[tomsch]

I just noticed on the Omega site that there is a new model! Anyone know any more details on the CAM?

[Nocturne79]

Yep noticed it too..looks nice

[RDavidson]

I have the first pair. They're the zebrawood ones shown on the site. I deliberated for months, trying to figure out exactly what I wanted Louis to build for me.....and I'm glad I did. After I requested them, Louis went to work and was so happy with the result he built a second pair, named them the CAM, and added them to the line. Before sending them to me, he told me "they're special." Indeed they are!
Have only had them maybe a couple of weeks and they're not even close to being broken-in.
They're AMAZING! 100% thrilled with them. And this is coming from a former KEF LS50 owner.

[roscoe65]

Nice - these are a great addition to the range, offering the alnico sound in a smaller monitor.  But I noticed something interesting:  the Alnico models are now all listed as 95dB efficient rather than 93 dB.  Is this a revision to the measurement standard or are there changes to the drivers?

[jorgen]

Cool speakers. When I decided for a second pair of Omega speakers, i thought the 6" monitors was a little to big and made a deal with Louis for a smaller size cabinet with the 6" driver. They will perform great in a smaller room with only the basics, TT Riaa and an amp.
Seems to me others have thought the same thing and that the 6" driver is very versatile.

J

[JLM]

How does the same driver "work" in two different sized ported cabinets (compact vs. super alnico monitors).  Same question for all the RS5 based speaker variations, although this variation seems bigger.

And how is it that the bass rating only changes from 40 to 42 Hz?

[seikosha]

And how is it that the bass rating only changes from 40 to 42 Hz?

The +/- values are not indicated.  The spec is meaningless.

[roscoe65]

How does the same driver "work" in two different sized ported cabinets (compact vs. super alnico monitors).  Same question for all the RS5 based speaker variations, although this variation seems bigger.

And how is it that the bass rating only changes from 40 to 42 Hz?

It is not uncommon for a given driver to work in a number of different cabinet sizes and alignments.  A smaller cabinet will often result in higher power handling as well as a more pronounced midbass hump.  This hump can result in greater perceived bass due to extra midbass energy and still allow a similar -3dB point at the low end.  One difference is that the bass will tend to roll off more sharply below the tuning frequency.

[JLM]

The +/- values are not indicated.  The spec is meaningless.

Agreed.  Louis has never liked publishing specifications, but hard to sell without, especially online.

It is not uncommon for a given driver to work in a number of different cabinet sizes and alignments.  A smaller cabinet will often result in higher power handling as well as a more pronounced midbass hump.  This hump can result in greater perceived bass due to extra midbass energy and still allow a similar -3dB point at the low end.  One difference is that the bass will tend to roll off more sharply below the tuning frequency.

Yep, just wondering if Louis would respond and at least describe the relative "humpiness" between the compact and super monitors).  The hump is one of the inherit problems with bass reflex.

[Canada Rob]

One of the reasons I am drawn to Omegas is the lack of midbass hump, even on his smaller speakers.  However, many small two way bass reflex speakers with their comparatively heavy drivers have the midbass hump to make them sound bigger.  Some people actually complain about Omegas sounding "thin".  Why?  It's because these people's ears/brains have been trained for decades to think the midbass hump is normal when actually it's not.  It was introduced in the 1960s with the advent of small speakers and high powered solid state.  Just listen to a pair of speakers from the previous era (tubes and beer fridge size speakers) and you won't hear the midbass hump.  Just attend a live concert and you won't hear that exaggerated bass.  Omega speakers sound like the old beer fridge size speakers, but in a smaller package.  That's impossible!  No, technology and modern materials have made a difference, and audio has made some progress in 50 years.

It's true, the hump can be one of the problems of poorly designed bass reflex where the driver has a lot of cone excursion due to it's weight and/or by the design of it's crossover.  One of the best amp types for Omegas has always been the zero negative feedback, class A SET which have very low damping factor, and yet the Omegas and Hoyts I've heard on SETs haven't suffered from the midbass hump or driver flop.

Buying a set of CAMs with Louis' generous return policy will lay any conjecture to rest.  Interestingly, when the downsized Super 7 Monitor MK2 came out, no one mentioned the "hump" (and they don't have the "hump"), why is the CAM which has a larger cabinet volume coming under such scrutiny?

As far as Louis' specs being "useless", they're no more useless than those from some company that publishes a zillion detailed specs with graphs and charts.  His specs are a general guideline that only a tiny minority have ever complained about.  He's not changing, so it's a moot point to even bring it up.  The room/setup the speakers end up in make a HUGE difference on the performance of that speaker.  Case in point: the Super 3i is rated at 55-20khz, yet the speaker will in some cases go quite a bit below that depending on acoustics, room gain, backing wall proximity etc.  On the desktop the Super 3i sounds like there's a sub under the desk, but in some room situations I like to add a sub.

[DaveC113]

Midbass hump is generally caused by rising woofer impedance and a motor with a lot of inductance. The solution is a Zobel network to flatten the impedance, but they cost $ and some speakers might sound subjectively "better" with a bit of a hump... truth is most modern speakers do have a hump around 80-100 Hz, including top end models from Wilson, YG, etc.

[Canada Rob]

In comparison to other speakers I've heard, to my ears, Omegas have no midbass hump.  In the end, it's my ears/brain that are the final judge and not a gaggle of test instruments.

[RDavidson]

Midbass hump is generally caused by rising woofer impedance and a motor with a lot of inductance. The solution is a Zobel network to flatten the impedance, but they cost $ and some speakers might sound subjectively "better" with a bit of a hump... truth is most modern speakers do have a hump around 80-100 Hz, including top end models from Wilson, YG, etc.

+1 Even the comparably priced and highly praised "reference" LS50's have a hump around 100 hz and yet no one complains about its "inaccuracy" in the midbass. In fact, most find it a welcome thing for monitors to have, where listening pleasure (not listening analysis) is concerned.....as long as the hump isn't muddying up the presentation as a whole. IF the CAM's have a hump, I like it. The bass and midbass are tight and tuneful, not muddy whatsoever....which tells me the bass and midbass are quite accurate. Note, I'm using a Pass XA30.8 which certainly has a higher damping factor (low in the world of SS amps) than something like a Decware Zen, BUT the XA30.8 balances this out with it's big, warm, natural, present, yet very resolving overall presentation. It's a great match.

[DaveC113]

To be clear, I agree with CR that Omegas have no hump, full range drivers must have motors that allow for full range operation. What I'm talking about is typical midbass units... it's not necessarily a bad thing, the legendary JBL 2226 midbass requires a zobel, otherwise it's FR looks like a semi-circle.

JLM, you are mistaken that bass reflex has/causes these issues... it's the driver's motor, which if not addressed by clever motor design will have rising impedance and high Le.

[edwyun]

To be clear, I agree with CR that Omegas have no hump, full range drivers must have motors that allow for full range operation. What I'm talking about is typical midbass units... it's not necessarily a bad thing

Agreed.  And sometimes (most times), ruler flat frequency response doesn't sound so good because it is not what we are used to.

[RDavidson]

OK folks. I haven't posted on my CAMs in a long time. Life kind of got really crazy really fast around the time I got them almost 3 months ago. But over the last couple of weeks I've finally had some time to sit down and listen to my system in its "completed" state. Here are the main pieces :

ZenWave MNT preamp (Tortuga volume control with Aikido ACF-2 buffer output), PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Pass Labs XA30.8, and of course, the Omega Compact Alnico Monitors.

The best way I can describe the sound of my setup is extremely resolving while also sounding natural and real. I know many feel that a system can't be both natural sounding and highly resolving, but that simply isn't true. The CAMs certainly play a HUGE role in this. In fact, that's probably why I like them so much. They are the epitome of resolution and naturalness. They play what they're fed, but do it without sounding unbalanced or analytical. They're the best speakers overall I've ever owned. Their combination of strengths is unbelievable. What's really amazing to me, however, is the bass. I had high expectations, as I had 3xrs's for several months and was thrilled with them. The CAMs, to me, are better all rounders. The bass and lower midrange is so good I haven't bothered setting up my sub. Even at low volumes the tones come through beautifully. That's something I couldn't quite do with the 3xrs in my room and system. With the 3xrs, I felt a sub usefully bolstered the lower mids and bass. If you think I'm promoting the idea of someone getting a set of CAMs vs 3 series and sub, you're right....especially where one might need more versatility and have less floor space. It's really hard to go wrong with any Omegas, but I think the CAMs are real gems and a MAJOR bargain.

[Louis O]

Hi RDavidson,

Many thanks for your update and time goes by really fast. Feels like yesterday when we were going over all the details. Very happy to hear how great they turned out in your system and they sound equally impressive here too.
Was a really fun project that started out as a larger version of the Super 3 Original wide baffle speakers. Just like RS5's the Alnico drivers are very versatile. They like a lot of different tunings and box volumes. The CAM's are punchy and fantastic at low level resolution.

Now they are permanent in the line and a fantastic value especially with an Alnico driver.

Thanks again,
Louis