eAR 202 Acoustic Reality with Omega Grande 8

GHM · « **on:** 24 Dec 2004, 10:24 am »

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum. I just purchased a pair of Grande 8's. I'm planning on trying them with the eAR 202 ICE module amplifier(just ordered). What do you guys think?
Will this be a good choice? Anyone have experience with this. Also the pair I purchased have dual ports. Whats the difference between the single ports and the dual ports on these speakers? Is there a difference in freqs response?

Thanks for any help!

JLM · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 12:25 pm »

Welcome GHM,

Hopefully Louis can address the single larger versus dual smaller ports.

Beyond comparative area/length of the single larger versus dual smaller ports, most of the rest of the differences are theoritical/speculative IMO.

What power rating is that eAR 202 ICE amp? As I recall most are much bigger than any Omega speaker would ever need. At 96 dB/w/m the Grande 8 would be a much better match power and cost wise for one of those battery powered 5 - 10 watts per channel Tripath based digital amps. Check out the Boulder Cable and Multichannel/Digital circles here.

http://www.boldercables.com/ or

http://www.geocities.com/vinnie822

Another option would be chip amps. Their simple design seem to synergize with single driver speakers. Scott Nixon offers the least expensive route and a number of options (20 watt monoblocks, 40 watt monoblocks, 40 watt per channel integrated). Channel Island Audio has a circle here and Dan Wright (Modwright circle) loves them. The new Audio Zone integrated was just favorably reviewed with Omega speakers:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/audiozone2/zone.html

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~joeras/

http://www.scott-nixon.com/

kbuzz3 · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 06:23 pm »

I cant comment specificallyon the grand 8s but my narrow baffle super3's mate very very welll with the flying mole digital amps which also have a lot of power. the moles were installed temporarliy until my triodes are restored and they have worked out waaaaaaaaaaaay better then i would of thought. I course i use a very lush pre amp with them

i think you should review other posts on the AC because there is alot of info on the apparent great synergy between the single driver type fostex system louis uses and the tripath/chip amp options.

good luck. but dont forget --in the long run TUBES rule

Marbles · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 07:05 pm »

Quote from: GHM

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum. I just purchased a pair of Grande 8's. I'm planning on trying them with the eAR 202 ICE modlue amplifier(just ordered). What do you guys think?

Thanks for any help!

I would never order anything from Peter at Acoustic Reality. Not that his products aren't good, they are, but there are many horror stories when it comes to support, if it is ever needed.

Best of luck to you.

Those Grande 8's are very nice, and you can't go wrong with Louis at Omega.

eduardw · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 07:19 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

I would never order anything from Peter at Acoustic Reality. Not that his products aren't good, they are, but there are many horror stories when it comes to support, if it is ever needed.

Best of luck to you.

Those Grande 8's are very nice, and you can't go wrong with Louis at Omega.

Marbles in the last 3 years I bought 2 power amps and a pre amp from Peter, I neve had a problems with his service, I had a small problem with pre-amp and had to send it back to Peter, I received the amp within 2 weeks back in perfect condition. I’ve also send my power amp back to Peter for a modification, again I received the amp back within 2/3 weeks.
Conclusion, I’ve got no problems with service from Acoustic reality.

The only problem I’ve got is the constant changing prices and specifications.

Kind Regards

Eduard

cjr888 · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 07:20 pm »

$499 for an ICEPower amplifier.....good stuff.

Take an EAR202 + those Onwall Maggies..... Hmmm...
Low footprint, low power utilization, high WAF, cheap bundle.....
If only those VBT subwoofers had a some affordable units, and you could go relatively full range and barely take up any space...

Marbles · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 07:45 pm »

Quote from: eduardw

Marbles in the last 3 years I bought 2 power amps and a pre amp from Peter, I neve had a problems with his service, I had a small problem with pre-amp and had to send it back to Peter, I received the amp within 2 weeks back in perfect condition. I’ve also send my power amp back to Peter for a modification, again I received the amp back within 2/3 weeks.
Conclusion, I’ve got no problems with service from Acoustic reality.

The only problem I’ve got is the constant changing prices and specifications.

Kind Regards

Eduard

Eduard, I'm glad to hear you have had good luck with Peter's service.

I wish everyone had as good as service as you received.

GHM · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Dec 2004, 10:22 pm »

Thanks guys for all the help. The eAR 202 is 100 wpc into 8 ohms. I figured it wouldn't be over kill and it could also be used with other speakers. I was also looking at the Eastern Electric tube amp 8 wpc. I've heard the MiniMax preamp in a friends system, It is a killer piece.
I was concerned with the hum some amplifiers seem to have. I wanted an amplifier that would be whisper quiet with such efficient speakers.

I've owned several pair of Maggies,Soliloquys,Green Mountain Audio Europas,Paradigm and a few others. The funny thing I have never heard the Omegas. It's a speaker I have been intrigued with for quite sometime now.

What type of preamps are you guys using? Right now I have a QED passive that I plan to use until I can test the waters in this area. I'm torn between adding a DAC or moving to a tube cd player. I appreciate all the advice.

JLM · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 Dec 2004, 12:10 pm »

GHM,

Good amp, but not from Peter. He's all over the map emotionally and price wise, just not a reliable source. I'd like to think that the language barrier had something to do with it, but that can't explain most of his past behavior.

You've had several pairs of the recent darlings of the audio press. That should give you a good idea as to the state of the art. Omega does a remarkable job at bass reflex loading Fostex drivers. The coherent, direct coupled sound would be a real plus from what you've heard (especially nearfield) and you'd lose surprisely little at the frequency extremes.

Any Fostex drivers I've heard benefitted greatly from tubes in the signal path. The Decware CSP is another good tube pre-amp option. There are a couple of vendors here that will add tubes to a player. Kinda depends on your budget as to what to recommend.

GHM · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Dec 2004, 12:31 pm »

Many thanks JLM! Sounds like some have had some bad experiences with the owner of this company.LOL I ordered the unit but I haven't purchased it yet. I can always pickup something else and cancel the order.

From your descriptions it sounds like this is the speaker I've been looking for. The most coherent pair of monitors I've owned were the Europas. I was told by another Green Mountain owner that the Omegas were more coherent.

I'm like a kid at Christmas waiting on them! I can't wait to try them out .
I will take a look at some of these tube preamps and amplifiers that have been suggested. I've owned only a few tube pieces. One was the Music Reference RM9 MKII from Roger Majeski. Fabilous amplifier ! It just wasn't as reliable as I would have liked.

I will checkout the Decware stuff as well.

Dmason · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 Dec 2004, 02:57 pm »

I've owned some of the aforementioned speakers including the Europas. I have a pair of the same Fostex drivers as found in the Omega Grande 8, powered by one of the batTery amps, Vinnie's excellent ClariT. Coherence is definitely a word I would use to describe the combination. Dynamic would be another. I can sit and listen for hours and hours. Just an amazingly musical pairing. I can imagine the real thing, done right by Louis, would be all the better, with his techniques, and jewel-like finished product...

This is one of my All Time Favorite systems in almost 30 years of tweaking audio.

GHM · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 Dec 2004, 03:03 pm »

Dmason now you really got me itching for those speakers!LOL

Thanks

GHM · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Dec 2004, 09:45 am »

The speakers have arrived! What amazing sounding units! I can only imagine what they will sound like after full break in! I also notice some people really try to smear these types of speakers. Especially those that don't spend time with them. All I read is "They don't play loud" or "They don't have bass" or "The highs are rolled off". I don't get it.

This type of speaker ..waxes the floor with everything I'm accustom too in speed ,definition, and timing. What gives with the single driver hateration? For all the FR haters ....drink your haterade and have a happy New Year!

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Dec 2004, 01:02 pm »

GMH,

Welcome to the single driver club.

Most serious listening is done at about 80 dB (requiring less than 1 watt per channel with Omega speakers). A constant 90 dB isn't tolerated well by 30 somethings or above. So "playing loud" is more of a theoretical than practical issue for most of us.

"Old school" audiophile wisdom concentrated on midrange performance and limited their definition of full range response to 80 - 8000 Hz (although all single driver speakers I can think of do better than that). Nowadays a powered sub is the easy way to fill in any bass needs. With a frequency sensitive sound pressure meter you'll find out that very little music exists above even 5000 Hz (mostly sparkle/air).

The marketing types have brainwashed most folks into believing that they need 20 - 20,000 Hz response in an anechoic chamber at 110 dB to sell continuely updated expensive feature laddened products. The listeners of single driver speakers know that to be a myth. And that the trade off (there's always trade offs in speaker designs) of a single quality extended range driver versus multiple drivers plus crossover is well worth it.

rosypup · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Dec 2004, 01:55 pm »

Break in....

You will be surprised at how much better they will sound after a good 100 hour breakin.

I actually sold them to a friend when I first got mine, but eventually got them back. He did the honors for me.

I have other single driver speakers and they all take some time to find their true grove. Single drivers just get bettter and better as they break in.

rosypup · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Dec 2004, 02:07 pm »

Marbles, I see you got vmps's all around. Must sound good.

If you remember the guy in nj who ad two pairs of rm-40's. He had decided to sell them and I could have gotten one really cheap. But I passed it up having decided/determined that I would stick with the high effeciency/set route.

I have a pair of rm2's. They are sitting in my basement. I've been debating whether to drag them up to this third floor here to set up with my last remaining high-powered amp, a pair of otl monos, which are also just sitting here.

I use to enjoy that set-up especially with vinyl, but my impression was the set sound that I have here had some characteritics which I much preferred.

But if you know how someone can focus on tuning into particular variables, maybe it's time to see if I'm missing something. It might be worth it just for the learning or relearning the same thing again.

Dmason · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 Dec 2004, 03:39 pm »

GHM,

You will read mention of a minimum 100 hours break in for the Fostii. This is really a threshold at which they start to play actual Music. So if you like what you hear now, wait two weeks, and let them play all day, if you can.

What I have found with the Fostex FE207E, F200A, is that they in fact get better and better and better, over time. Especially the F200A, which reportedly can take "years" for the true potential to show through.

JLM, have you found this with yours, that now have much more time on them? My only regret with all the exceptional sound I have is that the F200A's need more juice than Vinnie's ClariT amp is capable of giving them.

Louis O · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 Dec 2004, 03:51 pm »

Hi GHM,

Welcome to the forum and I’m really happy you’re enjoying your Grande 8s.

Sorry about the late post regarding the ports. It’s really a cosmetic thing. I ‘ve had many people including dealers who didn’t like the look and I changed to the 3” port. The double port is really good and flows great. No worry at all they are really good.

I wish I could hear all the amps out there and it’s really hard. I try my best at the shows and to have as many in the shop as I can get so I can recommend them. I get great feed back and this helps a lot and also the forum is an unbelievable way to get some great advise. The Sonic Impact is amazing especially for the money and I can’t wait to hear Vinny’s amp too. I ‘ll do my best to post everything and add more content on the site.

Well finally I found a great source for Supertweeters. These are top mounted ribbons and have extension to 50K. They are in a top mount configuration and no need for me to make any housing for them. This is really good as I can really keep the costs down. I will set them up with caps and pigtail leads so it will be plug and play.

Thanks again and Happy New Year.

Best regards,
Louis

GHM · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Dec 2004, 08:58 pm »

Thanks Louis

Hey guys what do you use on the wood finish of your speakers to keep them looking good? I have some Scotts Liquid Gold. Is there something better?

Dmason .. I've been checking out those nifty Fostex 200As that you have. Wow... I didn't realize how expensive they are! I've been trying to play my speakers day and night as much as I can. They do get better with age and wear ...that's for sure.

I've also decided to go with Vinnie's Clari T Amp. Just waiting for him to get a batch ready.

Dmason · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Dec 2004, 11:54 pm »

You'll be glad you did.

Oh, and did anyone mention they rock as well? I have Dire Straits on right now with the sub turned on, just to fill in abit, and one thing that surprises me with the Fostii FE-E drivers, is the amount of impact on drums you can get outta them, once they get going. I don't often listen "loudly," but it is there when I need it. Volume on the ClariT is about 10:00

The F200A, I think are a deal. They are TONS better than the JBL LS-8, that they are cloned from, ever was, and those were pretty pennies in their day. Expensive drivers to me are the Supravox Field Coil 10 inchers, weighing in at something like 45 pounds apiece, $2,500 per pair. And that doesnt include the power supply you must find for the field coil magnet...There are far dearer single drivers out there than those even.