[Louis O]

Finally some news on the hemp 4.5" drivers.

I have version 3 and need some input from everyone on these.

I do have to say they are made to fit the Super 3s and there is no worries at all about the drop in feature. They will definitely be this way, so retrofits are no problem at all.

The drivers are being made from the ground up so everything is new and sorry about it taking this long, but I want to make sure they are ready right from the start. I have to tool up for the baskets and also finalize the parameters.

Right now I have an amazing amount of Bass. In simulation they go down to high 40sHz range. The hemp tone is amazing with these and they are so organic, balanced, and the immediacy of them is better than any 4.5” I’ve heard. Great with all the amps I'm using them with. Break in time wont be as long as well. The tone is very similar to the Hemp 8s, but faster and the soundstage is very wide. They are a single cone and no wizzer and we are working at lightening the surrounds and spider. Treble is very strong and no worries at all about tweeters.

Now, I’m getting the bass as result of a few things but namely SPL. Right now were at 89dB and it can get much better, so it’s a balancing act. I really want to get up to around 93 in room. It can be done and I think it’s something I want to go for.

Super 3s and stands.
I have found that using 13” stands with a front tilt sounds great with he Super 3s. The speakers are so fast and this way they load up the room amazingly well.

 
Just to clarify the FE126E is a low Q version of the FE127E. I have been using this driver for over 3 years in the Super 3.  

Thanks again,
Louis

[maxwalrath]

Very cool stuff Louis.

What is the lower limits of the bass output when you get the sensitivity up to 93? Could they maybe be customized? Amp rolling would be awesome with drop-in drivers of different efficiencies.

[Bwanagreg]

Hi Louis,

I had the same thought. If the economics would work for you, having a lower efficiency extended bass version along with a high efficiency version would give people a lot of flexibility in system matching. The lower efficiency version doubled up as in the dipoles and TS-33 would give back some of the efficiency tradeoff and would have the best bass of the lot.

Whatever you decide, this driver sounds like a winner. As always it sounds like you di the best thing and worked with the driver to get it right.

Greg

[maxwalrath]

I'd probably buy one of each if it was feasable for you to go that route.

I have 2 amps on me right now, and still need to do an A/B comparison, one is a 50w, one a 6w.

If I end up liking the 50 w better I can get a few extra hertz, and with a higher efficiency pair sitting around, still have the flexibility to try lower powered amps in the future without having to buy a new pair of speakers.

[JLM]

Perhaps you could offer two versions, one for higher efficiency to go with smaller amps and sub, the other a stand alone for smaller rooms with bigger amps.

[Vinnie R.]

Perhaps you could offer two versions, one for higher efficiency to go with smaller amps and sub, the other a stand alone for smaller rooms with bigger amps.

All,

I just got off the phone with Louis and he told me that he has been playing with the new 4.5" Hemp Drivers and the F127E (super 3 driver) in a new small floor standing cabinet.  He mentioned a sand-filled chamber on the bottom, adjustable tilt (via spikes on the bottom), a rear-port, and is getting seriously good bass and room loading (more bass output, deeper, and higher efficiency in this cabinet).  

I always thought the new 4.5" Hemp Drivers in a small floorstander cabinet would be very cool!  He'll post more once he pulls himself away from working on the speakers and gets on the computer (we know how much Louis loves his computer   ).

[-Richard-]

Very interesting developments Louis...your dreams must surely have
hemp drivers dancing around in your head like the sugar plumes of
Christmas stories so dear to us...

I wonder what your new Hemp 4.5 inch drivers would sound like in your
Bipole Super 3 enclosures?  Ah but we must have some patience here!

It seems the Renaissance of your speaker designs is unfolding with perfect
precision...regulated by the mysteries of time and tide and phases of the moon
no doubt...

Nice to hear about all of your victories with the Hemps!!!!!!!!

Warmest Regards -Richard-

[Louis O]

Hi maxwalrath,

Many thanks and the low SPL is at 46Hz. The higher SPL version will be about 55Hz. I have to play around with the VAS and it’s at 11 liters and will go to 10. At this point the box is about 0.635 cubic feet and real close to the Super 3. With the change it will be right on. This driver has almost twice the excursion so it will move a lot of air.

This is a great idea and I think it’s really possible to make two versions. I have tried them with a lot of amps and even the old NAD sounds good with them. Amp rolling and driver rolling would be great.

Hi Greg,

Many thanks and your right. I will see about having 2 versions. It doesn’t seem hard at all to do and the flexibility is what I always look for. The Bipoles  and the TS-33s will benefit from twin drivers and the low SPL would be perfect.
I’m really going to try to get both made and thanks, this one is really important to me to get right from the get go.

Hi JLM,

As long as I can get them both without having to order a tremendous amount it will work out. I’ll check for sure.

Hi Vinnie,

I don’t have the Midas touch with computers and this one is freaking out now. Time to get a Mac I think.

The floosrtander is really coming along now. I have to veneer it and it’s ready for the testing at Tommy’s. I hope this week. It will work with both the hemps and 127Es.
They look sort of like Royd Minstrels and have a wide baffle. Size is 27’H x 10” wide x 7.5D. The sand chamber is filled here and adds a lot of stability. The speakers are so fast that they use room gain and the increase in bottom end output is significant. You can get an idea with the super 3s, put them on a 10” box and tilt the speaker back to get the driver pointing at you and you can here what it can do.

Hi Richard,

I’m really in the ether with these and it’s working out so well. It just took a bit of time and now we are almost there. The hemp tone is so fluid in the mids and in Bipoles is something I’m really looking forward to.

A new finish is evolving which is 2 tone Black oak and a very special metal based finish that’s so hard to describe.

Thanks again,
Louis

[Louis O]

Hi,

The higher SPL versions are coming in very soon, within days and the new baskets are done as well. I will try them out in the XRS and the V2s.

The XRSs are going to the next NYC audio Rave next Saturday and will post a lot more on these.

Thanks again,
Louis

[audiojerry]

Hi Louis,
My first post on Omega -    
What do you think the floorstanding 4.5" Hemps will be priced at?

[-Richard-]

Hi Louis,

It is no secret that I have ordered a pair of your new and exciting
Super 3 2V Bipole speakers...I actually dreamed about them last night!!!!

I would just like to say that I am also very excited that the new 4.5 inch Hemp
drivers can be used to drop into the opening of the present Super 3 2V BP's
to replace the current Fostex drivers...that prospect adds immeasurably to the
"value" and future-proof characteristics of this thoroughly innovative design...

I have a feeling that the soon to be available 4.5 inch Hemp drivers might just have
all of the characteristics of the larger 8 inch Hemp drivers but perhaps be even faster,
more detailed, with even better midrange warmth...I am just guessing here...
But I have a strong intuition that the smaller Hemptone drivers may exhibit a perfect
synergy with the Bipoles...and have that haunting characteristic you speak about so
glowingly... a beautiful inherent TONE!!!!!!!!!

I am really looking forward to what may turn out to be not only a classic
Omega speaker...but something of a collectors item as well...

Warm Regards -Richard-

[skite30]

Louis,
Hasn't been much news about the 4.5 hemps what's happening on that front.

[56tx17]

I will be ordering a pair of Hemptone 8's in the near future and was wondering if the speakers that are now or will be shipping shortly have the upgraded driver, ( Version3)?

[Scooterman]

Louis,
As a public service, I'd be glad to test those new hemp drivers in a real world environment for you.
Mike

[guest1632]

Finally some news on the hemp 4.5" drivers.

I have version 3 and need some input from everyone on these.

I do have to say they are made to fit the Super 3s and there is no worries at all about the drop in feature. They will definitely be this way, so retrofits are no problem at all.

The drivers are being made from the ground up so everything is new and sorry about it taking this long, but I want to make sure they are ready right from the start.

Hi Louis, How about using the 8 hemp driver and 4.5 together. The 8 could be crossed over at say 70 or 80 hz. The idea being to give you that extra base response, and thus let the 4.5 do the magic in the mids and highs, not working so hard on the bottom end. Just a thought.

Ray

[Louis O]

Hi Richard,

Things are looking good and you will be the first to get the quartered Maple. The bipoles are something special and can fill huge rooms too. I’m getting much better with the camera and I’ll post pictures when they are done so you’ll see them before you get them.

As far as the 4.5” hemps, skite30 is right about the news. The latest is the issue with the voice coil. The prototypes I got have 25mm coils and I thought I could get more top end with a smaller coil. So now they are making them with 19mm coil and this means a lot of changes have to the whole driver. Looks like it’s very close and should be getting the newest version to try out in the next couple of weeks. Once they get burned in and measured, I will throw them into the XRS’s. The old version has the same tone as the 8” and when I get the top end right they will be amazing. I have a little more throw too.

Hi 56tx17,

The 8” drivers are the latest and these I’m sticking with. As with all the hemp drivers these are made specifically for me and pure OEM.

Hi Scooterman,

If you’re close to the shop you can borrow them.

Hi Ray Bronk,

That’s a great thought. They have similar sound and very doable. Pretty easy in fact. The 1.5 way concept I have been playing with over 2 years and it sound great. I may try this for fun and pick up 2 EV 18” passive subs and put the superhemps on top of them. For around $700 not to bad for stands that rattle the walls.

I’ll have a raw 28” Hemp sub driver at the show to check out. I can think of a few possibilities with that thing.

Thanks again,
Louis