Analysis Audio Omega Review
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
"Yes, really" they were clipping? Or "yes, really" Omegas/Amphytrions will have no problem w.120W/ch SETs?
Marc just go and listen! Don't figure out your dream system from the comfort of Clapton
I am going to. Awaiting a date to meet both Justin and Jon, and listen to the Interstellars. Alongside a visit to Peter to listen to the Omegas. Peter has already given me a quote for Amphytrions w/custom x/overs, and they're only a few £000's more than Omegas - no brainer really. The demo at Peter will have the MASSIVE advantage of being a "familiar" sytem - ie vinyl/Nats, and will be easier to "extrapolate" to my sort of setup. The disadvantage will be if I turn the wick up, and dynamics are pinched, my doubts on SET compatability will resurface (Maggie 20.7s clipping w.300W/ch SS at moderate volumes at Windsor was just plain anti-climactic).
Justin's setup will be more "alien" to me. Firstly speakers/tech I'm totally unfamiliar with, in a system that I wouldn't ordinarily choose (SS/no vinyl/streaming). I will have to learn to, one, absorb the overall presentation - does it speak to me/excite me/make me want more/have unfamiliar qualities that open my ears (as did the Trios and Liszts when I heard them for the first times, and switched me onto horns big time, and as did the Zus which made a sort of emotional connection that no box spkr before or since has even got close); and, two, feel confident there is room to breathe going to SETs w/what will be some inevitable constricting of dynamics (450W/ch Accuphase SS is always going to beat up 120W/ch Nat SETs).
Justin's setup will be more "alien" to me. Firstly speakers/tech I'm totally unfamiliar with, in a system that I wouldn't ordinarily choose (SS/no vinyl/streaming). I will have to learn to, one, absorb the overall presentation - does it speak to me/excite me/make me want more/have unfamiliar qualities that open my ears (as did the Trios and Liszts when I heard them for the first times, and switched me onto horns big time, and as did the Zus which made a sort of emotional connection that no box spkr before or since has even got close); and, two, feel confident there is room to breathe going to SETs w/what will be some inevitable constricting of dynamics (450W/ch Accuphase SS is always going to beat up 120W/ch Nat SETs).
120w NATs on Amphitryons will be excellent.
Send in the Clowns by Bill Henderson is very closely-miked. At one point he does something with his voice which causes a big amplitude spike. This causes even my VTLs to clip.
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Ron, I'll have to listen to listen to the Omegas w/the Transmitters when they return, and make a reasonable assumption that if I like the sound, in the new room, Amphi's will be better all 'round.
Somehow, make a meaningful a-b v the Oakey/Graz Duetta's, now making a reasonable assumption that if I like the sound, in the new room, w/SETs and vinyl, they will be great.
Then make a meaningful decision to choose Duettas or Amphytrions. Not sure how easy or difficult that particular choice will be. My inclination is that w/the music I listen to most of the time, Duettas will be better most of the time.
In meantime, get across to listen to the AG Trios w/Basshorns, and now have a truly interesting 3-way choice. With Zus as the signature I'm most familiar with to judge them all against.
Thank the Lord I'm not also considering Rockports, Giyas, Neolith, Wilsons, YGs, Soundlabs, Quads, Magicos, Blumenhofer, JBL Everest etc etc
Somehow, make a meaningful a-b v the Oakey/Graz Duetta's, now making a reasonable assumption that if I like the sound, in the new room, w/SETs and vinyl, they will be great.
Then make a meaningful decision to choose Duettas or Amphytrions. Not sure how easy or difficult that particular choice will be. My inclination is that w/the music I listen to most of the time, Duettas will be better most of the time.
In meantime, get across to listen to the AG Trios w/Basshorns, and now have a truly interesting 3-way choice. With Zus as the signature I'm most familiar with to judge them all against.
Thank the Lord I'm not also considering Rockports, Giyas, Neolith, Wilsons, YGs, Soundlabs, Quads, Magicos, Blumenhofer, JBL Everest etc etc
Sure Bonzo, but if it wasn't for the things that I liked about it at Windsor, I wouldn't at all be considering planars. If I indeed do invest in Amphytrions or Graz Duettas, it will be instrumentally due to my ears being opened by those big Maggies.
Excellent review of the AA's Ron.
When heard over here in Melb with Naim Statements that cost around 250K in Australia, I was completely taken up by their presentation. The dealer chap had three nmodels: the much smaller Omicron's, Epsilon and Omega's. I just enjoyed the little Omicron's and they looked cute all in white.
In reference to build quality, forget it! For the dollar price asking for Omicron's nearly 15K A$ definitely not worth it at all! Compared to the build quality of the newer Quads (2905/2912), the AA's are not even close, let alone the weight. I really don't know what it is but to me stats have always been my preference of that 99% of recorded music satisfaction. Martin Logan's yes, can sound a bit thin and so can similar stats but Quads are definitely not thin or skeletal sounding.
Perhaps the electronics were not upto the mark because I have heard my very own 2905's with the following: (cj ART Amps, Lamm ML series 2, Arc Ref150 and Ref75, and several iterations of cj 60 w/ch that are simply glorious with Quads, MC452 and more recently the Pass X series amps). To me horns are annoying, and the Trio's are extremely annoying. Heard them with Cary SET's and BAT amps as well as Gloden tube audio, back in 2005 and a few years ago around 2012/13.
For anyone to get that so called "best" sound would probably have to design and build their own speaker. Until someone else comes along and betters it still further, and the roller coaster begins again...
Overall, I think the ML Statement EII was a superb design, had all that wonderful stat speed, openness and strong bass as well. For a full range ribbon, there will never be another Apogee (the much beloved Diva's were finally sold off last year, too many repairs); from that I strongly feel the MG20.7 to be the all time best full range ribbon money can buy, and they are built far more rigid than AA's.
Having said that, now it is 11pm and I'm heading off to relax to some Quad stat & cj bliss. Good night to all.
Cheers, and all the best in your ultimate quest. With the right gear, careful listening and much patience, I am sure you'll find it Ron but remember don't be in a hurry, there is always something else round the corner...
When heard over here in Melb with Naim Statements that cost around 250K in Australia, I was completely taken up by their presentation. The dealer chap had three nmodels: the much smaller Omicron's, Epsilon and Omega's. I just enjoyed the little Omicron's and they looked cute all in white.
In reference to build quality, forget it! For the dollar price asking for Omicron's nearly 15K A$ definitely not worth it at all! Compared to the build quality of the newer Quads (2905/2912), the AA's are not even close, let alone the weight. I really don't know what it is but to me stats have always been my preference of that 99% of recorded music satisfaction. Martin Logan's yes, can sound a bit thin and so can similar stats but Quads are definitely not thin or skeletal sounding.
Perhaps the electronics were not upto the mark because I have heard my very own 2905's with the following: (cj ART Amps, Lamm ML series 2, Arc Ref150 and Ref75, and several iterations of cj 60 w/ch that are simply glorious with Quads, MC452 and more recently the Pass X series amps). To me horns are annoying, and the Trio's are extremely annoying. Heard them with Cary SET's and BAT amps as well as Gloden tube audio, back in 2005 and a few years ago around 2012/13.
For anyone to get that so called "best" sound would probably have to design and build their own speaker. Until someone else comes along and betters it still further, and the roller coaster begins again...
Overall, I think the ML Statement EII was a superb design, had all that wonderful stat speed, openness and strong bass as well. For a full range ribbon, there will never be another Apogee (the much beloved Diva's were finally sold off last year, too many repairs); from that I strongly feel the MG20.7 to be the all time best full range ribbon money can buy, and they are built far more rigid than AA's.
Having said that, now it is 11pm and I'm heading off to relax to some Quad stat & cj bliss. Good night to all.
Cheers, and all the best in your ultimate quest. With the right gear, careful listening and much patience, I am sure you'll find it Ron but remember don't be in a hurry, there is always something else round the corner...
You should have been at Windsor. You could have enjoyed them maybe, until the clipping kicked in. W/300W playing at moderate volume 
.
.I agree with Ron. The construction quality is an issue.
It becomes seriously important when playing high bass content tracks at high volume e.g. Massive Attack, Mad Professor etc etc.
Don't forget I know since essentially I have owned two pairs of the same speaker. One beefed up and one not. Trust me - it makes a big difference. You might not think it does, but it does. Big style.
Also, Ron - sub blending is very hard. Combining cone bass with ribbons that drop to very low frequencies i.e. well into sub territory needs some very careful x-over work.
I sold my ML Descent. The way the bass is emitted is essentially very different to the way the bass ribbons work and you can really hear it. High excursion, long throw cones versus high surface area low excursion ribbons. The two opposing technologies attempt to push air very differently.
It becomes seriously important when playing high bass content tracks at high volume e.g. Massive Attack, Mad Professor etc etc.
Don't forget I know since essentially I have owned two pairs of the same speaker. One beefed up and one not. Trust me - it makes a big difference. You might not think it does, but it does. Big style.
Also, Ron - sub blending is very hard. Combining cone bass with ribbons that drop to very low frequencies i.e. well into sub territory needs some very careful x-over work.
I sold my ML Descent. The way the bass is emitted is essentially very different to the way the bass ribbons work and you can really hear it. High excursion, long throw cones versus high surface area low excursion ribbons. The two opposing technologies attempt to push air very differently.
Don't get me wrong BTW. This is a great loudspeaker IMHO. It is just that it could be more rigid.
That's more money, more weight etc etc though.
Personally, I'd get some serious stands made for them. Probably 2 inch by one inch solid linished aluminium, rising up the entire height of the speaker, cross braced horizontally at the top and bottom so as not to affect the rear wave significantly, and bolted it into the back.
Any internal bracing probably isn't practical unless the speaker has been constructed to take it. Which it hasn't.
That's more money, more weight etc etc though.
Personally, I'd get some serious stands made for them. Probably 2 inch by one inch solid linished aluminium, rising up the entire height of the speaker, cross braced horizontally at the top and bottom so as not to affect the rear wave significantly, and bolted it into the back.
Any internal bracing probably isn't practical unless the speaker has been constructed to take it. Which it hasn't.
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Reviewed these many years ago here:
http://http://www.sonicflare.com/archives/analysis-omega-speaker-review-by-robert-learner.php
http://http://www.sonicflare.com/archives/analysis-omega-speaker-review-by-robert-learner.php
I agree subwoofer integration can be challenging. I have not experimented enough to know this but I suspect that the small footprint design philosopy of big excursion drivers in a minimally sized box may exacerbate the issues you raise. My theory is that the big footprint subwoofer tower design may ameliorate some of the issues you raise by distributing the air movement burden over a large number of drivers in a vertical array, each driver of which has to do very little work.
Actually a small processor from MiniDSP allied to one of their 'plug-ins' makes subwoofer integration absolutely seamless, you can adjust the crossover on your computer ,listening tout unreal time, when you are happy you download the file to the processor and that is it, really straightforward and no mor thumps bass, the other half of the plug in, will also allow you to EQ any out of control frequencies.
Effective and inexpensive.
Keith.
Effective and inexpensive.
Keith.
Yes that is correct Ron - you understood what I meant even though I expressed it incorrectly. I meant to say high excursion, low surface area and not high excursion, long throw.
I disagree.
The problem is the characteristic on high excursion, low surface area woofers, Keith.
If you can get you head away from a measurement mic and consider how the air is driven, low surface area drivers "punch" the air very hard with high excursion.
That produces a bass punch that permeates walls, car bodies etc and annoys the wife when she is sitting in a different room on a different floor in a non-vertically aligned part of the house!
Believe me it sounds entirely different to a planar magnetic bass panel i.e. approx. 3 12 inch low excursion cones mounted in an open baffle. The nearest broadest equivalent?
However it is produced,sound is still variations in air pressure, and at the frequencies you are discussing ,sub 80hz, it will also be oomnidirectional .
The important aspect IMHO is that you take the room /speaker interaction into account, fix any issues and then you will have really taut bass with no overhang.
Keith.
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