[macrojack]

I haven't seen much mention of the Oswald's Mill Horn System. Who heard it and what did you think?
Drubin told me he thought they were very good sounding but enormous - like 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

I have also read comments that they were highly resolving and very dynamic and that, big as they are, they disappeared.

[JoshK]

Lots of discussion about it on diyaudio. 

link

[DaveC113]

They were one of my favorite.... but they had no digital front end to play my demo tracks on, so it's hard to give a review. Regardless, I've never heard a sax sound so realistic, ever. Its one of those things I'll remember forever. Wish I had a spare $50k...

[JoshK]

They are priced at $50K?    Wow, didn't realize they were up there.

[sts9fan]

That whole Oswalds mill place is really cool.  There was a article about in at 6moons a bit back. 

[DaveC113]

They are priced at $50K?    Wow, didn't realize they were up there.

Yeah, it takes his cabinet maker a month of labor to finish a pair of cabinets.

[JoshK]

Do these use a cogent CD driver on the horn, or is it something else?

That cabinet does look like it would be challenging to build. 

[macrojack]

Rumor has it that these are using antique RCA drivers, of which there is a finite supply, so the run is limited to maybe 25 pairs.
I believe you are looking at a $15000 upgrade to add Cogent Field Coils. That means $65,000.

That's a lot of money but considering the materials and craftsmanship, and what other companies offer for that money, it probably is not out of line, although for me it is way out of bounds.

[JoshK]

I wasn't trashing his price, just somehow thought that they were less than that figure.  Totally irrelevant anyway since they are way out of my price league.

[Mariusz]

Love it. !!!!!!!!

[Bemopti123]

Check the link to Mill tasting 2008 in 6moons...

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/oswaldmill08/oswald.html

After having that article in my Iphone, I understood the true craftsmanship and illustrious history that comes with anything that is associated with the Mill. 

Yes, it is way out of the league in terms of price but when it comes with exclusivity as well as potential sound, it might be a downright bargain...that is that the Mill does not spend money advertising or even looking up for the interests of greedy dealers.   

[Mariusz]

Yep, I have read the story. Like I said....... love it.
Only if I had that room.
Anyone selling a burn???

Build wise -
yes, I would imagine that it might be quite a time consuming but within my wood working skills and many others. To make everything sound right is another matter.
50K is not a small change but from another perspective......you are not buying JUST the speaker but a piece of heart and soul of the person behind the design which obviously is very saturated with love for MUSIC.

I would love to have a chance and listen to these beauties and meet the man behind it all.

Usually I do not get really exited about visiting/auditioning obnoxiously expensive gear (turned down  Clement Perry's invite ones.....which I do not regrat ...not a bit  )
but this is something else.

[Bemopti123]

As you read in the feature, it seems most of people invited to the Mill tasting were industry insiders and not regular chaps like us.  Thus, I guess we are stuck going to regular raves and simply wonder what something like those speakers should sound like.   

[Mariusz]

Since he obviously has a tooth for pork.......maybe, just maybe we can butter him up with polish sausage and beer?????
 

[macrojack]

I think the Mill is more accessible than you think. Jonathan has invited me to stop by if I'm in the area. And I'm a known industry outsider.

The man behind the design is not at the Mill however. He lives in a remote village near Hastings, Ontario. His name is Bill Woods and he is a very humble, down-to-earth craftsman. He brings to mind an itinerant Gepetto kind of person.

As I mentioned in another thread, I am buying a pair of horns from Bill and mounting them on top of my JBL L-200 cabinets. I'm not capable of significant mods. For this project, all I have to do is bypass the crossover in my cabinets and connect the 15 inch woofer directly to the crossovers Bill is designing and building for me. Then all I need to do is mount the new horns on top of the cabinets, leaving the JBL horns and drivers right where they are. Then I hook the XO up to the Acoustic Horns and I'm ready for signal.

I don't know how close this will get me to the OMA speaker in terms of performance but I do know it will get me much closer than the price differential.

You're definitely right about the labor of love aspect. Bill is a trained artist who went into speaker design in 1968. He's been at it ever since and he's consulted for a lot of product designs for other companies. The man is the Stradivarius of speaker design and construction. Send him an email. He seems quite willing to discuss your project with you. He'll even furnish cabinet design plans.

[ghpicard]

Bill Wood's company website:

http://www.acoustichorn.com/index.php

[JimJ]

They look very cool, I like

I'd love to hear that room he has on the site, with the Altecs and vintage rack of amps...