[jsaliga]

NOTE: I had to break this up into multiple posts because there is a limit to the allowed length.

Last March I decided to completely revamp my home audio setup.  At the time I had a Denon AVR5803  (it was their flagship A/V receiver when I bought it), Klipsch Reference Series speakers, and a Denon DVD 2900 universal player.  I had no headphones nor did I have a vinyl setup.  I really wanted to take a minimalist approach to home audio.  I felt that DSPs and processing were getting me further from the music.  So I tended to favor simple designs.

In my meanderings on Head-Fi I experimented with a few headphone amps and some good quality cans.  I leared about Woo Audio in New York.  Jack Wu is very much like Louis.  He runs a small company and is the designer and builder of his amps.  They are all tube driven.  They have no circuit boards and everything is point-to-point wired by hand.  I decided that I would use the Woo Audio 2 as the foundation for my new system.  It is a preamp/headphone amp.  It uses Tung-Sol 5998 power tubes, 6922/6DJ8 drive tubes, and 6X4 rectifiers.  It can take up to four sources and has two outputs (so you can feed a pair of monoblock amps and a subwoofer with line level signals).



For headphones I ended up with two pair: Sennheiser HD650 and AKG K701.  They both have their strengths and weaknesses but I really love them both.  So much so that I became hooked on headphone listening for a few months at the exclusion of using my speakers.  But I knew I wanted to attend to new speakers and power amps.  I contacted Jack Wu at Woo Audio and asked him if he would custom build for a me a pair of monoblock tube amps based on the 300B power tube.  He said he could do it and that I would need to allow up to about 2 months turnaround time.  So I gave him a deposit and while he was building my amps I started researching high efficiency speakers.  Here is a picture of the amps:



Shortly after I ordered the monoblock amps from Jack, I had an opportunity to buy a low-hour used Rega P7 turntable with a Benz Micro Glider H2 moving coil cartridge installed.  The only thing I would need to add is my own phono preamp.  The price was very attractive, and I was planning on getting a vinyl setup anyway, so I took it.



The only thing left was new speakers.  I found the Omega Speaker Systems website during a Google search.  I found the site very interesting.  For one, I had not even considered a single driver design.  I exchanged a few emails with Louis, and he was nice enough to invite me down for an audition.  I covered that experience in another thread, and for those of you who have not read it I settled on a pair of Omega MaxHemp speakers finished in mahogany with black pedestals.  I also took the DeepHemp subwoofer, also in mahogany.

[jsaliga]

Here is a photo of the entire system:



Pictures do not do these speakers justice.  The fit and finish is...well, in a word...perfect.  Louis is unquestionably a master of his craft and the speakers are visually stunning.  As you can see I have the grills on at the moment.  I think the magnetic grills are a very nice touch.  I haven't decided if I will take them off or not.  I will leave them on for the time being.

Here is a photo of the DeepHemp sub.



I'm sure everyone is wondering what I think of the sound.  Let me begin by stating that these speakers are nowhere close to being broken in, so any criticism should be taken with that in mind.  I'm sure you have also noticed that I have the speakers slightly toed in.  Let's just say that the room really requires it.  It does collapse the sound stage a tad, but not as much as you might think.  It's an acceptable compromise given the size of my room (it's my home office) and the fact that I really wanted the MaxHemps.  I have been running the speakers almost constantly since I took delivery on January 2nd.  But even with that, I have only put about 30 hours on the drivers.

My initial listening over the first few days reflect my belief concerning what a great loudspeaker needs to do exceptionally well.  I was therefore most interested in how the MaxHemps were able play the sounds of certain instruments, most notably: electric guitar, classical and acoustic guitar, piano, violin, cello, bass, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, and timpani drums.

Ralph Towner - Time Line



This was the first recording I listened to on the MaxHemps.  I did not yet have the DeepHemp in the system since it was delivered the day after I received the MaxHemps.  I know this recording very well.  For those of you not familiar with Towner, he has adopted classical guitar and 12-string acoustic guitar to jazz.  His music is deeply introspective.  I have to admit that I was a little disappointed at first.  The guitars sounded overly bright and brittle.  One thing that immediately leaped out at me though, was how much detail there was in the sound.  The MaxHemps are much more resolving than the Klipsches that they replaced.  This was a most welcome improvement.  I heard nuances in Towner's playing on this recording that I have not ever heard before.  I was very impressed with this aspect of the MaxHemps.

Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra - Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67



Klemperer is far and away my favorite conductor of Beethoven.  I know it has been said that his tempi is too plodding and slow.  But I have to say that it suits me.  When I listen to Karajan, Bernstein, or Bruno conduct Beethoven's 5th it sounds like they are racing through it, as though they are in competition with each other to see who can get through it first.  In that regard, Karajan wins.   Klemperer's pace allows the power and profundity of the music to settle on the brain before presenting the next delecatble morsel of sonic delight.  Whether or not that's what Beethoven had in mind I can't say.  But I can say I like it.  Again, this was played without the DeepHemp since I did not have it in the system yet.  The strings, oboe, and French horn, which all figure prominently in this piece, really sounded quite splendid on the MaxHemps.  The recapitulation in the first movement resonates personally with me, and it had a special sonic richness on the MaxHemps.  A bit more forward and delivered with more aplomb than I have heard before.  With that said, there was something missing on the bottom, no doubt about it.  One of the things that my Klipsches did rather well was bring the low end home in orchestral music, though it did have a tinge of boominess to it from time to time.  There was no such boomienss on the MaxHemps.  Low frequencies came through with excellent definition, but it lacked the punch that was needed to deliver Beethoven's most intense moments with an exclamation point.  I suspect this will probably improve with more break-in.  Adding the DeepHemp sub to the configuration would later make a profound difference in the sonic richness of delivery.  So I decided to discontinue my critical listening until I had the sub in place, and would only do casual listening for the time being.

Everything I comment on from this point forward was with the DeepHemp sub in the setup.

Boston - Boston



Yes folks, I believe that song for song this is one of the truely great rock albums ever recorded.  I think it has been relegated to the status of party album over the years.  But the recording is considerably more than that.  I managed to pick up a near mint first pressing of this on vinyl for all of about $6, and it had nary a pop or click to be found.  A near perfect example of what is so great about 1970s rock.  Brad Delp's marvelous vocals, backed by the guitar wizardry of Tom Scholtz, never sounded better to my ears.  It made me want to go fetch the CD and start using it as a coaster.  Jeebus what a record and lord oh lordy what a presentation!  I was blasting it too.  It was a good thing my wife wasn't home.   It was a great listening experience that I will be sure to repeat again soon.

Arthur Rubinstein - Chopin: Polonaises



Arthur Rubinstein wrote the book on interpeting Chopin, who has to rank among the finest composers of piano music.  And no serious music library should be without some of this great virtuoso's stunning work.  If you don't consider yourself a fan of piano or classical music, then try this title right here (Volume 28 of the Rubinstein Collection) and you will be won over for life. 

I don't know where to begin.  This music is so emotionally evocative and stately.  The DeepHemp sub has a tremendous impact on the quality of presentation.  Notes from the low registers have the presence that is needed to recreate the feeling of a live performance.  I could close my eyes and imagine that Rubinstein was playing his Steinway right in my home office.  The triumph of Polonaise No. 6 in A Flat, Op. 61 (Heroic) took my breath away.  Piano notes across the registers were crisp and cleanly conveyed, with the correct attack, sustain, and decay.

Jascha Heifetz - Double Concertos (RCA Living Stereo SACD)



This was a damn near religious experience on the Omega MaxHemp/DeepHemp combo.  There are a number of violin virtuosos that I really enjoy (Michael Rabin, Itzhak Perlman), but none as much as Heifetz.  The violin has a wonderful, rich tone on the MaxHemps.  I've heard this specific recording perhaps dozens of times, but I don't recall having enjoyed it more than I did this morning listening on the Omegas.

The Pretenders - Learning to Crawl



One of my favorite 80s rock albums.  After hearing this record I was fairly convinced that the speaker setup is already there for rock music.  The strong. muscular guitar riffs of Robbie McIntosh combined with Chrissie Hynde's sultry vocals make for an intoxicating combination.

A few thoughts in summary are in order.  If you get the impression that I really love the DeepHemp sub, well, that's very much true.  I have never heard a sub as fast, articulate, and musical as the DeepHemp.  I almost feel that Louis is giving a bit too much value for the asking price.  If you are buying the DeepHemp with a pair of Omega speakers, then the $900 asking price is a steal.  I can tell you that the money I spent on the DeepHemp is probably the best 900 bucks on home audio I have ever spent.

If the question is...am I satisfied with the MaxHemps?  So far, I would have to say that I am completely satisfied.  I am fully familiar with the chameleon-like break-in behavior that others have reported on these speakers.  But that's fine.  To be honest, the MaxHemps sounded much better than I was expecting them to out of the box.  They can rock, and they are quite capable of rocking hard.  But they also have a delicate, deliberate, and nuanced side.  The speed and dynamics of the MaxHemps is pretty damned incredible.  In that department I have heard nothing like them in my 30 years of hi fi system ownership.  The early high-register brittleness seems to have evened out a bit (perhaps a break-in issue).

If the question is...could I be satisfied with the MaxHemps without the DeepHemp sub?  I honestly don't know the answer to that.  When I was first researching Omega (before I learned of the sub), I was planning on buying a SVS sub with whatever speakers I ended up with.  So perhaps the question more fairly put is could I be completely satisfied with any pair of floorstanding loudspeakers and no sub.  The answer is I really don't think so.  Maybe, but only if I never heard what the right sub can do for a musical presentation.  The DeepHemp happens to be a perfect fit for other Omega speakers because they share a common designer and builder.  So when you buy a Omega loudspeaker system and match it with the DeepHemp, the synergy between components is built-in by the designer.  Lastly, I can vouch for the synergy between my Woo Audio amps and the MaxHemps.  They are a perfect fit for each other.

I will provide more commentary as the speakers break-in.

--Jerome 

[lcrim]

You should wait until the speakers breakin before reviewing them.  I've had my Compact Hemps about a year and it took a very long time before the bass opened up.  They can sound awful at times during the initial breakin but once broken in they are terrific speakers.

[jsaliga]

I disagree.  I think it is entirely fair to comment on speaker performance during the break in period.  The point of this thread is to document my thoughts on the speakers over time.

I didn't buy the MaxHemps with extended bass response in mind.  If I did that then I probably would have tried to get by without the DeepHemp.  Keep in mind that I had already auditioned the MaxHemp and DeepHemp combo in person at Louis's shop.  I also heard the Super 3 XRS, with and without the DeepHemp.  So I already knew what I was getting into when I made the purchase.

You might have had a point if I posted that I was unhappy with my speakers and had nothing but complaints.  But that isn't the case here.  My feelings about the speakers may be subject to change over time, and if that happens I'll make a note of it here.

I think where I differ from most people is this: the majority of people probably feel they are investing in a speaker.  I feel as though I am investing in the designer and builder of that speaker and in a business relationship.  Sure, we all want great sound, but for me it doesn't begin and end with an enclosure and a driver...

--Jerome

[lcrim]

Sorry, but you haven't heard the real speakers yet.  I think highly of Louis too but aren't you taking yourself a little too seriously ? Relax and give the speakers time to breakin.

[jsaliga]

If you don't see any value in this thread then I would thank you not to post in it.

--Jerome

[jman66]

Hi,

I think fair to document how the speakers sound out of the box and during the break-in period.
But certainly reserve your judgement on them until they have fully broken in.
I almost threw in the towel on mine because of how they sounded prior to break-in.
When you're not listening to them, crank 'em up with a heavy bass track on repeat in order to loosen up those surrounds.

Looking at your pictures, the speakers are positioned close to the front wall. IMO, that would help kick up your bass reinforcement right off that bat. And, the DeepHemp on the floor and in the corner will receive some serious boundary reinforement.
Very nice looking Woo Audio amps and I like the RedHat sticker too!
Enjoy them 

-jim

[jsaliga]

I almost threw in the towel on mine because of how they sounded prior to break-in.

How would you describe the sound that almost made you give up during this time?  Uniformly bad?  Bass shy?  Can you be specific?  I'm sure everyone has read Gary Beard's comment about it "sucks-to-be-the-listener" during break-in, and while it makes for a good read that's hardly informative.

Even he noted that the SuperHemps sounded pretty good out of the box.  I only have about 40 hours on the speakers so far, so I think they have a ways to go.  Louis says about 200 hours for the MaxHemps and 50 hours for the DeepHemp.  I'll put about another 10 to 12 hours on them today.  But honestly, I'm not really watching the clock or listening for "something" to happen.  I did, however, spend the first 20 hours listening to the instruments I mentioned above that are important to my personal listening situation.  Someone else may think that's unimportant, especially if they don't listen to much orchestral or chamber music.  For me that is fully a third of my music library.  About a third is jazz.  The rest is rock.

The sound is what it is and if my sentiments about it change then I will note that here.  So far I have only occasionally noticed that high treble can be occasionally thin.  But I have only noticed it on a few recordings.  It could be a break-in issue...or not.

As far as placement goes I don't have a lot of options.

Unfortunately I will be out of town on business all next week.  So after today I won't be doing any listening until next Saturday.

--Jerome

[DaveC113]

Sounds like a good opportunity to leave the system on while you're gone (but find a ss reciever or something). My experience (with the XRS) was that they hinted at what they would sound like when they were broke in, but sounded off in a lot of ways before then. They kept getting better for a LONG time. The 8" drivers apparently go through more break in antics than the 4" drivers.   

Looks like a nice system!

Dave

[Danimal]

Jerome,

Congratulations on your new setup!  It looks really nice.  I'm ordering a DeepHemp tomorrow to go w/ a pair of Super 3 XRS.  Mine are mahogany too, so I really appreciate the pictures.  I'm looking forward to following along w/ your review as you go thru the break-in period.  I bet you hate to have to leave them to go out of town.  I had to do the same thing soon after taking delivery of the Super 3s.  I live alone and was able to use that time to crank some heavy bass music on repeat while I was gone.  Maybe you could work out something w/ your wife where she could play them while she is out of the house while you're gone?  I wonder if there would be an audible difference for you if she was able to put 30 or so hours on them while you're away?  Regardless, I like them.  Enjoy!

Dan

[jman66]

Hi Jerome,

I'm the 2nd owner of my Maxhemps, purchased from a fellow AudioCircle member.
He had returned them to Louis to have the latest Hemp drivers installed as well as perform some cabinet damping tweaks.
When I received them, the drivers had zero hours on them.
I had high expectation for them out-of-the-box, however out-of-the-box, it was if some took all the upper bands on an EQ and pushed them up to the max while pushing all the bass bands down. I listened to about 4 songs and turned off my system. Then proceeded with 200+ hrs. of break-in.


-jim

[jsaliga]

Thanks Jim,

I'm confident that some of the treble harshness that I have noticed from time to time will iron itself out with continued break-in.  On a lot of music the speakers sound damned good just as they are and I won't be bashful about saying it.  If they sounded terrible most of the time then I probably would have been on the phone with Louis long before discussing it here.  So far I have only played one album that I thought sounded bad: Book of Dreams by Steve Miller.  I had to take it off after a few minutes.  The treble sounded very harsh and the low end boomed like crazy.  But I certainly wouldn't characterize the speakers in this way so I'm not going to make too much out of it.

Other than that one instance, I have not yet experienced any muddiness in the low frequencies.  To me if you really want to test bass response then put away the rock music and get out some solo piano pieces that go deep down into the low registers.  If it falls apart or rolls off down there then you know there's a problem.  I have dozens of solo piano recordings from Arthur Rubinstein, Vladimir Horowitz, and Andras Schiff that go down that low.  I'll be listening to these and many other recordings that are great tests low frequency response.

People reading this thread should not loose sight of the fact that I am using a subwoofer the vast majority of the time.  I have spent some time listening to the MaxHemps by themselves without the sub.  And in their current state the MaxHemps alone on most music, rock music in particular, sounds a bit thin.  But that's to be expected. 

I also don't think we should expect everyone to have an identical experience.  At least one reviewer noted that the SuperHemps sounded really good out of the box at least for a time, for example.  I continue to be very much impressed by the sound of strings (violin, viola, and cello), piano, and horns.

--Jerome

[jsaliga]

Jerome,

Congratulations on your new setup!  It looks really nice.  I'm ordering a DeepHemp tomorrow to go w/ a pair of Super 3 XRS.  Mine are mahogany too, so I really appreciate the pictures.

Hi Dan,

I think you are going to be very happy with your DeepHemp.  I had a chance to audition it at Louis's shop with the Super 3 XRS and it was really amazing.

--Jerome

[rajacat]

Jerome,

Congratulations on your new setup!  It looks really nice.  I'm ordering a DeepHemp tomorrow to go w/ a pair of Super 3 XRS.  Mine are mahogany too, so I really appreciate the pictures.

Hi Dan,

I think you are going to be very happy with your DeepHemp.  I had a chance to audition it at Louis's shop with the Super 3 XRS and it was really amazing.

--Jerome

What was Louis using for amplification during your audition? BTW, I do appreciate your ongoing and very detailed review.

--Roy

[Vinnie R.]

I almost feel that Louis is giving a bit too much value for the asking price.  If you are buying the DeepHemp with a pair of Omega speakers, then the $900 asking price is a steal.  I can tell you that the money I spent on the DeepHemp is probably the best 900 bucks on home audio I have ever spent.

Hi Jerome,

I couldn't agree with you more... the Deephemp is the best subwoofer for 2-channel music that I have even heard.  I don't think it will stay at that price for too long... once more people own it and post their impressions, Louis won't be able to build enough of them! 

Congrats on your system, and thanks for sharing your experiences so far!

Happy Listening!

Vinnie

[jsaliga]

What was Louis using for amplification during your audition? BTW, I do appreciate your ongoing and very detailed review.

--Roy

I don't recall since the audition was way back in October.  I have a vague recollection that it was an integrated tube amp.

--Jerome

[Louis O]

Hi Jerome,

Many thanks for the review and the great pics. I really like your system and have to stop up for a listen.

I agree 100% with the Deephemp and very happy that I finally made a sub that I really like. The break in issue is a very good one and they really change over time. The thread is perfect start as a continuing updatable review and add the break in changes over time. Very well thought out and adding the album covers were a nice touch.

The amp I used was the Dynakit ST 70 with an all triode board, passive preamp, battery DAC and CEC CDP.

Thanks again,
Louis

[mca]

That is a great looking (and I'm sure sounding) system you have put together. I really like the look of those Woo amps. Curious as to what you are using for a phone preamp? Are you using the Woo amps to control the volume?

[jsaliga]

I'm using a TC-760LC from Phonopreamps.com.  It is inexpensive (less than $100) and has a varialble gain control which is great for recording vinyl to a PC.  I started out with a Cambridge Audio Azur 640P ($200) and then went up to a Dynavector P75 -- about $750 new, but I picked one up for $375 used.  Someone on Vinyl Asylum then gave a strong recommendation to the TC-760LC.  It was inexpensive so I tried it out.  I have since sold the Dynavector and Cambridge units.

I'll have more to say on my Omega speakers over the weekend.

--Jerome

[miklorsmith]

What a great thread!  Music descriptions, pictures, money baby.

My opinion is early impressions are entirely valid.  I also am fairly confident that stridency will decrease, bass quantity/quality will increase and you will experience an overall relaxation of sound for a significant period.  These developments can be subtle or dramatic.

The character you have fallen for will blossom further.  This is a music lover's system of high order.