Omega and first watt

audiowhore · « **on:** 8 May 2011, 03:28 am »

Any thoughts of Omega's with first watt...I have had a j2 for about 10 days...IAM LOVING IT!

monsterbill · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Jun 2011, 03:49 am »

Sorry--I don't have any experience on my own. But I am curious to hear your listening impressions. (Hint.)

wilsynet · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Jun 2011, 05:42 am »

The First Watt J2 is one of the finest amplifiers I've ever heard. It's speed and ability to render inner detail, without sounding sterile and unnatural is as good as an OTL.

In my system at the time, it was slightly, ever so slightly fatiguing, which I do not believe will be an issue paired with Omega speakers. While I do not own a J2, I was so impressed with it during its stay with me that I remain enamored and enthusiastic more than a year later.

I don't think you could do much better than the J2. And the Omega pairing should work out splendidly.

regvic · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Jun 2011, 12:54 am »

I also use a J2 with the Super 6 monitors, an great combination. Could you please advise what preamp, interconnect & speaker cables you are using? I use as Rothwell Indus SE passive preamp and am still searching for optimum interconnects & speaker cables.

audiowhore · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Jun 2011, 01:38 pm »

I have a audio research Ls17 preamp ..The cables I'm using are Audience au24e .I find that Audience is a great match with Omega speakers.

wilsynet · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Jun 2011, 06:27 am »

Get interconnects and speaker cables from Blue Jeans and stop obsessing over what is primarily attributable to placebo effect.

doggie · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Dec 2013, 04:11 pm »

I have been living with a pair of Omega Super 6 Alnicos for several months. I bought them used from Audiogon however they arrived with one bad driver. Luckily the seller was understanding and Louis even more so. I ended up replacing both drivers with newer ones which are now really starting to hit their stride. I listen to digital files via JRiver from a small headless PC connected to my Wyred4Sound DAC2SE-DSD. Silver Sonic cables go to my current amp, a First Watt J2. BlueJean speaker cables go to the wonderful Omegas.

Until a couple of weeks ago my amps were a Leben 300XS EL84 PP amp and a ClassD Audio 100w class D amp. Both of these amps sound great with the Omegas in their own way. The Leben has tube magic and is particularly good at rhythm and pace. The music has life. The ClassD Audio amp beats it at detail, soundstage, and bass. I found myself becoming lost in the music although it did not have the tone or richness of the tube amp. There was always a trade-off between the two: tube soul or remarkable detail.
About this same time I took the plunge to update my W4S DAC2 to the DSD capable and parts upgraded version. Big difference. Huge difference. Better right out of the box. Still getting better as it logs some hours.

Now to the point. A couple of weeks ago I decided to buy a Pass Labs First Watt J2. This is a single ended 25 watt pure class A j-fet amp made by Nelson Pass. I was enamored by the write-ups online, especially on 6Moons so I decided I would buy it and then sell whichever of my amps was the lesser. Sound familiar?

OMG. This is most certainly my dream amp. It seems to combine the best of solid state and tube-like attributes. It has remarkable detail, beautiful tone, and is in no way fatiguing. It seems to mate perfectly with the single driver crossover-less Omegas. The highest compliment that I can make is that I now just want to listen to music rather than fussing over the equipment or planning the next purchase. The Omegas disappear and then you just have music…

I highly recommend the First Watt J2 with the Omegas.

Thanks Louis for your wonderful speakers which have brought me so much enjoyment.

PS. One of the cheapest tweaks you can make if you have your speakers on each side of your TV is to cover it with a heavy blanket when listening to music. It makes a BIG difference!

I call this picture Victory and de Feet...

Best,

Paul

DaveC113 · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Dec 2013, 06:20 pm »

Nice, that amp sounds like a great match for the 6" alnicos!

beowulf · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Dec 2013, 07:30 am »

Beautiful setup ... I've heard great things about First Watt ~ I'm really interested in hearing in his latest SIT offerings ... after reading the 6 moons review on Pass' SIT-1 and SIT-2 amps you would think they were the best thing since sliced bread.

ZLS · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Dec 2013, 04:48 pm »

I have an Aleph J that I use with my Omega Multi-Points (Two 4 1/2" inch drivers in a Bi-Pole configuration).

The timing on a full range driver speaker is always wonderful, and the Omega's certainly excel at this.

The tone, however, is what sets Omega apart. The Omega drivers are capable of beautiful tone,

and when coupled with an Amplifier operating in Class A; Tube or Solid State, the beauty of the tone produced

will literally take your breath away.

Canada Rob · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Dec 2013, 06:00 pm »

ZLS,

Great post. Every Omega speaker I have heard have been masters at imaging, PRAT, speed, detail, etc. But the tonal balance of Louis' speakers will, as you say, take your breath away.
90% of the music takes place in the all important midrange and here Omega nails it - such a wide open sound.

opnly bafld · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Dec 2013, 10:27 pm »

Quote from: Canada Rob on 4 Dec 2013, 06:00 pm

90% of the music takes place in the all important midrange.......

If my speakers only had a midrange driver I would only be 33% satisfied, I like each 1/3 equally well.
Speakers that limit extension on both ends (amps also) force the listener to focus on the midrange, kinda like looking at 1/3 of a painting, of course you are going to see more detail in that part.
Fortunately Omega speakers give all of the benefits of single drivers with few, if any, of the drawbacks.

Canada Rob · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Dec 2013, 11:39 pm »

I hope I was not misunderstood. Omegas nail the midrange, but definitely not at the expense of top end or bottom end. They nail top and bottom equally well too. I would love to hear mine on a First Watt J2. Although I am quite entrenched in the single ended tube amp camp, the First Watt amps have intrigued me. Another amp that looks really interesting is the Redgum RGi35 and RGi60.

JohnCZ · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Dec 2013, 06:27 pm »

I too have been very interested in the synergy of the First Watt amps and Omega and other single driver speakers. I had a conversation recently with Mark at Reno HiFi about the J2 and J3. He asked about my speakers and the amp I was presently using. Currently I have a full range open baffle (TB 1808) with the Vista EL 84 integrated. I have cabinets in the making that will employ either the (2) 5" (bi-polar) or 8" Omega DIY drivers. Reno's recommendation was the M2 - being smoother and not as analytically sounding.
Has anyone had any experience with the M2?
John

RDavidson · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Dec 2013, 09:10 pm »

Quote from: JohnCZ on 5 Dec 2013, 06:27 pm

I too have been very interested in the synergy of the First Watt amps and Omega and other single driver speakers. I had a conversation recently with Mark at Reno HiFi about the J2 and J3. He asked about my speakers and the amp I was presently using. Currently I have a full range open baffle (TB 1808) with the Vista EL 84 integrated. I have cabinets in the making that will employ either the (2) 5" (bi-polar) or 8" Omega DIY drivers. Reno's recommendation was the M2 - being smoother and not as analytically sounding.
Has anyone had any experience with the M2?
John

I've been listening to my M2 on a set of 89db sensitive (6ohm nominal) 2.5 way towers for a couple of months now. It is really really nice. It is quite detailed and transparent, but engaging and easy to listen to / listen into. I like it A LOT. Despite the 6 Moons review (loving the F5 best), my feeling is that the M2 probably has the most easily likeable / most inviting character, while also being perhaps the most versatile (both in terms of sound signature and power) of the compared trio (F5, J2, M2). Mark at Reno won't steer you wrong. I'm actually upgrading to the XA30.5 as I need a little more grunt for my KEF LS50's. The M2 does well with the KEF's but starts sounding a little strained in the mids and the bass is not as well controlled as when paired with my more sensitive towers. No real surprise there. The KEFs are much more difficult to drive even though I don't listen at high volumes. I'd keep the M2, but don't really see much reason to keep 2 similar (Class A solid state) amps in my system, so I'm going with tubes on the towers (currently an excellent CJ MV-60).

sugbob21 · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Dec 2013, 03:14 pm »

How does the F3 compare to the M2 First watt amps ? i am using a Decware CSP3 pre with a TBI Millenia right now. I also am looking at the Decware 2 watt amp. Millenia isnt bad but there is a hum which is sometimes annoying and was wondering if any of the other amps provide a noticable upgrade worth the expense ?

JLM · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Dec 2013, 07:41 pm »

Quote from: sugbob21 on 13 Dec 2013, 03:14 pm

How does the F3 compare to the M2 First watt amps ? i am using a Decware CSP3 pre with a TBI Millenia right now. I also am looking at the Decware 2 watt amp. Millenia isnt bad but there is a hum which is sometimes annoying and was wondering if any of the other amps provide a noticable upgrade worth the expense ?

Is your hum from the amp or abberations from the power source? Does it change if you move to a different room/city or try it late night, early mornings, weekends, or holidays? I attended a DecFest years ago and Steve had the same problem (old electrical grid in his neigborhood and the crud disappeared when the nearby light industries shut down for the night). In my experience power abberations appear with no obvious rhyme or reason.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Dec 2013, 07:56 pm »

sugbob, can you try the amp on battery power and see if there is still a hum? Also you can move all your components to plug into the same outlet to avoid possible ground loops caused by using 2 different circuits... it's not likely the amp is causing the hum.

sugbob21 · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Dec 2013, 02:02 am »

i had the volume on the Millenia completely opened up.....backed it off a little and the hum disappeared . also switched power supply from the one included to a King Rex. hum no longer an issue ....which brings me back to my question of First Watt amps , Decware or just stay as is with Millenia.....is there a worthy upgrade hear or just different presentation of the music ?

DaveC113 · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Dec 2013, 02:35 am »

I think a stock decware may not be as good az the tbi. My set was better but it uses much higher end parts vs the decware... and even then it was uncomfortably close. I also appreciated the extra power the tbi has.