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Ownership and Review of a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder

Greetings all - I recently ordered a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder speakers, or SSC-4900's. They are in the middle of the Ohm Walsh lineup, and are about 38 inches tall and the cylinder cabinets about 12.5 inches in diameter.

Specs are listed at 88 dB for a 2.8 V input, and a response curve of +/- 3 dB from 25 to 20,000 Hz. 

This whole process is part of a "high end, high value, USA made two channel system" thread I started a couple of months ago on another forum. The electronics are the PS Audio Stellar Gain Pre-amp/DAC and a pair of PS Audio M700 mono amps.

The PS Audio equipment has already elevated the Axiom M100's and Martin Logan Electro Motion ESL speakers in terms of performance. The Axioms have a "twin" available in Brick and Mortar outlets from Bryston called the A1's. 

For reference, other speakers which we have or still have in house include: Klipsch LaScala II's, Legacy Signature SE's, Infinity IRS Sigmas, Ascend Sierras, PSB Strata Goldi, VMPS Super Towers and a host of other speakers. 

The Ohm Walsh speakers have been something about which I have read since 1977 (the year I got the audio bug), but have never had the chance to experience. The SSC-4900's sell for $4900 per pair, though the name and pricing are coincidental. The "4900" is due to the idea that the speakers are "almost a 5000", but with less controls - one switch vs. 4 for the 5000, but also a lower price.

John Strohbeen, who is he president at Ohm and who has been with them for almost 40 years, was gracious enough to spend an hour talking on the phone about our room, the associated gear, and also that there would be a review thread. It was after this discussion that we decided on the SSC-4900's. 

I am purchasing the speakers, not getting a review pair. They are under the 120 day return policy. John is well aware that my daughter sings opera, my son is adept at classical guitar, and that live music is the reference. He was actually quite pleased about this. 

This will be fun (at least for me), and hopefully informative. Comments are welcome. 

I honestly have no idea what to expect from the Walsh sound. They are so different from other speaker designs that the only thing to do is set them up properly and hear what happens! 
craigsub
craigsub OP
63 posts
 
Roysq - It is passed time for an update. We have listened to a lot of discs, and also have played with the placement. Right now, I am listening to the Grateful Dead's "Fillmore West" CD. As with every other disc, the Ohm's are impressing with stellar detail and depth of soundstage. 

On Fillmore West, the guitars are purposefully played with the tube distortion of the era, and this comes through with exceptional clarity. The Soundstage is outstanding, with instruments often times being heard well outside the speakers. 

Bass is deep and tight, but won't overwhelm one like a subwoofer can. These speakers are wonderful with drums, from snare to bass. 

Then there is the occasional surprise - yesterday, while relaxing and watching golf, I heard members of the gallery talking behind me. It was a cool effect, and also very easy to pick out the words - 2 guys were betting $5 on whether Justin Rose would make a 14 foot putt for a birdie. 

They also play with such low distortion that one can be listening quite loudly and not realize it until someone tries to talk, and you realize you can't hear him/her. 

I would love to put the SSC-4900's into a blind test with some very expensive speakers like the Magico S5 series. They both have a way of delivering sound from a "very black" background. 
dep14
336 posts
 
Have you played with the room size adjustment switch (bass I believe).  Thoughts?
craigsub OP
63 posts
 
dep - it is still on the middle setting. The owner's manual does not tell what the settings do, so I will try different settings and "see" if I can hear a difference on some challenging material. It's probably better to do it this way, as "knowing" what to expect adds bias. 
roysq
32 posts
 
I'm enjoying this thread.  Thanks.  @craigsub, it would be tremendous to get some thoughts vs your many other speakers, you have many and many that folks have heard.  Would love strengths vs weaknesses etc.

good stuff
craigsub OP
63 posts
 
It's a tough job, writing up a comparison of speakers going back 40 years, and I do plan on an extensive write up this fall - after 6 months of ownership.

Here are some broad thoughts:

1. No speaker we have had here sets a soundstage as do the Ohm's. For example, on Roger Water's "In The Flesh", during "Another Brick", one can clearly hear the audience clapping in sequence to the beat of the kick drum. This clapping takes place to either side of the listener, placing one in the audience. The singers and their instruments are clearly presented across the stage. It's a remarkable experience, and no speaker has come close to this level of immersion, with the exception of the DSP controlled Axiom LFR-1100's.

2. Vocals sound more "live" than with the Ohms than even with the Legacy Signature SE's. My daughter loves to listen to opera on these speakers. The clarity of these speakers continues to amaze. Acoustic Guitar (my son is a terrific guitarist) has that weight that a real guitar has without a hint of bloom.

3. They need power - I recommend a good 200 WPC amp, primarily to avoid any clipping.

The best par of the Ohm's is they make me want to listen to more music. I look for excuses to hide out in the basement high end room so I can listen. 
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