SET amp owners thread

[Audiophile Bill]

I always loved your room ever since I first saw it. The rear wall - what wood is used? Presumably wood stain applied to it?

 

[Exlibris]

I always loved your room ever since I first saw it. The rear wall - what wood is used? Presumably wood stain applied to it?

Thank you. Its a cherry wood veneer with three different depths of oil stain.

 

[the sound of Tao]

There’s a lovely warm density in that timber behind, I’d imagine you could still consider walnut for the speakers to pop a bit in front then using neutral with the horns (black or white). Given the components in bright and the size of the horn I’d possibly lean towards the black for the horn maybe because that will make them a bit like a visual void and allow you to just look into them deeply. I feel the mid driver is the one that should pull your concentration into a speaker.

Only other thing I thought was can you get the horn in laminated birch? Though that might mean reconsidering the veneer for the speaker body itself. Laminated birch is also often beautiful and you can look at a lovely birch horn forever and not get bored (or is that just me)... you clearly have a great eye for design so figure you’ll make a good, well considered choice either way.

 

[Exlibris]

There’s a lovely warm density in that timber behind, I’d imagine you could still consider walnut for the speakers to pop a bit in front then using neutral with the horns (black or white). Given the components in bright and the size of the horn I’d possibly lean towards the black for the horn maybe because that will make them a bit like a visual void and allow you to just look into them deeply. I feel the mid driver is the one that should pull your concentration into a speaker.

Only other thing I thought was can you get the horn in laminated birch? Though that might mean reconsidering the veneer for the speaker body itself. Laminated birch is also often beautiful and you can look at a lovely birch horn forever and not get bored (or is that just me)... you clearly have a great eye for design so figure you’ll make a good, well considered choice either way.

I was thinking along the same lines: walnut for the body and black for the horn (not sure what to choose between high gloss black and matte black).

 

[the sound of Tao]

I was thinking along the same lines: walnut for the body and black for the horn (not sure what to choose between high gloss black and matte black).

Think maybe the gloss, would look very liquid and lush against the warmth of the mahogany tones behind.

 

[Exlibris]

Think maybe the gloss, would look very liquid and lush against the warmth of the mahogany tones behind.

I think you're right.

 

[morricab]

I think you're right.

I personally like natural wood color horns with exotic pattern hard wood veneer on the speaker...like those Midas you have. All my Odeons have been some variation of that except my little Orfeos , which had a black gloss tweeter horn.

 

[Exlibris]

I personally like natural wood color horns with exotic pattern hard wood veneer on the speaker...like those Midas you have. All my Odeons have been some variation of that except my little Orfeos , which had a black gloss tweeter horn.

I like seeing the natural wood horn as well. The painted horns can appear a bit "plasticy" looking to me. I just don't think that natural colour of wood goes well in my place, however. If Odeon could do a dark stain on the horn, that might work.

 

[morricab]

I like seeing the natural wood horn as well. The painted horns can appear a bit "plasticy" looking to me. I just don't think that natural colour of wood goes well in my place, however. If Odeon could do a dark stain on the horn, that might work.

They seem to be able to do a lot, but that would make for a long waiting period I think. What did the dealer have on hand for the 33?

 

[Exlibris]

They seem to be able to do a lot, but that would make for a long waiting period I think. What did the dealer have on hand for the 33?

i've never seen a picture of an Odeon horn with a dark stain -- it's either the light horn that I have now in the Midas or a sort of almond colour natural wood horn.
The dealer doesn't have any 33s on hand -- the enquiry is to Odeon on whether they have any.

 

[morricab]

i've never seen a picture of an Odeon horn with a dark stain -- it's either the light horn that I have now in the Midas or a sort of almond colour natural wood horn.
The dealer doesn't have any 33s on hand -- the enquiry is to Odeon on whether they have any.

Ah, I see...could be quite a wait then...Odeon is not the most "user friendly" company...

 

[Exlibris]

Ah, I see...could be quite a wait then...Odeon is not the most "user friendly" company...

I don't like the sound of that.

 

[cjfrbw]

Back in Pleasanton. Here's a vid (Crimson Wing demo) of two watt per channel 45 tube amp (lower left on floor) driving BG 75 300Hz-7Khz, and it's quite loud in life. Samsung Galaxy S8 phone seems to give a reasonable sketch of sound:

 

[Kingrex]

Exlibris, you use any Akiko power cords
I have 1 and like it. Need 2 new cords. Was also thinking Zu???

 

[Exlibris]

Exlibris, you use any Akiko power cords
I have 1 and like it. Need 2 new cords. Was also thinking Zu???

I don't. I just have their power conditioner.

 

[Exlibris]

Those look a lot like the Odeon Rigolettos I used to have...really beautiful.

I'm curious as to how people have set up their Odeon speakers. (e.g. corner-loaded, close to the front wall, well out into the room). Odeon says that placement isn't critical for the No. 33 (and I assume for the No. 38 as well) but my limited experience with the Midas tells me that this isn't the case for the smaller models.

 

[Exlibris]

The Midas is an overall more lightweight sounding speaker than you will be getting. I heard them at my customers and compared to his big Odeons it was not the same galaxy. However, the Midas is an inexpensive speaker and for that money it is quite good indeed and easy to drive with nice amps, which further helps it's sound.

I've finally optimized the placement of the Midas speakers in my room. The system is sounding really good. During certain songs I sometimes wonder if it could really get much better and worry that the No. 33 might not sound as good. The sound is very "free" and "open" with the Midas. The experience is more immersive than my experience with the No. 28 SE -- but the systems and rooms were completely different so I'm not sure I can draw any conclusions.

 

[morricab]

I'm curious as to how people have set up their Odeon speakers. (e.g. corner-loaded, close to the front wall, well out into the room). Odeon says that placement isn't critical for the No. 33 (and I assume for the No. 38 as well) but my limited experience with the Midas tells me that this isn't the case for the smaller models.

Mine are quite different from the others in that mine are also a type of horn in the bass and benefit by being close to walls/corners. 38s and 33s don’t need much reinforcement.

 

[morricab]

I've finally optimized the placement of the Midas speakers in my room. The system is sounding really good. During certain songs I sometimes wonder if it could really get much better and worry that the No. 33 might not sound as good. The sound is very "free" and "open" with the Midas. The experience is more immersive than my experience with the No. 28 SE -- but the systems and rooms were completely different so I'm not sure I can draw any conclusions.

The small Odeons are very good speakers, especially considering their price. I had Orfeo and Rigolettos and both were excellent...that said the big ones are significantly better. More powerful and scale that the little ones won’t do. Maybe your new amps are a lot better than you used for the 28 demo?

 

[Exlibris]

The small Odeons are very good speakers, especially considering their price. I had Orfeo and Rigolettos and both were excellent...that said the big ones are significantly better. More powerful and scale that the little ones won’t do. Maybe your new amps are a lot better than you used for the 28 demo?

That's likely true. Here it's the Thomas Mayer 10Y linestage and Allnic A-6000 monoblocks. There it was the Unison S6 integrated amp.