OB 5 or 7 Reviews

Rocket_Ronny · « **on:** 20 Sep 2006, 10:17 pm »

Howdy folks.

Anyone have a review to offer about these speakers?

I hope to pull the trigger on the OB 5 soon and thought it would be good entertainment to see if they turn your crank?

My buddie, who I will leave unnamed since he is Chasing the Wind anyways, figures I am an idiot to go for them over the Visatone B200's.

Well, I beg to differ. My spidy senses are telling me the OB 5 will be KILLER, and a nice step up from my HornShoppe Wannabes. You can check them out at: http://www.scripturesongs.com/audio2.htm , and for some more fun check out what the Hornshoppes replaced http://www.scripturesongs.com/audio.htm .

Rocket_Ronny

johnnycopy · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Sep 2006, 04:28 am »

It appears they replaced themselves.

Thought you may have considered the hawthorne products

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Sep 2006, 03:37 pm »

Hey Johnny:

While I am glad Darrel has come out with his speaker line and wish him the very best I did not consider the 15" drivers as I know they are not for me. The OB 5 is more up my ally.

Rocket_Ronny

Danny Richie · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Sep 2006, 03:22 am »

Quote

My buddie, I will leave unnamed, figures I am an idiot to go for them over the Visatone B200's.

Looks like you'll have the last laugh.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Sep 2006, 03:54 am »

Yup.

Cant' wait.

Rocket_Ronny

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Sep 2006, 09:26 pm »

Did I say idiot? I don't think so.

As someone else already so elegantly put it, amplifiers and computers have fewer parts!

Remember the lesson you learned back at The Hornshoppe, lesson 101 the ADVANTAGES of a SINGLE DRIVER, NO CROSSOVER, yada, yada, yada.

BTW, Rocket Ronny has never had the last laugh. Come to think of it, he's never had the first laugh either.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Sep 2006, 10:32 pm »

I figured once Johnboy was finished Chasing the Wind that he would see this thread.

While you did not call me an idiot for looking at the Ob's it did not take too much reading between the lines to feel your look of bewilderment.

Lesson 101 was not with Hornshopps regarding single driver, crossoverless, speakers. Maybe alzhimers has set in, but 25 years ago you had Acustat model II's and I had model III's. Remember those full range, crossoverless, electrostats, which we both loved?

I also remember how those Acustats were able to unravel the rise and decay of notes like non other. This, the Fostex drivers can not do. While the Fostex drivers are tremendously musical, and I love them, I know they fall short in this area, and so do the B200's. This is what I am expecting the Neo 3 planer tweeters to do.

Knowing that Danny is able to pull off seamless crossovers, I believe the compromise of the crossover at 1.8 k to be far less than a full range driver, with all it's mass, to unravel inner details like a super low mass planer driver.

The B200's are an excellent driver which I only sampled for a short time. They do not sound at all like their stated frequency response when put into a winged baffle. They sound very good and I like them.

But I think the OB 5 will take it to another level. An electrostatic one.

Rocket_Ronny - Trying not to laugh too hard.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Oct 2006, 02:26 am »

I'm in the process of building a pair of Danny's OB/5's, I give you my thoughts and post some pics when they're done. Currently, I own a pair of AV/3's along with Danny's PR sub. I built them about 6 months ago. They are a great sounding set of speakers. I've listened to lots over the years, and went on tour of all the high end audio shops here in Toronto, of which there are quite a few, just as mine were burning in. The ones that I really liked available commercially, were the Totem Staff's ( I believe, that's the model) and PMC ( I believe they were the OB 1's and FB 1's). I would put the AV/3's up against them anyday. The PMC's were over $8000.00 if memory serves me correct. I would characterize the AV/3 as one of the most neutral sounding speakers I have heard to date. I can't find one negative comment to say or think about them.I will be doing the Sonicaps bypass caps mod to these shortly, which Danny says will improve their resolution. I have the OB/5 kit as I write this, but a little swamped with other things. Considering my experience with the AV/3's, and having talked to Danny quite a few times, his enthusiasm towards the OB/5's leaves me very anxious to get them done. I own a custom cabinetry shop, and am going to build some really nice cabinets for these, and my AV/3's.( they're in quickly built cabs for right now) The new one's will have gently curved sides, and front baffle. Veneer for the OB/5's will be Tiger Sycamore on the baffles, and maple sides, the AV/3's might be rosewood or figured maple, (still undecided on those...) You're going to want to see these, they're going to look awesome!

Cheers

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Oct 2006, 03:21 pm »

Trigger pulled, Ka-Bam!!!

Right now the OB5s are enjoying the senic route to western Canada. Hope to build them a home in the next month.

Thanks Daygloworange for chiming in. Look forward to seeing your cabinates.

I am going to mod mine by lowerering the tweeter height by 5". I will use a 8" front baffle but for the bass cabs I will build the sides on the outside of the baffle making a 9.5" width. I will also add a bit to the depth as well. Thus lowering the bass cab height. I also plan to move the tweeter as far to the side of the baffle as possbile.

Rocket_always blazing a different path_Ronny

Hank · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Oct 2006, 05:32 pm »

I just made a pair of test baffles for the Visaton drivers for a guy here in Texas. I hope he gets to hear a pair of OB's before he makes his final decision.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Oct 2006, 09:43 pm »

The race is on!

Cacophonix · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 08:54 pm »

I'm in the process of building the OB-5 too.
I also own the AV/3 with the cap upgrade, and can agree with your views ... they are indeed great sounding speakers.
Since i've never veneered before, i decided to veneer the AV/3 first - just to get an idea of how much effort is involved (Yellow glue w/ hot iron). Just yesterday, i completed the veneering part. For the most part, they have come out pretty well except at a few places, the veneer has bubbled (I'm using raw veneer from ebay). Hopefully i can iron them out. Once i finish them, i'll start on the OB-5 (I'll use beautiful quilted bubinga to dress these speakers

). Its a race against time, as my wife will be moving in by the end of this month.

Quote from: Daygloworange on 8 Oct 2006, 02:26 am

I'm in the process of building a pair of Danny's OB/5's, I give you my thoughts and post some pics when they're done. Currently, I own a pair of AV/3's along with Danny's PR sub. I built them about 6 months ago. They are a great sounding set of speakers. I've listened to lots over the years, and went on tour of all the high end audio shops here in Toronto, of which there are quite a few, just as mine were burning in. The ones that I really liked available commercially, were the Totem Staff's ( I believe, that's the model) and PMC ( I believe they were the OB 1's and FB 1's). I would put the AV/3's up against them anyday. The PMC's were over $8000.00 if memory serves me correct. I would characterize the AV/3 as one of the most neutral sounding speakers I have heard to date. I can't find one negative comment to say or think about them.I will be doing the Sonicaps bypass caps mod to these shortly, which Danny says will improve their resolution. I have the OB/5 kit as I write this, but a little swamped with other things. Considering my experience with the AV/3's, and having talked to Danny quite a few times, his enthusiasm towards the OB/5's leaves me very anxious to get them done. I own a custom cabinetry shop, and am going to build some really nice cabinets for these, and my AV/3's.( they're in quickly built cabs for right now) The new one's will have gently curved sides, and front baffle. Veneer for the OB/5's will be Tiger Sycamore on the baffles, and maple sides, the AV/3's might be rosewood or figured maple, (still undecided on those...) You're going to want to see these, they're going to look awesome!

Cheers

Daygloworange · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Oct 2006, 11:55 pm »

Cacaphonix,

Glad to hear your opinion on the AV/3's. It'll be interesting to discuss how we feel the OB/5's compare beside the AV/'s.

Question. Are you talking Sonicaps upgrade, or Sonicaps bypass caps upgrade? My original crossovers had Sonicaps caps, but not the bypass caps. Did you get your AV/3's with the Sonicap bypass upgrade right from the get go, or did you upgrade them later?

Goodluck with your OB's, post some pics when you're done. That choice of veneer should look amazing as well.

Cheers

Cacophonix · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Oct 2006, 04:52 am »

I have the sonic cap upgrade....bought this from a fellow member out here. It wasn't finished, so before starting on OB-5, I decided to experiment on the AV/3

I'm quite sure that OB-5 will sound great! I heard the OB-7 at danny's place late last year and then again a few months back - it is quite easily the best i've ever heard! The tweeter on OBs are sweeet ... If there is one thing that i find lacking in AV/3 is their treble ... its a little too cool for my taste. A little sparkle would've been great. Or maybe its my onix SP3 ...

Any tips on how best to finish walnut? I'm currently leaning towards orange shellac .....

Daygloworange · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Oct 2006, 05:44 am »

Hey Cacophonix'

Ok, so I'm envious that you've heard the OB/7's. Yeah, I bet that tweeter is something else.

I don't find the AV/3 lacking in treble, not in my setup. And I've listened to my entire CD collection through it, and more than once. I really do find them to be neutral. How they articulate highs might be different than other tweeters, but in terms of lacking, no, I don't find that at all. Some poorly recorded CD's with bad high end Eq, sound just like that, and make me want to turn the level down a bit, but put on one where it's eq'd well and it's not the case. In short, I find them quite accurate.

Ask Danny, you can tip the tweeter up a bit by changing one simply resistor to suit your tastes. I think it's a 2ohm that you can change to a 1 ohm. He'll tell you. And ask him about the bypass caps upgrade, it's only a couple of bucks, and should kick up the detail and resolution a bit.

Shellac is a cool finish. You pad it on, then rub and buff out. Better known as a "french polish". Do some searching on the 'net, you should be able to find lotsa info on how best to apply it if you're not sure. Just beware of water or alcohol on the finish, it's not the most resistant finish, but looks awesome.

Cheers

Cacophonix · « **Reply #15 on:** 12 Oct 2006, 02:03 pm »

Na ... i don't think i'll mess with the treble response on the AV/3. They are, like you said, neutral sounding. Its only when i'm in the mood for instant gratification that i find them to be lacking in the highs ... but i prefer the way it sounds in the long run

My earlier speakers included NHT and paradigm ... so compared to those, AV/3 sounds a little laid back in the treble region.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #16 on:** 12 Oct 2006, 02:14 pm »

I had the same experience, I have heard and owned other speakers that I would characterize as dull in the treble region, but when you become accustomed to brightness something that's not so bright can seem to be lacking. I feel the response with these is accurate. And that's what I want more than anything. Neutral, give me more neutral!

I can listen to these speakers all day long and never have them fatigue me. Actually, they are on all the time!

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 Oct 2006, 04:19 pm »

Quote from: Daygloworange on 9 Oct 2006, 09:43 pm

The race is on!

Hey, no fair!!!

I don't even have the drivers yet.

Ah, but alas, he, he, he, I do have some mdf and goodies here, and started chopping and gouging them up yesterday.

I liked what I heard about the OB's being the best you ever heard, and the sweet highs were nice to hear as well. This all gives extra incentive to lovingly create my own pair of OB Sy-Klopz.

Rocket_He, He, He,_Ronny

puft54cs · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 Nov 2006, 09:46 pm »

Has Danny released any plans for a OB-5 center channel speaker yet? I would love to build the OB-5s with a matching center channel to go with my 4 A/V 1 RS speakers.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #19 on:** 8 Nov 2006, 12:31 am »

Quote

as Danny released any plans for a OB-5 center channel speaker yet?

1) You can alter the box of the OB-5 without any changes to the OB-5. Just rotate it 90 degrees then separate the lower woofers to a configuration that allows one on each side. You'll likely need to design a stand to hold it too.

2) I just completed a design that is basically an A/V-3S but with the Neo3pdr. That worked out really well.

3) You can use a single O-3 model and shorten the cabinet as need to adjust for the right height.