New Custom Omega Drivers!!!

Dmason · « **on:** 22 Jan 2005, 12:37 am »

Okay Louis,

Spill the beans. Tell us about the new drivers. T/S parameters? Banana, or perhaps some material we can at least smoke if we don't like them?

Inquiring minds want to know!! Very nice and European looking.

kbuzz3 · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Jan 2005, 03:37 am »

Are these custom non fostex designed just for louis. Please let us know what you know even before louis has a chance to spill the beans

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Jan 2005, 03:48 am »

He was kinda' proud of those babies at CES, he was....

Dmason · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Jan 2005, 04:25 am »

I hope Louis doesn't mind me answering your question, he's likely busy pushing orders out his back door.

I know the new drivers are 8" bicones, higher Q, lower Fs, and made of hemp.

I have read a couple of very good things about hemp cones for guitar amps, which are Hi quality wide rangers; Steve Howe was raving about them in an interview, and who here is going to question him on guitar ANYTHING? So I figured I should be interested too. Then Louis mentioned these babies were due.

Whatever they are made of, it's hemp plant fiber ("paper") with pleated fabric surround, which is a magic combination of ingredients for the organic portrayal of the essential midband from 200-500Hz, where the music lives, I don't care what anyone says. Look at Tannoy, Altec, Radian, Emilar, TAD, Selenium, JBL, Eminence, EAW, Ciare, BMS, Beyma, and on and on, paper and pleated fabric. Always has been.

I am waiting impatiently for the Good Word on these. No XO, Tannoy smooth, and intelligent whizzzering . A couple pix are on his site under News.

Bwanagreg · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 04:56 pm »

Was Louis playing them at the show or are they not that far along yet? I wonder if they are more or less drop in replacements for the 207s? Arggggh I must know it all!!!

The model name for the new drivers -- the THC

Dmason · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 06:17 pm »

I second the motion to name these the Omega THC.

jackman · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 07:37 pm »

He can call the mini versions One Hitters...

Bwanagreg · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 08:04 pm »

It seems as though these speakers are creating quite a, um, buzz.

Dmason · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Jan 2005, 06:04 pm »

I like the name Greg. The Omega Grandez THC

A whole new speaker, to put it "bluntly"

Louis O · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 01:23 am »

I'm back and Hopefully I will be virus free for a while. I have every piece of protection software now for this is my 4th computer.

I'll try my best to answer all the questions, but first is the new drivers. Many thanks to Dmason for posting about the drivers. They are Hempcones and I'm really excited about them. All I have at this time is the sample and a non working one at that, but I was told I will be getting the drivers in any day now. Were working on 2 versions of the drivers and they will be different in a few ways most notably is the frames and motors. This way I can have 2 price points too. TheChairGuy did see them at CES and I was so happy to show them off. I just got them in that day too. The cones are green as well as the wizzer and that sample had the chunky cast frame, neorite motor and voice coil. The magnet is a hybrid ferrite and neodymium. SPL is in the 97dB range. In the future I will be looking into the Alnico magnets too. The cones are not pressed and is very light. The 8" goes up very high in the treble. I was told 20KHz, but I will test for sure. I will be getting in the 8" and the 4.5" very soon and will get them ready for Montreal show.

Hi kbuzz3,

Totally non Fostex and made in Minnesota too.

The 1.5 way worked out great and I will retrofit them with the hemp cones. The project really is interesting and it worked very well. This is the beginning of the floorstanders. Twin drivers have so many pluses and in this setup they remain an 8 ohm load. This isn't a line array and the sharing gives great bass output, more dynamics and will sound great with more complex material.

Hi Bwanagreg,

I only had one for the show and it was a non working sample, but the best news is, it's a drop in, plug and play replacement. The only thing is the frames are big and the grills won't fit.

The names are really good and keep them coming as I wan't to name them this way. More to news very soon when I get them in.

Thanks again,
Louis

JeffB · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 01:56 am »

Louis, have you actually heard these drivers and think they have real promise? Or are you just going to experiment with them and hope they sound good. I guess I am wondering if you think they will replace the Fostex drivers or is it too early to know.

Bwanagreg · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 02:04 am »

They are green!!! How cool is that???

By all means keep us posted Louis. Thanks for the update and keep that 'puter clean.

JLM · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 10:38 am »

Green hemp drivers

Hmmmm ......

Probably not the best drivers to use for those hot parties and/or big amps that could smoke them.

Look forward to hearing them in April at the AK audiofest outside Detroit.

Dmason · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 03:19 pm »

Lightweight hemp cones, strong motors with good magnets and high sensitivity actually sounds like a Godsend for digital amps. No DF issues on the top end, could bring better sonic balance. Ironfisted speaker control. Alnico? Even better.

Who would have thought that the idea for hemp cones would come from the Bay area of all places?? Maybe the "Chico Institute of Materials Science"

but it sorta looks like they found another market for good ol hemp, which can save the world, a wonderful, and incredibly useful and versatile plant which needs to be fully exploited, and soon. Learn about hemp products.

For more cool stuff on hemp cones, see www.tonetubby.com these are the guys with the guitar speakers. See that all the "midrange specialists" like Clapton, Santana, Howe, Gibbons, are all over the hemp sound. This looks to be a very interesting and for once, NEW development in an old art.

konut · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 04:36 pm »

Doing my best Jim Carrey voice(from "The Mask") SMOKIN!

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 05:10 pm »

mmmmm...anybody else getting reeeeally hungry reading this topic?

teehee

BRN · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Feb 2005, 08:31 pm »

I have a Bottlehead S.E.X. amp and have been looking for speakers to go with it. I cn't wait for these new speakers. I just hope to see them soon.

Dmason · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 Feb 2005, 02:25 am »

Bottleheads would be great. I have heard those once and really liked the sonic level of excellence. Doc B. is the DIY Standard for the Thermionic Gospel.

Louis: Please tell us what you mean by a 1.5 way.

My guess is this is two drivers, run full range, no XO?

mcgsxr · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Feb 2005, 02:50 am »

My guess on a 1.5 way, is that there are two identical drivers, but one runs only in the bass frequencies, the other full range. That way the bass is reinforced, but lobing in the mids and highs is avoided, since the one unit is rolled off to avoid that.

Just my stab at it mind you...

Louis O · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Feb 2005, 12:43 am »

Hi JeffB,

I haven’t heard them yet, but I can say, I’ve been told they are going to sound really good. I have been waiting for the prototypes and I hope to get them soon. I have the cabinets ready. I will be showing them, hopefully at the Montreal show. It’s too early to know about replacing the Fostex. I might keep the Fostex as well. I really have to figure it all out when I can listen to them.

Hi Bwanagreg,

I made sure of the color, goes with the hemp thing. They are actually a tan color raw. The resin on the surround is hemp resin too.

Hi JLM,

If they get smoked at least everyone at the party will have an even better time.
It also looks like Montreal is very close to the AK show and I may not be able to make it.
It’s like a week apart.

Hi Dmason,

These drivers have all these attributes and looks like I can go with alnico too. I’m told the treble extension is really good too. It would be great with the digital amps. I have the stock T amp and I will be hearing the souped up version soon. I hope to try it out with the new drivers.

The tone tubbies are amazing and they have some great musicians using them. The biggest hemp attribute looks like a sweet midrange.

Hi konut,

I was thinking of calling the 8” Grandez 8 Super Smoke Cannabis Special Edition.
Just thinking of the names makes me really hungry.

Hi BRN,

I know your amp very well. I did hear it and it sounds really good. The Bottleheads are great amps. I have a special version built around 45s and this will be used to test the speakers. The 8” version will look like the super 3s with rear 3” precision ports. I also have a new MDF that sounds really good. I will also look into the Hemp damping too. I’ll have more info and pics when the drivers arrive.

Hi Dmason

The Bottleheads are fantastic and a great value too. Doc’s a great guy too.

The 1.5 way is something I came up with where I use 2 full range drivers and cascade them. The lower driver has a coil on it and runs up to about 300Hz and the second driver runs full range. This adds more bass output, higher SPL, more dynamics, and it’s not a line array at all, it’s still a point source. I can run this cascade with any number of drivers. The other benefit is the drivers share the load and the output is cleaner as well as the ability to play more complex material.

Hi mcgsxr

You hit right on with the 1.5 way and this is the beginning of the floor standers. Next up will be the 6s and the 8s and the lower drivers will also have no wizzers.

More on the way,
Louis