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Revel Salon/Studio Owners What setup do you use?

The purpose of this question is to explore what amps, preamps, digital, cables and ascessories that Revel Salon/Studio (or other Revel Speaker) owners use to get the best from their system.

I use the following Madrigal/Levinson equipment with mine, but I have been experimenting and am curious if better sound is available with different equipment.

Amp #336
Connected by Synergistics Kalidescope Active/Shield (A/S)
Preamp #380S
Connected by Synergistics Resolution Reference (A/S)
DAC #360s
Connected by Transparent Reference or Synergistic Digital Corridor Reference
Transport #39
Speakers Revel Salons
Biwired Synergisic Signature 10 Speaker cables (A/S)
PS Audio P-300 with Multiwave for front end
Separate Dedicated lines to the amp and front end
Auralex sound treatment panels placed on Reflection points
Tube traps

I have a narrow long room 19X11 that opens into a Kitchen/dining room which extends the rooms length by another 30 feet.
The sound is very good, but somewhat lacking in bass slam, and the imaging/soundstage seems congested. I tried a Krell KSA-250 and it really opened things up.
128x128sgr
dar's avatar
dar
51 posts
 
Aron, I looked at both the Salons and the Studios with some care and decided that the Salons were worth the difference to me. The Studios are terrific speakers, but still sound like speakers, not music, when challenged by sudden frequency extremes, changes in volume, etc. I haven't had that be an issue with the Salons, and its a bit embarassing to think of the things I've played just to see if it would happen. I love 'em.
As to the main thrust of the post, mine are run through a Levinson 380S and a pair of Pass Aleph 0 monoblocks. Main source is digital: Theta Data 2 Transport and Gen Va DAC. Sounds good to me.
sgr's avatar
sgr OP
689 posts
 
Aron,
I started out with the Studios. They are a great speaker, but the Salons are awesome! The extra bass and slam are well worth the money. Although if paired with the B-15 subwoofers you might keep your Studios. I believe this will be my next step.
Good listening,
Steven
jmeyers's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jmeyers
163 posts
 
Besides my Studios, I also have the Voice w/ aluminum pedestal, two Embraces, and two B-15s. Driving them are a Krell 200C and a Krell KAV-250a/3. My source components include the Proceed PAV/PDSD combo preamp/decoder (which is old, and I am waiting for Proceed's long overdue upgrade/replacement), the Proceed PMDT transport (for DVDs), the Wadia 8 transport and 2000 decoder (with all upgrades), the Accuphase T-101 tuner, the Nakamichi DR-1 cassette deck, and the Sota Sapphire turntable w/ Premier FT-3 tone arm, Monster Cable Alpha Genesis 1000 cartridge and McCormick Micro Phono Drive pre-preamp.

My interconnects are mainly KimberKable Silver Streak (balanced) or StraightWire Rhapsody (balanced), my speaker cables are all Transparent Audio Music Wave Super, and my power cords Shunyata Sidewinders.

I tend to like power tweaks, so I also have a Richard Gray Substation for balanced power, several Richard Gray RGPCs, a Shunyata Hydra, and my outlets are PS Audio PowerPorts and Ultimate Outlets.

My video system is the Dwin HD-500 projector and matching Dwin Transcanner.

I truly like my system and have, for the most part, stopped "upgrading", though I will upgrade my preamp/decoder solution and will add a system to play DVD-Audio and multichannel SACD at some point.
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