I agree with your description of how easy it is to listen to the Songer. What is a bit tricky about this description or other descriptions such as "relaxed" or "smooth" is that this suggests to some readers that the speakers are not "dynamic," "alive," or "vivid" sounding. That is not the case. They are very dynamic and lively yet they achieve this without imparting an artificial and hard edge that makes the sound harsh. It may seem that we are making contradictory claims about the sound of these speakers, but, I don't think that this is the case. One has to hear these and other very dynamic speakers that are also relaxed and easy to listen to for long periods to truly appreciate this neat trick.
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.)
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For folks located in Colorado - Ken Songer will be in Colorado the last week of May, and I would be happy to host a small group to meet with Ken and listen to his S1x speaker with his A3 tube amplifier. I'm located about 8 miles north of Lyons, and the system is located in a bedroom, so I would probably want to limit the group to about ten people, with a priority for those who have a particular interest in Ken's speakers. Please let me know if you are interested. I'm also checking in with the Colorado Audio Society, and if there is interest, I'll coordinate with Ken on planning an event. |
Thanks so much for offering to host a listening event next month, @tonnesen. I’m really looking forward to hearing your system, and to meeting and talking with those of you in the Audiogon community who are able to join us. Mr. Tonnesen will be taking delivery of a beautiful A3 in Gonçalo Alves (Tigerwood) next month, giving us a chance to drop another pin on the map in Lyons, Colorado - and to spend a few days exploring one of the most beautiful parts of the country. While many of you may have experienced the S1x and A3 at shows, gatherings like this are a wonderful opportunity to explore the technology and design philosophy behind the work in greater depth, and to spend some time getting to know the people who design and build it. We hope to see you there. |
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