[Mattyboy]

After heading in one direction then heading in another and then due to problems headed back to the first only to want to go change direction again...

let me explain a little. In short and based on all things considered I wish to pursue a SET and high efficiency/ easy to drive speakers..

Just about to drop all my solid-state and purchase a Decware amplifier and am seriously considering the Omega/ Hoyt bedford loudspeakers.

My room is 12 x 19 give or take a couple of inches and these baby's look like they will just sit in this space happy as larry...

Yes big tannoys..yes big Klipsch but my wife will hate me for it..

Oh did i mention i live in the south of England.

So question is where can I listen/try some and which would best with the Decware UK spec SE34I.2+ in my room firing down the length with room to place out into the room a good 2-3 feet?

Cheers me dears 

[Mattyboy]

Ah...I see I should probably change my profile pic..I haven't been on here for awhile

[Canada Rob]

Hello Mattyboy,

For speakers I would recommend the Multipoint towers (not yet on the Omega website) but here is a link to elsewhere on this forum regarding them;
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=117995.msg1239036#msg1239036

They can be ordered direct from Omega in the U.S.  There are no dealers in England.

[Mattyboy]

Hello Rob,

I did say I was in the process of purchasing a UK spec  SE34I.2+ DECWARE....was it deliberate to suggest the Audio boutique? and if so am I to assume you think its 'better' than the Decware.

My reasoning for going for the Decware is because its local to me here in the UK and it will hopefully confirm and satisfy my recent obsession with Decware. If I like the 'house' sound then It will give me the confidence to go ahead and order the Super Zen triode mono's which should be an excellent match for the high efficiency Omega's...I will have to use the UK spec SE34I.2+ with my current Vandersteen model 1c's which I realise is most likely not ideal. I currently use Avondale solid state amplification with these but wish to go back to the magic of a really good SET amp.

Cheers Matt

[Canada Rob]

Mattyboy,
I wasn't aware there was a Decware dealer in your area, or in the UK for that matter.  I own a maxed out SE84 Select (not mono block) and I have the latest Omega Super 3XRS speakers which use the same driver as the speaker I am recommending to you.  The combo works very well together, but at a couple of watts per channel don't expect party volume, but you will still get very satisfactory volume though.  The Multipoint is 99db efficient so they will reach higher SPLs than my Super 3XRS.

[Mattyboy]

Yo Rob man 

I like the multipoint design and I have room to place them at the 3 foot out position, but I also like some of the other Omega designs too. Can you perhaps explain their sound as I will have to take a chance and purchase 'blind' as it were. Do they sound similar to any other speakers I may have heard or can go and hear?

The decware is already here in the UK as a secondhand unit less than 2 years old. I'm not 100% sure whether to pull the trigger on it as it may not be the right Decware for me but on the other hand saves me a bunch of money over ordering new and paying shipping and tax duty etc.

Hey any idea how much shipping would be on the Omega speakers?

[JLM]

SE34I is the one I'd pick from the Decware options, but check to see how it's equipped to make sure it fits your needs (Steve offers a number of versions). 

Tried for years to be a DecHead, but finally gave up on high efficiency speakers about 11 years ago (and went a different single driver route, before Louis' last couple of driver designs).  I even tried a SE34I v1 with my 90 dB/w/m, 30 - 20k, 8 ohm speakers and it worked surprisingly well volume wise, but had an abundance of not exactly tight bass (shouldn't be a problem with any of the 5 inch Omega drivers).  The SE34I had tons of image density and tonality.

[Canada Rob]

Hello Mattyboy,

I think the Decware 34I.2+ would be a good place to start if it is in good shape and not needing a tube change.  The amp normally ships with EL34 tubes which have a warm, full, and more laid back sound compared to an EL84, SV83, 6L6, or 6550 (but that amp will take the 6550, KT77, and KT88). 

I think the Multipoint, Super 3S, or Super 3XRS would be good choices for that amp. 
I would not recommend the more laid back Hoyt-Bedfords for an EL34 tube - too much laid backness (hmm, new audiophile term?).  I have not heard the 6 or 7 series.

Any Omega speaker with the RS5 driver is going to be very fast, detailed, tonally balanced, and have dense, focused 3D imaging.  All the RS5 based Omegas have excellent quality bass (bass depth based basically on cabinet size).  My Super 3 XRS's throw a huge 3D soundstage with very satisfying bass, are legendary for their imaging, and reach satisfying volumes shooting across one end of my 13' x 25' x 9'H room.

No doubt many people look at the tiny RS5 driver and say "how can that thing sound like you are describing it, and how can it be so efficient?"  All I can say; it works, and is the only one of it's kind (proprietary design) on the planet (the Omega DIY 5F being very close).

Omega ships FedEx and is very reasonable, in fact it may be as cheap for you in England as for me in Western Canada.

[beowulf]

Hi Mattyboy ... glad you made it over here.  As you can see these guys are a helpful bunch over here as well.  I have the Decware Taboo Mk II S.E.P. (Pentode) 6 watt amp paired up with a custom pair of Omega's with the 3s Cabinets and Louis' RS7 drivers (sans the whizzer cone).  The drivers look like the ones posted in the last photos of this thread) except in the bigger 3s cabinets.

The Taboo uses the EL84 tube and paired and with the Omega RS7 drivers it is a great combination.  My room is 17' x 24' with sloping open beam ceilings from 7' to 10' and I need go no higher than the halfway point on my volume dial to get my neighbors attention.  My main types of music are Rock (and their sub genres ... Hard, Punk, Prog, New Wave, etc.), Blues, Classic Country (got to get my Johnny Cash on) and a little Jazz and Classical thrown in hear or there.  There is plenty bass from the Omega's and they are fast and relaxed at the same time with great PRAT.

I have a Rega Brio-R that I pair up with the Omega's every once in a while and they play nice together as well, however even though the Brio-R has 50 watts, the Taboo outclasses it, in particular the bass is just so deep and tight on the Taboo that you'd swear it was more than 6 watts.  Being a Pentode I think the bass shine and punches, however on a SET you get all that sexy holographic midrange.

My dream amp would be the Decware SE34I.3 series, option 4 with 4 inputs, stepped attenuator volume control, variable inputs, planar headphone jack and beeswax caps.  Optioned out like this it's $2,424.00 ... but what a bang for the buck IMO!

[Mattyboy]

Hey a big thank you to you nice folk Beo , Rob, JLM..on some forums you can get just plain ignored you know!!!...so this is a refreshing change (I dont mean Decware forum, I'm new there and they are nice folk too, my sig is Shalamatwazzy, god knows why I choose this, it think it was late and i was in a silly mood)

Its appreciated as you know its very difficult with so many options out there. I'm not the kind of guy who goes to my local hifi shop to be sold something that 99% have...( hey you want these kef speakers and Naim amps...er no actually i don't..oh well you can bugger off then) ..

I'm after magic!.....I heard it once in my Almarro 318b and I yearn for it back minus the incredible heat the 6c33c's kicked out...my children are 5 and 10 and share the same 'family' room..what we call here in the UK a 'lounge'...so no fatal electrocution and or burns please!

I cannot think for the life of me..unless i go DIY where I can get full range high efficiency loudspeakers that are in any way WAF and typical UK room friendly...Omega's seem from my current view point my best option..however I'm a little wary/jaded about the idea of pulling the trigger on a pair as I have had my fingers burnt early last year when I imported a brand new pair of Zu audio Omen...They came highly recommended and the intention was to maximize things with my Almarro's 15  watts..in short I really didn't like the sound of them at all, I found them boxy, resonant, chesty, closed in and honky...coupled with the fact that their supposed 'high efficiency' really wasn't there, in fact they went into distortion real quick with a loose uncontrolled one note bass and the final kick in the teeth?..They have no refinement or open airiness.. I hated them GGGrrrrr!!

So sold them on at a considerable loss

If i order these Omega and they are anything like the omen I will be plunged into a downward spiral of despair until i reach hell and am incinerated..so not good really

I am going to buy the Decware today...Ill try and post up a pic of it..but its a late 2011 is in a gun metal hammerrite kind of finish and it has the hazen grid mod so maximizing the El34's

Cheers folks..until laters me babby's (west country speak)

[Guy 13]

Hey a big thank you to you nice folk Beo , Rob, JLM..on some forums you can get just plain ignored you know!!!...so this is a refreshing change (I dont mean Decware forum, I'm new there and they are nice folk too, my sig is Shalamatwazzy, god knows why I choose this, it think it was late and i was in a silly mood)

Its appreciated as you know its very difficult with so many options out there. I'm not the kind of guy who goes to my local hifi shop to be sold something that 99% have...( hey you want these kef speakers and Naim amps...er no actually i don't..oh well you can bugger off then) ..

I'm after magic!.....I heard it once in my Almarro 318b and I yearn for it back minus the incredible heat the 6c33c's kicked out...my children are 5 and 10 and share the same 'family' room..what we call here in the UK a 'lounge'...so no fatal electrocution and or burns please!

I cannot think for the life of me..unless i go DIY where I can get full range high efficiency loudspeakers that are in any way WAF and typical UK room friendly...Omega's seem from my current view point my best option..however I'm a little wary/jaded about the idea of pulling the trigger on a pair as I have had my fingers burnt early last year when I imported a brand new pair of Zu audio Omen...They came highly recommended and the intention was to maximize things with my Almarro's 15  watts..in short I really didn't like the sound of them at all, I found them boxy, resonant, chesty, closed in and honky...coupled with the fact that their supposed 'high efficiency' really wasn't there, in fact they went into distortion real quick with a loose uncontrolled one note bass and the final kick in the teeth?..They have no refinement or open airiness.. I hated them GGGrrrrr!!

So sold them on at a considerable loss

If i order these Omega and they are anything like the omen I will be plunged into a downward spiral of despair until i reach hell and am incinerated..so not good really

I am going to buy the Decware today...Ill try and post up a pic of it..but its a late 2011 is in a gun metal hammerrite kind of finish and it has the hazen grid mod so maximizing the El34's

Cheers folks..until laters me babby's (west country speak)

Hi Mattyboy and all Audio Circle.
Quote:
{{ my sig is Shalamatwazzy,
god knows why I choose this,
it think it was late and i was in a silly mood }}
Unquote.
It was late or you were on drugs.
Sorry, one of my stupid joke.
May I ask what model exactly from Decware are you buying?
I own the Decware SE84C+ and I am very happy with it,
my only regret is that it's only 2wpc.
No big problem since it drives a pair of Audio Nirvana 8" Ferrite
with around 95db efficiency.
The bass section is taken care by a pair
(One each channel)
of 12" Eminence Acoustinator driven by a GR Research
300Watts plate amplifier all that in a open baffle configuration.
I have compared the specs of the Omega 7F, the Audio Nirvana 8CF Ferrite
and the Dayton PS220-8 and to me the Omega seems better, why?
Construction, linearity, treated paper surround and much more.
That drive might well be my next and last purchase.
Free advice from a limited knowledge audiophile that has spent
too much money looking for the best system.
Decware and Omega, I think this is a winning combination.
There it is: My opinion for what it's worth.

Guy 13

 

[Canada Rob]

Mattyboy,
It is my sincere wish that you don't auger in, ending up in a large fireball.  Your description of the Zu's is about the opposite of any Omega or Hoyt speaker I have heard.  Even though Omegas are in box type cabinets, even some with wide baffles, they are the most unboxed sound I have heard, and when properly set up, they just disappear.  Not to mention they are real world efficient with nothing in the signal path.

[Mattyboy]

thanks for the encouraging words Guy..

Quote 'I did say I was in the process of purchasing a UK spec  SE34I.2+ DECWARE

Hopefully pic up on Saturday..

I currently run Avondale solid state amplification and am toying with the idea of keeping both my Vandesteen's and Mono blocs and going for a Decware pre amp instead is also an option....there always seem to be options 

[beowulf]

There was a guy on the Decware forums who bought a pair of the new Zu Unions (concentric drivers) and said they were too hot in the mids and highs if I recall ... he ended up sending them back (which is no problem here in the USA, but would probably cost you a small fortune where you're at).  There have also been a few happy partnerings with Zu and Decware as well but I think they are fewer and far between.  Anyways, Canada Rob is right ... your description of the Zu's are not like anything I'm experiencing right now ...

I've had a few speakers to compare the Omega RS7's with (1) Vienna Acoustics, (2) Martin Logan EM-ESL, (3) Dali Zensor (I had extensive listening with the Dali and Vienna Acoustics in particular).  And while there is no perfect speaker - I felt the Omega's outclassed them on many levels in comparison and did more "right" than "wrong" compared to any other speakers I put them up against.

The RS7s were pretty good right out of the box, but they really blossomed after a couple hundered hours on them.  Right now I have at least 500 hours and listening to Porcupine Tree "Waiting" (UK EP) and loving the Decware Omega combo ... spooky 3D imaging!

If you haven't read John Darko's review of the Super 6, I highly recommend it and even though I do not have that particular model, his observations closely resemble my experiences and I have a feeling will ring true through Louis' whole line to an extent.

[Louis O]

Hi Mattyboy,

Many thanks for your posts and welcome to our forum.

I do appreciate all the great comments, many thanks everyone.

Last thing I want to happen is another bad trip in audio and having so many great compliments about the Omega/ Decware combo I can safely assure you that you will get the sound that you're looking for.

Thanks beowulf and you have the distiction of having the very first set of RS7's out there. Great to hear that they are sounding amazing with your Decware.

Looks like it's a great time to preview the new Seven series XRS.

They use the new RS7 drivers and I can truthfully say that they are 95dB SPL and will play loud easy and at low level easy too.

They handle a lot of different types of music and have deep bass.

Here are the pictures in EKO Ebony surf. Kind of on the fence with this finish though.










I'm still trying to get a bit better with my photography


Thanks again,
Louis

[Maritan]

Beo - you just touched on a topic that is very close to my heart. Porcupine Tree through Omega RS7 drivers. Seems like you enjoy them a lot.

I love PT myself and am loving the new direction Wilson is going off on his own. I was wondering if the Omegas would have sufficient oomph in the bass and you seem to indicate that they do. I also love, love, love the drummers Wilson uses both on his own band and in PT - how do these speakers fare with that intricate drumming?

[Good Times]

A guy I know earlier this year bought some new Zu Omen Standards and has just sold them for some Omega Super 6 monitors and couldn't be happier with the change. He'd even tried a resistor/capacitor upgrade in the Zus to see if he could get them to his liking but to no avail.

[G Georgopoulos]

I'm still trying to get a bit better with my photography


Thanks again,
Louis

Good photos Louis what camera did you use...great product too...

[DaveC113]

Matt, your experience with the Zus are about what I'd expect with that type of speaker paired with zero feedback SET amp... not a great amp/speaker pairing. You would have been much better off with a more powerful push pull tube amp or even a SS amp with a higher damping factor. But even with an amp that matched them better they still sound like PA speakers... good PA speakers but they have that kind of sound which isn't my preference. They can play loud though.

The Omegas sound VERY different from Zu and pair perfectly with the amp you are buying. I also have an EL34 SET with an Aikido 6SN7 preamp driving them directly... the combo of EL34 SET and Omega is magical... it is not only a good value, it sounds great compared to any system out there regardless of price if the compromises match your listening preferences. If you want to play symphony or heavy rock in a large room at concert level volumes then you will be disappointed but in a smaller room, especially nearfield and at more moderate volumes, they perform at a level very few systems can match.

For the amp, check out the Gold Lion KT77 reissues, they are great tubes. And don't skimp on the source or cables, they all make a huge difference and there seems to be no limit to how good the Omegas sound when you upgrade the rest of the system.

@Louis, I want the 7 XRS!   

[beowulf]

Beo - you just touched on a topic that is very close to my heart. Porcupine Tree through Omega RS7 drivers. Seems like you enjoy them a lot.

I love PT myself and am loving the new direction Wilson is going off on his own. I was wondering if the Omegas would have sufficient oomph in the bass and you seem to indicate that they do. I also love, love, love the drummers Wilson uses both on his own band and in PT - how do these speakers fare with that intricate drumming?

Hi Maritan, well I had to go back and replay a PT's "Waiting" and SW's "Insugentes" albums just for you (LOL) ...  and the gear I'm using is the following modest setup:

1. Decware Taboo Mk II,
2. Omega RS7s,
3. Rega DAC with a Musical Fidelity V-Link 192 USB/SPDIF Converter,
4. Cables = Decware Silver Reference RCA Interconnects, Clear Day Silver Shotgun Speaker Cables (that are currently on loan to me), Wireworld UltraViolet USB & 75 ohm SPDIF.
5. Windows Vista PC and using JRiver Media Center 18 as my playback software.
6. I also have a Rega RP6 TT and Rega Fono MM (but since I only have one album on vinyl I just compared the digital tracks).
7. I also have a Rega Brio-R, and while it's pretty good - it is outclassed by the Taboo (especially in the mid and bass ranges) ... those 6 little watts just dig down deep.

For PT Waiting - I have a 24/96 FLAC rip of the vinyl album that just kicks ass ... and on Waiting Phase 2 the track builds upon itself with some excellent drumming in a ritualistic style beat on bongos (perhaps?) with the bass guitar complementing the drums alongside it.  At about the half way point the drumming begins on the combination of tom toms and cymbals - with the cymbals sounding clear and rolling off in a natural pattern.  It's a very complex track with a lot going on in it and the RS7 really pulls out the individual details of what's happening.

For SW Insurgentes - I have the Delux CD in a 16/44 FLAC rip (obviously not as good a file as the Waiting rip, but I love Insurgentes and play it regularly) ... In "Harmony Korine" I just love the light snare rolls happening in between Steve's eerie guitar notes, this song picks up the pace and the drums are excellent as well, tom toms & cymbals crashing nicely.  In "No Twilight Within the Courts of the Sun" it just starts out with drums steadily picking up into a blazing combination of drums and guitars (heavily synth'd in a lot of spots) ... I think the intro and progression might be one of the most complex songs going on this album and a really good test of the merit of speakers in general.  The RS7 bass is tight and fast on those tracks as well and sounds un-forced, natural and almost effortless and the mids and highs are very detailed with excellent seperation of instruments as well. 

I don't believe there is a perfect speaker out there, but I can say these have an excellent combination of give and take and what they "do right" outweights any shortcomings I can find.  I would say a sub woofer need not apply unless you are a real bass-head (YMMV) ... although Louis does offer some nice ones!

p.s. Since you like PT/SW so much, you may want to pick up Tame Impala's Lonerism ... it's an outstanding album IMO and quickly has become one of my most rotated albums right now.