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


Hi,

I'd love to hear the impressions of people who've actually spent some time with these speakers to share their sense of their plusses and minuses. Mapman here on Audiogon is a big fan, and has shared lots on them, but I'm wondering who else might be familiar with them.
rebbi


Here's my homespun recipe as best I can describe it for best locating the Ohms based on my experience.

I find the sound overall is most balanced, focused and natural when the tweets are oriented so that two imaginary perpendicular lines projecting out from them cross just in front of your listening position.

Also, regarding best placement regarding soundstage and imaging, I go back to my observation in my Ohm f-5 review that the Walsh drivers act like sound projectors.

The imaging is best "focused" by placing these away from the rear and side walls so that reflected sound from each symmetrical location on these walls relative to the each speaker location arrives at your ears in the main listening location more or less at the same time, which is equivalent to saying that the overall distance the reflected sound travels is the same.

Regarding tonal balance, adjust the top end by orienting the tweeters accordingly and adjust the low end by moving the speaks closer or further away from the rear wall as needed.

Only much larger and more expensive speaks can match the overall lifelike presentation of the Ohms when set up properly, IMHO.
Martykl says :

"Ironically, many people have described the Ohms as very dynamic, while I find this to be their sole significant shortcoming."

What amplification are you using, what is the room size, and which drivers in the Ohms?

Room size mismatch and difficulties some otherwise very good amps might have driving complex loads are the most likely culprits for less than stellar dynamics I have heard.
Map,

I've used 150 wpc Bel Canto and 200+ wpc TAD ss amps with similar results from my Ohm 100s - in a large room with dual Velodyne subs. To address your curiosity from a previous post, I'm now experimenting with KT88 (and KT66) based Prima Luna amps. So far it's plusses and (more) minuses, but I'll post further on this tube experiment when I've got 'em dialed in a little better.

Marty
Mapman,
Thanks a lot for your placement advice. I think I'm awfully close to having the optimized positioning for my MWT's. Imaging is precise now and yet the sound "blooms" out into the room. Listened to Diana Krall singing "Let's Face The Music And Dance" tonight and it was mesmerizing. Donald Fagen's "Nightfly" sounded great, too. Very smooth and dimensional.
Marty,

Which Bel Canto specifically? Is it a Class D? Does it double or near double power into 4 ohm?

Also it appears you've had the 100s for about a month. Very possibly they are not fully broken in yet? Dynamics on my Ohm 5's improved dramatically over time in comparison to when they arrived.

My 100s were acquired 2nd hand and were fully broken in when I got them prior to the 5's, so I had these for reference as the 5's broke in.