[Aerialsound]

I am seriously considering the Salon 2. I'm trying to find out whether the Revel Salon 2 will overpower my room both visually or sonically.


My room is 21 x 13 on the speaker wall. It widens to 21 x 18 toward the rear(the last 7 feet of the room) of the theater in my 9 foot tall basement. As you can see the stair case is in the back of the room. The screen is 9 foot wide. We plan to frame it so it is closer to 9 foot wide 235 screen. And treat the area below with acoustical panel/fabric. We sit about 11-12 feet back from the screen. The room is 14 wide at this point.


We live in a townhome so the front and rear of the room is shared via a firewall and 6 inches of dry wall.


Equipment list


Classe ssp-800

Sim Audio Titan

Oppo BD-93

Aerial Acoustic cc5 center

Aerial Acoustic sr-3 surrounds


We plan to replace the front built-in with a 4 inch curved stage platform. The wall under the screen will be treated with acoustic panel. There are corner traps up from. We are close to finishing this room. The rear center has (2) 2x4 6" bass trap and RPG skyline on the side. One side is cover with a door and a window. the other is a utility room.

 

[jaymalya]

Any reason not to use Aerial as the fronts?

 

[Aerialsound]

Actually, I thought about the Aerial 7Ts a lot. The retailer sold me on the Revel line for my setup. The Revel Salon were really nice sonically in their showroom. They were using Audio Research as a 2 channel processor and their Hybrid Amplifier. The Revel surprisingly sounded amazing. I was really interested in the Aerial 7t at first. Have to say the Revel did not sound as good on the ML gear. I think my Classe/Titan combo is closer to the Audio Research than the Mark Levinson gear.

 

[omegaslast]

How does one overpower a room sonically with 86.4db sensitivity

 

[Gooddoc]

Considering everyone has a different definition of "overpowering", I suggest utilizing the Volume Knob

. "Underpowering", however, is not so easily remedied.


Just food for thought.

 

[coytee]

I agree with the last two posts. As I started reading I kept thinking... "just turn it down"


I'm changing jobs so I'm in a new state and living in an apartment temporarily. I have my two 109 db/watt horn speakers in this apartment. Although they are typically connected to a pair of Crown K2's, they're right now hooked up to a dbx BX3 in 4 channel mode. That gives them 100 watts per driver (2-way actively crossed monsters)


Although they are visually intimidating in the living/dining room (using both as one space), they certainly do NOT overpower the space because I only use about .001 watt in them.


My existing space is smaller than yours and my speakers much more efficient and I've got zeeeeeeero problem.

 

[ehlarson]

The only thing I'd be concerned about is placement. The Revels go as low as 17 Hz without much drop in output and like all things that put out low bass placement can be tricky.

 

[Aerialsound]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ehlarson /forum/post/0


The only thing I'd be concerned about is placement. The Revels go as low as 17 Hz without much drop in output and like all things that put out low bass placement can be tricky.

Thanks for bring up. Wo you lookd any of the boundary settings compensate for this.

 

[boarder1995]

The further into the room they can be placed, the lower chance of having an issue with low bass getting reinforced too much by a nearby wall, or especially corner. But, if you don't mind a little bump in bass, then you'd be good with them.


On edit:

I just read their low end specs...

Low-frequency extension: –3dB at 23Hz, –6dB at 20Hz, –10dB at 17Hz.

They'd benefit nicely with room boundry reinforcement as you move them closer to a wall (through experimentation of course) to give a good flat signal down below 20hz! Looks like a winner to me.

 

[Aerialsound]



Quote:
Originally Posted by boarder1995 /forum/post/0


The further into the room they can be placed, the lower chance of having an issue with low bass getting reinforced too much by a nearby wall, or especially corner. But, if you don't mind a little bump in bass, then you'd be good with them.


On edit:

I just read their low end specs...

Low-frequency extension: -3dB at 23Hz, -6dB at 20Hz, -10dB at 17Hz.

They'd benefit nicely with room boundry reinforcement as you move them closer to a wall (through experimentation of course) to give a good flat signal down below 20hz! Looks like a winner to me.

Do you think the salons are visually to big for the room

 

[johnbr]

See if the dealer will let you try them in your home.

 

[egrady]

I have Studio 2's. My former room was 14x18, my new room 17x21. 13' is pretty narrow to begin with, throw in a 108" screen and I think you'll find the Salon's will be very close to the sidewalls. I was pretty happy in my old room, but once I head how much better the Revel's sounded with three feet more to breathe I couldn't believe it. In short, you won't come close to getting the full benefit of the Salon 2. You have a narrow wall and that large a screen will force you place the speakers to close to the side walls.


If you're going to keep the Aerial CC5 I'd go with Aerial. Another to consider is the Vandersteen Quatro and a Vandersteen center channel speaker. While difficult to match with a center channel speaker, the speaker that I think would work best in your situation is the Wilson Sophia. Big sound in a small enclosure. Also, Wilson's work better than most with a wide spread and sidewall issues.

 

[Looneybomber]



Quote:
Originally Posted by coytee /forum/post/20822243


Although they are visually intimidating in the living/dining room (using both as one space), they certainly do NOT overpower the space because I only use about .001 watt in them.

Cut and strip some old headphones and power them with an ipod.

 

[Aerialsound]



Quote:
Originally Posted by johnbr /forum/post/0


See if the dealer will let you try them in your home.

They have an exclusive deal with revel in our area. So no luck in home demo

 

[Aerialsound]



Quote:
Originally Posted by egrady /forum/post/0


I have Studio 2's. My former room was 14x18, my new room 17x21. 13' is pretty narrow to begin with, throw in a 108" screen and I think you'll find the Salon's will be very close to the sidewalls. I was pretty happy in my old room, but once I head how much better the Revel's sounded with three feet more to breathe I couldn't believe it. In short, you won't come close to getting the full benefit of the Salon 2. You have a narrow wall and that large a screen will force you place the speakers to close to the side walls.


If you're going to keep the Aerial CC5 I'd go with Aerial. Another to consider is the Vandersteen Quatro and a Vandersteen center channel speaker. While difficult to match with a center channel speaker, the speaker that I think would work best in your situation is the Wilson Sophia. Big sound in a small enclosure. Also, Wilson's work better than most with a wide spread and sidewall issues.

Even with the boundary compensation.. i have 1.5 feet side and 2 feet from back wall

 

[egrady]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerialsound /forum/post/20888161


Even with the boundary compensation.. i have 1.5 feet side and 2 feet from back wall

Until you have the screen in place and your seating position selected you can't be sure. The size of the speaker is also a variable. The speakers cannot obstruct the view from any seating position, so the wider the seating area the wider the spread of the speakers.


Even if you've already factored all of this, 1.5 feet to the side wall is very close. If it was me, the Revel option I'd go with is the Gem 2, a Voice 2 and a Revel sub. This would be optimal for HT and probably work as well with music in your room as the Salon. If you were just looking at music an Ultima speaker could work, but the issue of your screen doesn't allow you to place your front speakers in the optimal position for music. Hence, I feel the Salon 2 is a mismatch.

 

[Nuance]

Rather than being concerned about the speakers overpowering the room, I'd be concerned about the effects the room will have on the speakers sound quality wise. If you plan to place the speakers on the two Auralex Grammas (or subdudes) in the picture, I can tell you right now that the room will certainly effect things, and probably in a bad way. Reflections and room modes will certainly come into play here...


I'd recommend moving the speakers closer together/further from the side walls, but that will obstruct the screen, so... Honestly, in that sized room (width wise) I wouldn't use a projection screen, OR I wouldn't go with towers. I agree with egrady concerning using monitors, such as the Gems. Towers that reach down that low will excite room modes, plus they'll still probably obstruct the view even if you shove them right against the side walls. However, if you use monitors and cross over to a subwoofer you'll have more placement freedom and the ability to put the subwoofer where it measures and sounds best in the room. After all, the best place in one's room for imaging and great soundstage width and depth is hardly ever the best spot for great in-room bass response.


I'd completely forego towers (due to the screen size) and go with a monitor/subwoofer combo.

 

[Aerialsound]

So the gems will be a better fit? I was thinking maybe studio2 and cross in one or two Jl f110 at 80hz. Using bass traps wherever there are standing waves. The speakers would be located in the firs third of the room and my seating position is in the last third.

 

[astrallite]

Gem 2s are VERY light on the bass, you might want something closer to a 100Hz crossover if you go with the Gems.

 

[Nuance]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerialsound /forum/post/20890475


So the gems will be a better fit? I was thinking maybe studio2 and cross in one or two Jl f110 at 80hz. Using bass traps wherever there are standing waves. The speakers would be located in the firs third of the room and my seating position is in the last third.

I'd still go with Gems, but that's just me. Crossing at 90 or 100Hz is a good idea, as they are rated down to 70Hz (the Gem2's). Speakers as large as the Studio2's are just going to be too large for that room width IMO. Good luck if you do get them, though.