Three weeks with Omega SAM's


On a whim I bought a used set of Omega Super Alnico Monitors, 2 years old current production spec. To start I own a set of wonderful Living Voice Avatar 2's recently upgraded all the drivers to the R3 spec. The LV's are wonderful, i was not intending to replace them with the Omegas they were an experiment in full range drivers. I wanted to live with some for a few weeks to see if it was something i would like. I did not have the 18"-20" stands handy so i'm using some 15" concrete foundation blocks not ideal but high mass and solid I also have a lower chair to use. I would definitely get a quality 18" stand if I keep them.


My system; Finale Audio F 3008 FFX 300b integrated with Hashimoto tranys (RCA red Base NOS 6sn7, Japanese NOS Aprex's 12AX7, and Shuguang WE 300b's and Gold Lion 300b's) . Garrard 301, custom plinth in a high mass bamboo, Jelco L750 12" arm, VDH MC 10 and Denon 103 (shibata stylus). I'm running a Ifi Iphono2 and Manley Chinook phono stages. I also stream from Tidal through a mini PC and a modded MSB Dac link3 (yeah that's being upgraded next probably a bluesound vault 2i) All my wires and interconnects are silver; Siltec speaker wires(lol $2800 wires on $2000 speakers woohoo) and AudioNote AnS interconnects.

So what do i think? in short for the money an amazing speaker probably not for everyone but what they do well they do better than many speakers i've heard or owned in the 30+ years of this hobby.


So as many will know the full range drivers have some issues, rolled off top and bottoms and lack of weight.


The Omegas don't really stray far from this. I will say the top end is remarkably detailed and at 53 years old i don't miss the last little bit ( it's really a very little bit) of extension. They do total coherence like only a full range driver can. They are probably the fastest speaker i have ever heard. Even faster then some horns-els's i've listened to ( Le scalas, Quad 57 ). It's rather startling to listen to some passages, I was listening to Pat Metheny the other evening and i just could not get over the detail. On strings you can hear every finger movement like you are there. So over all i really like the top end of the Omegas. The midrange is also very detailed and with that speed the instruments jump out of the mix and are totally separate entities not blended in in anyway. one thing i have noticed is the drum kit seems to be more forward in the mix not hidden in the back. snare drum in particular is right there in the mix with every hit or stroke of the brush completely visible in space. It's a little strange to be honest that much detail in a drum kit is rair (or wrong not sure what but i like it). Sound stage is remarkable they totaly blow my Living Voice’s out the door in this respect and they are not (what i thought) lacking in this area. The sound stage comes out from the speakers and hangs right in the center of the room between you and the speakers. the speakers totally disappear here too so you get this huge very deep and wide soundstage. Did i say sound stage yet yeah that good.


Ok what they don't do: no base bump so at first they sound a little lean. well they are a little lean but that's the trade off i suppose to a fullranger. They tend to lack the weight in the midrange and low end of other multi driver designs but they do an honest 40-45hz in my room (very large space so hard to energise at times) the base is actually quite nice but it is lacking the weight and ultimate low end extension but hay they are stand monitors.


After three weeks i've not had the inclination to switch back to the LV's for Jazz, Blues and softer classic rock. to be honest they do not handle heavy rock well I think a sub would help this emencily. I do not listen to large scale orchestral music so can't comment there. That said I was able to dial in the VTA on my Denon easier than on the LV’s using Led Zeppelin's since I’ve been loving you  that track sound wonderful on Vinyl) .


If you have a multi use room with a TV as well in the system i would definitely recommend a sub as they just don't have the weight necessary for movies but i would not say that's the design intent anyway.One thing though the voices in movies stand out much better than other speakers.


Over all i'm very impressed with the Omegas very musical and detailed without being in your face. I found myself digging for more jazz and intimate concerts as they just envelope you in the sound field. Human voices are remarkable by the way think goosebumps. I do think a Sub would help alot with the areas that are lacking like the lower bass and the lower midrange but that might be me just missing the bass boost.


The speakers are a very easy load on my 300b amp but i’m not a concert level listening guy to be honest i’m usually listening around 60-75db  from my listening chair maybe up to 85db occasionally but i like my hearing, i like to keep my neighbors friendly too.


Are they better than the 4 times as expensive Living Voice speakers well that’s an argument i’m having with myself right now. The Omegas don’t do everything as well as the LV’s but they do suck you into the music so much more. Maybe i should sell the SAM’s and LV’s and buy the Supper Alnico HO floorstanders. Oh the love of a great hobby.  


The Omega SAM’s I would recommend to anyone who has a need for music in their space on a budget and who likes low powered amps (SET for the win here) and what that brings to the mix. Add a sub if you need more base IMO. Great value In my honest opinion. Oh they are quite nice to look at too


As for how they work with my Finale Audio F 3008 fxx, seems flawlessly, tone is good drive is fantastic and there is power to spare. I would say they are very close to the LV’s for SPL at the same volume setting but better able to use the power I think honestly the LV’s could use another 10wpc but i like the 300b too much to give them up. So yeah the $8k amp drives the $2k speakers wonderfully lol. Really i would expect you can get wonderful sound from them from a much more budget  conscious system and will grow with that system as you upgrade.


I would like to try a copper wire set on them to see if that flushes out the midrange a bit I just don’t own any copper at the moment.

To close i’m listening to Leonard Cohen’s final album   “So you want it darker” and Leonard is right here in my room with me, voice fully fleshed out with all the wonderful deepness and feeling he brings.


128x128glennewdick

Just an update, After some more time and moving them around more I found a very good compromise for sound stage and fullness in the midrange. they seem to work best a little closer to the front wall then other speakers I've owned. when I moved them back a little about 24" form the wall they filled out substantially with only a slight loss in soundstage depth. This filled out the lower midrange quite a bit and the slight loss in sound stage depth is negligible with these speakers that already throw a huge sound stage. I would think the slight loss is like if before you were inside the 3d sound field closer to the middle of that field now you are still inside it but more to the edge apposed to the middle of it.

I'm selling all my speakers now to upgrade, love our hobby with I was rich.

I don't listen to Orchestral music at all so that's not an issue. I do listen to Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock, Funk, world, and various other types. I've actually been rediscovering quality rock music again after some time away while I listened - learned about Jazz. This is why I'm thinking the HO's may fit the bill better. well unless I buy something else totally different like an open baffle speaker or I also have may have a chance at a set of entry Voxativ speakers but I have not heard a set of them. Tektons along with ZU are another couple brands I have not counted out but to be honest the Tektons IMO are some homely speakers. Not for a combination living room listening room IMO. I prefer a nice wood finish apposed to painted, but I did see someone with a darker red Tekton DI that was actually nice. That said my Living Voice speakers are wonderful too. Oh decisions.


Glen if you play orchestral music. HO like other owners said they play complex music than speakers with one driver, at least my Tekton Monitor is good for orchestral music as well...My RS8 can’t beat my Tekton monitor on orchestral music.....
Omega speakers are so darn musical, I love mine! check out the decware zrock2, puts some meat on the bone with those less than stellar recordings. 


http://www.decware.com/newsite/ZROCK.html

As Bon ( @jayctoy ) mentioned the SAMs are wonderful, I had them for a couple of years, then went on to a pair of SAM HOs. As good as the orig were, the HOs have more quality bass, play louder without distortion (better handling of more complex music), and are even more efficient that the orig SAMs, so your 300b watts go just a little further; no problem with rocking out when you need to. 

I ran a sub sub with my SAMs, but I also run a sub with my HOs. I don’t think I would be happy without a sub on either, and I’m not a bass hound either. The sub cuts in rather low, in the 40s, so it fills in the low octaves. 

As far as filling in the lower midrange, the HOs are certainly better at that compared to the orig SAM, without a doubt, and it can further be helped by having  the “right” cables in the mix. I use the Audience SX speaker cables with my HOs, and they are a superb match...
Glen keep those SAM as good as the HO SAM , I miss those SAM there is magic on those speakers, all you have to do buy a good sub, and they will even open up, and they will give you more music, I regret not buying them, because Markr offered them to me...thank God Louis sold me the RS8 in Baltic birch wood.,they are excellent speaker as well...
Post removed 
I would keep the SAMs.  $200 is chewing gum money in this hobby.

I would also listen to them longer.  The need for subs may not be so great after awhile.

I travel a lot to Toronto for business ... give the exchange rate difference with the US and just the overall higher price level for EVERYTHING in Canada, you are almost better off waiting a bit.  That or think about a driving vacation to Connecticut and pick them up.  They would make them 20% cheaper.  

I am about 10 years older than you.  In a few years, your ears won't miss the difference.   ;  )   


Cheers, 

Rich 

If I was to keep them I would have to add a subwoofer to flush out the lower end some. That's why I was thinking the floor standing HO's may fit the bill better. I've already reached out to louis about getting a pair of sub's in matching finish if I go that way or possibly a custom SAM HO with Built in subs and of course the floor standing HO's. If I go new I can also pick the finish combo I want.

I don't think I can audition the floor standing HO's easily as I live in a smallish city in western Canada (Victoria BC) so not many places to audition anything here . more in Vancouver but that's a weekend trip. I also don't have the discretionary funds to buy another a set of $6500 plus taxes and shipping Canadian $ speakers right now with out selling one of the set.

I have other speakers i'm looking at as well Spatial Audio or Pure Audio project open baffle speakers are high on my list.  and more thanks to charlesdad1.

I also have an opportunity to get a set of Supravox 8" Field coil Full rangers that is a much more expensive endeavor though as the drivers are $2k and a suitable power supply is almost the same then you need a baffle made etc.

one of the reason I picked up the SAM's was to get a taste of the full range in my own home many of my audio friends have open baffles, esl's and field coils so I've have a lot of exposure to them.  I have to say I do like the sound.

I have had Omegas in one system or another for the past 15 years.  

Currently pairing the Super 7 MKII bookshelf in my second system with a Rega Brio integrated, Unico CD player, and a Technics GR 1200  turntable.  

I am convinced that with the larger driver (7 inch) and cabinet (obviously) in the Super 7, the occasional tendency of male vocals to sound a bit shouty with the smaller drivers has been dealt with.  

In any event, single driver speakers have still brought me the closest to the music I listen to of any other speakers I have used in close to 50 years in this hobby.  

I have just purchased a pair of Omen Dirty weekend floorstanders and from the first two weeks of listening, these may be up there as well.


Rich 
Glen enjoy the SAM first, don’t sell them...Ask Louis for audition for the High output, He will do that for you....The HO are excellent as well...Markr has them...
Glen the omega are not that popular here, but Boy they are very very musical speakers and well made....
Glen the SAM are  amazing speakers, this speakers they brought me back to reality of music.When Markr invited me to his place about 5 yrs ago they blew me away, they sound good on CErious Technology speaker cables.I do own the RS8 omega and the 3i, they are very fast.Louis is genius.

sorry for the book I wrote.

Also wanted to add one more thing.

I used to play the bass Guitar and have always appreciated a great bass player and the omegas do allow you to hear what the bass player is doing note for note.  Was listening to Money Jungle last night 2'nd-3'rd track there is a bass line that the player puts in this finger reverb that I had never noticed before so prominently very nice.