Emerald Physics C2 or Usher BE-718

I have in the past and will continue to be going forward, a big proponent of the CS2's, but I recently sold my pair.

Why you ask?

Because I decided to only keep a single pair of speakers for my main system and that pair of speakers are my Vandersteen 5A's. No shame in losing out to a $20k pair of speakers! :-)

From my standpoint, the CS2's absolutely live up to the extremely positive reviews in TAS and Positive Feedback and are a steal at used prices. I still stand by all my positive comments made over at Audio Circle.

While their performance is well above their price point (new or used), you do have some challenges that others have already mentioned. I also feel that the stock Behringer DCX-2496 is the weak link in the chain. To really hear what the CS2's are capable of, you need to upgrade or improve the DCX. Luckily, there are numerous ways and people who can do this. That being said, all the positive reviews of the CS2's are with the stock DCX...

Overall, I am sad to see my CS2's go and will miss them.

George

Mrjstark,

Funny you should mention Omega Loudspeakers as that was the third speaker (Omega Revolutions using a single 8" Alnico driver in an Aperodic vent enclosure) in my now defunct three speaker rotation.

I wouldn't necessarily say the Omega was better or worse than the CS2's, but rather different. It was crystal clear in the mid-range (even more than the CS2's) and really let the music shine. It was also amp friendly and very flexible in terms of placement. While the Omega definitely didn't have the CS2's extension (in either direction), it was pretty good in the highs or lows. The CS2's had a more effortless sound and didn't sound like a typical box speaker.

I also want to state that both Clayton (Emerald Physics) and Louis (Omega Speakers) are great to deal with and about as honest and trustworthy as you can find.

George

Indiesound,

I will try and reply to your questions in the next day or two.

As somebody who owned the CS2's (with a highly modified DCX) for over 18 months and also owned HT3's for 2+ years, I think I can at least provide some insight into your questions.

BTW, using xlr adapters with the DCX is simple and high quality Neutrik adapters are pretty cheap. You also don't need bi-wire speaker cables, you need two pairs of single wire speaker cables.

George