can omega super3 reproduce orchestral experience?

Not a chance. Speakers that small, single driver or not, just can't possibly move the volume of air to produce the illusion of some kind of 'SLAM' much less the impact of a live orchestra. That's not to say they'll not be fun to listen to, and do a fine job at reproducing a recording, but I don't think it's going in the right direction if your friend is looking for "SLAM". A good set of floorstanders might serve him much better. A 40wpc tube amp is going to need a pretty efficient speaker to produce a sense of "SLAM". I've recommended them before, and will again: Soliloquy 5.3's if you don't mind that the company is no longer in business. Used prices have been a bargain lately because of that. They are efficient enough (92db) and capable of some serious low end in room of that size. If you hold out long enough you may be able ot find a pair for $600-700. All the qualities he wants would be there, though I don't really recall being wowed nor disgruntled by the treble so don't know about that one. Images great...smooth, natural,yeah, certainly. Great all around speaker and very tube-friendly.

Good luck.

Marco

Yup as Marco said..the Sols should get your friend very close to what he's looking for. The Super 3s are very nice speakers,but their not designed to give SLAM. The Omega 3 speaker is designed to give you more of an intimate electrostatic sound on a smaller scale. They are imaging champions..the little buggers will disappear in a room! Their strong point is midrange magic..they'll out perform the Sols in this area IMHO.

Good listening

With the right amp, Horn Shoppes can do justice to AC/DC, in-the-room acoustic bass, and a pretty good job with orchestral music. They just have to be played loudly to get a really full sound. That was my only issue.

Cain Abbys are excellent, and I can get better bass at low levels, but they won't rock like the Horn Shoppe Horns. I have not had the good fortune to hear the Omega line.

My compromise has been a few Triangle speakers. I have owned the Titus, Zerius, and currently own the Altea ESW. These are very dynamic and offer a lot of emotional connection with the music. A used pair of Zerius could be a great bargain at around $400-500.

Red Wine Audio and some nice EL84 vintage amps have been a great match with all of the above speakers.

With the right amp, Horn Shoppes can do justice to AC/DC, in-the-room acoustic bass,

I think if this person is looking for "SLAM" no single-driver speaker is going to provide it. The Horn Shoppe horn goes down to only 70hz which is not even beginning to sink into the bass region. Even stuffed into two corners of the ideal room you are not going to make that bass go that much lower. I'm not dissing those speakers, they just aren't goint to give you low, impactful bass.

On the other hand, If your friend does decide to try any of these single driver options, he should consider buying them here (most mentioned on this thread are available at the bottom of this page) as his money will go to a good cause. There are many other nice alternatives available there as well.

Marco

I own a pair of Omega Super 3 Bipoles and they do a good job with orchestral music. The Bipoles do not have a crossover but have two Fostex 4 1/2 inch drivers opposing each other contained within a single enclosure but each driver has its own sound box. It is almost like having two regular Super 3`s back to back. The bass output is substantial but you won't get the visceral impact of a large driver. The bipole configuration does create a very large sound stage. Go to the Audio Circle forum for a detailed discussion of Omegas.