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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
rzemkoski
87 posts
 
In my 20x30ft. room, I can spread the Salon 12ft. apart for a wide soundstage. Nearfield listening reduces any confused imaging (Tube Traps also help considerably). But I firmly believe that most speakers should be sub-woofed for maximum slam. Tha Kinergetics SW 800 work wonderfully in my system. Also, I've bi-amp the Salon with a ARC VT100 on top and a ML 300 on the bottom for that extra headroom. The Salon crave lots of clean power. Try the Revel B 15 or something similiar and feel the pressure!
hughes12's avatar
hughes12
25 posts
 
My room is 13x13 and it opens op to the kitchen. I am running the Salons with a Pass Labs X 350. My Preamp is the Theta Casablanca. A Sony SCD-1 transport. All is connected w/ Harmonic Technology Pro Silway II and Pro 9 Biwired speaker cable. A friend of mine came over for a listening session and he thought the bass was a little thin. I proceded to put on a CD that was recorded for bass and he was just floored, the bass was deep and slamming. These speakers put out what was recorded on the track and nothing more which is why I love them so. These speakers require power and a lot of it to get them to really purr.
mg123
192 posts
 
I have Studios with Proceed MDT, Proceeed AVP, and Pass Labs Aleph 4 (had Levinson #331, but Pass amp sounds better). I also have an LE-1 with a pair of Revel Sub-15s. I'm using NBS cables for preamp to amp and to speakers, with Tara Labs The One digital cable from MDT. I have PS Audio P600 power plant for everything except power amp, with King Cobra PCs for AVP and MDT and NBS Monitor 0 PC for amp. I also have Revel Voice and Embraces for home theater with Proceed amps. I think my system sounds like live concerts or every bit as good as any theater.
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
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