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Ohm Walsh Micro Talls: who's actually heard 'em?

Hi,

I'd love to hear the impressions of people who've actually spent some time with these speakers to share their sense of their plusses and minuses. Mapman here on Audiogon is a big fan, and has shared lots on them, but I'm wondering who else might be familiar with them.
rebbi
blin116
6 posts
 
It's an amazing thread! It took me a week just to skim through it ;-) 

It's my first post on this forum, I hope somebody can advise me on a choice between Ohm Walsh Tall 1000 and 2000. Based on the info on Ohm's web site the room volume (somewhere 2000-2300cf) calls for the 2000s. However in my e-mail exchange with Evan at Ohm he said that they would recommend 1000s instead. My room is 8' high, 15' front-to-back and from 15' to 22' left-to-right . There's an irregular opening on the right, the right wall is really not there, it's a side of the stairs opening to the upstairs and the right front and back corners are parts of an open walkway. Most of the left side is glass. A large TV hanging on the front wall between the speakers. My listening/watching couch is against the back wall so I am sitting 10'-12' from the speakers. 
For the amplification there's a Musical Fidelity A308 integrated (150W-8ohm/300W-4ohm) and an OPPO BDP-103d for source. I am looking for a 2.0 (preferably) or 2.1 setup for the music (mostly jazz and classical at low to moderate spl-s) that would also serve for watching movies (although movies sound effects are a lesser concern for me).
I like the smaller size and price of the 1000-s but are they the better fit for the space? As for the 2000-s, I like the idea that with the 8"drivers and larger cabinets it's less likely I'd need to add a sub and they are matching the recommended room volume.  
Would there be a significant difference between 1000s and 2000s in such a space? Could the 2K be too boomy or 1K too thin? If I start a trial with the 1000s, how would I know that there's room to grow and I maybe missing an edge of the 2000s without trying both of them? 
Thanks fo your consideration!
t8kc's avatar
t8kc
61 posts
 
I vote for the 2000 series. I have owned them before and they play well, but need a lot of power (at least mine did). My room is a similar size, but I settled on the 4000 series (4XO) as they deliver better bass.
The room recommendations are only estimates and actual listening is the key along with good component quality/power. When I had my 2000 speakers, I took them over to a friend's house and played them on a 500W/channel system; they sounded much better then with my set-up (300W/channel). Ohms love power!
jetter
3,033 posts
 
Sorry, just drop in on this thread every now and then, so if someone has already brought it up, I have been watching Bosch on Amazon, based on a Michael Connelly book. And he (Bosch) is using Walsh speakers and I believe a Mc275 and turntable. Used to see the Walsh speakers at Fedco in southern calif, and coveted them.
bondmanp
1,808 posts
 

@blin116 - My room was on the cusp of requiring the 3000s, but the room volume for the 2000s overlaps with the room volume for the 3000s. I went with the 2000s, primarily for the cost savings. As you can read in this thread, this was nine years ago, and I am still quite thrilled with them. So, I would think the 1000s will work for you if that’s what Ohm is telling you. That said, while the x000 series has really similar sonics up and down the line, the larger models will offer deeper bass extention and somewhat better dynamic capabilities. Now, I also use a pair of subwoofers with my 2000s. Is it overkill? It depends. I am a bit of a bass freak (well, ok, not "a bit of" - I am a full-on, for life, unrepentant bass addict), so for me, the subs would have been kept even if I had sprung for the 3000s. So, of course, if you ask me, I would take the money you save on the 1000s and buy one, or better, two, good (I stress, GOOD) subwoofers. But I would surely wait for your 1000s to fully break in first. You may not feel the need for any extra oomph or extension in the bass.


And, if you really regret getting the 1000s instead of the 2000s, you can always return the 1000s and get the 2000s (although the shipping will get expensive).


Separately, you should think about deadening the wall behind your couch. Sitting against the back wall is never ideal, acoustically. Most Ohm users agree that "live-end, dead-end" works well. IOW, the front wall should be live, acoustically, while the back wall should be dead (or dead-er). I tried covering up my 60" plasma screen with a quilt, and ended up leaving it uncovered - the sound was better that way. These speakers are different than dynamic-drivers-in-a-box speakers, and respond better to different room treatments and positioning than those speakers. Keep that in mind as you break them in. And, please, allow them to break in. The changes are quite dramatic, IME.


I am powering my 2000s with 150 watts per side as well (although the subwoofers have their own amps, so the main amp is rolled off, first order, below 80Hz), and it is generally plenty of power. I did try out a pair 500 watt monoblocks with them at one point. They were marginally better, but not so much so. I stuck with the 150 watt per channel amp I had. But I may move up to a higher power amp someday.  I guess the point is that these speakers will work with lower powered amps, and still sound really good.  But, they will respond really well to any improvements you make upstream - whether that is better power, better source gear, even better wires.  I am still amazed at how the Ohms allow me to clearly hear differences in upstream cables and gear.


In addition to the helpful folks at Ohm, we on this thread will be happy to help you if you have any other questions.

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,172 posts
 
Did OHM indicate the reason for 1000 rather than 2000 if the site indicates 2000 for that room volume and the room also opens up to adjacent areas? I would want to know if it were me.

The difference between 1000 and 2000 should be mainly bass levels in a given size room. Larger models might also be a tad more efficient if it matters in your case but I would ask OHM about that to be sure.

Floor type and interactions are another significant factor to consider. If your floors have a lot of give, as most floors in modern homes are, that affects the bass in that mid bass gets an artificial bump that can also obscure mid-range and detail to some extent. Isolation pads like Auralex subdude platforms solve that problem.

I use my OHM 100s which also have 8" drivers in a comparable sized open room area with excellent results however I use the sub dude platforms on upper levels. Not needed in finished listening room at foundation level.
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