[md92468]

Any Super 7xrs owners in NYC willing to host a listening session? I know there's a trial period, but I'd still rather hear them before taking the plunge. Wine / beer's on me.

~Matt

[hdrider]

Sorry Matt, Santa Cruz California is where our pair of walnut 7XRS's live (the actual pair on the web page) along with my 8'' Omega sub. I am daily amazed with music / video through these speakers. Louis is GREAT to deal with on the 7's and the sub. If you cannot find someone near by with a pair, call Louis and he can answer any and all questions. I will say that after the first 50 hours they really started to sound good and I could wrap my head around the whole single driver concept. That was back in April of this year and the sub was added in June/July. Buy with confidence, Louis at Omega and Steve at Decware are a couple of artists. I feel like I was let into the biggest secret in home audio reproduction and just chuckle when I see most of the reviews in TAS/Sphile. Happy listening, Chris.

[FireGuy]

"I feel like I was let into the biggest secret in home audio reproduction"...

Well articulated and says a lot about Omega and Decware.  I own Louis' Super 5's and have extensively heard his Hoyt Bedord Type 1's.  A truely "organic" audio experience.   

[md92468]

Thanks guys. I had the floor standing Hoyt Bedfords for a month back in the day and ended up returning them...not my cup of tea. Beautifully made, and Louis is a great guy, but they sounded wooly and flat to me with a Decware SET in my listening space. I had them burning in for the better part of a month playing constantly but they never opened up, to my ears at least.

But I'm open to give the Omega's a shot considering the rave reviews, the philosophy, and the different drivers and cabinet design...and, frankly, because I had such an overall positive experience with Louis.

[Canada Rob]

Hi md92468,

I you don't care for the Hoyt Bedford sound, I would try a pair of Super 3XRS.  Very clear, open, and transparent sounding with huge soundstage, and a great match for a SET.  Louis has a pair at his shop ready to ship.  Maybe give him a call. 

[RDavidson]

Thanks guys. I had the floor standing Hoyt Bedfords for a month back in the day and ended up returning them...not my cup of tea. Beautifully made, and Louis is a great guy, but they sounded wooly and flat to me with a Decware SET in my listening space. I had them burning in for the better part of a month playing constantly but they never opened up, to my ears at least.

But I'm open to give the Omega's a shot considering the rave reviews, the philosophy, and the different drivers and cabinet design...and, frankly, because I had such an overall positive experience with Louis.

Yeah. Despite the sensitivity rating, you also have to keep in mind the moving mass of the driver. I haven't heard Hoyts, but their larger drivers probably need more than a couple of watts....or you'll end up with an underdamped sound. Of course, small tube amps aren't exactly known for their damping factor either. This can sound lovely in some setups, but in others, it won't work too well. So, I don't think it was so much that the Hoyts were doing anything wrong, they just weren't a good match for your setup.

If you plan to keep your Decware, I think Omegas will serve you much better. The 3xrs is a fantastic speaker. The 3i with a sub may be even better.

[md92468]

Yeah. Despite the sensitivity rating, you also have to keep in mind the moving mass of the driver. I haven't heard Hoyts, but their larger drivers probably need more than a couple of watts....or you'll end up with an underdamped sound. Of course, small tube amps aren't exactly known for their damping factor either. This can sound lovely in some setups, but in others, it won't work too well. So, I don't think it was so much that the Hoyts were doing anything wrong, they just weren't a good match for your setup.

If you plan to keep your Decware, I think Omegas will serve you much better. The 3xrs is a fantastic speaker. The 3i with a sub may be even better.

Thanks Mr. D. The Decware is gone; I'm in the process of turning over my system and simplifying after a move from a house to an apartment. Tired of the merry-go-round of gear; happy with my sources & want to simplify my amp / speaker pairing.

What appeals to me about the Omegas is the ability to drive them without being restricted to high-powered electronics, as I am with my current Ohm speakers (which are fabulous but really need 150W+ to wake them up...not really practical for apartment living). Common Sense Audio had a lovely sounding single driver speaker at RMAF last year (2014) driven by their own SET, but the speaker cabinet was the size of a closet in most NYC apartments...I realize physics create certain restrictions on what's possible re: dynamic range, but one of the reasons the 7XRS appeals is because of the small footprint.

Besides the HB and a dalliance with the original Zu Druid (which technically was a two-way), that's been the extent of my experience with single driver speakers. I'm willing to give them a go, but I don't want to be back on /off the wagon (I never get that phrase right in a year or two. I want this purchase to last a while. I'd rather spend my money on vinyl than shipping costs.

Thanks again for the reply.

[RDavidson]

I'm with you and my system is very near the point where I'm pretty sure I'll be done with the gear merry go round indefinitely. I've slowly edged this direction over the last 2-3 years while being able to try out a lot of stuff and gain experience. Sure, I might upgrade my DAC and make other small tweaks (as significant technological advances happen and become affordable). I may also buy other stuff here and there out of curiosity, but it won't be due to feelings that something better is around the corner. It's fun playing around with different stuff, especially when it can be done inexpensively.

[md92468]

I'm with you and my system is very near the point where I'm pretty sure I'll be done with the gear merry go round indefinitely. I've slowly edged this direction over the last 2-3 years while being able to try out a lot of stuff and gain experience. Sure, I might upgrade my DAC and make other small tweaks (as significant technological advances happen and become affordable). I may also buy other stuff here and there out of curiosity, but it won't be due to feelings that something better is around the corner. It's fun playing around with different stuff, especially when it can be done inexpensively.

Curious where you "ended" on the spectrum with your gear...and yes, I hear you re: fun playing around with different stuff, especially once you've get anchor points against which to judge variables. Another reason why (on paper) the Omegas appeal - the ability to play around with hand-built tube gear, inexpensive  chip amps, etc.
 

[Canada Rob]

md92468,

What are you running for an amp, or if you intend to try Omegas, what amp do you plan to run?

[md92468]

md92468,

What are you running for an amp, or if you intend to try Omegas, what amp do you plan to run?

I'm open, but had a few thoughts...
• This 300B is on the list:
http://www.commonsenseaudio.com/nirvanaamps.html

• Clones audio's 25iR is interesting...I heard gain clones with the Druids and loved the match.

• Decware, of course, but probably not a flea amp. Skittish on the pairing after the HB experience.

I would like the ability to add a sub in the future, though, so that's a consideration.


In the meantime I have my dad's 40+ year-old Dynakit ST-70, which I Curcio modded a few years ago...that thing just keeps on ticking...

[RDavidson]

Yup. Omegas definitely open the door to play with small amps of various types...which many tend to also be affordable. Definitely a nice thing.

I'll have a custom built preamp (of my esthetic design) in my possession soon. The builder is planning to create a thread and share pics. Stay tuned. My former reference preamp, which I'm still fond of, was the Wyred 4 Sound STP SE. Note, I also had a rare fully passive unit simultaneously (for a few months earlier this year). I won't name it here. I still think it is a very good preamp, but it perhaps isn't the measuring stick of transparency some believe. I've also had a couple of highly regarded tube preamps.

As far as amps go, I landed on the Pass XA30.8 after trying a few Pass / First Watt amps, and many others (both tube and SS). The 30.8 is FANTASTIC. I kind of need a summer amp too, though. The 30.8 is big and will warm a room up a couple of degrees over the course of the day, if you work from home and can listen all day.

My DAC is the W4S DAC 2 DSDSE. I know there are better, but they also cost much more. I'm happy with the W4S overall and don't feel like I MUST upgrade it soon.

My speakers are in the process of being built. They're going to be a pair of custom stand mount Omega Alnicos, which will be augmented with a sub.

Note again, I've made these selections over the course of the last 2-3 years with a lot of buying and selling. There's no way I'd be able to afford my setup in one fell swoop....and it's better that way. I've been able to gain a lot of experience along the way. THAT is what will lead you to exit the merry go round.

[Canada Rob]

I'm open, but had a few thoughts...
• This 300B is on the list:
http://www.commonsenseaudio.com/nirvanaamps.html

• Clones audio's 25iR is interesting...I heard gain clones with the Druids and loved the match.

• Decware, of course, but probably not a flea amp. Skittish on the pairing after the HB experience.

I would like the ability to add a sub in the future, though, so that's a consideration.


In the meantime I have my dad's 40+ year-old Dynakit ST-70, which I Curcio modded a few years ago...that thing just keeps on ticking...

I would not put too much faith in a $1500 300B.  Likely Asian import.
If you want a nice chip amp, check this out.  Killer bargain and terrific sounding.  http://www.audiosector.com/chassis_integrated.shtml
Don't judge the Decware by the Hoyts.  The Super Zen is still my #1 amp for Omegas and has been for over 6 years.
If you're into building, check out the Bottlehead Stereomour. http://bottlehead.com/product/stereomour-ii-stereo-single-ended-integrated-2a3-amp/

If a sub has speaker level inputs, it will work with any amp, including what I've mentioned here.

[md92468]

I would not put too much faith in a $1500 300B.  Likely Asian import.
If you want a nice chip amp, check this out.  Killer bargain and terrific sounding.  http://www.audiosector.com/chassis_integrated.shtml
Don't judge the Decware by the Hoyts.  The Super Zen is still my #1 amp for Omegas and has been for over 6 years.
If you're into building, check out the Bottlehead Stereomour. http://bottlehead.com/product/stereomour-ii-stereo-single-ended-integrated-2a3-amp/

If a sub has speaker level inputs, it will work with any amp, including what I've mentioned here.

Thanks Bob. The Audiosector was one of the first pieces of "hi fi" gear I ever owned (10 years ago or so, when Saskatchewan winters kept me indoors 6 months a year ). I sold mine to David Kan at 6moons (I think he used it for his daughter's room). Loved that amp - a little jewel. There are a handful of pieces of gear I've owned over the years that really stood out for pride of ownership - the Audiosector was one of them; the original Stingray was another. The problem with both was the lack of a remote (same problem with the Decware), which is a must for apartment living. I suspect the 25i is cut of the same cloth as Peter's gear (hence the interest), but adds the remote function. 

You'd be surprised about that little 300B though...It's built like a tank and sounds incredible. Just not sure I want to deal with the weight...I move around for work often enough to weigh the "pound-per-unit-of-sonic-bliss" ratio as heavily as any other factor.

[RDavidson]

You might try the NuPrime IDA 8 ; Small full function integrated. It also has pre-outs in case you want to play with a tube amp or two later. Apparently the preamp section is nice too. Uses something similar to a resistor ladder (if I understand correctly), which is especially unusual for an integrated under $1000. I've found class D, like class A, to sound excellent whether pushing a fraction of a watt or pushing toward their limits. Class D is more versatile vs Class A, obviously.

[md92468]

You might try the NuPrime IDA 8 ; Small full function integrated. It also has pre-outs in case you want to play with a tube amp or two later. Apparently the preamp section is nice too. Uses something similar to a resistor ladder (if I understand correctly), which is especially unusual for an integrated under $1000. I've found class D, like class A, to sound excellent whether pushing a fraction of a watt or pushing toward their limits. Class D is more versatile vs Class A, obviously.

Thanks RD. It's interesting to hear how many folks with high efficiency speakers are using higher-powered Class D amps these days. Clayton Shaw's OBs are mid-90s efficiency, but he demos them with 250W Red Dragons. I know other folks are using the Rogue Sphinx (Hypex @ 100w/ch) in similarly efficient setups, including single driver rigs. Class D Audio makes a great bang-for-the-buck amp (the 470), but I'm trying to keep my box count down...I find the class D really needs tubes in front to sing.

That said, the one designer that I could imagine bucking that trend (of Class D needing tubes up front) is Gilbert at Blue Circle. The man just knows what he's doing. I'm very curious to hear his new Class D integrated...just not sure I'd go that way with the Omegas.

[RDavidson]

I tend to agree with that, though there are some Class D amps out there that are the exception. For what it's worth, NuPrime's amps are proprietary, not just a rework of existing modules. I'm not a NuPrime fanboy. Just saying you might not write them off too quickly, even though you don't see tubes and NuPrime isn't an "artisan" brand.

[vinagunner]

v

[Canada Rob]

One of my favorite solid state amps is the Temple Audio Bantam Gold.  It mates beautifully with the Omegas I've tried it on.  It's class D, but has a lovely liquid sound with no harshness.  The closest thing I can compare it to is a SEP.

Also, Temple are about to release a higher end amp, but I can't say any more at this time.

[md92468]

Thanks Bob...yes, I've seen the positive buzz around the Bantam Gold. Fleawatts, too. Definitely a golden age for great affordable sound.