Revel Ultima2 Series

[Titanium Dome]

Thanks to a heads up from Mr. Widget, I couldn't be happier to announce the launch of the flaghsip Ultima2 Series by Revel. Here's the complete release:


Revel Launches Flagship Ultima2 Series Loudspeakers

– Revel’s new Ultima Salon2, Studio2, Gem2 and Voice2 are the much anticipated successors to the world-renowned Ultima Series loudspeakers, offering dramatically improved sound quality and aesthetics –

CEDIA EXPO, DENVER, CO, September 14, 2006 – Following closely on the heels of the announcement of its 10th anniversary, leading high-performance loudspeaker manufacturer Revel is announcing its next generation of Ultima loudspeakers. A direct result of an extensive R&D initiative employing the vast resources of parent company Harman International Industries (NYSE: HAR), the new Revel Ultima2 Series sets the new benchmark for high-performance loudspeakers. The Ultima2 Series comprises four new models: the Salon2 and Studio2 floorstanding loudspeakers, the Gem2 on-wall or stand-mounted loudspeaker, and the Voice2 center-channel loudspeaker. Each represents major advancements in both sound quality and design.

At the heart of the loudspeakers are new transducers that were specifically designed for Ultima2 from the ground up. They represent a major improvement in performance from the original Ultima Series with added sonic benefits. Featuring dual neodymium magnet motor systems with sophisticated distortion reduction mechanisms, titanium diaphragms and oversized voice coils with ribbon wire, the Ultima2 Series woofers and midranges represent the state-of-the-art in transducer design. The new 1-inch tweeter, common to all four Revel Ultima2 Series loudspeakers, sets the standard for transparency and low coloration with its pure beryllium dome and custom-designed waveguide. Each Revel Ultima2 Series loudspeaker is individually hand-tuned during manufacturing to match the original engineering reference to within a fraction of a decibel, thereby guaranteeing unsurpassed consistency from loudspeaker to loudspeaker.

From an aesthetic standpoint, the Ultima2 Series cabinets feature smooth rounded lines that blend with a wide variety of architectural styles. The elegant design extends to the magnetically attached grills eliminating the need for mounting hardware, while the acoustically optimized baffles and smooth surfaces of the transducer offer a visually arresting look when the loudspeakers are without their grills. The Ultima2 Series is available in a beautiful high-gloss mahogany wood veneer or a high-gloss black lacquer finish that complements any décor.

The Ultima Salon2 and Studio2 are floorstanding loudspeakers that offer unparalleled sound quality. The Salon2 is a 4-way system with three 8-inch woofers, a 6.5-inch mid-woofer, a 4-inch midrange and a 1-inch tweeter. The Studio2 is a 3-way system for applications requiring a smaller physical package, utilizing two 8-inch woofers, a 5.5-inch midrange and a 1-inch tweeter. An integrated access panel conceals the cast aluminum input panel and controls, hiding them from view, yet providing easy access to the controls and for wiring. The access panel is integrated with the shape of the loudspeaker giving it a finished look when viewed from any angle.

The Ultima Gem2 is a 3-way loudspeaker that can be used as a high-quality front loudspeaker, either on available stands, or wall-mounted using the included bracket, in stereo or multi-channel applications. Its low profile enables its use as a state-of-the-art flat panel display loudspeaker. Although the Gem2 loudspeaker is compact, its 3-way design utilizing an 8-inch woofer with a 2-inch voice coil wound with ribbon wire provides astonishing output with both low dynamic compression and distortion. The Gem2 is equally optimized for use as a surround loudspeaker offering ideal timbre matching with other Ultima2 Series loudspeakers.

The Ultima Voice2 loudspeaker is primarily intended for use as a center-channel loudspeaker, but is also designed for use as “three-across” (Left, Center, Right) front loudspeakers in applications in which its orientation and dimensions are more suitable (such as above or below a screen). The Voice2 loudspeaker utilizes two 8-inch woofers together with a 5.5-inch midrange, all with huge 2-inch flat-wire voice coils to reproduce an extraordinarily wide dynamic range with freedom from compression. The result is uniform sound quality, regardless of output level.

The new Revel Ultima2 Series Loudspeakers represent the pinnacle in performance and design standards, carrying on the Revel tradition of designing and building the world’s best speakers. In the new Ultima Salon2, Studio2, Gem2 and Voice2, audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts alike will revel in the ideal marriage of function and form.

[Mr. Widget]

I'll post my feelings on this line later today when I have a few minutes. I looked around on-line for some photos of them but haven't found any yet. The models at the show were all prototypes... production units won't be available before CES if memory serves.


Widget

[Titanium Dome]

I'll post my feelings on this line later today when I have a few minutes. I looked around on-line for some photos of them but haven't found any yet. The models at the show were all prototypes... production units won't be available before CES if memory serves.


Widget

Can't wait to hear them.

Ambiguous: Can't wait to read your feelings. Also, cannot wait to hear the speakers. :p

[Titanium Dome]

Here's teaser from AVguide.com with a picture.

http://www.avguide.com/news/2006/09/17/cedia-06-revel’s-ultima-2-speakers/

The last paragraph contains a mini review:


In a brief listening session, the new Salon 2s were very impressive, exhibiting almost shocking levels of “see-through” transparency, lively and lifelike dynamics, full-range bass, and the ability to resolve exceedingly fine musical details that would simply get lost in most other loudspeaker systems. Having heard the already excellent original Salons many times, I can vouch for the fact that the Salon 2 takes a big—to my ears, very big—step forward in performance. Whether you can afford them or not, you really should make an effort to hear the Salon 2s, if only to use their sound as a benchmark.

[Titanium Dome]

The folks over at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity have a couple shots of the Ultima 2 lineup.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_3/show-report-cedia-2006-page-08.html

I've included one below. It's quite a change from the current Ultima look. :spchless:

As Widget correctly pointed out in another thread, the tweeter is now a Be. Then I pointed out that it's swaddled in an EOS Waveguide, though I don't think Revel (or Harman) is going to call it that.

Even more interesting is the rest of the driver complement. It's all Ti inverted dome drivers.

[JBLnsince1959]

OH MY GODDD!!!!

that's kind of what I've been wanting to do with my performance series...

Be tweeters...:bouncy:
Ti Domes.......:applaud: :applaud:

Oh my God, Oh my God....:banana: :banana:

yes, Yes, YES!!!!!!!!!

:smsex: :smsex:

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....:p

[Mr. Widget]

Then I pointed out that it's swaddled in an EOS Waveguide, though I don't think Revel (or Harman) is going to call it that.In the presentation I attended I believe they did call it that... they did take offense, (quite politely) when I referred to the many forms of JBL technology used in the drivers... they referred to it as Harman Technology.


Widget

[Titanium Dome]

Just as JBL fans have their fabled designers, including our current hero, Greg Timbers, the Revel fans swear by the work of Kevin Voecks, who came to Harman and the then new Revel from Canada in the wake of Dr. Floyd Toole. They worked together there at the national lab. (Canadian National Research Council)

Stereophile placed him next to the Ultima2 Salons and wrote this:


JA already blogged about the Ultima Salon2 demo we attended yesterday, but I just had to second his praise with an additional rave: These large speakers are incredibly light on their feet. Yes, the bass was impressive, and, yes, they sounded fabulous on vocals, but for me, it was their ability to change rhythmic directions on a tack-head that was most impressive.
So, it seemed appropriate to post a photo of Kevin Voecks waltzing them around the room. Kevin led.

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:oOZsslb9t5YJ:blog.stereophile.com/cedia2006/+cedia+2006+kevin+voecks&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=safari

[Titanium Dome]

I read this some time ago, but since I mentioned Kevin Voecks, I thought I'd link to it. It says a lot about him, about Harman, and about Revel.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_11_2/feature-interview-kevin-voecks-4-2004.html

[edgewound]

In the presentation I attended I believe they did call it that... they did take offense, (quite politely) when I referred to the many forms of JBL technology used in the drivers... they referred to it as Harman Technology.


Widget

You're such a rabblerouser, Mr. Widget!!


:applaud: :p :rotfl:

The drivers bear a striking resemblence to those in the PT's

[Titanium Dome]

OH MY GODDD!!!!

that's kind of what I've been wanting to do with my performance series...

Be tweeters...:bouncy:
Ti Domes.......:applaud: :applaud:

(snip)

Yeah, I'm almost as excited as you are. Check out the size of those Ti drivers: 8", 6.5", and 4" sizes. Sounds a bit familiar, eh?

[JBLnsince1959]

I'll post my feelings on this line later today when I have a few minutes.

Widget

Great.....

[JBLnsince1959]

Yeah, I'm almost as excited as you are. Check out the size of those Ti drivers: 8", 6.5", and 4" sizes. Sounds a bit familiar, eh?

Exactly, looks REAL familar:hmm: ....JBL should be doing this ( it's what I've been begging for)...

BUT I'm sure Harmon tells the companies what to do and then steals tech from everyone to give to Revel....Oh well.....

[Titanium Dome]

Exactly, looks REAL familar:hmm: ....JBL should be doing this ( it's what I've been begging for)...

BUT I'm sure Harmon tells the companies what to do and then steals tech from everyone to give to Revel....Oh well.....

Well, in the end, it's all Harman, so other than our historical loyalties, I'm not sure it matters. Like Grace Slick said, "I don't care if my lettuce has DDT on it, as long as it's crisp."

:confused: Yeah, I know, :wtf:

The good news is I can see a lot of possibilities here... :hmm:

[JBLnsince1959]

Well, in the end, it's all Harman, so other than our historical loyalties, I'm not sure it matters. Like Grace Slick said, "I don't care if my lettuce has DDT on it, as long as it's crisp."

:confused: Yeah, I know, :wtf:

The good news is I can see a lot of possibilities here... :hmm:

yes, I'm being picky..I know....

I'm sure they worked on the woofers to go lower.....I wonder when we can buy parts???

seriously tho, I don't care what name is on it ( I prefer JBL you understand). I've got to hear those...it's what's been in my head for a over a year now....

[Titanium Dome]

This is the picture I was trying to get. I saw it on the 14th, but couldn't find it after Widget reminded me this had happened. This is a much better look from the front at the Ultima2 Salon.

From the top:

Be dome 1" tweeter with EOS Waveguide

Ti inverted dome 4" midrange w/ dual neodymium magnet and ribbon wire voice coils

Ti inverted dome 6.5" midbass w/ dual neodymium magnet and ribbon wire voice coils

Ti inverted dome 8" woofer w/ dual neodymium magnet and ribbon wire voice coils

Notice the baffle design around the tweeter and midrange. For the cabinet freaks, it's real wood on the sides, too.

The picture and comments can be found here:

http://blog.ultimateavmag.com/cedia2006/081006Revel3/

[Titanium Dome]

Well, stablemate Lexicon cooked up three seven-channels amps that complement the new line if you need power. Look here

http://blog.hometheatermag.com/cedia2006/091506lexiconrevel/

for "Lexicon Mates with Revel." (That's illegal in some states, right?)

[Titanium Dome]

Here you can see the Ultima2 Studio on the left and the Ultima2 Salon on the right. They're said to be 6dB more sensitive than their predecessors. The baffles are nine layers of sculpted, laminated MDF.

At $22,000 a pair for the Salons and $16,000 for the Studios, they're not that expensive. Compare them to the K2 S9800 at about $30,000 a pair and the Everest DD 66000 at $60,000.

For a direct radiator, Ti, Waveguide kind of guy, the Studios look really attractive and even the TOL Salons are more attainable than the horn-based K2 S9800s.

http://www.shows.soundstagelive.com/shows/avtour2006/ced_showstoppers_1.html

[Thom]

It all sounds good, but I'd shure like to see the head of engineering's salary as compared the head of marketing. I don't blame Harman but I bet marketing does better. I know people who speak of Leavenson as pre and post Harmon. I've always wondered about that Lexus system ( I've never heard it) since you can spend more on Lenenson then the Lexus cost. I'd love to hear the systems thair refering to, I've probably had my head in a bucket for a few years I didn't know Harmon had more speaker companys than JBL and Infinity, I'm going to go listen but I have such a hard time behaving myself when the talk of magic wire comes about. Guess I'll just ask them if they have a crystal on their microwave to protect themselves, my luck they'll have several choices for sale.

[Titanium Dome]

Is this an updated PC600 from the Performance Series?

Why, no, it's the Ultima2 voice. :hmm:

[Titanium Dome]

Is this an updated PT800 from the Performance Series?

Why, no, it's an Ultima2 Gem.

[JBLnsince1959]

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Why won't they let JBL do this?????? Why, oh why???? that's what I've been saying they should do for over a year:banghead:




In a brief listening session, the new Salon 2s were very impressive, exhibiting almost shocking levels of “see-through” transparency, lively and lifelike dynamics, and the ability to resolve exceedingly fine musical details that would simply get lost in most other loudspeaker systems.


Gee, that's what we've been saying about the PS series for so long......

[JBLnsince1959]

Well..one thing we just learned about Harmon... Now we know how much you have to spend to get black paint on the frames of the transducers..

[Titanium Dome]

Well..one thing we just learned about Harmon... Now we know how much you have to spend to get black paint on the frames of the transducers..

ha ha ha :p

[Mr. Widget]

Dome... outwardly they may look similar, but the drivers look like really serious JBLs from the rear... at the show they had them all out on the table and we could pick them up and really look at them. What's more they aren't even made by the same vendor as the JBLs.


Is this going to be like your Performance Series et. al. threads, with ten thousand TiDome posts? :D


Widget

[edgewound]

I don't see what this thread has to do with Lansing Heritage...after all Kevin Voecks from Revel said that this is "Harman" Technology.

What does that tell ya?

[JBLnsince1959]

Dome... outwardly they may look similar, but the drivers look like really serious JBLs from the rear... at the show they had them all out on the table and we could pick them up and really look at them. What's more they aren't even made by the same vendor as the JBLs.


Is this going to be like your Performance Series et. al. threads, with ten thousand TiDome posts? :D


Widget

Yes, I'm sure they redesigned them from the ground up, Particularly the woofers. any idea on the crossover points? I was reading about the mags on them..nice, real nice...

I'm seriously thinking on those and will start saving...

I personally promise not to write more than 7000 post if that will help...

[Titanium Dome]

Dome... outwardly they may look similar, but the drivers look like really serious JBLs from the rear... at the show they had them all out on the table and we could pick them up and really look at them. What's more they aren't even made by the same vendor as the JBLs.


Is this going to be like your Performance Series et. al. threads, with ten thousand TiDome posts? :D


Widget

I'm sure these enclosures, drivers, and networks are better in many different ways, yet the similarities are uncanny and worthy of comment. For the price differential I'd expect significant qualitative advancements all 'round.

As for "ten thousand TiDome posts," well you know me well enough to ask, so I think you know me well enough to answer. It's going to be :blah: :blah:

Heck, there's still gas in the tank over in the PS thread. :yes:

[Mr. Widget]

I don't see what this thread has to do with Lansing Heritage...after all Kevin Voecks from Revel said that this is "Harman" Technology.

What does that tell ya?Lansing Related Gear....

I suppose we could move it up to General Audio Discussion, but does it really matter?


Widget

[Valentin]

i want does tweeters for my LSR 6332 but who know if there are compatible with the cross over which by the way is at the same point 2.2 4th order with the same waveguide but i don't know about sensitivity and impedance

may be one of you more savvy persons could tell me

because those tweeters are not going to be cheap

[Valentin]

[quote=Mr. Widget]Dome... outwardly they may look similar, but the drivers look like really serious JBLs from the rear... at the show they had them all out on the table and we could pick them up and really look at them. What's more they aren't even made by the same vendor as the JBLs.

you did not take pictures those would be great

[Mr. Widget]

It would be quite a coincidence if you could just drop it in... the networks on these loudspeakers are designed with all of the quirks of each driver in mind... tossing in another tweeter will likely play music, but it will likely not perform as well as the original.


Widget

[Valentin]

I agree with you only wishfull thinking

JBL did a great job on lsr and tweaking the system with out the know how is wasteful

:) only wishfull thinking:D

[Titanium Dome]

Lansing Related Gear....

I suppose we could move it up to General Audio Discussion, but does it really matter?


Widget

Actually, I started this in General Audio Discussion, and someone moved it. I missed the little detail Widget underlined in red. I think it's in the right place now.

[edgewound]

Lansing Related Gear....

I suppose we could move it up to General Audio Discussion, but does it really matter?


Widget

My bad...sorry:o:

[Titanium Dome]

Stereophile lists the frequency response as 24Hz to 45kHz. No + or - dB is given in the brief report.

http://blog.stereophile.com/cedia2006/091406revel/

[Mr. Widget]

The cabinets.

The fit and finish was rather poor, but we were told that it was because these were prototypes. I'd expect that is true since all of the previous Revels have been well constructed. Aesthetically, the original Ultima series was unique looking... I never particularly liked it, but it was acceptable. These have much less character. With the grilles removed the highly polished lumpy bumpy baffle was not particularly attractive, but purposeful. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the engineers who designed them and he told me that one of the design goals was absolute minimum diffraction. With the grilles on the speakers looked rather generic, but I did prefer it to the glossy lumps and bumps.

The cabinets are built of many layers of MDF and seemed to be quite dense and non resonant. The connectors on the back are high end WBT binding posts and were hidden behind a gasketed plastic door that was handled quite elegantly.

The sound.

The room was about the size of a medium sized living room and there were some sound panels up on the walls to reduce first reflections and reflections off the rear walls. The listening sessions were limited to groups of 6 so that everyone had a chance to sit in the sweet spot if desired. The electronics were top flight Mark Levinson. The sole source was a Mark Levinson CD player. We listened to a wide range of music including classical music with strings, harp, and a variety of percussion instruments. We also heard female vocals, acapella singers, rock, and jazz. Immediately it was apparent that they were quite dynamic and had stage depth for days. The imaging and stage depth were really amazing... very solid and well defined. Sitting in the sweet spot brought the stage into focus... the other seats were perfectly pleasant, but far less outstanding. The most remarkable thing about the speakers was the sheer neutrality... I am usually quite sensitive to tweaked frequency response curves... many speaker designers "adjust" the response curve to mask a problem. If the speakers tend to be harsh they tone down the upper mids... if they are lifeless they may jack up this region... if the bass is boomy they may tone it down or mask it with an upper bass peak and so on. These speakers with these electronics in this room were remarkably free of any peaks or dips. The detail resolution was also very good without any sense of hardness or edginess. When turned up the sound character didn't get aggressive or unpleasant. (Even the much touted LSRs will drive me from the room at much lower levels than we were listening to during the let's crank it up portion.) Even though these speakers use rather tiny 8" woofers the three of them did an excellent job of recreating music... in an HT situation or if you are a serious bass head, you may want to augment them with a sub. That said, they did not sound thin or lacking bass in any way.

Despite my not being excited by their visual appeal like I am with the DD66000, I would be thrilled to own a pair of these speakers. At $22K a pair, I really doubt that I ever will, but for anyone looking for a pair of speakers at this level of performance, you really must give them a whirl. I'd imagine they are superior to the DD66000 in imaging and tonal neutrality, but come up short in the dynamics and maximum SPL department... I didn't find either of these two areas really lacking though... the speakers got loud and had punch.


Widget

[TimG]

I hope I will be able to hear these speakers at the next CES, although I'm going mostly to hear the DD66000. I agree with Widget that the new cabinet designs are really not very unique. The first thing I thought when I saw them was, Oh a new set of Paradigms. The old cabinets at least made a unique statement that set them apart from other brands.

About buying Revel drivers, good luck. I have tried in the past to purchase Revel drivers through various Harmon channels and I always got the same answer, "The Madrigal division does not sell parts to consumers." However, I could have bought some similar parts from the JBL TiK line of speakers which appeared to be using similar midranges to the old Salons.

I know some of the other lines from Revel are using drives made by Harmon's new aquistion, Audax, so I wonder if these new drivers are being made in France as well.

[JBLnsince1959]

Well hopefully someone will take this to the next level:

Be - tweeter
Be - mid-range
Ceramic composite - mid-bass and bass

Hey JBL..come on guys, make us something that can answer Revel....:D

[edgewound]

Well hopefully someone will take this to the next level:

Be - tweeter
Be - mid-range
Ceramic composite - mid-bass and bass



Look here:

A company that has similar lineage:

http://www.tadhomeaudio.com/specs.html


I'm certainly tiring of the homogeneity of multinational conglomerates that inbreed their technology to a family of brands through acquisition.

I'll refrain from certain examples to keep the peace.

[JBLnsince1959]

Look here:

A company that has similar lineage:

http://www.tadhomeaudio.com/specs.html





Close, but no cigar.....wrong type of woofers. But thanks for the tip :bouncy: I've got something new to learn:D

[Mr. Widget]

No those TADs are quite different... but then despite the fact that the JBL Performance Series look very similar they too are very different and made by a different vendor than the Revel as well.

The TAD Model One was $65K a pair and a limited run. The new Model Two will be available shortly and will be a veritable bargain at ~$40K a pair.

Now these Pioneers are a real bargain... very similar voicing to the TADs, the exact same Be tweeter and a similar design. These are $9K a pair for the towers and less for the rest.


Widget

[edgewound]

No those TADs are quite different... but then despite the fact that the JBL Performance Series look very similar they too are very different and made by a different vendor than the Revel as well.

The TAD Model One was $65K a pair and a limited run. The new Model Two will be available shortly and will be a veritable bargain at ~$40K a pair.

Now these Pioneers are a real bargain... very similar voicing to the TAD the exact same Be tweeter and a similar design. These are $9K a pair for the towers and less for the rest.


Widget

These Pioneers EX's look to be a true trickle down from the TAD's.

They were on display in cutaway fashion at last years CES, but not available for listen....but very impressive looking construction and design.

Pioneer has a new company store...the first and only, so far,...at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA, near Newport Beach.

[Mr. Widget]

These Pioneers EX's look to be a true trickle down from the TAD's.They are... Andrew Jones designed both systems. I know him and was able to get a private demo... these speakers while not quite the Revel Salons, were absolutely outstanding. I'll start a thread soon and go on and on and on... well maybe not that bad.:D


Widget

[Titanium Dome]

Here's a six minute video with Kevin Voecks articulating the many innovations of the Ultima2 Series.

Highlights include
—he talks about baffle design
—we get to see the grilles
—he says "...inverted Titanium domes..." (I almost swooned. :nutz: )

http://www.avguide.com/features/cedia06/videos/revel-l.php

[Titanium Dome]

In this article, Keven Voecks, Jim Thiel, and Mike Kelly give some insight into their work.

Voecks and the folks at Revel are not subjectivists. ;) One can see how this trickled down into the Ultima2 redesign and why Revel is so comfortable with a completely new speaker line to replace its top series.

http://www.cepro.com/magazine/article/14329.html

[Titanium Dome]

Here's a good look at the Performa and Concerta lines from Revel, as well as a fine shot of the Ultima2 poster and the Ultima2 Studio.

http://www.audiofederation.com/hifiing/2006/CEDIA2006/day1-part2/IMG_2428.jpg

[Titanium Dome]

This shot of the Ultima2 Salon shows the wood veneer. There appear to be some marks on the finish, and the fit and finish have that not in production yet look about them.

http://www.audiofederation.com/hifiing/2006/CEDIA2006/day1-part2/IMG_2430.jpg

[Titanium Dome]

Here's a nice look at the Be dome tweeter, waveguide, and Ti drivers in the Ultima2 Studio. With an Ultima Sub30, it might be competitive with the Salon.

http://www.audiofederation.com/hifiing/2006/CEDIA2006/day1-part2/IMG_2429.jpg

It kinda gives me a little L5 deja vu.

[Titanium Dome]

There's a pair of Ultima Salons I was considering buying prior to the release of the Ultima2 Salons, and I had an audition, which was impressive. However, I struggled with the appearance, my resistance waxing rather than waning as I considered looking at them everyday.

The Ultima2 is such a departure both aesthetically and component-wise. I keep reading these few words:


From an aesthetic standpoint, the Ultima2 Series cabinets feature smooth rounded lines that blend with a wide variety of architectural styles. The elegant design extends to the magnetically attached grills eliminating the need for mounting hardware, while the acoustically optimized baffles and smooth surfaces of the transducer offer a visually arresting look when the loudspeakers are without their grills. The Ultima2 Series is available in a beautiful high-gloss mahogany wood veneer or a high-gloss black lacquer finish that complements any décor.

Now all resistance is gone and the acquisition fever is high.

Revel, which is ten years old this year, has no user community, no forums, no heritage sites. Bummer. Well, I guess there's not much to talk about (yet). So, if I'm fortunate to get a pair, I'll still have plenty of JBLs around that I can talk about. :yes: :thmbsup:

[JBLnsince1959]

Now all resistance is gone and the acquisition fever is high.

Revel, which is ten years old this year, has no user community, no forums, no heritage sites. Bummer. Well, I guess there's not much to talk about (yet). So, if I'm fortunate to get a pair, I'll still have plenty of JBLs around that I can talk about. :yes: :thmbsup:




subliminal message: Go for it...go for it....go for it....go for it....Go for it

as you well know Dome.. always buy these things with a rational mind and calm head..never rush into these things...


subliminal message: Go for it...go for it....go for it....go for it....Buy Them...buy them

That'a alot of money just for speakers, I mean look at what you have already....

subliminal message: Go for it...go for it....go for it....go for it....Go for it... Buy Them...buy them

Hopefully, this type of rational discussion will put things into perspective for you......


subliminal message: Go for it...go for it....go for it....go for it....Go for it...Buy Them...buy them


subliminal message: Buy Them...Buy Them....Buy Them....Buy Them....Buy Them....Buy Them...buy them

[Titanium Dome]

On another forum (http://www.smr-forums.com), John Rotondo. Webmaster for Harman Specialty Group) announced the updating of the Revel Web site to reflect the Ultima2 line.

Now there's a ton of info available.

http://www.revelspeakers.com/products/product-series.asp?series=Ultima2

[Storm]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Revel-Ultima-Studio-Speakers-Gloss-Black-Aluminum_W0QQitemZ250036104652QQihZ015QQcategoryZ1 4993QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Titanium Dome]

I found this image on www.euphonia-audioforum.se and liked its look. It actually comes from the Revel site, but it looks so darn clean out of the original context, I decided to repeat it here.

[Titanium Dome]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Revel-Ultima-Studio-Speakers-Gloss-Black-Aluminum_W0QQitemZ250036104652QQihZ015QQcategoryZ1 4993QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Some folks find the Ultima2 Salon to be bland compared to the original Ultima Salon. To me, the original looks like it came from the Cylons in the original Battlestar Galactica and seems severely dated as a period piece.

It is, however more imposing. Of course, what matters most is how each sounds. I can't wait to hear the new Ultima2 Salon (or Studio). :bouncy:

[grumpy]

Those -2's would have to sound -significantly- better for me to give up
what I think is a very nice look (Cylons or not)... not that I own original
Salons, but if I did :D

-grumpy

[Maron Horonzakz]

Dr. Who and the Darlaks....Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate !!!!!:biting:

[LE15-Thumper]

Bloody gorgeous cabinets and drivers !!! Wow !

What old ad was that where the guy is sitting on the bed with the speaker ?

[Titanium Dome]

Here's Keven Voecks introducing the Ultima2s, before he gets cut short by the interviewer. Some good shots of my next speakers (maybe...) ;)

http://www.cinenow.com/uk/play-video-486.html?f=wmv

[Titanium Dome]

A couple of sources tell me the first actual production units for Ultima2 Salons came off the line around the middle of May. There will need to be some QA evaluations and testing to make sure it was done right, but these things still might ship in the first half of 2007.

My local dealer is beginning to hate me. :applaud:

[Valentin]

are they being assembled in Mexico like the concerta line

[jim campbell]

all will be forgiven the day you fork over 22 grand for those salon 2's i bet.........

[Mr. Widget]

are they being assembled in Mexico like the concerta lineNope. They are labeled as a USA product... not sure what that means these days.


Widget

[Titanium Dome]

are they being assembled in Mexico like the concerta line


Nope. They are labeled as a USA product... not sure what that means these days.


Widget

My understanding is that they're produced about 30 miles NW from where I live.

[gtimbers]

I am going to pop in quickly and correct a common misconception. After which, I will disapear again.

Revel product, specifically the Ultima original and current new models are and always have been designed by Mark Glazer. He began life with Infinity and moved to Revel shortly after it started up. Kevin is Director of Marketing and is involved with final voicing decisions and many other aspects of the product definition, but the acoustic engineering is done solely by Mark.

Floyd, Sean, Ulricht and all of the other names that have been given credit for Revel design have not had anything to do with the product. It is of constant discomfort for me to see other individuals get credit for designs on which they were not involved. These are errors of omission and in my opinion, nothing intentional. During the extensive sessions that we often have with press and reviewers, a lot of information comes up and these kind of miscommunications are fairly common. I know how badly I have felt on the few occasions that other were given undue credit for my work. I have been very fortunate as the Japan market has been overly fair with my promotion and I have been treated very well by the US and European groups as well. I simply wish Mark the credit for which he is due. The new Revel stuff is extremely nice product and should leave a positive mark on the industry.

Greg - aka Mr. JBL

[Robh3606]

Thanks Greg

Rob:)

[hjames]

I am going to pop in quickly and correct a common misconception. After which, I will disapear again.

Greg - aka Mr. JBL

Bravo sir, thanks for your input - always a pleasure to see you come 'round ... have a Merry Christmas indeed!

[Valentin]

Thanks for the input
i think here in the forum we can make an efort to transmit these information so that Mark gets the merit he deserves

I have hear the Ultima 2 Salon and thy are a very nice product
please step in more often

[Titanium Dome]

I am going to pop in quickly and correct a common misconception. After which, I will disapear again.

Revel product, specifically the Ultima original and current new models are and always have been designed by Mark Glazer. He began life with Infinity and moved to Revel shortly after it started up. Kevin is Director of Marketing and is involved with final voicing decisions and many other aspects of the product definition, but the acoustic engineering is done solely by Mark.

Floyd, Sean, Ulricht and all of the other names that have been given credit for Revel design have not had anything to do with the product. It is of constant discomfort for me to see other individuals get credit for designs on which they were not involved. These are errors of omission and in my opinion, nothing intentional. During the extensive sessions that we often have with press and reviewers, a lot of information comes up and these kind of miscommunications are fairly common. I know how badly I have felt on the few occasions that other were given undue credit for my work. I have been very fortunate as the Japan market has been overly fair with my promotion and I have been treated very well by the US and European groups as well. I simply wish Mark the credit for which he is due. The new Revel stuff is extremely nice product and should leave a positive mark on the industry.

Greg - aka Mr. JBL

Boy, I thought this thread was dead (especially after I sunk all my money in a house).

Well, marketing guys do like the spotlight, as you know. Thanks for bringing Mark Glazier's (see below) Glazer's name out on stage.

[gtimbers]

My mistake. Mark Glazer is the correct spelling. Not the former head of Madrigal who is a marketing guy. We had the same problem here when they were both on the phone list at the same time. Like most of the Engineers at Harman, Mark has been kept in the background and not mentioned. Unless you are heavily into Infinity product, you would probably not have heard of him. However, he has designed all of the Revel product of any merit and has done so pretty much by himself.

[grumpy]

I applaud your efforts to give proper credit where credit and appreciation is due. -grumpy

[Valentin]

i googled and found nada

he is shure in the backgound

[Titanium Dome]

My mistake. Mark Glazer is the correct spelling. Not the former head of Madrigal who is a marketing guy. We had the same problem here when they were both on the phone list at the same time. Like most of the Engineers at Harman, Mark has been kept in the background and not mentioned. Unless you are heavily into Infinity product, you would probably not have heard of him. However, he has designed all of the Revel product of any merit and has done so pretty much by himself.

Well, in that case, I'll edit my post. ;)

[Titanium Dome]

This will be a bit of a long post, but it will shine the light on Revel Ultima2 gear as a result of time spent at a SoCal high end AV design and installation house.

I got there at 10 AM sharp on Saturday, too early as it turned out, but it actually benefitted me. After telling me that nothing was happening until 2 PM (plus a Mustang car show at noon in the parking lot), then they let me pretty much do what I wanted for 90 minutes. This allowed me to spend time in every room and to talk to a number of the guys working there who were busily setting things up and doing some room tuning.

There was actual calibration going on in a couple of rooms, as several pieces of just-arrived equipment were being set up. This was interesting for a second, but watching calibration gets old fast unless it's your system that's being worked on.

The rooms have good doors, however, so I could go into any listening room, close the door, and shut out the annoying tone blasts of the calibrations.

One question I asked repeatedly was about room treatments, as the rooms seemed undertreated to me. The answers I got were somewhat surprising. The basic response, repeated several times, was that they limit treatments to carpet, furniture, and perhaps a (very) few thin wall panels. The main exception was to have many thin wall panels in the room with tile flooring.

So there were no thicker panels or bass traps for LF absorption, no diffusers, and no isolation of noise-making or heat-producing equipment in many cases.

As for speaker placement, I was told that usually in the sound rooms they just set them down and toe them in. If they need to, they'll move them closer to or further from the walls if needed. The only "tuned" rooms are the HT rooms, where speaker set up and calibration are rigorously attended to.

The stacks of McIntosh gear were amazing. They produced immediate size and appearance envy, as I kept thinking, "I wish mine were that big and that attractive." :rolleyes: The TT in particular was impressive, though I must admit to a Star Wars cantina visual moment or two after the initial impression wore off. All the lights, meters, and shiny glass became very distracting after a while and interfered with my enjoyment. I actually covered my eyes with my baseball cap a couple of times so I could focus on the sound. (I know, it's hard to imagine; I can't believe that I felt compelled to do it either, but http://www.thesourceav.com/FeaturedSystem.htm )

Because I have two well-treated rooms at home, I think I've got a perceptual expectation about how a good room should sound and feel even before the music begins. By and large their rooms sounded edgy and felt hard to me. In some cases the rooms were sonically similar to the hallways. I did not feel I had stepped into a different aural space, though obviously the visual impression was amazing given the fantastic array of quality products on display.

When I visited Todd-AO, when we went into a sound stage, even with lots of people, we knew we stepped into a special space that had a sound and feel that was acoustically right and ready to give us a fantastic listening experience. In replicated the sound and feel of my much smaller but properly treated space at home.

I spent the most time in the lightly-treated Revel Ultima2 Salon room, and a good portion of that time listening in stereo. Given the room size and modest appointments, I was floored by how good the Salons were. I kept trying different music to see if I could trip them up, and I kept moving around the room to see where they would begin to fall apart. In two words: very impressed. The Ultima2 Studios in another room were nearly as good, but it was clear the Salons were worth the extra coin. I was told that Kevin Voecks might show up but if he did it was after I left. I would have shaken his hand for such a wonderful job. I will have a pair of Ultima2 Salons because...uh... I must have a pair of Ultima2 Salons. They reminded me a lot of my JBL Performance Series, but obviously done with a bigger budget and more freedom, and they seem like a logical and emotional step for someone who likes those Ti inverted dome drivers as much as I do.

I was impressed with some of the Sonus Faber gear, though it suffered for lack of its own room and lack of a better room. The Revels were in their own spaces; also, they seemed less room dependent with their narrow baffles and waveguide technology. As usual, I was less than impressed with the electrostatics. I've just never taken to their limitations, and the plusses are too few to overcome the disappointments they bring, including being big and unattractive. Also, a note to McIntosh: stick to your core strengths. It ain't speakers.

One other observation: I really, really, really do not like looking at flat panel displays while listening to these systems. They're too small for the sound, and they lack the presence and impact of a projected image. At home, we've got a modest 46" Sharp Aquos in our bedroom, and we have smaller flat panels in our guest rooms. We thoroughly enjoy watching TV on them as an adjunct to normal bedroom activities. Nonetheless, when I go down to the media rooms, I don't want no stinkin' flat panels. I want big screens to go with the total A/V package. So... it was weird to have the glorious Revel Ultima2 Salon/Gem 5.1 surround experience while trying to view Transformers 2 on a friggin' 50" + or - LCD screen. It's just not right! Not in a room with $80,000 of sound reproduction equipment in it.

Curiously, they had a JL sub with the Salons. I asked why and got the lame reply, "We like JL a lot." Okay, who cares? The Revel Ultima2 Salon was fantastic-er when the JL was turned off (by me).

[Titanium Dome]

The room was Spartan, to say the least: not a single treatment on the front wall or at the first reflection point on the sidewalls. There's a nice, big, hard table for the Ultima2 Voice to reflect off of. The reflective screen on the TV just adds to the room's harsh feel.

[Titanium Dome]

Looking lonely in the barren corner, the Salons were slightly smaller than I expected. Still, at over 150 lb. I wasn't taking them lightly. The placement almost seemed haphazard.

Yet, the narrow baffle and the waveguide really made for an excellent soundstage, both wide and sort of deep despite the dreadful conditions.

Someone thought it would be good to put an overstuffed leather love seat on the side wall. :dont-know

[Titanium Dome]

Yep, my pictures suck, but all I had was my phone in a dark room. :D

The equipment closet was in the rear, and it had the obligatory McIntosh kit, as well as Denon Bluray, Marantz processor, and more. When the room was completely dark, the many lights coming through the closet's glass door reflected annoyingly off the TV screen.

[Titanium Dome]

Here's a lonely Gem surround. It had a sweet, sweet sound and would be a nice speaker all on its own. Of course, it would need a sub. PT800 all grown up? More like a cousin, I think.

[BMWCCA]

http://ebayitem.com/220505543593

Poor grammar is not mine:


Revel Ultima Salon2 (No Reserve)
If Your Looking Here, You know What these are About, Highest Rated Speakers Period! Buy these at an Insane price with No Reserve and Free shipping! Bid With confidence, Check my feedback and other auctions.This auction is for one pair of Salon2 speakers, Trade in from original owner, His loss your gain.He had moved to a apartment and needed to scale down. If you do not bid you can't win. This is a once in a lifetime deal!!!! These Speakers sell for $22,00.00 Plus tax New! Specification Value Sensitivity (4π anechoic with 2.83V at 1m), mean of 100Hz to 20kHz 86.4dB Impedance 6Ω (Nominal), 3.7Ω (Minimum) Crossover Frequencies 150Hz, 575Hz and 2.3kHz Frequency Range 23Hz and 45kHz In-room Response Relative to Target Response 29Hz to 18kHz ±0.5dB Listening Window Response 26Hz to 20kHz ±1.0dB Low Frequency Extension -3dB at 23Hz, -6dB at 20Hz and -10dB at 17Hz Height (With Base) 53.25" (1353mm) Height (Without Base) 50" (1270mm) Width (With Base) 14" (356mm) Width (Without Base) 11" (279mm) Depth (With Base) 23" (584mm) Depth (Without Base) 18.8" (477mm) Baffle Thickness 2.5" (64mm) Baffle Width 9.6" (244mm) Shipping Weight 178lbs (80.7kg) Notes The Salon2’s base cannot be removed

[Mr. Widget]

Of course, it would need a sub. PT800 all grown up? More like a cousin, I think.A rich cousin? :D

I have thought about getting a pair as I'd like something about that size in my living room... but I have never heard them and I have a hard time spending that much on something I've never heard... well, I've heard them, but only as rear surrounds and that doesn't count. ;)

Oh, and yes, your pictures are painfully bad, but thanks for sharing. :bouncy:


Widget

[grumpy]

I still prefer the -look- of the original Ultima series ... :yes:
they had more of an exuberant personality.

[Mr. Widget]

I still prefer the -look- of the original Ultima series ... :yes:
they had more of an exuberant personality.I agree...

I understand the technical reasoning behind the Salons and Studios, but the new Gems, appear to be a compromise to satisfy someone else's aesthetics...


Widget

[Titanium Dome]

When i saw the photos of the new Salons in 2007, I was dubious, but when I first saw them almost two years ago, they were much nicer in reality. As I noted above, I was surprised they looked a bit smaller this time, but it might have been the bare room that diminished them visually.

There's no doubt that they sound great and that they sound better than the original Salons. The original Salons can be had used for under $7k, which makes them a fantastic bargain, but I'd rather spend the extra $$ for the current model. It would be a disappointment to have the originals after spending time with the 2s.

[grumpy]

It would be a disappointment to have the originals after spending time with the 2s.Perhaps. I've not had the pleasure of hearing the new series yet.

Thus far, I -have- heard -quite- a few disparate speaker examples that
make magic with quality source material (sometimes only with -certain- source
material), most of which I will unlikely ever own. This does not
guarantee daily disappointment (thank goodness) vs what I own, but does
allow me to appreciate that there are many levels and areas of speaker
performance that can provide elements of personal enjoyment, and that
those levels and areas tend to be weighed a little bit differently by
everyone.

Makes speaker design to a mass market a real bitch.

[4313B]

Makes speaker design to a mass market a real bitch.I couldn't stand it. Too large of an audience to satisfy and most likely none of them are ever coming to my home.

[jblsound]

I spent the most time in the lightly-treated Revel Ultima2 Salon room, and a good portion of that time listening in stereo. Given the room size and modest appointments, I was floored by how good the Salons were. I kept trying different music to see if I could trip them up, and I kept moving around the room to see where they would begin to fall apart. In two words: very impressed. The Ultima2 Studios in another room were nearly as good, but it was clear the Salons were worth the extra coin. I was told that Kevin Voecks might show up but if he did it was after I left. I would have shaken his hand for such a wonderful job. I will have a pair of Ultima2 Salons because...uh... I must have a pair of Ultima2 Salons. They reminded me a lot of my JBL Performance Series, but obviously done with a bigger budget and more freedom, and they seem like a logical and emotional step for someone who likes those Ti inverted dome drivers as much as I do.


That was my thoughts when I heard the Salon2 in SF two months ago, the natural step up from the PT800.
But you must like a completely dead room, I do not. I've heard such rooms, no thanks. The room I heard the Salons in did have four 2x4 panels along the side walls about a foot apart and each rising in elevation to the one next to it. And there was a funky ceiling defuser. But that's it.

But unlike the room you show, the Salons in that SF dealer's room were at least 4 ft from the sides and at least 5 ft out from the screen wall. Just about how I would have placed them. And for most music, if not all, I would turn the sub off, only using it for movies.

[Titanium Dome]

But you must like a completely dead room,
.

I agree with most of what you say, but I have no idea where you pulled this from. :blink:

A properly treated room is not a dead room by any means.

[Maron Horonzakz]

Anechoic chamber is a dead room.

[jblsound]

I agree with most of what you say, but I have no idea where you pulled this from. :blink:


From this statement of yours.

One question I asked repeatedly was about room treatments, as the rooms seemed undertreated to me. The answers I got were somewhat surprising. The basic response, repeated several times, was that they limit treatments to carpet, furniture, and perhaps a (very) few thin wall panels. The main exception was to have many thin wall panels in the room with tile flooring.

IMO, nothing wrong with those conditions.
If the room would have had tile floors and huge amounts of windows, w/o drapes and speakers set right into the corners, then, yes, add treatments




Anechoic chamber is a dead room.

Exactly my point. I've been in HT rooms, that to me, were about as dead. The music had no life to it whatsoever.

[Mr. Widget]

Exactly my point. I've been in HT rooms, that to me, were about as dead. The music had no life to it whatsoever.Most home listening environments would be considerably less live than these pictured "listening" rooms. Simply adding an upholstered couch, an arm chair or two and carpets will do a lot to tame a room. If you've ever moved, pay attention to the sound of your voice once the furniture has been removed from the room... the change is quite remarkable.

If the listening room is not fully furnished with wood tables and chairs to act as diffusers and upholstered furniture to act as absorbers, you will need a fair amount of treatment to have a decent room.

Of course, if you prefer an unusually bright room, that is fine, but most music is produced and recorded with a more "typical" room in mind.


Widget

[jblsound]

Most home listening environments would be considerably less live than these pictured "listening" rooms. Simply adding an upholstered couch, an arm chair or two and carpets will do a lot to tame a room. If you've ever moved, pay attention to the sound of your voice once the furniture has been removed from the room... the change is quite remarkable.

If the listening room is not fully furnished with wood tables and chairs to act as diffusers and upholstered furniture to act as absorbers, you will need a fair amount of treatment to have a decent room.

Of course, if you prefer an unusually bright room, that is fine, but most music is produced and recorded with a more "typical" room in mind.


Widget

Can't really tell what those rooms have, the floor had carpet.

The dealer where my son and I heard the Salon2 in SF two months ago, only had one chair as I remember and four wall panels along the two side walls, with each panel slightly higher than the previous one. And a small defuser on the ceiling. So there was much less in that room than my current LR. But the Salons were quite far from the walls, much as I would have placed them, the sound was superb.

I've also been in audio rooms that were way too live. A local dealer had a HT setup using Thiel speakers and at first the sound was very good, with nice open airy highs. But after awhile ear fatigue started to set in.

[Mr. Widget]

The dealer where my son and I heard the Salon2 in SF two months ago, only had one chair as I remember and four wall panels along the two side walls, with each panel slightly higher than the previous one. And a small defuser on the ceiling. So there was much less in that room than my current LR. But the Salons were quite far from the walls, much as I would have placed them, the sound was superb.That was my point. In a typical living room the usual furnishings tend to work well as the room treatment. Since most audio shop listening rooms and some home theaters have far less furniture in them, the walls and possibly the ceiling will need to be treated to make the room work.

Also as you mention, pulling the speakers out from the walls helps quite a bit too as our brains are quite capable of filtering out reflected sounds if they are delayed enough.


Widget

[jblsound]

That was my point. In a typical living room the usual furnishings tend to work well as the room treatment. Since most audio shop listening rooms and some home theaters have far less furniture in them, the walls and possibly the ceiling will need to be treated to make the room work.

Also as you mention, pulling the speakers out from the walls helps quite a bit too as our brains are quite capable of filtering out reflected sounds if they are delayed enough.


Widget
And that's what I've told other people, in a normal LR, great room, as long as there are no tile floors, window walls, and just long flat bare sheetrock walls and something other than leather seating, it should be good.
But some people, go for video first, as in craming in the largest possible screen and then stick the normal speakers in the corners. I've seen that done in HT dealer's rooms and the sound lacks anything called a soundstage.
With something like the Arrays, you can get away with it, due to their CD.

[Titanium Dome]

From this statement of yours.

One question I asked repeatedly was about room treatments, as the rooms seemed undertreated to me. The answers I got were somewhat surprising. The basic response, repeated several times, was that they limit treatments to carpet, furniture, and perhaps a (very) few thin wall panels. The main exception was to have many thin wall panels in the room with tile flooring.

IMO, nothing wrong with those conditions.
If the room would have had tile floors and huge amounts of windows, w/o drapes and speakers set right into the corners, then, yes, add treatments


Exactly my point. I've been in HT rooms, that to me, were about as dead. The music had no life to it whatsoever.

You have to consider that I was in all these rooms, and you were not. Perhaps you would have liked them; I don't know. I can't tell what your preferences are. That's exactly my point. You can't tell what mine are either, since you have not been in those rooms. So why make the wild leap to the assumption that I like a dead room?

You and I have never been in the same room, so you have no point of comparison. I was amazed that the Ultima2 Salons did as well as they did, given the deplorable state of the room IMO. Similar rooms destroyed the Sonus Faber, Boston, Martin Logan, and McIntosh speakers that were in them.

I can only imagine how much more I would have enjoyed the Salons had they been in a better room.

[jblsound]

You have to consider that I was in all these rooms, and you were not. Perhaps you would have liked them; I don't know. I can't tell what your preferences are. That's exactly my point. You can't tell what mine are either, since you have not been in those rooms. So why make the wild leap to the assumption that I like a dead room?

You and I have never been in the same room, so you have no point of comparison. I was amazed that the Ultima2 Salons did as well as they did, given the deplorable state of the room IMO. Similar rooms destroyed the Sonus Faber, Boston, Martin Logan, and McIntosh speakers that were in them.

I can only imagine how much more I would have enjoyed the Salons had they been in a better room.

True, we have never been in the same rooms, but I had assumed that the Revel room had carpet and a lot of furniture.

But I do know that we do share some of the same models and I know, in your home you use much more room treatments than I do.
Like Widget mentioned, I do rely of normal furniture, drapes, carpet to control the sound. So in that light, I would say you probably do prefer a room on the dead side, by comparision.

[Valentin]

normal room decoration will be good for high and mid freq so really good speakers that have such good and controlled dispersion will sound good in normal rooms

but the problem is in the bass region where the modal response dominates the seen and boundary effects are the most obvious

so you need a boundary that can absorb some of the energy

normal one layer gypsum construction is a good absorber at certain frequency but if you want a really good sound you will need more than that

by the photos you can see no normal decoration it is basically a empty room so that is going to be a problem in the bass and higher up

just my opinion

[HighDefSoundman]

I have had my Revel Ultima Salon 2's for two years and am still enthralled by the sound. They seem to handle every type of music well. I would describe them as ultimately smooth and accurate.

Since I bought them, I have upgraded my CD/SACD player and my Turntable. Now I will begin upgrading my speaker cables, power cords and interconnects. It is easy to hear differences with the Revels.

[Titanium Dome]

I have had my Revel Ultima Salon 2's for two years and am still enthralled by the sound. They seem to handle every type of music well. I would describe them as ultimately smooth and accurate.

Since I bought them, I have upgraded my CD/SACD player and my Turntable. Now I will begin upgrading my speaker cables, power cords and interconnects. It is easy to hear differences with the Revels.

Congratulations and welcome! You have a wonderful set of loudspeakers.

A few of us got to hear the Ultima2 Salons alongside the Everest II DD6600, 1400 Array, and K2 S9900 recently. The Salons acquitted themselves very well that day. I was convinced I would buy the Salons until I heard the K2s.

Even though the K2s cost more, I went with them. I would have been happy with the Salons, and there's still the chance they'll come my way in the future, but the K2s just could not be passed up.

Almost everyone in the room preferred the Salon during the course of the day, but only a few got to hear the K2s at the end of the day, and many of us who did felt they were really special. Of course, there are days I wish I had both.

[jblsound]

I have had my Revel Ultima Salon 2's for two years and am still enthralled by the sound. They seem to handle every type of music well. I would describe them as ultimately smooth and accurate.

Since I bought them, I have upgraded my CD/SACD player and my Turntable. Now I will begin upgrading my speaker cables, power cords and interconnects. It is easy to hear differences with the Revels.

Yes, the Salon2 is very fine system. I auditioned them last Sept. in SF. Easily the best I've heard to date. But next month I'll be in Japan, plan on hearing the top end JBLs.