AudioCircle
Industry Circles => Omega Speaker Systems => Topic started by: jsaliga on 9 Mar 2008, 10:48 pm
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As many of you may already know, new HempCone drivers are coming from Omega that feature Alnico magnets. Louis was kind enough to send me a pair of the new drivers for testing in my MaxHemp cabinets. These are production drivers and not prototypes. I took delivery on Friday, March 1st and installed them two days later on Sunday morning. I have been using them ever since.
I spoke to Louis on the phone about the drivers last Thursday. In case any of you are wondering, I told him then that I wanted to buy them, and that was before he told me the price. The Alnicos for me represent a dramatic improvement to an already great speaker design, and I am very confident that anyone who opts for them will feel the same way.
In short, the Alnico drivers leave the wonderfully rich midrange of the standard drivers intact, while providing for considerably improved focus and articulation in the high and low frequencies. The one shortcoming of the standard drivers, in my view, is the occasional stridency that I was hearing on some recordings in the high frequencies. Low end response was much less of a concern for me since I have a DeepHemp. Now, I don't want to overstate the problem, because it is very small relative to the large body and variety of music I listen to. It would be unfair to say that I was dissatisfied with the standard drivers. If the Alnicos were not an option then I know I would still be very satisfied with the standard drivers.
One thing you should note is that the Alnico drivers are slightly less efficient than the standard drivers. I have to give them about 10 to 15 percent more volume on my preamp to drive them to the same SPL of the standard drivers. But in my opinion what you gain in sonic focus and clarity in the high and low frequencies more than compensates the listener for the slight loss of efficiency. It is a trade-off that I would gladly make any day of the week. To restore the balance of of my system all I did was lower the gain on my DeepHemp by the same factor and everything was fine.
Also note that the Alnicos do not go lower than the standard drivers in terms of frequency response. What they do is give you more volume and better definition in the low end. This was one of the first things that I noticed. When I spoke to Louis on Thursday I think we concluded that with my room acoustics and speaker placement that it might be better to plug the ports on the cabinets. I have since been listing to the speakers with the ports plugged and I prefer their sound this way. Right now I have a couple of pair of rolled up socks plugging the ports and Louis said that he would send me a pair of plugs.
Also note that these drivers do not have a lot of hours on them, and I am certain they are subject to break-in just like any other speaker. It should also be noted that the new designs might have entirely different break-in patterns than what we are used to. I will comment on break-in as I accumulate hours on the drivers. But I can say without reservation that these drivers today sound better than the original drivers that I have put over 400 hours on.
Al Smith – Hear My Blues
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/54291f.jpg)
This title keeps bubbling up because it is the one record that I have that never sounded quite right on the standard drivers. I have spun this album three times at various stages of break-in. On the alnicos this album was sonically perfect as far as I'm concerned, and it was the best I have heard this record sound. When Al Smith hits the high notes his voice remains tight, focused, and holds together. On the old drivers it would bloom and break up occasionally. With the Alnicos the high-end stridency was completely gone and the low-end was very focused and tight, more so than on the standard drivers. The sweet spot, the character of the midrange, remains virtually unchanged. So the results with the alnicos are very delightful. You receive all the midrange detail and texture that brings audiophiles to Omega loudspeakers, and the new magnets provide the added benefit of more focused high and low frequency response without the occasional bloom in the standard drivers.
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/Ella_Fitzgerald-Duke.jpg)
I have not tried to hide the fact that I prefer vinyl to CD. I think vinyl just plain sounds better, but not because vinyl is inherently superior, but because most CD remasters of classic rock and jazz titles are terrible. There are exceptions of course, and one of them is the Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books on Verve. This is a 20 CD boxed set of every song book that Fitzgerald recorded in the 1950s. The First Lady of Song never sounded better, and pairing her with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra was a stroke of genius. If all CDs sounded as good as these do then I probably would not feel compelled to buy vinyl. It is that good, and on the Alnicos every nuance of her ballads and the raw energy and exuberance of Ella's scat singing come through in all their glory, and with a clarity that I have never heard before. One thing about Fitzgerald was that she had near perfect elocution, you never had to strain to understand the words she was singing. The Alnico drivers are extremely faithful to her voice and stylistic interpretation.
Paul Simon
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/40649f.jpg)
Here is a record that sounded pretty good on the old drivers but sounds considerably better on the Alnico drivers. The noteworthy track here for the purpose of this report is Armistice Day, and this is really a spectacular recording with a lot of guitar playing at the extremes of the scale. The Alnicos are sonically true to the very low registers on the acoustic guitar, again, without any blooming. When Simon’s playing wanders into the high notes the sound is bright without being too metallic to the point where the delicate tones are crushed. His vocals come through crystal clear and hold their tone without breaking up – there was never a hint of stridency. I was flabbergasted by the stark difference between how this track sounded on the old versus the new drivers.
Tony Bennett - Jazz
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/55766f.jpg)
If you can only own one Tony Bennett album then this is the one to own. I have this on vinyl in a 2 LP set. I can also say that if you like Tony Bennett and you end up with a pair of Alnico drivers then you will want to find yourself a copy of this album one way or another, because it is a perfect showcase recording for the drivers capabilities. Bennett has amazing range on this record and he is in perfect voice. It left me speechless after listening to it.
Frank Sinatra - Sinatra and Swingin' Brass
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/55829f.jpg)
This is one of my favorite Sinatra albums on the Reprise label. I found a second pressing of this sealed on eBay for $24. It's on heavy 160g vinyl. Very nice. This is a great record to discuss what the Alnicos do the for the low end. On lesser speakers the double bass (acoustic jazz bass) usually sounds weak. On this record the bass is perfectly miked (as are the drums) so the rhythm section is very pronounced on this recording, but it does not compete with or overwhelm Sinatra's singing. With the new drivers the rhythm section propells the music as it should without overpowering it. If someone asked me to play an album that really shows off the Alnicos, then I would probably reach for this record.
I could go on and on about these drivers. I have listened to a lot of records on the Alnicos that I also spun on the other drivers and were mentioned in my MaxHemp thread. If anyone wants a comparison of how those recordings now sound please feel free to ask. But I think it is fair to say that the alnico drivers have improved the sound of every recording I have listened to on them.
I also want to thank Louis, not just for giving me a chance to try these marvelous drivers out but also because he is always moving forward, looking for ways to improve what most of us believe are already great products. We all reap the benefits.
--Jerome
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That is a stellar w/u, as always Jerome. I would sure love to hear those drivers. Has Louis released information on purchase prices for owners and upcharge in new speakers vs. standard drivers?
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I stopped by Louis' shop yesterday afternoon to audition his Alnico Superhemps, but alas there was a power outage. :cry:
Hopefully I will have a chance to stop by next weekend for a listening session. Jerome's comments echo exactly what Louis tells me about the new drivers, in which case I will have to upgrade my Supers. I suppose I can justify it if I can manage to sell off some of my gear... :drool:
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That is a stellar w/u, as always Jerome. I would sure love to hear those drivers. Has Louis released information on purchase prices for owners and upcharge in new speakers vs. standard drivers?
Thanks. I don't belive pricing has been publicly disclosed so I will leave that to Louis.
--Jerome
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Note To All: I'm really sorry for not taking pictures of the drivers before installing them. :duh: What was I thinking?
--Jerome
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so are the alnicos for just maxhemps or upgrades for other speakers as well?
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Hi Jerome,
Other than installing the new drivers, where there any cabinet mods needed ?
What was the drop in efficiency ?
Currently I'm using a 300b 8 watt amp to drive my Compact Deep Hemp combo with no problems. I don't
listen at ultra loud levels but do enjoy turning it up on occasion.
Chris
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Hi Chris,
All I did was take out the old drivers and drop in the alnicos. It took me less than 10 minutes to swap them out.
As I recall Louis said they are about 2db to 3db less efficient. My 10 Watt 300B monoblocks have plenty of headroom so it isn't a problem.
...And I do listen at fairly loud levels. :thumb:
--Jerome
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Hi Jerome,
Thanks for the reply, I'll be in contact with Louis this week about a pair.
Chris
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so are the alnicos for just maxhemps or upgrades for other speakers as well?
I know Louis is also using a pair of Alnico drivers in SuperHemp cabinets.
I'm sure he will chime in and discuss pricing and application.
--Jerome
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great post, thanks!!!
i just pinged louis through email, asking if there would be a hemp substitution available for my Aperiodic 8's, and he said the Alnico's would work wonderfully. I can't wait to get them...
-b
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Hi Jerome,
Do you have any thoughts on the maximum attainable SPL with the new Vs old drivers, taking into account the reduction in sensitivity, do you feel they can ultimately handle more power?
Thanks,
Steve.
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Hi Jerome,
Do you have any thoughts on the maximum attainable SPL with the new Vs old drivers, taking into account teh reduction in sensitivity, do you feel they can ultimately handle more power?
Thanks,
Steve.
Great question! :thumb:
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But poor spelling! Fixed now.
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Hi Jerome,
Do you have any thoughts on the maximum attainable SPL with the new Vs old drivers, taking into account the reduction in sensitivity, do you feel they can ultimately handle more power?
Hi Steve,
I think most of us are probably using flea-powered tube amps in class A. What I can say is that my 10-watt monoblocks have enough headroom to push the Alnico drivers to the SPL that I like to listen at with room to spare. It is loud. If you ask my wife it is extremely loud. She's probably right. Put another way, I want my listening room filled with sound and I like the volume level to approach that of a live performance of, say, a four-piece jazz ensemble at a nightclub (not playing light background music, but stompin' out hard bop until the wee hours). :)
To me the important thing is to have enough reserve power in your amp so that you can drive the speakers to the desired SPL without distortion. My amps can drive the Alnicos to SPLs louder than I can stand to listen without distorting. With the standard drivers I had the volume on my preamp set at 12:00. Now it is set at 1:30 and I dialed back the gain by the same factor on my DeepHemp to compensate.
Hope this helps.
--Jerome
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That helps a lot, sounds great. Thanks Jerome.
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Hi Jerome,
Sorry about the late reply. I have been getting a lot more info up on the site and this is the hardest for me to do.
Many thanks for the great review and so happy that you like the Alnico's. I feel the same about them and what was very good is a lot better with these drivers. I replaying a lot of music and it's a different level with the Alnico drivers. Happy to hear you like them in sealed box mode and this is how I run my Super's. The bass is strong and very tight. The driver is set great for closed box. I do wish I could have kept the SPL the same, but couldn't swing it. They are still an easy load and nothing in the signal path.
I have put higher power on them and not a problem. The can handle higher powered amps too.
More about them on the site and now working on getting the 6.5" driver going.
Many thanks for giving them a try and posting. I really appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Louis
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Hi Louis,
The pleasure was entirely mine. I just had a nice goodie come in the mail today, a 21-CD boxed set of Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records recordings.
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/sinatra_set.jpg)
I have several of them on vinyl and I have to say that this import from the UK sounds spectacular on the Alnico driver equipped MaxHemps.
I spun about five of these CDs this afternoon while I worked in my home office. What a day! Now all I have to do is chase down the 12 CD
boxed set all of Sinatra's Columbia Records recordings. That one is out of print and little harder to find.
--Jerome
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Nice Set. I have about half of those on vinyl, but none on CD. Just added it to my Amazon wish list so I remember to buy.
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I stopped by Louis' shop today to hear the new Alnico Superhemps. I own a set of Supers with the latest hempcones and updated ports and have been eager to hear these new drivers.
Louis had the new Superhemps set up in a large back room driven by the RWA Sig 30.2 amp. As compared to my hempcone version, the Alnicos are just as he described. Very balanced with more body to the bass and smoother highs. The midrange is pretty much unchanged to my ears. The Alnicos are a bit lower sensitivity than the hempcones, but this certainly wasn't a factor in my listening session. Louis played some electric guitar by Beck and I can assure you that the Alnicos are capable of playing VERY LOUD with amazing clarity. Overall, these new drivers offer further refinement and improvement over the hempcones while retaining that great Omega sound.
I can't wait to hear these on my system (300b SET monoblocks) and plan to upgrade as soon as his first batch of Alnicos comes in.
Thank you Louis for letting me drop by and keep up the good work. :thumb:
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Jerome/Louis, Do you know how many hours these had on them when Jerome got them, and have they changed much during break in?
In short, do they have the same swings during break in as the standard drivers?
Can't wait to get mine!
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Hi Steve,
I don't know precisely how many hours were on the drivers before Louis sent them to me. My understanding is very few.
The character of the drivers have not changed at all that I have noticed over the course of the two weeks that I have been listening to them.
--Jerome
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Thanks Jerome.
So it sounds like they do not have the same crazy swings as the standard drivers. That's good news! I was kind of looking forward to the "journey of the hemps" but I'm willing to give that up!
I wonder why the difference. I know more than just the magnet was changed but I guess the reason for the difference in burn in is just one of life's mysteries. I'll find out about any possible burn in for myself soon enough!
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I simply don't know if these drivers will have similar break-in swings or not and noted that in my report. I know that my standard drivers had well over 200 hours on them before they acted up and went through a swing that lasted about 20 to 30 hours before settling in again and then were fine after that. I only have about 80 or 90 hours on the alnico drivers so it may be a bit too early to tell. So far so good: they sound wonderful.
--Jerome
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I simply don't know if these drivers will have similar break-in swings or not and noted that in my report. I know that my standard drivers had well over 200 hours on them before they acted up and went through a swing that lasted about 20 to 30 hours before settling in again and then were fine after that. I only have about 80 or 90 hours on the alnico drivers so it may be a bit too early to tell. So far so good: they sound wonderful.
--Jerome
Do you consider the $900 or so upgrade cost from current ferrite hemps a no brainer? Given current stock ferrite hemps and a modest budget, in your opinion would money be better invested in a Hemp sub or an upgrade to alnico drivers? Tough questions I know, but your thought are appreciated. Kent
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I don't know about you but for me purity and refinement of tone wins out over deeper bass any day. Personally I would seriously look at the new alnico drivers. But that's me.
After speaking with Louis today about his speakers and the alnico drivers I'm looking forward to his future offerings. I'd say that there's a pair of Omegas in my future.
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I don't know about you but for me purity and refinement of tone wins out over deeper bass any day. Personally I would seriously look at the new alnico drivers. But that's me.
After speaking with Louis today about his speakers and the alnico drivers I'm looking forward to his future offerings. I'd say that there's a pair of Omegas in my future.
Me too (on the mids and highs). The Sig 30 to .2 upgrade is a no brainer. Definitely better and a great value. I'm just trying to get a feel for whether or not the alnicos fit into the same category -- not just different, but actually BETTER in almost every way (like the RWA .2 upgrade)! I really wanted a Deep Hemp, getting purchases past the wife is a challenge, especially with a new house and down market :roll:
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Thankfully I wasn't faced with that choice. It is easy to argue that purity of tone wins out over deeper bass, but it is another thing entirely to experience, say, Beethoven's 5th Symphony or Grieg's Piano Concerto No. 1 with properly extended bottom end. The music is much closer to a live performance with the sub than without. Trust me when I tell you that once you have heard first hand what the DeepHemp does for music, you just won't want to settle for anything less.
So if you want my opinion, going with just the alnico drivers and leaving out the DeepHemp is possibly a bigger compromise to the overall sound than buying the standard drivers with the DeepHemp. I'm sure there will be those who disagree, but there it is. Let's not pretend that the standard drivers are bad. There are a lot of folks, myself included, who were very satisfied with their overall performance. But I have a strong preference for the alnico drivers. If it is at all possible to do both the alnicos and the DeepHemp, then by all means I highly recommend that you do both. Talk to Louis about it. If you are planning to budget a main speaker purchase now and then maybe later adding the sub, then definitely get the alnico's now and add the DeepHemp later. But if you're going to adopt that strategy then be sure you follow up and get the sub later. You might think that the alnicos go low enough for you, and perhaps they might. But hearing music with the DeepHemp adds tremendously to the listening experience, it is a musical sub and brings more to the table than merely bottom end thump. Alternatively you can get the standard drivers now with the DeepHemp and upgrade the drivers later to the alnicos. This actually makes less sense to me. The standard drivers can take quite a while to break-in, in my case it was about 350 hours or so. If you were thinking of upgrading relatively soon (within a few months) then it makes much better sense to get the alnico drivers out of the gate and add the sub later.
Let me put it another way to put a finer point on the subject....if before the alnico drivers became an option you were planning on buying, say, a pair of MaxHemp speakers and a DeepHemp sub...I don't think the alnico drivers eliminate the need for the sub. I know this stuff costs money. I had to budget my speaker purchase and work with Louis on payment terms. I spent over $11,000 on new gear in the eight months before I even spoke to Louis about speakers for the first time. I earn a good living to be sure, but wads of cash are not exactly falling from a tree in the back yard. I won't fund discretionary purchases like this with plastic. If I don't have the cash on tap then I have to budget for it. I did what I had to do to get it done because I did not want to make any compromises. When the alnicos came along I had nearly three months for my wallet to recover (a tiny bit) from all of my other purchases. I think the alnico drivers are worth every penny of the asking price, and so is everything else I have purchased from Louis.
With that said, only you can determine what your priorities are.
--Jerome
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Thankfully I wasn't faced with that choice. It is easy to argue that purity of tone wins out over deeper bass, but it is another thing entirely to experience, say, Beethoven's 5th Symphony or Grieg's Piano Concerto No. 1 with properly extended bottom end. The music is much closer to a live performance with the sub than without. Trust me when I tell you that once you have heard first hand what the DeepHemp does for music, you just won't want to settle for anything less.
So if you want my opinion, going with just the alnico drivers and leaving out the DeepHemp is possibly a bigger compromise to the overall sound than buying the standard drivers with the DeepHemp. I'm sure there will be those who disagree, but there it is. Let's not pretend that the standard drivers are bad. There are a lot of folks, myself included, who were very satisfied with their overall performance. But I have a strong preference for the alnico drivers. If it is at all possible to do both the alnicos and the DeepHemp, then by all means I highly recommend that you do both. Talk to Louis about it. If you are planning to budget a main speaker purchase now and then maybe later adding the sub, then definitely get the alnico's now and add the DeepHemp later. But if you're going to adopt that strategy then be sure you follow up and get the sub later. You might think that the alnicos go low enough for you, and perhaps they might. But hearing music with the DeepHemp adds tremendously to the listening experience, it is a musical sub and brings more to the table than merely bottom end thump. Alternatively you can get the standard drivers now with the DeepHemp and upgrade the drivers later to the alnicos. This actually makes less sense to me. The standard drivers can take quite a while to break-in, in my case it was about 350 hours or so. If you were thinking of upgrading relatively soon (within a few months) then it makes much better sense to get the alnico drivers out of the gate and add the sub later.
Let me put it another way to put a finer point on the subject....if before the alnico drivers became an option you were planning on buying, say, a pair of MaxHemp speakers and a DeepHemp sub...I don't think the alnico drivers eliminate the need for the sub. I know this stuff costs money. I had to budget my speaker purchase and work with Louis on payment terms. I spent over $11,000 on new gear in the eight months before I even spoke to Louis about speakers for the first time. I earn a good living to be sure, but wads of cash are not exactly falling from a tree in the back yard. I won't fund discretionary purchases like this with plastic. If I don't have the cash on tap then I have to budget for it. I did what I had to do to get it done because I did not want to make any compromises. When the alnicos came along I had nearly three months for my wallet to recover (a tiny bit) from all of my other purchases. I think the alnico drivers are worth every penny of the asking price, and so is everything else I have purchased from Louis.
With that said, only you can determine what your priorities are.
--Jerome
Jerome, thank you for your thoughtful response. BTW. do you use one or two Deep Hemps? And what are the approx dimensions of your listing room? Kent
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I have one DeepHemp and a pair of MaxHemps. My room is 15' x 14' and IMO one sub is plenty for a room this size.
--Jerome
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Hi Kent,
I have a pair of Compact Hemp's and dual Deep Hemp sub's, my room is 15.5 x 21 x 8.5. My drivers are the latest Hemp's, and I will be switching to the Alnico Hemp's (thanks to Jerome's positive review of them) when they become available. That said, if the Alnico's where never available I don't feel that I would be missing anything. All of Louis' products and Louis the man are head and shoulders above the rest!!
What ever your decision, YOU WILL BE SATISFIED :D, and changes or additions (as funds become available) down the road are always an option.
Good Luck,
Rodge
A Very Happy Omega Customer
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Hi Jerome,
many thanks and I do agree with you. Starting out with the alnico will save in the long run. I did send your alnico drivers out with zero hours. I just did a sweep to make sure they were OK. My set here don't have the break in swings at all.
The Deephemp is important to me as well. It adds the foundation of the music and tuned to be fast and musical. I love the combo with the alnico and run the Supers and Max's sealed especially with the sub.
Also some great news is the addition of the 6.5" alnico driver. This is a smaller version of the 8" and will be coming shortly after the first run of 8's. I will have these hopefully in a monitor and mini tower a lot like small versions of Max's and Supers. They will be a great value too and for alnico it's special.
Thanks,
Louis
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Does plugging the ports on an Omega cabinet attribute the characteristics of a sealed design? Such as improved transient response at the cost of reduced efficiency. Or does it remain a ported cabinet design with the port plugged up?
I was an early adopter from 4 years ago. I bought a TS2R demo unit, then switched to a TS3R. I realize the ported design has been from the beginning. But once in a while there's a port-plugging option available, creating greater flexiblity for customers. Taking this one step further, if I would like no port, could I order that?
I guess that is one thing that stands out to me as someone in search of purity. I like to think of having a solid wood panel, instead of a wood panel with a plastic port and cotton sock wedged in-between.
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I think it is time to update this thread. I've been busy with work....and enjoying these drivers so much that I sort of lost sight of the goings on around here.
To my ears, jazz and classical can be extremely demanding on a pair of loudspeakers. I haven't been keeping track of how many hours I have on the alnico drivers, but it is probably at least 250 or more. The drivers are so rich and dynamic sounding that I have been listening exclusively to 1950s and 60s hard bop jazz, jazz vocals, and 1940s and 50s popular music vocals cut from the great American song book. The alnicos thus far do not seem to exhibit the swings in sound performance that characterised the break-in behavior of the ferrite magnet drivers. If anything, the bass response has opened up a tad with continued break-in. Other than that, I really haven't noticed any performance swings at all. For the most part they sound the same as they did the day I installed them in my Max Hemp cabinets. That is to say, completely remarkable...the alnicos are a sonic revelation.
I have been pulling out a lot of my choice recordings since installing the alnicos.
Ella Fitzgerald - Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/ellafitzgerald_irvingberlin.jpg)
Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland are probably the two greatest female vocalists of the 20th century. That's not meant to slight the likes of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee, or any number of fine female singers from the swing era and pre-rock popular music. Ella Fitzgerald, in particular, seems most deserving of the title of "First Lady of Song." I have the Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books in a CD boxed set from Verve. It is expensive and worth every penny. Lately, I have set about buying these on vinyl (talk about expensive!!). Superbly recorded and mastered, this masterpiece sounds amazing.
Bill Evans - Everybody Digs Bill Evans
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/58675f.jpg)
A must own title for any jazz fan. Available on CD, freshly remastered as part of the Orrin Keepnews series. Also available on a vinyl reissue and a double 45 RPM vinyl audiophile pressing. I have the remastered CD and the vinyl reissue. This is a great recording and a performance by Evans that is one for the ages.
Peggy Lee - Black Coffee
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/peggylee-blackcoffee.jpg)
Another great album with crystal clear sonics. Worth tracking down on vinyl if you can find it (it's something of a rare record these days), but if you can't the Verve Master Series edition of this sounds great on CD.
Judy Garland - Alone
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/59555f.jpg)
I have a first pressing copy of this on Capitol Records in great shape. A lot of folks think of Judy Garland and can't get past The Wizard of Oz. Great movie, to be sure. But she enjoyed a successful career as a recording artist. Her death at age 47 in 1969 was a tragic loss to music and movie fans alike. This album is full of torch songs. The entire album is brilliant, but the standouts are Me and My Shadow, I Got a Right to Sing the Blues, and Mean to Me.
Frank Sinatra - Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/59188f.jpg)
It was Stan Getz that helped Jobim make Bossa Nova music popular among West Coast jazz fans in the early 1960s. But it was this collaboration with Frank Sinatra in 1967 that brought Bossa Nova into the mainstream of American popular music. I have this on 180g vinyl. The sound is so delicate and soft on this recording that Sinatra once commented that he had not sung so soft since he had laryngitis. This is also a recording that will help you to appreciate the alnico drivers. I think a lesser driver might step on some of the delicate and nuanced sounds of this finely crafted record. Sinatra takes Jobim's signature song, The Girl from Ipanema and makes it his own.
So far, if there is any downside to the alnico drivers is that they have me spending more money on music. A lot more, and I find myself going after a lot of audiophile pressings on 180g or 200g vinyl. Here's a short list of the titles that I have bought and am waiting on delivery:
Duke Ellington - Blues in Orbit (200g vinyl)
Nat King Cole - Just One of Those (180g vinyl)
Ella Fitzgerald - Clap Hands (200g vinyl)
Ella Fitzgerald - Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book (180g vinyl)
Ella Fitzgerald - Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (180g vinyl)
Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin (180g vinyl)
...and then some vintage vinyl titles that I probably paid too much for:
Judy Garland - In Person at Carnegie Hall (1st Pressing)
Nat King Cole - At the Sands (sealed 1st pressing)
Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers (1st Pressing)
Frank Sinatra - Where Are You? (1st Pressing)
Pearl Bailey - St. Louis Blues (sealed)
Rosemary Clooney - Swing Around with Rosie (1st Pressing)
Peggy Lee - Beauty and the Beat (reissue)
Anyway, music is supposed to be what this is all about. I can honestly say that my current setup (especially with analog) is the best I have ever owned, and can't imagine it getting any better. I might try to snag myself a used Esoteric DV-50 if I can find one for the right price that isn't beat up. But if I do it will probably be the last audio component I buy for the forseeable future. I am very pleased with how this entire setup has come together, and appreciate all the help that I have gotten on forums such as this, and from people like Louis.
--Jerome
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I love reading your posts Jerome, but you're a very bad influence!
You posted only 10 minutes ago and I've already ordered 2 LPs you mentioned!
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Sometimes I am a bad influence on myself! I post here about some of my favorite recordings and how great they sound on the alnico drivers and then proceed to blow $500 on audiophile vinyl pressings.
--Jerome
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jsaliga wrote: "So far, if there is any downside to the alnico drivers is that they have me spending more money on music."
This has been my problem since acquiring a Red Wine 30.2 a couple of months ago. The sounds are so great, and it's just too easy to search and then order on Amazon.com. Takes just a couple of clicks and there goes the $.
You should post your message on the Music Circle. I used to be a big fan of Ella's, and had many of the "song books" on Lp, and some of her later recordings on the Pablo label. Good stuff. When I was a kid, we used to catch her quite often on the Ed Sullivan show. Can you imagine anything like that on network TV in these culturally degraded times? Same can be said for the Sinatra and Garland shows.
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This has been my problem since acquiring a Red Wine 30.2 a couple of months ago. The sounds are so great, and it's just too easy to search and then order on Amazon.com. Takes just a couple of clicks and there goes the $.
Indeed. In my case the few clicks are for Classic Records, Analog Productions, and Speakers Corner 200g and 180g audiophile vinyl pressings. At about $30 a pop it adds up real fast. I just bought two Duke Ellington titles on 200g vinyl and there went $70 out the door. I know it sounds like I'm complaining but really I'm not. Sure, I wish these flagship vinyl pressings were less expensive. But I bought the entire run of Led Zeppelin's catalog on 200g vinyl and have no regrets. These records sound better and have much less surface noise than the original pressings. So I am happy with the quality and that is why I keep coming back. The splendid sound of the alnico drivers are merely supplying me with an added motive to buy them.
--Jerome
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This has been my problem since acquiring a Red Wine 30.2 a couple of months ago.
The splendid sound of the alnico drivers are merely supplying me with an added motive to buy them.
--Jerome
That there is as good an endorsement you can give to a speaker (and amp).
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my 8" alnico hemps just arrived today. i will be swapping out the B200s in my A8s tonight!! i cant wait..
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my 8" alnico hemps just arrived today. i will be swapping out the B200s in my A8s tonight!! i cant wait..
And???? Let us know how its going with them!
--Jerome
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I think this will be my final post to this thread. There are others who are just getting their ALNICO hemp drivers and I think most people, myself included, would like to hear some commentary from other owners.
For those of you who have expressed interest in and appreciation for the discussion of music, I am thinking about starting a thread over in the music forum. At the moment I am very much into jazz. My listening preferences are subject to change from time to time. Once I got into an electric blues mode that lasted nearly 2 years. I still listened to other music, but during that time blues dominated my rotation. I've been on a heavy jazz tear for the past three or four months. I'd say that 3 out 4 records I buy these days is jazz, and I already have a pretty large collection of jazz music!
So with that said, there are three albums I want to leave you with.
Bille Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/59965f.jpg)
This is a Speakers Corner 180 gram audiophile pressing, and it is simply breathtaking.
Recorded in 1956, this album was made at a time when the honied voice that Holiday
routinely demonstrated on her Columbia sides in the 1940s had left her. I think it
gives her voice added character and does something for her torch song interpretations
that was missing in the earlier part of her career. In any case, Lady Sings the
Blues finds Billie Holiday at what arguably is her very best form during her tenure
at Verve. Highly recommended.
Anita O'Day - Pick Yourself Up
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/59940f.jpg)
This album belongs in every serious jazz fan's music library. O'Day
got her start with Gene Krupa's band after his stint with Benny
Goodman. It has been argued that she lacks the range of Sarah
Vaughan (who doesn't?) and can't scat like Ella Fitzgerald (who
can?). Be that as it may, Anita O'Day was a brilliant song
interpreter and a supremely gifted vocal improviser. This
album features a great line-up of tunes, including Don't Be That
Way, Let's Face the Music and Dance, and Stompin' at the
Savoy. The real knock-out punch here is the most incredible
version of Sweet Georgia Brown that you are ever likely to hear.
Witness this fantastic clip on YouTube of Anita O'Day singing this song
at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuzWegDm2HY
Dave's True Story - Sex Without Bodies
(http://www.indierockfan.net/images/59735f.jpg)
Unfairly labeled as a lounge act. Dave's True Story
featured the witty songwriting of Dave Cantor and
the wonderful, expressive singing of Kelly Flint. While
the lyrical content of the songs is frequently campy
and silly, make no mistake about it -- this is exceptionally
well done jazz, with the music and arrangements done in
the Irving Berlin, Rogers and Hart, and Cole Porter traditions.
They also manage to slip in a nice jazz interpretation of
Lou Reed's Take a Walk on the Wild Side. This album
and the group's eponymous debut album offer a great
deal to jazz vocal fans. Unfortunately, Kelly Flint
has since moved in other musical directions and for the
past few years has been doing a lot of folk music. Don't
get me wrong, since it is well done folk, but it pales
in comparison to her jazz singing with Dave Cantor.
--Jerome
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Hi Jerome,
Many thanks for all the Max alnico posts. It's an education for me as well. Great music and I learned a lot from the thread. I'm grateful that you took all the time to share your experience with the Max's.
Thanks again,
Louis
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Just received my 8" Hemp /Alnico drivers and popped them into my Omega Revolutions to replace the Visaton B200s. My first impression is very positive, although I can tell that these speakers will need a break-in period like any other speaker. The mid-range is extremely clear and present. The only other speakers that I have owned that came close was a pair of Quad ESLs. I will look forward to improvement as these speakers get broken in. By the way, I was able to sell my Visaton B200s quickly on Agon.
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Jerome,
I for one would love to hear your ongoing commentary of your experiences and of the music that fuels them. I've truly enjoyed following your journey with the maxhemps/deephemp and now with the alnico's.
Hell, you've got me looking at turntables on A'gon!!!!!!! :o
I have been going through (what may be) some of the break-in 'swings' on my Max's (I bought them from Jman66, and am not sure how many hours they had on them), but I feel that some of what I perceive to be 'swings' may in fact be poorly engineered/recorded source material. That said, I have really enjoyed these speakers, and am contemplating adding a deephemp to fill in the bottom octave aa (even though I am very impressed with the max's on their own).
Back on topic, I will most likely end up getting the alnico's at some point in the future, so I am particularly interested in the relative differences between the drivers, and feel that many other hemp owners are in the same boat.
Thanks again,
Michael
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Update:
Have been listening to the alnico hemps quite a bit. They are dramatically better than the Visaton B200s in clarity and presence, especially for jazz vocals: Diana Krall, Sinatra, Tierney Sutton, Ella, Tony Bennett, June Christy, Sarah Vaughn. They all sound incredible.
Not sure of the cause, but on some of the Sinatra cuts (Sinatra at the Sands) there was a rough edge to his voice with a bit of sibilance. I hadn't noticed this in my Visatons. Maybe it will go away with break-in.
I would be interested if others have found similar issues.
Just received my 8" Hemp /Alnico drivers and popped them into my Omega Revolutions to replace the Visaton B200s. My first impression is very positive, although I can tell that these speakers will need a break-in period like any other speaker. The mid-range is extremely clear and present. The only other speakers that I have owned that came close was a pair of Quad ESLs. I will look forward to improvement as these speakers get broken in. By the way, I was able to sell my Visaton B200s quickly on Agon.
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Update:
Have been listening to the alnico hemps quite a bit. They are dramatically better than the Visaton B200s in clarity and presence, especially for jazz vocals: Diana Krall, Sinatra, Tierney Sutton, Ella, Tony Bennett, June Christy, Sarah Vaughn. They all sound incredible.
Not sure of the cause, but on some of the Sinatra cuts (Sinatra at the Sands) there was a rough edge to his voice with a bit of sibilance. I hadn't noticed this in my Visatons. Maybe it will go away with break-in.
I would be interested if others have found similar issues.
Just received my 8" Hemp /Alnico drivers and popped them into my Omega Revolutions to replace the Visaton B200s. My first impression is very positive, although I can tell that these speakers will need a break-in period like any other speaker. The mid-range is extremely clear and present. The only other speakers that I have owned that came close was a pair of Quad ESLs. I will look forward to improvement as these speakers get broken in. By the way, I was able to sell my Visaton B200s quickly on Agon.
No issues with my Revolutions. :thumb:
I have been listening to Sinatra and heard no sibilance, grit, or grain. I will try that album later and report back.
Throw on some Peggy Lee, Sam Cooke, Bill Evans, Roland Kirk, or Ella Fitzgerald and just sit back and smile.
Can you shoot me a PM with what you were able to get for your Visaton drivers? Mine aren't stock, they have the Planet 10 mods.
What amplification are you using? I have been using Atma-Sphere M-60's and it is a stunning combination!
George
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Alnico Superhemps in da house!
Hi all,
I arrived home this evening to find that Louis had sent me my Alnico upgraded Superhemps. As you may or may not know, my SHs had the first production hemptone driver (the second iteration of the first Omega hemp driver :scratch:) and not the current Hempcone that Omega provides today. That is why I had to send them back to Louis, he needed to cut a larger hole for the new driver. This is important to note, because while I really enjoyed my SHs as they were, by all accounts, the new hempcone drivers are much better than the early versions.
Obviously, since I have no experience with the latest stock 96db hemps, I cannot make any comparisions. However, I will say that in only a few minutes of listening I could tell that Louis' Alnico Hemps are a leaping-tall-buildings improvement to the drivers I owned. My initial reaction was to the much improved bass performance, but the increased resolution of the new drivers is perhaps the bigger story.
As I only have a few minutes of time on them, I am sure my impressions will flesh out in the next few days. I will keep you posted. So far... :thumb:
Cheers,
Gary
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Update:
Have been listening to the alnico hemps quite a bit. They are dramatically better than the Visaton B200s in clarity and presence, especially for jazz vocals: Diana Krall, Sinatra, Tierney Sutton, Ella, Tony Bennett, June Christy, Sarah Vaughn. They all sound incredible.
Not sure of the cause, but on some of the Sinatra cuts (Sinatra at the Sands) there was a rough edge to his voice with a bit of sibilance. I hadn't noticed this in my Visatons. Maybe it will go away with break-in.
I would be interested if others have found similar issues.
Just received my 8" Hemp /Alnico drivers and popped them into my Omega Revolutions to replace the Visaton B200s. My first impression is very positive, although I can tell that these speakers will need a break-in period like any other speaker. The mid-range is extremely clear and present. The only other speakers that I have owned that came close was a pair of Quad ESLs. I will look forward to improvement as these speakers get broken in. By the way, I was able to sell my Visaton B200s quickly on Agon.
No issues with my Revolutions. :thumb:
I have been listening to Sinatra and heard no sibilance, grit, or grain. I will try that album later and report back.
Throw on some Peggy Lee, Sam Cooke, Bill Evans, Roland Kirk, or Ella Fitzgerald and just sit back and smile.
Can you shoot me a PM with what you were able to get for your Visaton drivers? Mine aren't stock, they have the Planet 10 mods.
What amplification are you using? I have been using Atma-Sphere M-60's and it is a stunning combination!
George
The sibilance has disappeared on Sinatra at the Sands, now that I have over 100 hours on these speakers - so it was just a matter of break-in.
I am using the Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 which is a great match for the Hemp/Alnico/Revolutions from Omega. After 100 hours of break-in it just keeps getting better - so much so that I am now going back and listening to old favorites from my music collection just to hear how much better they sound with this combination. The black background of the RWA battery powered amplifier coupled with the clarity and resolution of the Hemp/Alnico drivers makes for an "virtually live" presentation. :D
Tom
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Hi All,
many thanks and the great news about the break in with alnico is it's not the roller coaster and pretty linear. they do need the break in, but won't drive you nuts like the ferrite.
The thing that does it for me is the texture and the balance of the bass. It also has a much better balance and transition from bass to mids to top.
Many thanks,
Louis