Speakers free of grain, glare and steel?

I have a pair of the TADs also.

I bought them for my second system as more of a SS equivalent of a tube amp.

I like them a lot. I have never used these with the OHMs but have used similar power SS amps with the OHMs in the past and the results were very good.

I think those are viable amps for all three speakers you mentioned. I'm interested to hear about your findings.

OHM is running a good sale through July 1, so keep that in mind if you think you are serious about giving them a try.

Thanks for the heads-up, Mapman. I noticed they were having a sale, I talked to John S. yesterday. At this point it boils down to making a choice and hoping for the best. Free home trials are great -- Fritz and Ohm offer them, Merlin doesn't
-- but there's always shipping costs and inconvenience for both the manufacturers and myself to consider. The Ohm sale applies only to the older style cabinets, not the new ones with the rounded edges, which I prefer.

BTQ, Mapman, my preamp and dac are also TAD. 1950's pinched waist Philips tubes. CD transport is CEC, cabling is a combination of Synergistic R, A Zen, and Tube Research Labs.

Fritz lists the Carbons at a 87db sensitivity, and I'm pretty sure he runs them at shows with the Modwright KWA 150, a fairly beefy solid state design, so I'm thinking they want some power. Seems like your amp should serve.

Looks like you've narrowed your choice to two pretty different animals, a conventional box design and omnis. If you've not listened to such speakers, I'd definitely try to hear the omnis before undertaking the hassle of a home audition to see if you like the distinctive presentation. I'd not have similar qualms about the Carbons; not many surprises here, since they are (very nice) versions of the kind of monitor you've heard before.

John

I agree about undertaking an home audition of the omnis. I asked John S. at Ohm about hearing them in Seattle but he said he couldn't help me there. If there's anyone in Seattle with omnis following this thread, I'd be grateful for an audition!