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

Audionutjeff,

If you are around the DC area again for Capital Audiofest, you might consider carving out some time to visit Deja Vu Audio in the Tyson's Corner area of Northern Virginia.  They specialize in building custom horn systems.  I can easily see someone "stopping" at the Songer fieldcoil speakers, but, another possible movement on from  there would be custom horn systems.  Deja Vu builds custom horns from about $13,000 and up to six figures. 

They also build custom amplifiers meant to power high efficiency systems, and that is actually the main reason for stopping in.  Some of these amps would probably be great for your speakers.  Most of the custom builds are clones of the Western Electric 124 amp which runs 6L6 or 350B tubes in pushpull.  The price of the clones varies based primarily on the choice of vintage output transformers (original Western Electric transformers being the most expensive build).  They also have an assortment of odd amplifiers bought in Japan that are very good sounding.  The regular commercial amps they carry are Audio Note and Synthesis Audio.  To me, the Synthesis stuff qualifies as ridiculously good for the money.  In any event, it is a truly odd and interesting shop to visit that has a crazy variety of horn systems of all sizes and shapes.  There is even a horn system with a 31.5" woofer (It is not even close to the biggest speaker they have built, many have much larger horns and twin 18" woofers).

@lalitk 

Thanks for the feedback, we are in agreement!  
 

You’ve got some great gear, enjoy the journey!  

@joeycastillo 

I just listened to a full Audio Note system at a friend’s this week.  He has the mighty Onganku amp, what a spectacular piece!  He has AN-E SEC Signatures, external crossover but not field coils.  The system was terrific.  The dynamics and bass from a “conventional” two-way defy reality!  I’ve heard that the field-coils are next level still. 
 

I’ll stick with my Songers, but can’t help to think how they’d sound with that Onganku amp!  

@larryi 

Thanks for the recommendation.  I’ll research Deja Vu, sounds like an incredible store.  If there’s a way to swing a visit there during CAF, I’ll give it a shot.  It could be very dangerous to my budget!  

The AN-E SEC are terrific speakers.  They are probably better than the lower level field coils, which I’ve heard, but I haven’t heard the top field coil model.  It must be quite a trick putting two field coil drivers in a small enclosed box without the problem of overheating.