# Salk/Rythmik 15 With Dual 15" Passive Radiators Discussion Thread



## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

*Salk/Rythmik 15 With Dual 15" Passive Radiators​**By Jim Wilson (theJman)*

​

The Salk/Rythmik 15 With Dual 15" Passive Radiators (SSR15) is an awful lot of subwoofer for the money, and I mean that in every sense of the word. About the size of a mini-refrigerator, and weighing approximately what the average male does, makes it such that this one probably won't disappear in too many rooms (its distinct lack of style won't really help much in that regard either). It proudly lives up to the Salk Sound heritage -- meaning the cabinet is rock solid and nearly bullet proof -- so you can completely dismiss any notion of resonance coloring the output. Built using top-shelf components from respected companies, all securely nestled into a hand made cabinet, means what you end up with is a subwoofer that has excellent sound quality and an astonishing amount of deep bass. It's a nearly impossible combination to beat for the asking price. Just be certain to have a friend or two available when it comes time to take delivery of this beast. Trust me on that.


*For the full review Click Here​*​


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## Aundudel25 (Dec 13, 2013)

Wow. Looks like an amazing sub. Salk should definitely put up specs and pictures on their site. Way out of my budget though 

Great review!


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

It's hard to imagine a subwoofer that costs almost 2 grand being a bargain, but in this case it's actually true. The SSR15 is able to compete with anything in its price class with regards to output and depth. Nothing, however, would match the solidity of this cabinet. You would have to spend a lot more to equal this thing, assuming you even could.


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## padgman1 (Feb 13, 2013)

Great review, Jim ( as usual)..........they should call this unit " the Hulk" ( I think " the Beast" is taken)...

So, when is your hernia surgery scheduled??


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

padgman1 said:


> Great review, Jim ( as usual)..........they should call this unit " the Hulk" ( I think " the Beast" is taken)...
> 
> So, when is your hernia surgery scheduled??


I'm waiting until after I send it back. That way I can get all the damage repaired at one time...


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

Great review. What a monster. I think they should let you give it away here, I mean with your groin injury it is the least they can do...:bigsmile:


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

Anything is possible I suppose. I did suggest to Jim Salk that he joins the forum so he could address any questions or comments, so perhaps he'll be able to make an appearance at some point.


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## dougri (Apr 1, 2009)

Thanks Jim, was always interested how these performed… any casual comments compared to other subs you've reviewed recently? Also, are you sure the driver is the DS1510? The rhythmik site specifically states they do not recommend that driver for down-firing subs. with the 600W amp, I'm assuming it is, but just seems odd :dontknow:


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## jsalk (Jun 10, 2009)

Jim - 

Thanks for taking the time to review our SR15-DP (Salk-Rythmik 15" Dual Passive - how's that for a moniker?). Much appreciated.

If there are any questions regarding this product, please feel free to post. I would be happy to answer.

Thanks again...

- Jim


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## dougri (Apr 1, 2009)

jsalk said:


> Jim -
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to review our SR15-DP (Salk-Rythmik 15" Dual Passive - how's that for a moniker?). Much appreciated.
> 
> ...


Thanks for joining and offering to answer questions! First question... any plans for an SR12-DP?


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## jsalk (Jun 10, 2009)

dougri said:


> Thanks for joining and offering to answer questions! First question... any plans for an SR12-DP?


There are no specific plans. However, we could do one tomorrow if someone requested it. When it comes to subwoofers, there is really no magic involved. Passive radiators act much like ports. So the same configuration would apply. All we would have to do is figure out what size the passives would need to be. You need much more passive cone area than driver cone area. So it would just be a matter of modeling with specific passive in order to determine if we would need dual 12" passives or dual 15" passives.

- Jim


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

dougri said:


> Thanks Jim, was always interested how these performed… any casual comments compared to other subs you've reviewed recently? Also, are you sure the driver is the DS1510? The rhythmik site specifically states they do not recommend that driver for down-firing subs. with the 600W amp, I'm assuming it is, but just seems odd :dontknow:


It's the DS1510. I own an E15HP, so I'm pretty familiar with the driver.

The SSR15 (or is it the SR15-DP?) is for those who want a lot of deep bass at volume. Its configuration has sufficient output to fill a pretty large space, even when you take into account the wide dynamic swings in most blu-rays. My conclusion was such that I found myself saying the words "bargain" and "$2,000" in the same sentence, a foreign combination in my vocabulary. However, compared to what you can get for $2,000 I do think it is a bargain. There are other subwoofers that would probably measure 'better' in this price range, but none of them will have anywhere near the enclosure this one will. None. When you also consider the quality of the components used the SR15-DP is tough to beat.


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

jsalk said:


> Jim
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to review our SR15-DP (Salk-Rythmik 15" Dual Passive - how's that for a moniker?). Much appreciated.
> 
> ...


I'm partial to SSR15 of course, but SR15-DP will do as well... 

It was a pleasure working with you Jim. If you find any inaccuracies in the review please don't hesitate to let me know.


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## BD55 (Oct 18, 2011)

I'm kind of torn on the looks. On the one hand you have sheer brute industrial looks; it's not pretending to be something it's not. It's been designed for bass, which is a (debatable point) brute form of audio. It says, "I don't need vahneer or roundovahs (for some reason it speaks in a vaguely Austrian accent). I keel you with da bass." On the other hand, maybe a tad too minimalist? Odd, too (going with the minimalist idea) the amp not being countersunk.


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## jsalk (Jun 10, 2009)

BD55 said:


> I'm kind of torn on the looks. On the one hand you have sheer brute industrial looks; it's not pretending to be something it's not. It's been designed for bass, which is a (debatable point) brute form of audio. It says, "I don't need vahneer or roundovahs (for some reason it speaks in a vaguely Austrian accent). I keel you with da bass." On the other hand, maybe a tad too minimalist? Odd, too (going with the minimalist idea) the amp not being countersunk.


If you prefer a different look, that is no problem. We can build them any way you want. After all, we are custom builders.

- Jim


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## jsalk (Jun 10, 2009)

BD55 said:


> I'm kind of torn on the looks. On the one hand you have sheer brute industrial looks; it's not pretending to be something it's not. It's been designed for bass, which is a (debatable point) brute form of audio. It says, "I don't need vahneer or roundovahs (for some reason it speaks in a vaguely Austrian accent). I keel you with da bass." On the other hand, maybe a tad too minimalist? Odd, too (going with the minimalist idea) the amp not being countersunk.


I should note that we have done subs disguised as coffee tables and end tables. So you can have basically anything you want. This just happens to be the lowest cost way to build this sub.

- Jim


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

To Jim's point... I would urge anyone contemplating a purchase from Salk Sound to spend a bit of time looking over the Gallery link on their website. What you'll encounter are finishes that are nothing short of stunning. In my review I tried to convey early on that I think these folks are more like craftsman, because I truly believe they are. Clearly they could make the SR15-DP look as nice as their speakers do, but then you can forget $1,895. Personally I would like to see a bit more in the aesthetics department - jazz it up some - but I suspect there's very little these folks couldn't do when it comes to customizing something. I tend to think the only limiting factors are ones imagination and wallet.


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

I agree that the looks could use some sprucing. Granted it is using nice componets, but 2 grand is enough for me to expect it to look the part.

Not to take away from the review (which is nicely done!), but with as many subs as are reviewed. Have you considered doing you measurements outdoors? Everybody's room is different & this would take that out of the equation & help standardize the results in the frequency responce graphs. Kinda level the playing field. Just my thoughts.


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

Tonto said:


> Not to take away from the review (which is nicely done!), but with as many subs as are reviewed. Have you considered doing you measurements outdoors? Everybody's room is different & this would take that out of the equation & help standardize the results in the frequency responce graphs. Kinda level the playing field. Just my thoughts.


I have indeed contemplated CEA2010 measurements (outdoor, 2m ground plane), but living in NJ makes that less than feasible I'm afraid. If I chose to do outdoor measurements my reviews would essentially be limited to around 8 months of the year. Currently I'm publishing one per month - on average - so switching my techniques would result in about 1/3rd less product evaluations. That's pretty significant.

FWIW... I measure close mic, so the room plays absolutely no part in the graphs you see. While not ideal, they should at least represent the true output of the product in question.


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

I personally don't see how close mic can exclude the room :scratchhead:....but I am by no means an expert, so I defer to your judgement. That being said, we don't need outside/2m ground plane on everything. But for the true audiophine subs...the ones that will dig down below 20 Hz/meaningful to 10 Hz. That is where I like to compare products. Even if for only 8 months & on only a few, I would be appreciative. :TT


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

With the tip of the microphone mere inches from the dustcap of the driver there's simply no way for the room to influence anything. That's what you see in those graphs.


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## vann_d (Apr 7, 2009)

I think it's a little disappointing a higher-end finish wasn't showcased. There are at least a couple other companies out there competing in this same market that have galleries filled with gorgeous examples of their work. Seeing how the components are available to purchase directly, there is really nothing in the Salk/Rythmik example that would compel a buyer to chose them as the cabinet maker. 

Sure they can make whatever design one might like and I'm confident the construction would be incredible, but IMO that is not the difficult part. The difficult part is designing a massive subwoofer that people will be proud to display. I think the average consumer would rather see a stellar example and say, "Ooh, I want one like that!"


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

Salk does have many examples of what they can do finish wise - just click on the aforementioned Gallery link on their website and you'll find several dozen examples. This particular unit came in satin black paint at my behest, because frankly I'm not a fan of gloss finishes that reflect light. I also wanted to ensure the cost stayed at $1,895 (the base cost).

Are there other companies doing custom work like Salk? Absolutely, I imagine every company has competitors. I have a hard time seeing how anyone else can make a similar subwoofer for the same price though, unless it's a DIY project of course. The material costs and man hours necessary to build and paint something like the SR15-DP is pretty significant, and probably not something you'll find too many custom cabinet makers willing to do without charging a pretty penny.


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## vann_d (Apr 7, 2009)

Well, if I need to provide an example, I think I'd take Rythmik's own FV15HP in matte finish for $1339. Very similar performance with better aesthetics IMO. In fact, almost the exact same sub but swap ports for passive radiators.

The point of using passive radiators is to achieve a low tuning in a volume that does not accommodate long, large diameter ports. It's a point that seems to be lost on this sub whose volume is more than adequate to achieve low tuning with a simple port, as evidenced by Rythmik's design. In fact, this sub appears to be even larger. Using passive radiators just seems to be adding cost unnecessarily.

That's why I don't get it. And why in the world is it down-firing?


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## BeeMan458 (Nov 25, 2012)

Tonto said:


> I personally don't see how close mic can exclude the room :scratchhead:....


Close mic'g (one inch from the dust cap) eliminates all room influences. Six inches or a foot from the driver will allow the room's influence to color the measurements. Sans benefit of an anechoic chamber, this is why the need for open plane measurements.


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## pharoah (Jul 21, 2012)

i came to look at the graphs of another sub,and got side tracked.wow that salk thing is a beast.


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