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

Bondmanp,

From talking to John Strohbeen, my understanding is that the late-model 100-S3's that I have do use the same supertweeter as the newer X000 series. So maybe I can comment.

My Ohms are sounding very nice these days. Bass is more controlled and highs are clearer and airier. Some of this has to do with having finally found, I think, the best room positioning, which took me quite a bit of fiddling. And some of it, I'm assuming, is break-in. So, for what it's worth, take your time. And yes, John will work very, very hard to keep an existing customer happy. When I had the Micro Walsh'es, and found the highs rolled off, he sent me a set of alternative drivers using a different tweeter configuration.

Fellow OHM'ers (or OHM boys or whatever we like to call ourselves):

I plan an experiment trying the big M&K sub I have running in my second system with my OHM 5s.

I'm thinking this may be the more practical (and cost effective) way to beef things up in that room.

I'd like to get the low end impact levels up to par with the 100.3s in the smaller room. Both run off my main system, the 5s in an adjacent room connected via in-wall speaker wiring I had installed when the house was built.

The issue I have with the OHM 5s is largely attributable to my L shaped room. Bass levels are up to snuff with the 100.3s in the smaller room towards the front of my main listening area but drops off further back. This is the L shaped room with thin carpeted concrete foundation floors where the OHMS sit in the short end of the L firing into the long length, where most listening is done (see my system photo with the Jack Russell Terrier adornment). In the short end of the L and just in front, bass levels are good...further back they drop off.

I will try the M&K V1-B sub located both up front near the speakers and back along the wall closer to the main listening area and see what happens.

The M&K has speaker level inputs/outputs and adjustable crossover. That will allow me to roll the 5s off at a higher frequency than normal and fill in the low end with the powered sub. If this works, then I might need to add another sub still because my second system really depends on one. I'd get one with the intent of it going to work with the OHM 5s indefinitely.

Fun fun fun. We'll see.....

The Ohm Walsh 5s produce some of the best bass known, in quantity, quality and extension. Why would you possibly need a subwoofer? There's got to be a better placement - a few inches can change the bass output in-room, dramatically.

I talked to John today about upgrading my Walsh 2's to 2.2000's. I was ready to order the upgrade but when I found out the driver in the 2000 is aluminum I balked. Admittedly, I haven't heard many aluminum drivers but the ones I have heard I did not enjoy. Now I may just upgrade to the 1000 spec which has a paper cone.

On a side note, I wanted to try something solid state so I paired the Walsh 2's with a late 70's Luxman receiver and I'm gobsmacked at the sound I'm getting. Anything percussive sounds brilliant which has me scratching my head how a 30+ year old solid state amp, a receiver no less, can sound so good. I'm sure a nuerotic audiophile would find something to pick apart, but man, this combo plays music! I honestly would consider not upgrading the driver now that I've found an amp that dovetails so well with these speakers. However, curiosity will always get the best of me, so I'll move forward with the upgrade. I also just picked up a pair of Walsh 4's. Needless to say, I'm seriously sold on Ohm.

Aluminum?

The voice coil perhaps (I think original OHM Fs used an aluminum voice coil) or maybe the supertweeter but I can't imagine the Walsh driver material itself. That would be something new for sure.

Luxman made some good stuff. My old Walsh 2s and current Dynaudios could sing pretty well with my old Tandberg tr-2080 receiver also.

Mamboni, in looking at my subwoofer specs this evening, I decided there is little to gain and to leave well enough alone. Things sound to good the way they are. Maybe a bigger amp at some point, but I really do not want to muck with the sound I am getting.