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Omega Super Alnico Monitor/Aric Audio SE KT88

I had been eying these speakers for over a year now and finally a pair came up for sale with the matching Skylan stands and I just could not resist. The previous owner had ordered them with contrasting wood veneers, cherry front and back and darker wenge on the sides and top and the quality of the workmanship and the attention to matching the veneers is excellent. They look beautiful. Anticipating this eventual purchase, I came across and purchased an Aric Audio Single Ended KT88 amplifier to match his preamp which I had bought a couple of years ago. Coincidentally and completely out of luck the preamp and the amp have the same exact matching silver chassis.The preamp/amp combination sounded real good even driving my Vandersteen 2Ci speakers but with the Omegas they really came to life.  I already have a single driver back-horn loaded speaker pair in my upstairs system but these Omega speakers are in a completely different league. I'm still trying to optimize their placement since I arrived on Saturday but compared with Vandersteen 2Cis in the same exact system/room their level of transparency and speed is truly exceptional. The Vandys have a warmer sound with more rounded musical edges and a bit better soundstage but the imaging and the level of detail out of the Omegas is highly addictive and a real treat. The bass is not quite as deep but is clearly more defined and tighter. In some respect for most of the type of music I listen to I actually find the bass sound more "real" and not as loose and I think I'll be able to get the soundstage and the bass better dialed in with some room placement experiments. As a bonus, the room looks much less cluttered with the standmounts in the same spots.
I think I finally get why such a buzz about these speakers. And Aric's SE KT88 amplifier is also a very nice piece of gear. 
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jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
3,677 posts
 
Br3098 the Alnico are only one driver for complex they don’t well, small scale like jazz they are good, sometimes they do well in large room with sub...
br3098
969 posts
 
jactoy, that's how I'm using them - in a med-large living room with a pair of REL subs.  They sound great for EBO (everything but orchestral).

neptune123's avatar
neptune123
23 posts
 

Anyone is paying attention after 4 years? Hope so.

About 4 months ago I ordered a pair of Omega Super Alnico High Output Monitors. In the meantime I went from a LM 218 feeding my Forte IV to a Decware UFO25th Anniversary amp. BTW, in case you're wondering, I had no wait on the Deware since I picked it up on Audiomart hours after it went on sale. Lucky me, because I have to say that I'm really liking the combination with my Forte's. Yes, an embarrassment of riches. In any event, I'm waiting on the Omega's to arrive in the coming month or so and wondering what to expect from the vis a' vis my current setup. Any thoughts? Thanks!

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,450 posts
 

I have a pair of S.A.M. being  built now.   They are for my second system.  I also have Forte IV in my main system.   I love the Forte 

I am driving the Forte with my Toolshed 300b and wanted a speaker that was totally different than anything I have had in the past that could also play nice with low power amps. 

I will be pairing them with a Cyrus i7 - XR  Integrated Amp , a Blusound Vault 2i , and a REL r305 sub.   Will also probably try them with my Quicksilver Mid Mono amps but this Cyrus really sounds great .   It sounded really good with the Forte and surprisingly was a great match sonically with my Sonus Faber Concerto .   Those are only 85 dB sens so the Cyrus should be great with the Omega .

I have several pairs of speakers and like to move them around.   Am really looking forward to these.   I should have them in a few weeks .

 

 

neptune123's avatar
neptune123
23 posts
 

Hello oddiofyl - Have you received your SAMs? How do they sound compared to your Forte's? I'm still waiting on my Super Alnico Hight Output Monitors. While waiting on the Omega's I've been wondering if I should have bothered ordering them given the Forte's low-end authority and how much I'm enjoying them. Guess I'll find out soon...or later enough. I also have a Zbox2 on order from Decware, in case the Omega's need a low-end assist. Any thoughts? Thanks.

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