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

Since this appears to have become the de facto Ohm Walsh thread, I have a couple of questions about my Ohm Walsh 2s. I picked these up a couple of months ago and immediately loved the spacious omni soundstage and imaging. Still do. One big question is what I can reasonably expect of their performance in a room that is 15 x 35 (though the primary listening positions are within the 15x15 space around the OW2s). I get a wonderful image between the speakers, but it never extends outside the space btween them. It doesn't matter if they are 6-7 feet apart or 10. Nor have I heard that sense of the sound floating through or the sound stage filling up the room. Is this simply a matter of the 2s being too small to adequately energize the space or are there some more tweaks I can do?

Second, the OW2s tend to sound better when I stand and my ears are above the tweeters. Anyone have this experience? Any hunch as to why this is the case? Is this a problem to be fixed or a peculiar interaction between these speakers and my (peculiar) ears?

The third question---maybe related to he second--concerns image height. Generally, it is at tweeter level--not bad, but hardly realistic. Sometimes it is only around 2 feet high (this always seems to me like the sonic equivalent of the great Spinal Tap scene with the dwarves dancing around the tiny Stonhenge). I've read in this thread that image height is recording dependent--but this shrunken?!

Jwc,

Can I assume your OHMs are original Walsh 2s from the 80s with the first generation CLS drivers (ie not newer or updated drivers on Walsh 2 cabinets)?

I had original Walsh 2s for over 25 years prior to my current OHMs with the 3rd generation CLS drivers (the X00 series 3 drivers). The current line is the 4th generation X000 series drivers. The "cans" on all these look similar.

My gen 1 OHM Walsh 2 CLS driver cans had the word OHM Stamped into the mesh. Newer models do not.

Also gen 1 drivers had crossover board mounted in the base of the cabinets with level adjustments on the bottom. Gen 2 and newer have all driver components including crossover mounted in the "can".

All OHM Walsh speakers I have heard tend to have a laid back presentation in most rooms with most of the soundstage at or behind the speakers. My gen 1 Walsh 2s perhaps most so. Also with original gen 1 Walsh 2s, soundstage size, imaging accuracy and overall detail was a notch behind what one expects with most modern speakers including newer OHM Walshes.

Walsh 2s can easily work well (within their limits mentioned above) in a larger room. I once had them cranked to teh max outdoors and they delivered the goods to those listening in a field about 30 yards or so away. Going loud is not a problem if drivers are still in good shape and low end extension is pretty good.

I use my smaller gen 3 "Super" Walsh 2s (100series 3 drivers mounted in Walsh 2 cabinets in a similar large family room/kitchen area. I happen to have a sub in that room also but for most things it really does not add much.

Thanks Mapman.

Yep, 1st generation with stamped cans and controls on the bottom. Volume certainly not a problem. I'm driving these with a vintage Sansui amp (the Japanese version of the AU-819) with 90 wpc, so power and current are not a problem either.

I gather that the upshot is that these OW2s are what they are and that their performance is unlikely to improve by much. True, they are not as precise and dynamic as my more contemporary speakers (Monitor Audio S2s and Linn Tukans), but they are still extraordinary speakers (amazing for ones going on 30 years old).

What would you (and others) consider the most cost effective way to improve the performance or the upgrade path with the most bang for the buck? I'd like to get the options straight before looking for later versions or calling Ohm.

Did you keep the old cabinets for aesthetic or functional reasons (or both)? I find the bass from mine to be shockingly good, despite limitations of vintage.

I'm pretty hooked on the Ohm omni sound. Can't imagine not having some version of them now. It might have been foreordained. My very first pair of speakers were Ohm Es, bought with my paper route money from Tech HiFi in '77-'78, and I've always wanted a pair of the Walshes since then. Talk about delayed gratification!

JWC,

I can't speak to your Ohm W2s, but I can state that my 100s throw a very wide lateral stage that extends convincingly beyond the speaker position. I do agree, however, that the sense of depth starts at the plane of the speakers and goes back from there. This is the most obvious imaging difference (to my ear) between the Ohm versus the MBL, which extends dramatically forward and back from the plane of the speakers. OTOH, the Ohm sounds much more neutral octave to octave (again MHO) than any of the MBLs that I've auditioned (and that would be most all of 'em).

Not all omnis are created equal.

Marty

Jwc,

Talk to John Strohbeen at Ohm for upgrade or trade in options.
Which Tech Hifi did you get your Es at?

I worked at the New Brunswick nj store around that time. The Ohms were the house brand of sorts and always sounded best to me.

I bought my 100s3s in Walsh 2 cabinets used here on agon and owned them concurrently for comparison with my older Walsh 2s for a while. Then i traded in the old Walsh 2s and added a pair of larger F5s with series 3 drivers. I have both pair of series 3 speakers currently plus my old ohm Ls from my tech hifi days that I did a custom upgrade job on myself using a combo of both OHM and non Ohm provided parts.