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Ownership and Review of a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder

Greetings all - I recently ordered a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder speakers, or SSC-4900's. They are in the middle of the Ohm Walsh lineup, and are about 38 inches tall and the cylinder cabinets about 12.5 inches in diameter.

Specs are listed at 88 dB for a 2.8 V input, and a response curve of +/- 3 dB from 25 to 20,000 Hz. 

This whole process is part of a "high end, high value, USA made two channel system" thread I started a couple of months ago on another forum. The electronics are the PS Audio Stellar Gain Pre-amp/DAC and a pair of PS Audio M700 mono amps.

The PS Audio equipment has already elevated the Axiom M100's and Martin Logan Electro Motion ESL speakers in terms of performance. The Axioms have a "twin" available in Brick and Mortar outlets from Bryston called the A1's. 

For reference, other speakers which we have or still have in house include: Klipsch LaScala II's, Legacy Signature SE's, Infinity IRS Sigmas, Ascend Sierras, PSB Strata Goldi, VMPS Super Towers and a host of other speakers. 

The Ohm Walsh speakers have been something about which I have read since 1977 (the year I got the audio bug), but have never had the chance to experience. The SSC-4900's sell for $4900 per pair, though the name and pricing are coincidental. The "4900" is due to the idea that the speakers are "almost a 5000", but with less controls - one switch vs. 4 for the 5000, but also a lower price.

John Strohbeen, who is he president at Ohm and who has been with them for almost 40 years, was gracious enough to spend an hour talking on the phone about our room, the associated gear, and also that there would be a review thread. It was after this discussion that we decided on the SSC-4900's. 

I am purchasing the speakers, not getting a review pair. They are under the 120 day return policy. John is well aware that my daughter sings opera, my son is adept at classical guitar, and that live music is the reference. He was actually quite pleased about this. 

This will be fun (at least for me), and hopefully informative. Comments are welcome. 

I honestly have no idea what to expect from the Walsh sound. They are so different from other speaker designs that the only thing to do is set them up properly and hear what happens! 
craigsub
roysq
32 posts
 
I believe they use SonoTubes - or concrete forming tubes.  Same thing SVS uses in their tube subwoofers.  

Honestly, they seem to work really well in the subwoofer format, and the weight savings are really nice.  I've wondered if it is actually a more optimal shape for a speaker to reduce reflections and standing waves in the cabinet.  

I do wonder how the veneer looks on it from a finish standpoint, how the seam looks etc.  

I will say OHM does a pretty good job keeping things under wraps as far as what is inside.  I've liked what I have heard, but even with that big can on top, it really defies speaker convention of not obstructing the tweeter.  

My guess is John specs the tweeter based on pure measurements, and doesn't really look at the price, other than to find a good performer at a low price.

craigsub OP
63 posts
 
Time for an update - Our opera singing/masters degree in waiting daughter is home for the summer. She was completely astonished at Margo’s voice in the Cowboy Junkies "The Trinity Session". It really is something one has to hear.

Normally, the daughter listens to "Mining for Gold" and leaves. Tonight, she sat and listened to the disc in its entirety. So did I. I was sitting in front of the left speaker, and once again, the stereo imaging and soundstage was outstanding, even from this seat.

My daughter now thinks I need a pair of the larger Ohms so that she can take these.


mapman's avatar
mapman
22,153 posts
 
They should sing pretty well with those PS audio 350w/ch amps.  Enjoy!

snapsc
674 posts
 
I suspect that all the discussion of off axis image and off the shelf components misses the point which most people want to hear about.  The ohms have been around for a long time yet very little has been written on “ how the compare”.

You don’t remain in business selling a product that doesn’t sound pretty good and at a fair price... but side by side... how do they stack up with similarly priced planars, electrostats, open baffles and traditional box speakers in producing accurate lifelike exciting music??

At the end of the day, its the sound that matters... and if ohm bests various loudspeakers and loudspeaker types using cardboard tubes or off the shelf transducers or $10 capacitors, good for them.
bondmanp
1,807 posts
 

@roysq - I think John Strohbeen of Ohm is more focused on voicing his speakers to his liking than specifications. 


@snapsc - Agreed.  Speaker design is a bit like making sausage.  Especially in the case of Ohm.  I have not been able to do side-by-side comparisons, but I hear many speakers in the course of each year through attenting shows and my local audio club meetings.  To be clear, there are better speakers, IMHO, than Ohms.  But so far, none of them that I have heard that I would rather own than my 2000s come in at less than about twice the price or more, often much more.  I pride myself on having been able to assemble a modestly priced system that punches way above its price.  I did this with careful listening, a lot of reading, and communicating with other audiophiles, like I do here.  I ended up with a system that has wonderful synergy, and produces sound the way I like it, if not totally neutral.  Now I am having some equipment issues, but I am trying to get everything back up to par.  But the 2000s may well be my last speakers. 

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