[beowulf]

Just saw this in the "Outlaw" section on the Omega site.  Here's something cool with the best of both worlds.

[Brad]

Cool idea and looks to be really well executed

Higher sensitivity, better bass.  Seamless.
Would love to hear these

[happyrabbit]

a very interesting speaker   

Someone needs to pull out the CC and call Mr Louis.... 

Dwight

[milford3]

Wow!  Are those the RS5 drivers?

[happyrabbit]

yes ! 

http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/omegaoutlawopenb.html

Dwight

[FireGuy]

Yes, I'm intrigued.   Need to get Louis up and running on that trade up program initiative. 

[beowulf]

Looks like they are sold already!  This is one design I'm quite interested in since the RS5 drivers have such a huge following.

+1 FireGuy ... I would like to get more info on the trade-up program.  I'm thinking I would like to trade-up to the 6XRS or something with integrated subs would be cool as well.

[Russell Dawkins]

The design is certainly reminiscent of the Tekton OB 4.5, except the Tekton has the bass reflex port facing forward, and the bass driver is facing the ceiling - perhaps providing some of the benefits of Duke LeJeune and James Romeyn's recent LCS effects models.

They were well received by Enjoythemusic.com 5 years ago:
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0809/tekton_design_ob45.htm

[happyrabbit]

 

I should have them next week. 

Dwight

[Canada Rob]

The design is certainly reminiscent of the Tekton OB 4.5, except the Tekton has the bass reflex port facing forward, and the bass driver is facing the ceiling - perhaps providing some of the benefits of Duke LeJeune and James Romeyn's recent LCS effects models.

They were well received by Enjoythemusic.com 5 years ago:
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0809/tekton_design_ob45.htm

The Tekton OB 4.5 and the Omega OpenBack 1.5 are, other than in (very) general appearance, completely different speakers.  With few exceptions, all cars have four wheels, but they can vary greatly in many ways.

Louis developed his 1.5 way concept around seven years ago, and the RS5 driver is the result of many painstaking hours of development, not just bought off the shelf or modded with some paint or compound in order to call it his own.   

The Omega OpenBack features the following:
1) True single driver, single point source, with one driver (low frequency) cutting off at a frequency where it is no longer a point source.
2) Perfect driver integration with both drivers being mounted on the same plane (the front baffle) shooting in the same direction in phase with each other (of course the open driver operates as a dipole, but high frequencies are cut back due to the magnet structure being in the way, which is good.
3) Both drivers are the proprietary U.S. made RS5 OmegaCone 4.5" driver, not a Chinese off the shelf Fostex etc.
4) The 1-1/4 inch thick front baffle is made of birch multiply sandwiched between two layers of MDF, then veneered the hard (and best) way - wet and then into a veneer press; the same goes for the cabinet portion.
5) Where the baffle and the cabinet join, the fasteners are hidden and the baffle at that point is two inches thick.  It is also relieved in the back to allow the driver to breathe.
6) The cabinet portion is built the same way his speaker cabinets are built.  They can withstand a one story drop onto pavement and don't break.
7) Rear ported for excellent room coupling.

If one peruses some of the European speaker websites, the OpenBack 1.5 is equivalent to speakers in the $5000 - $10000 range.

[beowulf]

I should have them next week. 

Dwight

Nice!!!! Please report back with your listening impressions!

[beowulf]

The Tekton OB 4.5 and the Omega OpenBack 1.5 are, other than in (very) general appearance, completely different speakers.  With few exceptions, all cars have four wheels, but they can vary greatly in many ways.

Louis developed his 1.5 way concept around seven years ago, and the RS5 driver is the result of many painstaking hours of development, not just bought off the shelf or modded with some paint or compound in order to call it his own.   

The Omega OpenBack features the following:
1) True single driver, single point source, with one driver (low frequency) cutting off at a frequency where it is no longer a point source.
2) Perfect driver integration with both drivers being mounted on the same plane (the front baffle) shooting in the same direction in phase with each other (of course the open driver operates as a dipole, but high frequencies are cut back due to the magnet structure being in the way, which is good.
3) Both drivers are the proprietary U.S. made RS5 OmegaCone 4.5" driver, not a Chinese off the shelf Fostex etc.
4) The 1-1/4 inch thick front baffle is made of birch multiply sandwiched between two layers of MDF, then veneered the hard (and best) way - wet and then into a veneer press; the same goes for the cabinet portion.
5) Where the baffle and the cabinet join, the fasteners are hidden and the baffle at that point is two inches thick.  It is also relieved in the back to allow the driver to breathe.
6) The cabinet portion is built the same way his speaker cabinets are built.  They can withstand a one story drop onto pavement and don't break.
7) Rear ported for excellent room coupling.

If one peruses some of the European speaker websites, the OpenBack 1.5 is equivalent to speakers in the $5000 - $10000 range.

Hi Rob, thanks for all the great info ... without even hearing it I feel it may be something special.  Is this something that may be offered in Louis' regular line up or Outlaw only?

[Canada Rob]

Hi beowulf,
He hasn't decided what he is going to do with it, but it could end up in the regular line.  Not sure when though.

[FireGuy]

Nice!!!! Please report back with your listening impressions!

Yes indeed...give us your impressions please.    I cannot tell you (based on the print specs alone) and my own [RS5] Super 5's how much I think I want these.  Probably be my last upgrade for quite some time.  Like I've said on previous posts, these drivers are the real deal and now you toss in other design improvements?  Whoa!!!!

[milford3]

I think Louis has a winner here.  A lot of buzz about this design.  Now I have to hear this speaker.

[Russell Dawkins]

The Tekton OB 4.5 and the Omega OpenBack 1.5 are, other than in (very) general appearance, completely different speakers.  With few exceptions, all cars have four wheels, but they can vary greatly in many ways.

Louis developed his 1.5 way concept around seven years ago, and the RS5 driver is the result of many painstaking hours of development, not just bought off the shelf or modded with some paint or compound in order to call it his own.   

The Omega OpenBack features the following:
1) True single driver, single point source, with one driver (low frequency) cutting off at a frequency where it is no longer a point source.
2) Perfect driver integration with both drivers being mounted on the same plane (the front baffle) shooting in the same direction in phase with each other (of course the open driver operates as a dipole, but high frequencies are cut back due to the magnet structure being in the way, which is good.
3) Both drivers are the proprietary U.S. made RS5 OmegaCone 4.5" driver, not a Chinese off the shelf Fostex etc.
4) The 1-1/4 inch thick front baffle is made of birch multiply sandwiched between two layers of MDF, then veneered the hard (and best) way - wet and then into a veneer press; the same goes for the cabinet portion.
5) Where the baffle and the cabinet join, the fasteners are hidden and the baffle at that point is two inches thick.  It is also relieved in the back to allow the driver to breathe.
6) The cabinet portion is built the same way his speaker cabinets are built.  They can withstand a one story drop onto pavement and don't break.
7) Rear ported for excellent room coupling.

If one peruses some of the European speaker websites, the OpenBack 1.5 is equivalent to speakers in the $5000 - $10000 range.

Well, it sounds like you're sold, and from what you say these are basically perfect, except that if it were a "true single driver, single point source" there would not be two drivers both facing you and sharing the range from bass to 500Hz, down only 6dB by 1000 Hz. And what about a rear port implies excellent room coupling?

[Canada Rob]

Well, it sounds like you're sold, and from what you say these are basically perfect, except that if it were a "true single driver, single point source" there would not be two drivers both facing you and sharing the range from bass to 500Hz, down only 6dB by 1000 Hz. And what about a rear port implies excellent room coupling?

Hello Russell,
Yes I am sold, and have been for over five years since I heard my first Omegas.  You must be sold on the brands you mention too, even to the point of putting a link on this circle to a review of a competitors product.  I have been in audio for years and heard just about every kind of speaker in those years and haven't found a speaker that matches the Omegas...at any price.  I have not heard a dud from Louis and being a dealer I have heard quite a few of his speakers.

I can't find the word "perfect" in my post with respect to the speaker in general, but the instruments I use for evaluating any audio gear (my ears and live music) tell me Omegas do more right than any other speaker I've heard.  I'm not a fanboy as you may suspect; I just know good audio when I hear it, and it gets me excited. 

My comment about "true single driver, single point source" may not hold up in the world of measurements, graphs, charts, etc, but if the speaker is capable of producing the same experience as a "true single driver" speaker then my statement isn't too far off.

"Rear ported for excellent room coupling".  Most of Louis' speakers are relatively small in comparison with a lot of high end speakers available today, so they benefit from rear porting which I have found to be effective in reinforcing the bottom end especially on smaller speakers.  It is a far better way to reinforce the bottom end on a small speaker than building a mid bass hump into the frequency curve which results in boomy, boxy unrealistic bass.  All of Louis' speakers from the smallest to the largest have realistic non boomy bass, so the rear port idea must be working.  They can also be positioned quite close to a rear wall without the image being adversely affected or the bass getting boomy. 

[happyrabbit]

The last time I owned a dipole was the Infinity IRS beta's... 

Looking forward to the 1.5's arrival   

Dwight

[Canada Rob]

Dwight,

Did you get your amp sorted out yet?

[gab]

Louis developed his 1.5 way concept around seven years ago
Louis didn't invent this technique as I pointed out in another thread. Its been around forever. Good approach though

The Omega OpenBack features the following:

3) Both drivers are the proprietary U.S. made RS5 OmegaCone 4.5" driver, not a Chinese off the shelf Fostex etc.
How would one really know? Most quality manufacturers list their drivers and measurements. Like this: http://www.bambergaudio.com/products/series3/3tmw.php

6) The cabinet portion is built the same way his speaker cabinets are built.  They can withstand a one story drop onto pavement and don't break.

Quite the claim! Care to back it up with test data from a measurement lab? Or anything really (video, pics, etc)

If one peruses some of the European speaker websites, the OpenBack 1.5 is equivalent to speakers in the $5000 - $10000 range.

Hmm. With enough advertising budget and marketing, you can price things at ridiculous prices and people will buy it (think Wilson). How about attending RMAF and showing off your stuff?

OK I'm starting to get a tad negative here and I know thats not encouraged in this forum, so I'll stop now