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
It's ironic that Map's wish for more transparency appears on the endless Ohm Walsh thread, since Ohm has never been known for being open about what's in their cans.

I suspect those class D modules are very cheap (not in quality or build, but in price), highly standardized, and substitutable. Not what you want to broadcast in a market that thrives on mystique (and at times audiophiles' willful suspension of disbelief).

Companies using these types of modular components, probably the majority out there to one extent or another, have to manage their supply networks and quality control to maintain standards, let alone a "house sound." The problem is that this management task is often made more difficult by cutthroat price-based competition among suppliers of standardized commodity goods. These newer manufactures also haven't been around long enough to establish a clear house sound and reputations for maintaining it.

This is where Ohm is distinctive and special. I've heard that the components used vary even within the same model and vintage. BUT, Ohm has a decades-long track record of almost obsessive, monomaniacal preservation and refinement of the house sound. Wanna know what's in the can? Tough. But you know in advance the character of the sound will come out of it, regardless of model.

Is there any other audio manufacturer that is comparable in this respect?
"It's ironic that Map's wish for more transparency appears on the endless Ohm Walsh thread, since Ohm has never been known for being open about what's in their cans. "

Yes, it is and has been noted, but the OHM and D Sonic cases are not comparable otherwise IMHO. OHM has a long history, a dedicated customer base to go with it, and control over what goes into the can to make it "sound like an OHM".

Not the case at this point yet anyhow with D-Sonic.

Like Billy Joel sang, "It's a mater of trust...."
"This is where Ohm is distinctive and special. I've heard that the components used vary even within the same model and vintage. BUT, Ohm has a decades-long track record of almost obsessive, monomaniacal preservation and refinement of the house sound. Wanna know what's in the can? Tough. But you know in advance the character of the sound will come out of it, regardless of model.

Is there any other audio manufacturer that is comparable in this respect?"

The one that comes to mind is Audio Research. In the speaker world, maybe Klipsch or Magnepan are in the same category historically, though perhaps not quite to the same extent in regards to reliance mainly on a particular house sound in that their designs have tended to vary more over time and the drivers that make it happen are generally in plain view..
"OHM has a long history, a dedicated customer base to go with it, and control over what goes into the can to make it "sound like an OHM"."

Nice point!

There is a lot about the Ohm's that I simply do not understand, especially regarding the properties of Omni-directional speakers. They seem to violate a lot of the principles that I would otherwise be a stickler on.

And I just don't care. I'm all scientific and skeptical about DACs, amps, cables etc. But when it comes to these speakers, I don't need to know what they put in the can. I just want them to keep putting whatever it is in can!

Does anyone have experience with the satellites? My financial situation is about to take a turn for the better, and I will probably be expanding from 2.1 to 4.1 in the next few months.