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

As regular poster and lurkers here know, I run my 2000s each their own Vandersteen 2Wq sub, with the Vandy crossovers (MHP-5) that cross over, first order, starting at 80Hz, with the same slope inverted going to the power amp.  Would I say that my 2000s sound refined?  Heck yes!  I just installed a new IC between my DAC and preamp last night, and the differences were immediately apparent.  Ohm Walshes can be extremely revealing, yet always enjoyable to listen to.  That's a hat trick very few speaker designers can pull off - John Strohbeen does so, and at a bargain price point.  Bravo!

I very much like the idea of smaller speakers/monitors (on isolation platforms) placed on top of powered subs. Reduces need for amp power and current greatly if mains are high pass filtered. You have to integrate the two yourself but if done right the results should be spectacular.

I have a pair of small Triangle monitors on stands currently in my family room 2 channel A/V system. Sound great but not much bass for that room area. I have been on the verge of pulling the trigger on adding a pair of powered subs (I used to have a single sub in there that went up a few years back).

I would place the monitors on a pair of very short Isoacoustics isolation stands and set the stands on top of the subs.

I haven’t done it yet because my main system with the big OHMs does it all and I do not mind not having all the bass in my other rig. The sound is different without the lowest octaves but what is there is very high quality and provides an alternate view into the music.

Were I placing OHM Walsh speakers on top of the subs I would use Auralex subdude platforms that I use with my smaller Walsh 100s when used on second floor of the house to isolate.

I had JS modify my Walsh 2 cabinets I provided him with sorbothane  feet and binding post of my choice the SATs sit on top of a pair of REL Q201e subs that sit on Isoacoustics sub stands this combo puts the tweeters at ear height . I upgraded one of the two pair of my Walsh 2s based on Bondmaps well written review and very happy I did . Subs add to the ambiance of the recording and the emotional response to the music I can not go back to not having them in a system

Thanks for the kind words, engiedr1960. Funny - I feel the same way about my subs - I could never go back to not having them in my system. One of the requirements for a replacement speaker when I was shopping to upgrade from my Vandersteen 1Cs is that they must be compatible with the 2Wq subs (they have to exted well down to 40Hz). The 2000s fit the bill.

I do have in teh back of my head that powered subs + smaller speakers and smaller amp, like in my second system, could potentially surpass even my other bigger badder rig currently. If so I could downsize somewhat sell stuff and save a lot of money maybe.

I have an extra pair of monitors and some other extra stuff to sell first to help finance this if I were to do it.

And yes on second level of my home with suspended plywood floors at least, I would require isolation pads under the subs as well as isolation stands under the "satellites" placed on the subs.

I’ve done a lot of sub searching in recent months. My current choice after a lot of research would probably be 12" Rhythmik subs. I know Martykl uses and recommends those. Or, I would start out on the cheap and pick up the first pair of any decent quality 12" powered subs I might stumble across locally. I had a 12" 90’s vintage M&K sub that worked well in this application for many years until it died a couple years back. I had tried that with all my monitors at one point or another and also OHM 100s. The smaller monitors needed it. The 100s, it was more of a judgement call and I judged to keep it simple and not use it. I took the sub apart in an effort to possibly salvage it when it died but was underwhelmed with the innards and decided to just ditch it.