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Are Ohm-Walsh micros and 1000 series disrespected because of omni-directional design??

I never was a big fan of Omni-directional speakers because they are often disappointing.  I don't need the sound in back of me or 2 foot to my right or left.  However, I have seen many testimonials for Ohm -Walsh speaker on Audiogon, yet they are infrequently reviewed. 

Therefore, are Ohm-Walsh speakers disrespected because of  their Omni directional design??. I  noticed two issues on their website: 1) how do your determine which micro or tall column will be compatible for the dimensions of your listening area, especially if your listening area is only part of a larger room. 2)  A  buyer can easily mistake  the way they are priced. For example, the OW Talls (w-1000)  are $ 1000 each, NOT $1000 FOR THE PAIR.  So, that model is $2000 a pair, and there is lot of competition from conventional designed speaker, in that price category For example. the Golden Ear Technology. model 7, and the Magneplanar .07 both in the $1400-1500 price range and, some of the PSB towers, like the T-2 or T-3. or Monitor Audio recent series.. 

Would like some feedback about whether this Ohm-Wash design is disrespected  by the major audio press. Are  hardcore audiophile not convinced by the Omni-directional design and results, and so it never gets a f"air shake or serious audition,

sunnyjim
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 

To dbp24    Thank you correction; I had an intuition that was not their first album, but nevertheless, it was a great one, combining tuneful and emotive songs.  It is sad that Richard Manuel is gone by suicide; and Levon Helms from cancer.  Like Bowie and Glen Frey, they provide great music and lasting memories.

.

lancelock
1,083 posts
 
I love my Decware ERRx radial speakers and can't really comment on the Ohms as I have never heard them but the radials work for me in my dreaded L shaped living room where conventional speakers have not done so well. The sweet spot is everywhere, the imaging spectacular and the they just disappear in the room.

Im driving them with a 1 watt Micro ZOTL amp so they are very efficient. OK, so they took about 7 months to arrive but worth it.

Mapman, I too am in the central Maryland area so if you ever want to get together and hear each other's radials let me know.

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
Lance lock I'd like that.  I'll contact you on agon email.  

Coincidentally I landed back on ohm again after many years. I too have an l shaped room that was hard to get right.  
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,397 posts
 
Right you are, Sunnyjim. Also gone is Band bassist/singer Rick Danko, who died in his sleep at home. Rick, Levon, and Richard were the three voices of The Band, who often passed around the melody of a song amongst themselves, singing different verses, or even different lines of the same verse. The three of them also made up the best rhythm section of any Group with which I’m familiar, playing at the level of the best studio musicians. There will never be another The Band.
bondmanp
1,781 posts
 

Sunnyjim:  As a happy owner (for 5+ years) of the Ohm Walsh 2000s, I beg to differ with your preconceptions of omni sound in general and Ohm Walsh sound in particular.  You can read my impressions in the review section of this site, as well as on the lengthy "Ohm Micro Walsh Tall, Who's Actually Heard 'Em" thread.


First off, I don't think Ohm is disrespected at all. It is simply off most journalists' radar.  Ohm does not advertise, reducing the chance they will be reviewed by the major audio mags (although if you search for them, they have been reviewed by some of the big-name reviewers in the past).  Ohm only sells direct, so it has no dealer network.  Also, and John Strohbeen, owner of Ohm, told me this personally, he does not do audio shows, as he feels he would not have enough time to properly dial in a system in those notoriously awful sounding hotel rooms.  He is a bit of a perfectionist.


As for the "sound" of omnis, my experience is that they differ as widely one to another as do conventional dynamic speakers in their character, including thier soundstage reproduction.  In fact, my previous speaker, Vandersteen 1Cs, actually projected more sound in front of the speaker plane, and near the listening position, than the Ohms do.  As I have commented, the center fill on the Ohms is outstanding and solid, with stable imaging and well-defined images.  When there is phasey information in the recording, the sound does indeed come from all over the room, but if the recording is straight-up, the soundstage is mostly at or behind the speaker plane.  IMHO, John Strohbeen knows how to voice a loudspeaker extremely well.  That is as much an art as it is a science.


As for the pricing, I don't find prices per speaker as unusual or deceptive, as some may want odd numbers of speakers for surround purposes.  Golden Ear does the same in their advertisements, btw.


I agree that the Golden Ear line offers an excellent value, and had they been available when I was shopping for speakers they would have been in contention.  But it would have been difficult to get a 120 day in-home trial on the GE's like you get with Ohms.  That opportunity to hear the Ohms in my room, with my gear, for an extended period, and allow a lot of break-in, was priceless. 


Without meaning to be harsh, I will quote J. Gordon Holt, founder of Strereophile, who used to say "if you haven't heard it, you don't have an opinion".  If you are shopping for speakers, try the Ohms in your home.  Yes, you will be out the shipping charges if you don't like them.  Or, use this site to find a local Ohm owner and ask for a demonstration.  I've done that before, and would do it for you, except I live in New Jersey.

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