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

@deep_333 

It’s rather odd that you claim to own Daniel Hertz which are slightly more expensive at $46,500 and are also point source high efficiency speakers yet ignorantly belittle my Songer S1x speakers that actually cost less.  
 

Let’s compare.  I’ve not heard the Anton’s, so I cannot comment directly on their sound.  The Songers enclosures are magnificent solid walnut while the Antons are veneered and painted MDF.  The Songers are a single, full-range, field coil driver that requires no crossover.  This very unique driver has no direct competitors except perhaps even more costly Voxativs (I own Voxativ drivers and have enjoyed many of their speakers, but I definitely prefer the Songers.).  There are obviously significant advantages to eliminating the crossovers and implementing field coils.   Those advantages are extremely difficult to achieve and can be quite costly.  Your Anton’s are coaxials with conventional crossovers.  Not really anything truly special.  Their natural competition would be the excellent Fyne Audio speakers for about half the price or less.  
 

In terms of price, you’re paying a premium in exchange rates, tariffs, and shipping from Italy for the Anton’s.  The Songers are handmade in the US.  You’re also paying a significant premium for Mark Levinson’s association with the brand.  I’ve never been a big Levinson fan, so I don’t see any value in that price premium.  
 

As I said, I’ve not heard the Anton’s so I’m just sharing an objective comparison.  However, given the design topologies, I seriously doubt they would be preferable to the Songers.  
 

I am nonetheless baffled by your rather rude and uncalled for attack on my wonderful speakers.  Perhaps you have buyers remorse and realize you overpaid for your own speakers?  

I have different systems, lots of different speakers (thought i listed them all on my profile at some point), all of which can run circles around what you’re singing prose about at a fraction of the cost. I have also owned speakers that cost a lot more than the DHertz as well in the past, had the TAD Reference for 15 years.... But, i can see why you zeroed in on the DanielHertz, and not my other cheaper speakers.

Let me undress this full range bull for you. It is a complete lie that a speaker can get by with 1 full range driver and not compromise every octave. Songer didn’t defy any physics. The sheer amount of driver motion required to do anything under a 120hz and below without multiple drivers and a crossover is a full blown compromise, can be demonstrated in listening tests if a guy knows what to listen for. Are you seriously talking about a 10 inch driver trying to play 2khz and above??? It is like a complete lack of common sense, and that’s how far gone the single full range driver bull is.....

It  is quite simply the cop out talking point of some guy who simply doesn’t know speaker design or has the aptitude to deal with any level of complexity. I can see your guy put some extra polish on a cabinet and thinks he’s worth $45,000 ("market positioning", he said, perhaps).

The DHertz for what its worth is a different eco system along with its amp. It has some top notch drivers from mike o’neill, tuned by Ted Jensen and gives you the sound of analog master tape with anything and everything you throw at it. It is a very different higher aptitude beast than the fast one Songer’s trying to pull here...I don’t mind paying Mark Levinson (who oversaw it all) for his longstanding contribution to music. But, i am not in his loyalty club or care to kiss his hiny. I also like lots of other brands.

Nevertheless, let us just say, Songer is nowhere near the caliber the DHertz eco system and the group of guys who worked on it...

We could also get into all my other speakers and explain why they shall all run circles around Songer at a li’l fraction of the cost...But, you have an agenda here, so, it might all be a moot point anymore.

In summary, it is looking to me like your guy has very little on offer and is somehow trying to position himself as "high end" (market positioning, as they call it), asking an exorbitant price for something that’s nowhere near worth it, every way i look at it..... So, agree to disagree...my opinion/experience vs yours and that’s how the internet works.

 

P.S. I am not on the payroll or bought in on back end deals with any dealer or any brand. I will voice my opinion based on what i heard. Thus, I must be a minority on this forum.

@audionutjeff wrote

@deep_333 

It’s rather odd that you claim to own Daniel Hertz which are slightly more expensive at $46,500 and are also point source high efficiency speakers yet ignorantly belittle my Songer S1x speakers that actually cost less.  
 

Let’s compare.  I’ve not heard the Anton’s, so I cannot comment directly on their sound.  The Songers enclosures are magnificent solid walnut while the Antons are veneered and painted MDF.  The Songers are a single, full-range, field coil driver that requires no crossover.  This very unique driver has no direct competitors except perhaps even more costly Voxativs (I own Voxativ drivers and have enjoyed many of their speakers, but I definitely prefer the Songers.).  There are obviously significant advantages to eliminating the crossovers and implementing field coils.   Those advantages are extremely difficult to achieve and can be quite costly.  Your Anton’s are coaxials with conventional crossovers.  Not really anything truly special.  Their natural competition would be the excellent Fyne Audio speakers for about half the price or less.  
 

In terms of price, you’re paying a premium in exchange rates, tariffs, and shipping from Italy for the Anton’s.  The Songers are handmade in the US.  You’re also paying a significant premium for Mark Levinson’s association with the brand.  I’ve never been a big Levinson fan, so I don’t see any value in that price premium.  
 

As I said, I’ve not heard the Anton’s so I’m just sharing an objective comparison.  However, given the design topologies, I seriously doubt they would be preferable to the Songers.  
 

I am nonetheless baffled by your rather rude and uncalled for attack on my wonderful speakers.  Perhaps you have buyers remorse and realize you overpaid for your own speakers?  

I’m trying to decipher which is greater, your arrogance or your ignorance.  Let’s call it a tie.  
 

I too have owned and currently own many very fine speakers.  My current flagship are the exceptional Wilson Benesch Resolutions.  Speakers that would no doubt embarrass your little collection.  They are currently out of rotation because I still prefer the significantly less expensive Songers.  My OMA Minis are also very special speakers that are not quite as good as the Songers.  I also have a great deal of experience building speakers.  In sharp contrast to your assumptions, the Songers measure exceptionally well -not just for a single driver speakers, but for any speaker.  You ignore the tremendous benefits of a true single driver with no crossover.  Your Anton’s attempt to mimic the point source benefits, but are compromised in many ways.  Your technical claims wreak of ignorance.  
 

Your name dropping is quite telling as well.  Clearly you covet admiration of gear and fancy yourself an authority.  Yet, your arrogance reveals that you are merely an insecure narcissist troll.  Your shrill “my $45,000 speakers are better than your $45,000 speakers” demonstrates this quite clearly.  While I’m sure your speakers are quite good, I can’t really fully judge since I’ve never heard them.  I can’t really see how they’re much better than the excellent Fyne speakers -but I’m sure there’s technical advantages in addition to attaching Mark Levinson’s name to them.  I certainly wouldn’t go on a public forum, attack them and accuse the owner of being on the take.  
 

I also am quite confident that you’ve never heard the Songers.  This is classic audiophile armchair quarterback territory.  
 

Arrogance or ignorance?  Nah, I’m going with narcissistic insecurity.  
 

 

Post removed