Ohm Speakers, thoughts?


I have long dismissed Ohm speakers as anything that could be competitive in todays state of the art. But of course I want to believe that this "old" American company still has some horsepower left to compete with asian built speakers built by people that take in less money in a week than my dog sitter takes in the couple hours it takes to let my dogs out to crap when I am away for a day :)? The reviews I have read here and there report incredible imaging but what about other aspects of the Ohm 5 II. Any thoughts?
nanderson
The Ohm A in its current state of Millersound mods may in fact surpass everything available, based on it's inherent design executed properly. That said, the Magneplaner wave launch is still bigger on piano music and the reason for its typical audiophile aproval. Dynamics on the Ohm A destroy the Maggie though, and the spooky 360 effect is just not there on the MG series in any model....Pick your preference.
I find the look of the Ohm A/F to be quite acceptable and even attractive compared to the boring "coffin" and mostly uninteresting designs being offered today. The Vadersteen 5 is somewhat similar in appearence and seems to do very well. The 70s offered the most innovation of any era in Audio and is unlikely to be repeated.
Regarding audiophile cattle, you know the outcome before it happens.........unless the price is real world. This is the number one factor. Seasoned music lovers will hear the reality of things, they will see the hobby reignited with enthusiasum because they will never have experienced this form of 3D. We are not talking ribbon driver clarity or transparency here, but genuine 3D..the likes of which no speaker in recent or past memory has achieved. I think with the right group of people,(like the Legall crew),this most important and exciting of designs can become a new reality.
My ears have been conditioned through the years with Quad, Infinity, IMF, LS3/5A, Apogee and many other audiophile approved items and I am quite sure of the value of this product.
"Ground breaking designs" seem to have ended in favor of the money and business realities of our current generation. This sort of dedication was part of a more serious and simple social climate where music, not money was the driving force. Is it any wonder that no current audio offerings remotely touch on these breakthrough items.
It does not have to be this way. Current (ad nauseum)loudspeakers with the same over and over drivers and /sound are everywhere....gauranteed to bore you...as much as "classic rock" FM radio.
Frap, or anyone else, count me in as a future purchaser of a new and improved version of the Ohm F utilizing a true Walsh designed driver. If the speaker had a MSRP of around $5000, it may cause many audiophiles to give them a serious audition. I can imagine many listeners liking what these speakers do, even if they only sound identical to the original ones. My hope is someone who can make this happen reads this thread and has an ah-ha moment.

Check book and pen in hand and now just waiting to order...:>)
> What was the MSRP of the F’s back in the mid to late 70’s?

I bought a pair of Ohm F's new in late 1974; the price was $800 for the pair. I believe the price increased fairly rapidly after that. They certainly had a magic about them.

Three or four years ago I auditioned the Ohm Walsh 200 MkII's with their at-home trial and found them missing the special qualities I remembered. They were a bit on the heavy sounding side and lacked the sense of space I was after. That was a pity as I really wanted them to be as magical as the F's from many years before.