[bprice2]

What speaker system would you guys suggest I check out to get the
best overall hemp experience?  I've got everything at my disposal from
9w SET to 350wpc solid state.

Why don't you check out a pair of Louis Chochos' Omega Super 3 Bipole/Dipole speakers with his hemp drivers installed.  You'd get twice the hemp, and I'd get to see my speakers reviewed.    To my knowledge, no one has yet reviewed these exceptional speakers.  You could lead the vanguard.

[Toka]

I'm very interested in getting my ears on a pair of the newer Omega speakers. I'm still trying to get my head around the single-driver concept in general (love it in theory, yet part of me wonders about ultimate extension/resolution), but the price keeps me looking at them.    A TONE review of either the Max Hemps or the Super 3's would be killer.  aa

[konut]

John Harrison is associated with Tone Tubby whos products are intended for guitar and bass cabinets and have quite a following. Hemp Acoustics, OTOH, make hemp cone drivers intended for hifi applications  Louis at Omega has partnered with them for his line of speakers. There seems to be new products coming from Hemp Acoustics that look very promising.
http://www.hempacoustics.com/kits.php
It seems I was mistaken about the B200. That Manila hemp thing threw me off.

[Steve Eddy]

John Harrison is associated with Tone Tubby whos products are intended for guitar and bass cabinets and have quite a following. Hemp Acoustics, OTOH, make hemp cone drivers intended for hifi applications  Louis at Omega has partnered with them for his line of speakers. There seems to be new products coming from Hemp Acoustics that look very promising.

Thanks. Yeah, I was over on their website earlier today but they apparently don't have any info yet on their new stuff.

It seems I was mistaken about the B200. That Manila hemp thing threw me off.

Time to put the bong away.

se

[TONEPUB]

Ill check this out.  I've always heard great stuff about the Omega spekers
and they look like a great way to get into the SET thing....

[Dmason]

Louis and Omega Loudspeakers are not at all affiliated with Hemp Acoustics. Louis is working with John Harrison of Tone Tubby who solely holds the patent and license for the HempTone(tm) cone. Louis cones are OEM only, and are exclusive to the use of OmegaLoudspeakers. The 4.5 inch and 8 inch are unique to Omega. The Hemp Acoustics DIY products, --if ever are they available, --and are apparently purely speculative at this point, are of the "Hemp Matrix" variety, a mixture of hemp and kevlar. The cone product is actually the result of Hemp Acoustics losing their licensure for the patented HempTone material useage. HempTone cones are Green.   The V.2 FR8 can be purchased here: www.abrown.com --> Sales. A Broun Soun is the parent of Tone Tubby. One and the same.

[konut]

Its not my day! I'm wrong again.   :duh:Thanks DMason for setting me straight.

[Songforyou]

How about an A-B comparison between the old fostex Omega Super 3 and the new hemp Super 3?  I own the fostex version and if the hemp is significantly better (and not just different), I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade.  The fostex Super 3s are (to my ears) too lean on their own.  With the right sub however, they can be amazing.  I use a pair of TBIs.

I bought a pair of Spica TC-50s recently (I owned them back in the 80s) and replaced the Super 3s.  The Spicas are full and round and image very well, but after much back-and-forth I went back to the Super 3s.  I'm hooked on the speed and clarity.  The Spicas seem too slow and murky in comparison.  That said, if the hemps sound fuller than the fostex without sacrificing the speed, then that would be something special.

Try contacting Louis.  He's a great guy and I'm sure he will oblige.

[TONEPUB]

I had TC-50's back in the day...
Great speakers!

The single driver speaker does a lot of things really well, somewhat like a big panel speaker
with no crossover.  That cohesiveness is hard to beat.

Say, how much did you pay for those TC-50s?  If you don't want too much
for them, I'd be interested in purchasing them for use in our "Old School"
column...

Let me know!

[rajacat]

How about an A-B comparison between the old fostex Omega Super 3 and the new hemp Super 3?  I own the fostex version and if the hemp is significantly better (and not just different), I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade.  The fostex Super 3s are (to my ears) too lean on their own.  With the right sub however, they can be amazing.  I use a pair of TBIs.

I bought a pair of Spica TC-50s recently (I owned them back in the 80s) and replaced the Super 3s.  The Spicas are full and round and image very well, but after much back-and-forth I went back to the Super 3s.  I'm hooked on the speed and clarity.  The Spicas seem too slow and murky in comparison.  That said, if the hemps sound fuller than the fostex without sacrificing the speed, then that would be something special.

Try contacting Louis.  He's a great guy and I'm sure he will oblige.

The Hemps have a fuller, bigger sound than the Fostexs and they can play at a higher volume without congestion and don't sacrifice speed. They also have excellent resolution.  I have the Super Bipoles v.1 upgraded with the new Hemp drivers and they can really fill a room.

Raj

[vinyl anachronist]

The Omega Max Hemps are truly great-sounding speakers, cost just $2495 a pair, and can be run by SET amps with as little as...oh, say TWO WATTS PER CHANNEL. 

http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/maxhemp.html

[fu_man]

Dmason,

The Hemp Acoustics DIY products, --if ever are they available, --and are apparently purely speculative at this point, are of the "Hemp Matrix" variety, a mixture of hemp and kevlar. The cone product is actually the result of Hemp Acoustics losing their licensure for the patented HempTone material useage. HempTone cones are Green.   The V.2 FR8 can be purchased here: www.abrown.com --> Sales. A Broun Soun is the parent of Tone Tubby. One and the same

Thanks for clarifying.  but your  last  comment has me slightly confused...
the  V.2 FR8 you  refer to is the  A Brown Soun FR8 ? 
and not what  Hemp Acoustics refer to as as their FR8C?
Man... the two *look* identical, and price is the  same.
which do I try?
Have you compared  to the Visaton B200?

[TONEPUB]

The Omega Max Hemps are truly great-sounding speakers, cost just $2495 a pair, and can be run by SET amps with as little as...oh, say TWO WATTS PER CHANNEL. 

http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/maxhemp.html

Well buddy, they are going to your house, if we get em for review!!

Hopefully by then, your house will be down the street from my house
so I can listen too!!

[Songforyou]

Jeff,

Regarding the Spicas, I paid around $300 for them on ebay.  They were advertised as in excellent condition, but they were poorly packed and arrived banged up (chipped corners, broken grille cover fasteners, etc.).  The seller did send me a partial refund, but I was disappointed.  Sonically, they are fine.  There are a couple pairs for sale on Audiogon right now if you are interested.

I'm using them in a second system (which is what I bought them for).  I thought I'd try them in the livingroom system (replacing the Omegas).  They are much fuller and they have a wonderful mid-band.  Going back and forth with the Super 3s (both with and without a sub), made the Omegas sound lean and mean (tipped up and lacking body).  With classical the Spicas were glorious and I thought I'd be retiring the Omegas.  But, after living with the Super 3s for a couple of years, I found that the Spicas were slow with rock, blues and with movies.  They lacked the 'jump factor' that the Omegas have.  I know the Spicas are less efficient and could use more power, but I remember driving my first pair with a 100w X 2 solid state amp and they still sounded somewhat reticent. 

There is something about single driver sound that is just 'right.'  This is why I'm particularly interested in the small hemp drivers.  If they can do the fostex thing with a more natural tone, then it would be nothing short of a miracle.

[vinyl anachronist]

The Omega Max Hemps are truly great-sounding speakers, cost just $2495 a pair, and can be run by SET amps with as little as...oh, say TWO WATTS PER CHANNEL. 

http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/maxhemp.html

Well buddy, they are going to your house, if we get em for review!!

Hopefully by then, your house will be down the street from my house
so I can listen too!!

You and I talked to Louis Chochos at RMAF, and he really is a nice guy.  And I love how his speakers don't cost a fortune.

[Toka]

VA,

If you had to compare the Max Hemps to other more conventional designs, how would they stack up? I love love love the 3-D, 'floaty' nature of good ribbon tweeters...anything close to that? At the moment, I consider the Salk HT3 to be the standard of 'good' sound for my tastes, but I continue to be drawn to the single-driver universe.

[vinyl anachronist]

VA,

If you had to compare the Max Hemps to other more conventional designs, how would they stack up? I love love love the 3-D, 'floaty' nature of good ribbon tweeters...anything close to that? At the moment, I consider the Salk HT3 to be the standard of 'good' sound for my tastes, but I continue to be drawn to the single-driver universe.

Hmmm...tough to say, since it's been a few years since I had any extended experience with a ribbon tweeter.  The only thing I could reliably compare it to would be my Zu Druids, which I've been using constantly for the last year and a half.  I also have a couple of pairs of Spendors that I use occasionally.

I'm very interested in reviewing the Omegas, as I am with any high-efficiency speaker right now.  I want to see if anything can knock the Druids off the top of the hill.  I want to review such speakers as the Max Hemps, the WLM Divas, the Audio Note AN/E-HE, Cain & Cain I-Bens and Wall of Sound, and some of the Horning models.  If I can find a nice tube or hybrid integrated amp with at least 50 watts per channel, with a decent built-in phono preamp, then I'll use that to review less efficient speakers such as Harbeth, Devore and other faves.

[Toka]

Sounds good. Hope to see a review soon! 

[rollo]

As an owner of Omega speakers with older Fostex drivers for system #2 and Pipedreams for system #1. IMo you will be quite taken by the tonality and harmonic structure of the Omega.
    The only issue may be image size, however compared to the Pipes everything appears smaller to me.
     IMO if Louis of Omega believes this driver is better it IS BETTER. Louis is the real deal in our hobby and his product is the real deal as well .

  happy listening
rollo