don't touch the tweeter. Use the same tweeter that is in the salon 2. Second, keep or improve upon the adjustability options for dialing the speaker into the room. Third, midrange needs to be improved. Vocals, especially with solid state are recessed. Fourth, bass needs to be increased. Fifth, can we please make the drivers much more efficient? 92db or above.
Sixth, look back to the original Salon and integrate the super tweeter. And finally, hire an Italian designer to build the cabinet!
Click to expand...

All are excellent ideas, Mike. However, I haven't found the vocals to be recessed at all in my system with Pass or Soulution components. Maybe it was the room or the setup?

Ken
 
Ken,

For what it's worth, I'll cosign on Mike's observations. Almost every Revel loudspeaker that I've encountered could use a bit more junk in the midrange trunk.
 
Zero said:
Ken,

For what it's worth, I'll cosign on Mike's observations. Almost every Revel loudspeaker that I've encountered could use a bit more junk in the midrange trunk.
Click to expand...


"...junk in the midrange trunk..." seriously, astrotoy/Larry will flip if he reads this! :D
 
Alpinist said:
I love the current tall narrow design of their cabinet.
Ken
Click to expand...

I agree with that.

My hopes for Salon3 are:
1) similar sized cabinet as Salon2
2) similar price as Salon2
3) more finish options than Salon2:
* matte wood finishes, including walnut
* not necessarily black front (in contrast to Salon2)
4) Hopefully no biwiring possibility.
5) Textbook measurements, just like Salon2.

Revel knows how to make great speakers: Definitively a brand that deserves high sales figures.
 
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