[Ultralight]

Hope it is OK to start this thread though I'm guessing that there's not many RS8 owners yet.  I remain convinced that the RS5 speakers are among the most musical speakers for anything near its price range.  In my opinion, just killer value and good enough for a lifetime of listening.

This question is for those who own both RS5 and RS8 speakers.  I'm very curious about how the RS8 compares to the RS5.   Some particular questions would include:
1. How do the trebles compare?
2. Transient speed?
3. Bass and mid bass?
4. Dispersion?  I have this thing about liking wide dispersion in a small room which is where smaller drivers do better.  (Somehow, it gives me a sense of a wider more expansive space, perhaps more sound bounces of the walls so that there's the delay in multiple audio paths. Not sure.)
5. Anything else....?

And for good measure, would be glad to hear from owners of RS8 vs Alnicos....

Perhaps in time we'll hear more comparisons but I figure I'll start a thread here.

Thanks!

[roscoe65]

Can anyone volunteer that they actually own RS8-based speakers yet?  If someone lives locally to other Omega owners we may be able to arrange a direct comparison.  There are a number of Omega owner in my own LI NY region, but I'm unsure if there is anyone with RS8 speakers as of yet.

[stellablues]

Mine should be shipping any day now! Probably won't get them until the last week of May due to my travel. Then maybe 2-3 weeks for break-in.

Unfortunately I have never had a full range driver in my listening room so I have no basis for comparison. I have listened to Kef ls50, GR research, Reference 3A, and my own modified Ellis 1801s have been my main speakers for 14 years. System will be Roon > ayre codex > W4S stp-se > Decware Mystery amp > Super 8

Would like then to try some other amps over time. Job 225, FW J2, Fleawatt (if I can ever find one used), etc.

[DaveC113]

Can anyone volunteer that they actually own RS8-based speakers yet?  If someone lives locally to other Omega owners we may be able to arrange a direct comparison.  There are a number of Omega owner in my own LI NY region, but I'm unsure if there is anyone with RS8 speakers as of yet.

A friend of mine has them, he got the prototypes... they do sound like big RS5s, that is a good description.

[jcake5]

I am a owner of Outlaw XRS5s, dual 1.5 way and do like the sound when on axis.  No full range drive can break the laws of physics regarding beaming which is sound wave cancellation.  You can look and ANY loudspeaker frequency response that lists the 0 degree measurement with other off axis measurements for that driver and easily see where the frequency starts to fade away.  Thus, this is why loudspeakers implement larger to smaller and smaller sound sources to improve the off axis response and chest thump that the RS5 will never achieve vs the RS8.

[sunnydaze]

Would like then to try some other amps over time. Job 225, FW J2, Fleawatt (if I can ever find one used), etc.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=150417.msg1609665;topicseen#new

[tdogzthmn]

My RS8 speakers are finally shipping so I should have them by next week.

The only  full range I have now is a 3" Fostex driver which is lovely for the right kinds of music at reasonable volumes.

Really excited to get my first pair of Omegas!

[seikosha]

I own Orcas along with Omega rs5 and Alnico speakers.  I think you will be very very happy with the Omegas when they arrive!  Keep us posted.

[trusturears]

I own Orcas as well and a 2 watt/ch Decware.  I'm interested in the Omegas, but not sure yet which model as it's borderline impossible to chose w/out hearing anything first.  I haven't played the Orcas in a while b/c they're part of a second system I just haven't used lately and I need to get back to them.  They were perfectly ok at moderate volumes w/the Decware, but I want to try something w/greater efficiency.  I also own the Caintuck Betsy Baffles which are quite interesting w/the Decware and really, really good when they're in their wheelhouse.  I'm curious what your impressions are of the differences between the Orcas and the Omegas, and between the Omegas themselves.  I'm considering the Super3HO monitors or towers, the Compact Alnico Monitor, the Jr 8's or maybe stretch the budget to the Sr8 or even the Super Alnico XRS b/c something tells me the Alnicos are the way to go (I could be totally wrong on that though).  The HO Alnicos at almost $5K are way beyond what I'd consider doing w/out actually hearing them first.  Sorry for the novel and very interested in your take on it.  Thanks.

[seikosha]

Hi trusturears,

I'll try to give some general impressions of Blumenstein vs. Caintuck vs. Omega.  I own all of them....yes I am a bit of a speaker hoarder.

Orcas are nice little speakers.  When you see how small that driver is and the cabinet that driver is in, it's absolutely amazing what they can do.  Obviously they have their limits.  I actually prefer the highs on the Orcas to the rs5, and Alnico driver but otherwise, the Omegas win out for me.  Going from the Orca to the rs5, you'll hear a bigger more dynamic sound.  It's more relaxed and of course the bass extends lower too.  The rs5 gives up nothing to the little Orcas in imaging and soundstaging too.

The driver in the Orcas are really tuned well to work in the cabinet...when you compare with the rs5, you realize that the Orca cabinet does contribute to the sound.  This is a good and bad thing.  I thing Clark pulled off a great trick with the Orcas in using the cabinet resonances to fool your ear into thinking there's more lower midrange and upper base.

Although not discussed on the Omega forum, one of the most astounding things about the rs5 implementations is that Louis seems to have completely taken out the sound of the box.  When you read of people talking about the electrostatic speed and sound of the rs5, I think this due to the lack of cabinet sound.

So yeah, while the Orca does this neat trick in using the cabinet, in comparisons, I notice that The upper bass/lower midrange can contribute to a loss definition as a tradeoff.

Last thoughts on the Orca are that for me, and I know many/most here may disagree, but I think the Orca plays okay with solid state.  Tubes just sound so much better with Omegas for me.  That said, I haven't yet heard a First Watt.

The Caintucks are fun speakers and they drive me nuts.  They throw a beautiful, large open soundstage and image well.  Being open baffle, there is no box coloration.  Sometimes they sound glorious, but other times not so much.  As you mentioned, in their wheelhouse they can shine.  When they don't you'll notice that there is an extreme drop off in the bass and sometimes, it seems like this can extend into the midrange where I hear a sort of odd hard coloration.  Hard to explain.  Although I've never run them with a sub, I've heard them with the Augie...not in my system, and that adds a new level of musicality to the speaker.  Also, the highs in the Betsy's beam quit a bit and you can use this to your advantage in tuning the sound via toe in and rake angle.

Im running out of time so I won't discuss the Alnicos since so much has been written about them compared to the rs5.  It really is a great driver.

Last thing...my rs5 experience is only with the single driver designs.  I have heard the rs5 in a dual driver configuration, but not in my room.  It sounded fantastic from what I heard.  Everything I've said is using a Zen UFO or Quicksilver Horn Mono amps.

Hope this helps, obviously this is just my opinion...everyone has different listening biases so don't take my impressions as gospel.

[trusturears]

seikosha,

Thanks for the feedback.  I've got a bit of the hoarding bug myself.  What you wrote is especially helpful b/c your take on the Orcas is spot-on, including about being okay w/solid state.  I've tried them w/a few solid state amps and it's been a while, but I seem to remember particularly liking them w/my Naim Nait 5i.  My Caintuck Betsy's are still breaking in, but again, your impressions of them match mine.  They can be pretty darn good at times, not so much at other times.  Luckily, a lot of what I like to listen to suits them well and I've had a few remarkable experiences w/them being powered by my Decware that were utterly amazing and lifelike.  Really astonishing. 

I'll read up more on the Alnico drivers and the RS8's are so new there's not much out yet.  Something about the CAM's draws me in.  They're a bit unlike anything I already own in size and shape which is interesting.  That alone wouldn't be a reason to get them, but they might work well for me and fit nicely in budget.  If not, maybe the HORs5 based towers, but really leaning in the Alnico direction. 

[guf]

hmmm I have SAMs and Orcas, so I guess I need to get a pair of Caintucks.

Its not a completely fair comparison but I have my Orcas on my desktop system and I get a little tired of listening after a while. My SAMs at my main rig I have a hard time turning them off. I listen many hours a day and it still doesn't seem like enough. 

[DaveC113]

With single drivers it's all about the driver. Multi-way you can take a few ordinary/mediocre drivers and come out with something greater than the sum of it's parts via careful design, although I'd still say the drivers are #1. With single drivers you get what you get. Omega drivers are very good, despite the low price they won't be embarrassed next to high $ single drivers like Feastrex, AER, Voxativ, etc. and they will sound better and better as the rest of the system improves to the point it's not unreasonable to spend far more than the speakers on the electronics and cables.