Ohm Speakers, thoughts?

Dale,

I did understand your point. I found your treatise interesting.

My goal with these speakers was to achieve a certain sound.
If my goal had been to acquire something conforming to the original engineering design, I wouldn't have bothered with the trial.

When I considered Ohm's 30-year history of offering upgrades and support and the no-risk trial, there was little downside to hearing how the new and different design compared to the originals.

In spite of the obvious design differences between the current Walsh drivers and the original Lincoln Walsh design, I can tell you that the sound from the new series 3 drivers is close to the original F's. Not identical, but close. In some ways, better.

Kudos to you for pursuing your interest in the original design. I'm also curious how your drivers sound. I'll remain interested in how that effort progresses.

TEchnically, Ohm does refer to the drivers in their "Walsh" product line as "Coherent Line Source" (CLS) drivers on their web site, not as Walsh Drivers. My understanding is the CLS drivers incorporate design principles that were realized in Ohms early Walsh design speakers, the A and F. They are realized somewhat differently now with the CLS drivers, but with the same sonic design goals in mind.

One of the key new factors (requirements) driving the CLS design was cost effectiveness. The fact that Ohm is still in business after 30-40 years still selling innovative speaker designs and supporting all past models as well is truly a great testament to their approach.

This topic has been covered in depth in other threads on Audiogon that I've read. I believe someone even provided a link to a patent document relating to the CLS drivers.

To my way of thinking comparing old Ohms with Walsh drivers to new Ohms with pistonic drivers, is something akin to comparing dynamic planars to electostatics. They may look similar and they may share some dispersion qualites, but they are still very different.
If you enjoy them , that's what counts, but lets not suggest they are the same thing. It's ironic that other manufactures such as Dale and to a lesser degree Huff and some German Physiks are more like the original Walsh Ohms than Ohms present day Ohms.

I think this will be my last comment on this thread.

I've always desired a pair of Ohm F's or A's in proper working condition. My only reservation would be the common assertion that they were not made to be played at very high decibel levels, which is a requirement for me. Apparently there are still a few around today that have been built or rebuilt properly that I could acquire if I was really determined.

My solution for a reasonable cost to meet my requirements was a pair of Ohm f5s, the best drivers Ohm sells today, that can play really loud and clear with the right amplifiers, mounted in refurbished and modified Ohm F cabinets.

So the bottom half of these speakers at least look the same as the original legendary Ohm Fs that I never got to hear. And some who have heard both believe they sound very similar even though 30 years apart in design, which makes me feel even better.

To me they represent a fine combination of the best of the old and the new.

Cheers!

Please undertsand once again everyone that I am in no way bashing Ohm Acoustics products. In fact, I have a long love affair with them and they are the ones that did start this thing in the begining. They hooked me in 1971 and I have been hooked ever since.

In Honesty, the only other speakers I have ever heard that turned my head for a moment was the Apogee line of full range ribbon drivers and their new predecessor. But here again, not worth $50K.

John Strohbeen has done very well with his current line of products and they are quite affordable. They have even borrowed upon some of the sonic merits of the original Walsh ideas. But, none the less, they are still piston drivers. Albeit, the woofer has been made to behave like a bad transmission line, which is exactly what the original Walsh idea was. That is not a bad thing, just another avenue.

The true transmission line drive exists only in a trucated version designed by German Physiks or Ikonoklast. The latter utilizing the Walsh tweeter design and the G.P. design resembeling more of the Old Ohm G product. But IMHO, not worth $21,900 for the cheapest model.

By the way, there is a new kid on the block nipping at Ohm's heals with an new entry in the omni market very similar to the current Ohm products made by Rountree Acoustics. (Not Roundtree) It's called the Omnimon. Covered in Stereophile mag this month. Also online.

Regarding the Walcott speakers.. just another piston driver firing into an omniball for dispersion. Not a walsh driver or anything similar.

I have been a speaker engineer and desingner for most of my life and I have made all manner of speakers including exotic plama drivers. But to my dismay, the worst design of all, the piston driver has for wahtever reason prolifferated. It is a bad idea that just won't go away and hence my steadfast approach to the Walsh design.

Anyway, my whole point is to make people aware that this style of speaker is available again, hopefully with some improvements. For those whom loved this sound and its capabilities I hope I can fill your needs. For others, perhaps in time. If not, this is a big world and to each his own. I guess I view buying a set of speakers much like finding a wife. Finding a good match is never easy, but always worth the effort.

That is why we all share our love of this hobby and persue being audiophiles. The love of music.

As always, good listening.
Dale