Review of SMD Audio's Floorstanding speaker - Model#: SF35G

[Hari Iyer]

What Sonosphere has given above is the performance analysis based on his personal experience of the SMDs. And I think personal (and actual)experience always speaks louder than any written measurement data. Rather than getting into technicalities one should try and do A/B of SMDs with desired models of other brands.

@Audiocat, I knew 100% that this reply was going to come and was expecting it sooner if not later and this is what I tell them and could be any of the below reasons,
- SMD has never done any measurements of this speaker and he does not have a measurement microphone
- SMD does not know how these measurements are done
- SMD does not know how to analyze these measurements if done
- SMD technical data are secret and hence won't share

 

[mpw]

To my mind speakers sell on how they sound and not on how they measure though measurements are an important barometer to achieve consistency.

Nobody paid a premium for measurements

I did not ask Merlin how did the Merlin TSM measure ?

I asked him his opinion on how they sound.

FWIW...the points above supply to my sub woofer build too.

But I am pleased with the sound anyways..

Competition bashing can be taken off this thread

Nobody here has an anechoic chamber for measurements anyways

 

[Audiocat]

@Audiocat, I knew 100% that this reply was going to come and was expecting it sooner if not later and this is what I tell them and could be any of the below reasons,
- SMD has never done any measurements of this speaker and he does not have a measurement microphone
- SMD does not know how these measurements are done
- SMD does not know how to analyze these measurements if done
- SMD technical data are secret and hence won't share

He he he... Looks like you have a problem with SMD products or SMD himself ... May be one or all of the above reasons are correct....But either ways I'm going to pass this one. If I liked a dish in a restaurant I'm not going to much bother about the fact if cook got the recipe right or if he twisted it. You test the parameters while some purely enjoy music.

 

[Hari Iyer]

Competition bashing can be taken off this thread

Nobody here has an anechoic chamber for measurements anyways

You don't listen in anechoic room anyway for that matter. Measured results can be atleast seen by eyes. I understand many can't analyze measured results, but atleast manufacturers can.

He he he... Looks like you have a problem with SMD products or SMD himself ... May be one or all of the above reasons are correct....But either ways I'm going to pass this one. If I liked a dish in a restaurant I'm not going to much bother about the fact if cook got the recipe right or if he twisted it. You test the parameters while some purely enjoy music.

I decode this as - SMD has not measured this speaker

 

[mpw]

You don't listen in anechoic room anyway for that matter. Measured results can be atleast seen by eyes. I understand many can't analyze measured results, but atleast manufacturers can.

Maybe Paul Barton of PSB for one.. is crazy to do his measurements in an anechoic chamber knowing fully well his customers listen to his creations in a home setting.

 

[Hari Iyer]

To my mind speakers sell on how they sound and not on how they measure though measurements are an important barometer to achieve consistency.

Nobody paid a premium for measurements

I did not ask Merlin how did the Merlin TSM measure ?

I asked him his opinion on how they sound.

FWIW...the points above supply to my sub woofer build too.

But I am pleased with the sound anyways..

The reason you have not asked measured results might be you can't make much analysis or an informed decision about them and subjective parameters are easy for you to understand and decide. But don't ever believe that that's the only right way. Also buying only by objective method is also totally wrong.

Maybe Paul Barton of PSB for one.. is crazy to do his measurements in an anechoic chamber knowing fully well his customers listen to his creations in a home setting.

You can always do a near field measurements and also do a gated impulse response to simulate the anechoic room measurements. But this is outside the topic of the OP.

 

[mpw]

I was a part of their marketing team in the past and we did try to take this suggestion. But the whole thing ran in pages as most of their designs are custom made and are different from the earlier in more than one way. May be that's why they're finding it difficult to give specs sheet. But of anyone who wishes to know anything about their speaker designs calls Sandeep he'll be more than happy to give all the info required.

Do you work for SMD audio still ?

Request you to let members contribute in their way and to not moderate every comment.

Regards.

 

[mpw]

The reason you have not asked measured results might be you can't make much analysis or an informed decision about them and subjective parameters are easy for you to understand and decide. But don't ever believe that that's the only right way. Also buying only by objective method is also totally wrong.

Balanced reply .

At the same time I never paid a premium for a highly measured speaker.

No speaker sales brochure has measurement charts and response you seek.

Let's get practical here

You can always do a near field measurements and also do a gated response to simulate the anechoic room measurements. But this is outside the topic of the OP.

Please reply to the point..

Is Paul Barton crazy ??

Yes or No ?

 

[Hari Iyer]

Balanced reply .

At the same time I never paid a premium for a highly measured speaker.

No speaker sales brochure has measurement charts and response you seek.

Let's get practical here

Yes, most entry or mid level don't have measurements as many buyers don't understand them

 

[mpw]

Yes, most entry or mid level don't have measurements as many buyers don't understand them

There is no need to understand them to buy them.

Simple

 

[Hari Iyer]

Please reply to the point..

Is Paul Barton crazy ??

Yes or No ?

No, anechoic room measurements are important and helps to see the directivity of the speaker, but don't believe that the only right method and other methods are wrong.

There is no need to understand them to buy them.

Simple

Yes, maybe for you. But that doesn't mean that's the only right way of buying

 

[mpw]

No, anechoic room measurements are important and helps to see the directivity of the speaker, but don't believe that the only right method and other methods are wrong.

Thank you

The answer is an unequivocal NO.

Ifs and buts aside..

 

[mpw]

There are no rights or wrongs in audio

When things sound right and measure wrong..it's ok

When things measure right and sound wrong..that's where the problem starts.

I have no intention to derail this thread so I bid good bye here and request to appreciate the OP experience and his review.

No need to criticize .

Let's lead a happy life and less stress

Take care

 

[Audiocat]

Do you work for SMD audio still ?

Request you to let members contribute in their way and to not moderate every comment.

Regards.

I was with SMD for a very short time as a request from a common friend. That was over Three years ago. I happen to own their bookshelf speakers. So participating here as a satisfied customer

 

[Hari Iyer]

There are no rights or wrongs in audio

When things sound right and measure wrong..it's ok

When things measure right and sound wrong..that's where the problem starts.

I have no intention to derail this thread so I bid good bye here and request to appreciate the OP experience and his review.

No need to criticize .

Let's lead a happy life and less stress

Take care

Same here, my knowledge or experience in speaker building will be some where 3% to 5%. I admit that I don't know 95% of what speaker building is all about. I built speakers for myself and others with hopefully this 5% body of knowledge and am always open to criticism and critical views from all to built better speakers. I pray to GOD that HE give me good listening skills so that I can understand the shortcomings of my own setup.

Same here, my knowledge or experience in speaker building will be some where 3% to 5%. I admit that I don't know 95% of what speaker building is all about. I built speakers for myself and others with hopefully this 5% body of knowledge and am always open to criticism and critical views from all to built better speakers. I pray to GOD that HE give me good listening skills so that I can understand the shortcomings of my own setup.

 

[apk]

Great review and happy to hear about another 'VFM' product from our own stables. I have been following Indian hi-fi manufacturers for over a decade now and have heard Enbee, Lyrita Audio, Cadence, Rethem, Norge, Lithos & Acoustic Portrait to name a few. Good to hear about another one added to the list. It goes to show that quality need not always come at high cost!

Good luck to the manufacturer, and thank you to the OP for the review. We need to support our local manufacturers with reviews and a forum to gain feedback. Do invite Sandeep to join the forum - he can be part of the commercial section like other manufacturers.

Best,
APK

 

[sonosphere]

Great review and happy to hear about another 'VFM' product from our own stables. I have been following Indian hi-fi manufacturers for over a decade now and have heard Enbee, Lyrita Audio, Cadence, Rethem, Norge, Lithos & Acoustic Portrait to name a few. Good to hear about another one added to the list. It goes to show that quality need not always come at high cost!

Good luck to the manufacturer, and thank you to the OP for the review. We need to support our local manufacturers with reviews and a forum to gain feedback. Do invite Sandeep to join the forum - he can be part of the commercial section like other manufacturers.

Best,
APK

Hi apk,
Sandeep is already on this forum as "SMD" , though I don't see him regularly posting here... probably because he is a commercial entity in HiFi as well. (It can be tricky balancing act for a commercial entity to post comments /opinions without inadvertantly promoting its product )

 

[Sandesh]

Im in the market for a pair of speakers. Please PM me so I can get some more info on these speakers and demo. Point to mentioned - The SMD website is offline....

 

[apk]

Hi apk,
Sandeep is already on this forum as "SMD" , though I don't see him regularly posting here... probably because he is a commercial entity in HiFi as well. (It can be tricky balancing act for a commercial entity to post comments /opinions without inadvertantly promoting its product )

That's good to know. Yes, balancing this view is challenging, and requires some maturity from everyone in the forum. I am part of an audio forum in Australia (stereonet.com.au), where I find local 'boutique' manufacturers contributing actively in discussions. The forum values the knowledge and perspective provided by them and the discussions are usually handled maturely (not to say that heated moments don't occur - moderators do have to step in once in a while!).

Unfortunately, I've seen many senior folks in this forum as well as a few 'commercial' members walk away or remain passive because of different perspectives, and general finger pointing. It's our collective loss!. As a community (and as a nation too), we need to be more open to accept different perspectives, opinions and engage in open dialogues to resolve differences.

Im in the market for a pair of speakers. Please PM me so I can get some more info on these speakers and demo. Point to mentioned - The SMD website is offline....

Sandesh.......you may also want to check out some of the other Indian manufacturers that I listed out in an earlier post. There are products that suit all budgets, and compete very well with international products. Since you are in B'lore, why not check out acoustic portrait (https://acousticportrait.com/). They make top class products and have two ranges based on budget

Best,
APK

 

[Sandesh]

Sandesh.......you may also want to check out some of the other Indian manufacturers that I listed out in an earlier post. There are products that suit all budgets, and compete very well with international products. Since you are in B'lore, why not check out acoustic portrait (https://acousticportrait.com/). They make top class products and have two ranges based on budget

Best,
APK

@apk Unfortunately they dont seem to have much in my range at the moment. There's only one product there and I'm not sure how those small bookshelfs perform...