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Pick 2... Ohm WMT,ML Source,Zu Druid,Gallo Ref 3.1

I've got my short list down to four speakers, and I need help narrowing these down to two. My plan is to buy the two of them used and sell the set I do not like. I may get one or both of the others down the road, but I only want to start with two.

I've got a Dussun v6i 150w amp with a NOS DAC fed by FLAC files on my Mac Mini in an 11x11 room. Yes an 11x11 room. That's going to be part of the problem. I listen to all sorts of music, but not too much really hard rock or rap.

I'm coming from a pair of Totem Arros and Silverline Minuets before those. I liked the Arros. I found them to be a little too 'boxy' for me, and they never really disappeared. I always had to be in just the right spot to get the big soundstage and even then I could hear the 'box'. Pretty good detail, but they got a little bright when I was in the sweet spot. overall a very good speaker, but they just didn't do it for me.

So this led me to my current quest. The reason I have narrowed my search down to these four speakers is as follows. Not every speaker in the four fill every item I find important.

1) My Small Room - don't want to do monitors, and I'm limited in space and placement.
2) The Box Sound - I hate it. I have craved a room filling, airy sound ever since I heard my first set of Martin Logan Monoliths 20 years ago.
3) Crossovers - the lack of them getting in the way of the music in these speakers.
4) Time-coherence - I still dream of my Dunlavy SC-1s from many years ago.
5) Price - they are all below $2000 used; which is the upper extreme of my budget.

I know the speakers are all unique. The Zu is probably my last choice, but the dynamics, lack of a rear port and wide cabinet may help in my small room (I don't know).

The Martin Logan's concern me with the super narrow listen area and the high crossover frequency.

The Gallos concern me that it might overwhelm the room with bass, and I don't really have room for sound treatment beyond a quilt on the front wall. Everything else about these sound amazing (lack of box, lack of crossover above 150, ESL like tweeter, psudo-omini tweeter and presentation).

The Ohm Concerns me that it will lack detail and have a sloppy presentation. I have heard such great things on the board about these though I'm very interested.

Any help I can get considering my room situation would be great.

Thanks
mailman199
analogphil
44 posts
 
For a room that small I'd reccomend the OHM's. When I was auditioning speakers a few years ago I listened to among others the Gallo's. Ended up with the OHM 100 M3. No comparison, the OHM's beat the Gallo's in every category. Using 150w & the Gallo's in your room will be overkill IMO. Stick w/the OHM's.

YMMV
mailman199 OP
34 posts
 
So I've eliminated the Zu for now. I'm not using low power tubes and it probably does not have enough of the sound I'm looking for. I picked up a pair of Ohm MWTs. They should be here in a week or so. I just need to decide between the Gallos and the Martin Logans. I think the Logan would probably be better in the small room I have to work with, and I've always wanted to own a pair.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 
I'd be very surprised if the Gallo's could beat the OHMs.

Maybe on bass impact with the right amp but not in overall balance, refinement and overall listenability.

The MLs might have a chance in that they have such a totally different but also smooth presentation that many take well to.

Let the battle begin!
rebbi
1,326 posts
 
Mailman199,

I had a pair of Totem Arros briefly. Alhough they are very fine speakers, they didn't "float my boat," either, for many of the same reasons that you cite -- I found them rather bright, and the sweet spot was so narrow in my room that it stressed me out -- that "sitting with your head in a vise" experience.

I went to a pair of Ohm Micro Walsh talls, and then to a pair of Ohm 100's.

Of course, your mileage may vary, but given your room size and the power of your amp, I think the Ohms will be fabulous. Or I'll at least say it's a good bet that you'll be very happy with them. The Micro Walsh Talls really are one of the great bargains of high-end audio. Please do let us know what you think!
j_bailey
53 posts
 
I also have a small room - 10.5 by 12.5 -- which I have been working with for the past 18 months.

The smaller the room, the more important acoustic treatments become. Small rooms are basically echo chambers. Treatments can make these rooms sonically much larger than they are phyicially. Bass treatments aside, the treatments needed do not take up much space.

The room needs diffusors on the side walls and the front or back wall. The other front/back wall needs to be absorptive. Auralex diffusors work for me. Also DIY plans are available at the Decware website. There are a couple of excellent room treatment white papers there. I have also heard of using bubble wrap -- the bigger the bubbles the better -- for diffusion, but have no experience with it.

Of the speakers on your list, I have owned only the Gallos. I had them in a large room. They like air. The more you give them the better they sound. I talking about say 4 or 5 feet off the wall behind and a couple of feet off the side walls.

As you probably know the ML users manuals state that the speakers can be used in a room of any size. They also go on for pages describing the "how to" of room treatments. There is a message here.

I would avoid rear-ported speakers. They generally need to be out from the wall behind and there just is not enough space in a small room for this and to allow space for sound stage integtration.

Please keep us posted. If you decide to go with the MLs, I would be especially interested in hearing about your experience.
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