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Songer Audio: Simple is Best!

I have been an avid audiophile for decades. I own a large collection of high end gear that I use in multiple rooms, frequently rotate, and listen to constantly. I attend AXPONA and CAF perennially and regularly visit audiophile friends to experience their systems. I’m really into music and audio!

My long audio journey has brought through my system many different speaker configurations, including multi-driver box speakers (B&W, McIntosh, Raidho, YG, Wilson Benesch), panels (MartinLogan, Magnapan, TSW Apogees), omnis (MBL), horns (OMA), open baffles (PureAudioProject, Linkwitz, Cube), various subs (MartinLogan, JL, Linkwitz), full rangers (DIY, Voxativ, Cube, and Songer). I’ve experienced myriad tube and solid state configurations as well as most analog and digital source types. Additionally, I’ve experimented with numerous DSP and analog processing devices including some state-of-the-art components.

My ultimate litmus test is my long-term engagement. No matter how sophisticated, resolving, acclaimed, or expensive a speaker or system may be, if I find myself disengaged, distracted, or just bored, then I will move on from it. I have found that the systems and speakers that hold my attention most are typically the simplest. I tend to increasingly gravitate to simplicity.

The Songer S1x speakers are both the simplest and the best speakers I’ve ever owned. Source to the minimalist conrad-johnson preamp to a magnificent AirTight 300b amp to the single-driver, full-range, field-coil, Songer S1x speakers is a truly magical combination. These speakers are my favorite that I’ve owned (preferable to even my significantly more expensive and sophisticated Wilson Benesch Resolutions which are otherwise superb speakers). They hold their own to anything I’ve heard at shows.

The Songers have bass that should be impossible from a single driver and a 9 watt amplifier! The resolution is superb, the stage is huge, the dynamics are excellent, they are the epitome of musical and natural, and I could listen to them for hours at a time without ever losing interest. Every time I rotate in one of my other speakers, I quickly gravitate back to the Songers.

I credit this incredible accomplishment to Ken Songer’s magnificent driver design, no crossover, the field-coil motor, a superb cabinet, high efficiency, and the perfect point source single full range driver.

At $45,000 a pair, the Songers may be one of the greatest bargains in high-end audio. They’re in that rarified club with the world’s truly great speakers.

If you’re attending CAF, the Songers are a must listen. If you’re in the $50k price range for speakers, contact Songer and arrange a demo. You will not be disappointed!

One more thing….since purchasing my Songers, I’ve had the great pleasure of getting to know Ken Songer. On top of being a brilliant designer and a master craftsman, Ken is also one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in the audio world. I do not consider myself to be his “customer”, I consider myself to be a proud patron of his art!

(This is my current system configuration. It’s a temporary set up. I’m in the process of building new equipment racks and tweaking my cable configurations.)

audionutjeff
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
6,497 posts
 

Those remind me of my Moth Audio "Cicada" speakers.  Need to drag them out of the closet and listen to them...it's been awhile.

ronboco
1,114 posts
 

@audionutjeff 

If you would have listened to Rockport speakers you would have stopped there. 

abd1
203 posts
 

I own Cube Nenuphar Mini speakers and I was also fortunate enough to have a personal demo/listening session with Ken Songer at the home of the original founder of Whammerdyne Audio, Pat Hickman. A friend of mine set it up and I didn't really know what I was in for but I'll always remember it. First, both Ken and Pat were so generous to spend time with us on a weekend and for Pat to open his home, which was beautiful, and he even showed his "lab" where he builds his amps.

As far as the speakers are concerned they're works of art. Ken designs and builds them by hand. The driver in the open baffle model looks like a sculpture. The sound was amazing from both the open baffle and sealed box models. My friend, who is an open baffle guy, naturally preferred the open baffle model. I slightly preferred the sound of the sealed box model as it had a bit more punch, bass and clarity, but both agreed we would be happy living with either speaker. When I got home to my Cube speakers I was pleasantly surprised that they share a lot of the sonic characteristics of Ken's speakers. This isn't too surprising as both are single driver, crossoverless designs. If you haven't heard a single driver, crossoverless speaker you should seek out the experience, but don't judge too quickly. There's something about the coherence and immediacy of the sound that I've never heard from other speakers. At first it can be a little confusing and even underwhelming. But spend some time and when you go back to a traditional speaker it will be almost impossible to "unhear" the advantages. My friend nailed it when he said the Cubes aren't bright, but everything is lit up. There is no missing detail but nothing sounds harsh, edgey or hard, unless that is in the recording. Everything sounds natural and the timing is spot on. When set up right the imaging and depth is insane. The drawback to me is that the sweet spot isn't the biggest, even though the frequency response is good off axis, but if you're not in it the speakers can beam, and have a headphone effect where the sound comes from the left or right side, whichever you're closer too. But when done right they're pretty magical.  Ken's speakers just took everything to another level though in terms of the dynamics, texture and "you are there" feel. They stop you in your tracks and give you goosebumps, which is the highest compliment to any audio system in my opinion. The Cubes have been my favorite and best sounding speaker I have owned or had in my house, but the Songer's raise the bar even more. They will always be on my "hope to own" bucket list and I'm always happy to read about Ken's speakers getting more and more attention, as they deserve.

audionutjeff OP
70 posts
 

@larryi 

Thanks for the shout out!  You have both Songer S1 and S2 versions?  Are they the x versions?  I upgraded from the S1 to the S1x, it was a substantial improvement.  

I’m not familiar with the Charley speakers   Beautiful cabinets   

I have PureAudioProject Quintet 15s with the Voxativ AC-1.6 and the Songers are in a completely different league.  I also have the Cube F10 Neo drivers that I’ve used in a few DIY configurations.  The Cube falls in between the less expensive Voxativ and the more costly Songers.  
 

We have very similar tastes!  Nice to meet you Larry!  

audionutjeff OP
70 posts
 

@bacch 

I agree, there is a real magic to a full-range driver and the lack of a crossover is a big factor.  True point source is a major contributor as well.  On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to get a full range speaker just right.  Design, materials, and motor are all critical.  The field-coil really takes it to the next level.  
 

I’ve been a big fan of full-rangers for quite awhile.  I started with the Voxativ AC-1.6 in the PureAudioProject Quintet 15s and then did a number of DIY builds with a Cube F10 Neo.  They were all excellent speakers, but room for improvement remained.  I’ve also heard a variety of Voxativ and Cube full-range and hybrids, as well as the very good Rethm speakers at numerous shows.  I always enjoyed these types of speakers.  There’s a musicality and beauty that is very unique to this configuration that I really love.  
 

To my listening tastes, the Songers are in a different league.  These are indeed my endgame speakers.  

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