Can you get "bookshelf sound" from a floorstander?

I was glancing at the Merlin web site and noticed that the BAM device as described sounds very similar to OHM's "Sub Bass Activator (SBA)" circuit employed in most all of their more recent designs, including all WALSH designs, I believe.

Both appear to provide a boost to the low end while concurrently providing subsonic filtering.

Very interesting...

BTW I ordered the SBA kit for my OHM Ls and did the mods myself on those. So I believe all 3 pair of OHMs in my system utilize the SBA.

I'd be curious to learn more about how BAM + SBAs work and wht are the similarities and differences in more detail.

9RW,

I don't know why you'd be surprised that I've kept the LS 25. Oh, yeah, I do - it's because you're not remotely as clever as you think you are.

I don't replace electronics in my listening room very often. The ARC stuff is nearing age 12/13/14ish and remains my primary chain. Since I rotate speakers fairly often (when the mood strikes, as this is a hobby for me) I do have other electronics I use when I feel the ARC isn't the best choice - including those ocassions when the VSMs are in rotation. I also have set-ups in my gym, office, family room, etc. which accounts for the balance of the inventory.

So, yes, Ron, your mistake. One among many.

Marty

Marty: You are so wise and knowledgeable. That must be why you were so baffled by my putting phase- and time-coherent speakers like Thiel, Dunlavy and Vandersteen in the same category. And your treatise on first-order crossovers is something that needs to be studied by Jim Thiel and Richard Vandersteen. It's just a shame that John Dunlavy isn't still around to learn from you. Please let me know when you expect to have your next paper published.

9rw, what marty did say is that there are different types of coherence/accuracy and imo, some may be more important than others as far as what is actually heard. this will vary depending on the listener and the product considered. there are no absolutes here.
mapman, when you have a chance e-mail me the information or link to the augmentation/filter device and i will have a look for you.
best, b

Bobby,

Thanks for your kind offer, but there is not much technical info available that I know of for the OHM SBA other than some tidbits on the OHM site that describes what it does for the listener with specific speaker models in very general terms.

The SBA is a circuit board that inserts inline between crossover and woofer and provides a combo tailored boost and filter there as I understand it.

The kit also comes with a port adapter that you insert into the built-in port to tune it to a somewhat lower frequency, I believe.

OHM sells this as a low end enhancement for most every speak they've ever sold, both conventional and Walsh, plus use it in most all newer speaks out of the factory as well, I believe. There have been dozens of models of OHM speakers sold over the 30-40 years they've been around I'd say. The kit cost me ~$70 dollars for a pair of OHM Ls that listed for about $500 new 30 years ago.

I suspect the exact technical specs of the SBA device might well vary by model in terms of the boost, filtering and frequency the port adaptor is designed to tune the specific model to, but I do not know this for fact.