[kcjazz]

Evening All -
First post with my newly arrived Zebrawood Super 6 Alnico's. Let's first get something clear - I am big speaker guy, ya know floorstanders, a Klipsch man currently with Cornwalls and have owned LaScala, Heresey, Forte 1,2, Belles. Had Triangles, Magnaplaner's, pro line JBL horns, Martin Logan, even had a pair of Galante Rhapsody's. Still have a pair of Mirage OM7's omni-polars (and don't sell these short, they can sing). So now I receive these little bitty beauties, tiny 6 inch driver that I had no faith in providing anything close to a full, dynamic sound. I mean come on, the midbass in the Triangles and OM7 are damn near as big.
So it's tough for MAN to admit size don't matter, at least not in a properly designed cabinet/driver configuration. I really can't believe these damn things; when I first fired them up and was at the equipment stand, I actually looked over at the Mirages's that I had just disconnected to make sure I DID. Of course I did, it was the Omegas. Clarity in spades, depth, proper bass to their limitations, seemingly correct tone, it is all there with a 6 inch driver. Louis did a bit of break in for me prior to shipping so they are not fresh from the box but still not completely cooked in. This sound is from a Wright EL84 integrated at 15 watts with an absolute killer modded Pioneer PD-93 50 pound CD player, have never heard better. Next up will be a 300b integrated and then a Clayton Audio Class A 50 watter w/Mapletree preamp. The sound stage and close mike work on a Diana Kr all tune was spooky. Her work gets old but for testing new gear the recording are superb. The piano keys, the movements on her bench and the closed miked vocals are something to behold on the little 6's. Well I have rambled enough, I do believe these are keepers, that is unless the Super  8's are better.  Thanks for the time.

[Alwayswantmore]

Evening All -
First post with my newly arrived Zebrawood Super 6 Alnico's. Let's first get something clear - I am big speaker guy, ya know floorstanders, a Klipsch man currently with Cornwalls and have owned LaScala, Heresey, Forte 1,2, Belles. Had Triangles, Magnaplaner's, pro line JBL horns, Martin Logan, even had a pair of Galante Rhapsody's. Still have a pair of Mirage OM7's omni-polars (and don't sell these short, they can sing). So now I receive these little bitty beauties, tiny 6 inch driver that I had no faith in providing anything close to a full, dynamic sound. I mean come on, the midbass in the Triangles and OM7 are damn near as big.
So it's tough for MAN to admit size don't matter, at least not in a properly designed cabinet/driver configuration. I really can't believe these damn things; when I first fired them up and was at the equipment stand, I actually looked over at the Mirages's that I had just disconnected to make sure I DID. Of course I did, it was the Omegas. Clarity in spades, depth, proper bass to their limitations, seemingly correct tone, it is all there with a 6 inch driver. Louis did a bit of break in for me prior to shipping so they are not fresh from the box but still not completely cooked in. This sound is from a Wright EL84 integrated at 15 watts with an absolute killer modded Pioneer PD-93 50 pound CD player, have never heard better. Next up will be a 300b integrated and then a Clayton Audio Class A 50 watter w/Mapletree preamp. The sound stage and close mike work on a Diana Kr all tune was spooky. Her work gets old but for testing new gear the recording are superb. The piano keys, the movements on her bench and the closed miked vocals are something to behold on the little 6's. Well I have rambled enough, I do believe these are keepers, that is unless the Super  8's are better.  Thanks for the time.

Hey Jim, welcome to the club. Of the speakers you've owned...

Klipsch Cornwalls -- heard but never owned them (sorry to say, floppy bass.) 

Klipsch LaScala -- owned 'em. While they have great dynamics and energy, they do not go as deep as many people think they might. And you do tend to hear the horns and some woody sound in the bass. But great for parties in a large room!

Klipsch Belles -- Only heard this one as a center channel for K-horns. They look beautiful!

Heresy's -- Owned 'em. A fun speaker for the money. But IMO the Alnico 6 Monitors walk all over them for resolution, tone, imaging and soundstage.

Magnaplaner -- Owned a set in the late '70s (T-1Bs I think). I know Maggies have improved over the years, but mine never really floated my boat (and did they NEED POWER!)

I now have Super 6 Alnico Monitors and a single DeepHemp. By far the best sounding speakers I've ever owned. Period. BTW: The DH sub is a fantastic addition.

Tips: Really spend time experimenting with positioning the speakers and your listing chair in the room. If in doubt, call Louis and get his input.

Best to get the center of the driver to ear level. Most likely you want the line from the drivers to connect well behind your listening chair (i.e. do not point the drivers at your head -- rather you should be able to see the inside edges of both speakers. A high-mass stand like Skyland is a worthwhile investment. Getting them out from the back wall will help provide a deeper image (but you may loose some bass response too).

Get them set up right (and consider adding the sub), and you will never again be happy with any multiway speaker any where near this price point. Kent

[el dub]

Welcome to the club.

Our el-84 based manley also sounds spooky good with the Omega alnicos.

An audio-inclined friend stopped by the other day to check out the system. I set the volume low so we could converse. But Andy kept looking at those cabs and finally said, "What happens when you push those little things?"

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly.

So I pushed them a little bit and then a lot. Big sound of great clarity and detail ensued. (Listening to a random bootleg disc of a Phil Lesh show.) Pushed them hard enough to blow the nerf bungs right out of the ports. Pushed them to the point that I had no desire to hear them go any louder in our house. 

Keep us posted, eh?

lw

[kcjazz]

Thanks Always and Dub -
Always - No doubt about the bass extension on Belles/LaScalla, 50 HZ at best but like any speaker, that is the design limitation of the folded horn in that cabinet. The KHorn with its same folded horn theory uses, appropriately enough, the rooms corners and walls for its "horn" and when done correctly can achieve a pipe organ C when done correctly. The Cornwall may be the most rounded sounding Heritage model and Can have loose bass with the wrong amplification. My 8 watt 300b, yea a bit loose, my Class A Clayton that can run at 1 ohm, has an iron grip on those big 15 inchers. I am very much enjoying the Alnicos but I will also come to the defense of the Paul Klipsch design, a true genius in audio and many other fields. I have just put in the 300b and am typing this as she warms, anxious to see how it sounds with the Alnicos. And yes, I have them set up very much as you described, thanks for the verification. I am still waffling on the Super 8 though, wondering if the bigger driver delivers the bigger sound. Any thoughts between the two? Louis believes the 6 is a bit smoother and more open that 8 and that the 8 can be a bit strident at the top. But damn these things do sound nice and either the 6 or the 8 have found a home. Thanks guys

[rajacat]

I wonder when someone will commission a pair of Super 6 alnico Bipoles? I own a set of the 4-1/2" Bipoles upgraded to Hemp  which have a surprisingly large sound, are wicked quick and image quite well if set up appropriately. I suspect the Super 6 Hemp alnicos would be great with classical music but also do well with more intimate music and rock and roll. They would put out a huge soundstage.

-Roy

[Alwayswantmore]

Thanks Always and Dub -
Always - No doubt about the bass extension on Belles/LaScalla, 50 HZ at best but like any speaker, that is the design limitation of the folded horn in that cabinet. The KHorn with its same folded horn theory uses, appropriately enough, the rooms corners and walls for its "horn" and when done correctly can achieve a pipe organ C when done correctly. The Cornwall may be the most rounded sounding Heritage model and Can have loose bass with the wrong amplification. My 8 watt 300b, yea a bit loose, my Class A Clayton that can run at 1 ohm, has an iron grip on those big 15 inchers. I am very much enjoying the Alnicos but I will also come to the defense of the Paul Klipsch design, a true genius in audio and many other fields. I have just put in the 300b and am typing this as she warms, anxious to see how it sounds with the Alnicos. And yes, I have them set up very much as you described, thanks for the verification. I am still waffling on the Super 8 though, wondering if the bigger driver delivers the bigger sound. Any thoughts between the two? Louis believes the 6 is a bit smoother and more open that 8 and that the 8 can be a bit strident at the top. But damn these things do sound nice and either the 6 or the 8 have found a home. Thanks guys

Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for Paul Klipsch. If money were no object, I'd have a set of rosewood K-horns and a Belle center channel in my basement, just for the sheer excitement. But for daily listening, IMO the Omegas are much easier to live with.

Regarding 6 vs 8" Alnicos: The 6" Alnico is very new, so there are probably not many people other than Louis who have heard them compared to the 8" Alnicos (unless they've been to the Omega shop).

You never specifically mentioned whether you have XRS or Monitors. If you have Monitors, the DeepHemp will definitely make the 6s sound much bigger and more complete (and more dynamic). Also the bass from the DeepHemp is very tuneful and tight. The base will sound considerably different than any Klipsch I've heard, but for my taste that's a good thing

Keep us abreast of your progress.

[Alwayswantmore]

I wonder when someone will commission a pair of Super 6 alnico Bipoles. I own a set of the 4-1/2" Bipoles upgraded to Hemp  which have a surprisingly large sound, are wicked quick and image quite well if set up appropriately. I suspect the Super 6 Hemp alnicos would be great with classical music but also do well with more intimate music and rock and roll. They would put out a huge soundstage.

-Roy

Roy, this thought has crossed my mind more than once.

[kcjazz]

First amplifier comparison / Super 6 Alnico monitor -
Hey guys, Without extensive listening but enough to formulate a quick opinion here is what I heard -
Wright Sound tube rectified EL84 integrated PP/rated 15 watts/24 music watts vs. //ISC (Japan) 300b SET integrated 8watt
For shear power, dynamics, bass extension and even tonal qualities, the Wright scores big. I am not sure 8 watts is enough drive for the Alnicos. The 300b was very light in bass which magnified the mid to upper range at which point the speaker sound less cohesive. Tonally it was still impressive but the power and EL84 fullness was not as present.
 Now one caveat - I had just installed a new set of speaker cables and this was the first time under power. A simple cable made with MTW (machine tool wire) 12 gauge annealed stranded copper, 12 gauge run each neg/pos. Bananas on the amp and cable wire directly to the speaker post. Now I am not a big believer in wire break-in; this break-in theory may be the ploy by the hi-end wire makers to make one believe that the wire gets better and that it will sound better as time goes on. Actually you just get more accustomed to the sound, it is no better, just familiar. It's wire carrying current for God's sake.
So, I am giving this evening another go with the 300b but the sound is still a bit thinner but decent imaging and sound stage. I find I play louder to compensate for the thinner sound and then the increased accentuates the mid bass and treble. And the sound and drive does not carry much past the actual listening area where the EL84's thump for a much bigger radius.
Looks to be a crappy weekend here so a time for tunes and another evaluation tomorrow. The Clayton Class A 50 watt w/Mapletree 12sx7 preamp. I have big expectations on this as the Clayton should really show off each and all of the Alnicos capabilities and with zero SS hash.
Another post later this weekend.
Thanks. 

[rodge827]

Kcjazz,

I've had the Compact Hemp, Super 6 Alnico Monitor, and now (since 1-17-09) the Super 8 Alnico XRS. I also have a pair of the Deep Hemp Subs. I've powered all three with a 300b amp and the gear listed below.

Each Speaker has its own unique qualities. I could easily live with them all, but can only keep one pair at a time . When I make a deal with "she who must be obeyed" it is best that I honor it . That marital bliss thing not withstanding. Anyway there I digress........

The Super 6 Alnico's are a lot of speaker for their size. I too had the same response when I fired mine up. Those little dinky drivers surprised the heck out of me  . As Kent suggested a Deep Hemp would go a long way to you never wanting anything else.

So why buy the 8's ? Why not! I just wanted to have more of the Omega magic, and yes there is more. I've had the 8's for less then a week, have only about 25 hours on them, and feel that I made a very good decision. The 8's do everything the 6's do only bigger. I'm not much into "audio reviewer" jargon so I'll do my best. Let's just say that the sound is much more "fuller" in content. Dynamics, imaging, and sound stage are all larger in scope. For now though I'm in the break in process and can't really give a truly accurate description of the sound. Also my transport is out being upgraded, and I won't get it back for another week or so

So welcome to the club and listen to and enjoy those 6's, they are IMHO the best value in audio today  aa.

Chris

[kcjazz]

Good to hear your opinions of the 6's vs 8's. I would also be inclined to believe the 8's may be the way to go and for just the reasoning you give. More of these great tone monsters have got to be better! But more than likely mine will be monitors; I am back and forth way to much on gear to invest that much cash. And I can see how you hear such a difference comparing the 6 monitors to the 8 floorstanders, that must be a big upgrade. Probably more so than goiing monitors only, 6's to 8's.

[rodge827]

kcjazz,

I never listened to the Super 8 Monitors so can't comment on them. I blew the wad on the XRS 8's hoping that the upgraditis bug would stop bitin' my arse. I do believe I've accomplished that task .
 
It's been a long year and a half of purchase, build, burn-in, modify, burn-in, replace defective parts, etc.... Soon, I'll finally be in the position to just kick back and enjoy the music, which is the reason that I got into this insane hobby to begin with.

Chris

[Alwayswantmore]

kcjazz,

I never listened to the Super 8 Monitors so can't comment on them. I blew the wad on the XRS 8's hoping that the upgraditis bug would stop bitin' my arse. I do believe I've accomplished that task .
 
It's been a long year and a half of purchase, build, burn-in, modify, burn-in, replace defective parts, etc.... Soon, I'll finally be in the position to just kick back and enjoy the music, which is the reason that I got into this insane hobby to begin with.

Chris

Good to see positive feedback on the Super 8 Alnico XRS. This is a new product for Louis.

One big advantage of the 8 XRS are the Aperiodic Ports http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/about/aperiodic-ports , which allow the XRS to be transient perfect. So it should be a cleaner sound when compared any of the vented designs. You can also plug the port on the Super 8 XRS Monitor and get transient perfect -- buy you loose some lowend response doing so.

I've never heard either, so can't comment on their sound.

[kcjazz]

Hey Almost & Chris-
One full day in with the Clayton 50 watt Class A on the Alnico 6's and what a revaluation. In my system and to my ears these things need current, it completely transformed the presentation.
The 15 watt EL84 had plenty of drive and allowed the speaker to flesh out very nicely, plenty of authority throughout the spectrum, I could live with this combo.The 8 watt 300b integrated fell short for my ears. Not nearly enough drive, the entire presentation lost its cohesiveness, bass was weak which affected the entire tonal range. Maybe it is just the amp, a ISC Softone from Japan; Japanese hi-fi gear is generally quite nice and tuneful, theirs is a good ear and quality is good. This same amp seemed to drive my Cornwalls with more authority which has confused me. Maybe it is the new speaker wire run for the first time with this amp, I tend to down play the break-in thing but hey, I have been wrong before.
Now the solid state Class A; having never heard the Super 8's for comparison I can't say for sure but it made the 6's play in the 8 league. At least it seemed they played much bigger than their 6 inch drivers should allow. Great cabinet/driver design from Louis. Bass that should not be coming from 6 inch drivers; deep, articulate, correctly presented, it was all there. Low, growling, sustained bass on the appropriate passage. Every tonal nuance was easily identified, with clean and crisp, lightening speed. Highs are there in spades, so far I am not missing a tweeter. It seems the speed of the drivers is a very good compliment to the speed of the amp. The Clayton's are reputed to be some of the fastest amps designed with ultra short signal paths.
I will continue to listen, although gone next week on business, and still consider the Super 8's. The 8's alone with the Clayton would have to be spectacular and with a Deep Hemp, that would probably do it. We shall see.
Thanks guys.

[Alwayswantmore]

Hey Almost & Chris-
One full day in with the Clayton 50 watt Class A on the Alnico 6's and what a revaluation. In my system and to my ears these things need current, it completely transformed the presentation.
The 15 watt EL84 had plenty of drive and allowed the speaker to flesh out very nicely, plenty of authority throughout the spectrum, I could live with this combo.The 8 watt 300b integrated fell short for my ears. Not nearly enough drive, the entire presentation lost its cohesiveness, bass was weak which affected the entire tonal range. Maybe it is just the amp, a ISC Softone from Japan; Japanese hi-fi gear is generally quite nice and tuneful, theirs is a good ear and quality is good. This same amp seemed to drive my Cornwalls with more authority which has confused me. Maybe it is the new speaker wire run for the first time with this amp, I tend to down play the break-in thing but hey, I have been wrong before.
Now the solid state Class A; having never heard the Super 8's for comparison I can't say for sure but it made the 6's play in the 8 league. At least it seemed they played much bigger than their 6 inch drivers should allow. Great cabinet/driver design from Louis. Bass that should not be coming from 6 inch drivers; deep, articulate, correctly presented, it was all there. Low, growling, sustained bass on the appropriate passage. Every tonal nuance was easily identified, with clean and crisp, lightening speed. Highs are there in spades, so far I am not missing a tweeter. It seems the speed of the drivers is a very good compliment to the speed of the amp. The Clayton's are reputed to be some of the fastest amps designed with ultra short signal paths.
I will continue to listen, although gone next week on business, and still consider the Super 8's. The 8's alone with the Clayton would have to be spectacular and with a Deep Hemp, that would probably do it. We shall see.
Thanks guys.

You menton current. I'm using the Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 as a straight amp, fronted by RWA's Isabella line-stage / DAC (with NOS tubes). While the 30.2 does have more watts than most SETs, it also is very good a swinging current due to the fact its powered by lead acid batteries (which act like large capacitors).

I've only heard my two sets of Omega's on the Sig 30 / 30.2, so no basis for comparison to other amp designs.

But Louis is up on a variety of amps, so he's a good go-to for advice.

BTW: Glad to hear things are only getting better. I played for a number of hours to get the listening position and imaging just the way I wanted it. Omegas are a precision instrument, so they respond to subtle changes in placement, room acoustics and upstream equipment.

K