Hi G,
I hate to say I'm still waiting for my Omegas to get home... They are having a hard time with them since the Omicrom are not in production anymore so they will just send a new pair and upgrade to the big ones for a very very reasonable difference!
Good for that, but in the meantime, just waiting... I expect them now this next week or week after the latest and hopefully will be able to start listening and comparing.
As of now they 02s have some 150 hours on them or so. But most of the time I just leave them on playing and do not do any listening.
I have now the ARC reference 210T as mono amps plugged. Today I did some listening. It's hard to compare, since these amps are very different in nature to what I'm used to and played the 03s, but some things I can say already.
The 02s are very very detailed. Far more than the 03s. Lots of texture, inner detail, ambient... you name it. It is very impressive. Even more so, considering the Omegas are more detailed than the ARC 210. With the Omegas these things can be quite incredible is this regard.
SOundstage and positioning also very very good. It is huge all around, deep, wide, 3D... you name it. Also superior to the 03s. However I do want to compare here with the Omegas on. N0t conclusive as of now.
Bass is probably the hardest to asses. The bass of the 210 is totally different to that of a solid state. So although is there, and in good amounts, not too defined or particularly tight, nor articulated. For a comparation of the 02s with the 03s, we will need to wait for the Omegas to be ready. If I connect the CT600, the bass gets much better (although the rest of the things do exactly the opposite), so clearly is an amp related thing. I recall the 2 or 3 days I cold play de 02s with the Omegas, the bass I heard was excellent in all senses, so looking forward to be able to listen and compare once the Omegas are in.
The things are very musical now, but again the 210T has a lot to say there. So can not compare neither in this area. Sound has that tubby sweet sound print so I need to listen with a good solid state amp to make a good assessment here. The 03s were fantastic in this regard. We will see with 200 hours or so how the 02s compare.
Overall, although I fell the Omegas are quite superior to the 201Ts, I can say I could live happy with this combination - 02s + 210T + Ref 40 (bass would probably be the only thing that I would miss big time). But have never heard a system with the 210Ts as amps sounding as detailed and precise while being musical and rich (this is more to expect).
I also wanted to report on the USB input and how sound compared using it as source vs the P02, since for me I think is one of the most important upgrades the 02s bring to the table, in terms of flexibility and in particular regarding hi res files. Unfortunately, I will not be able to do that for a while since I am having a very bad experience there, but none Esoteric related...
Wanted to set up the system while waiting for the Omegas so ordered, what was supposed to be, a "mod" Mac Mini with an external power supply box, from a company called "Mach2 Music"... It has been the worst decision I have done in my life regarding audio purchases. A disaster.
Will write in detail in a separated post about this and this company... (if you can call them to be such a thing...), but to make it short here, these guys have basically taken 5000 USD!!! away from me and delivered nothing of what they had promised. I can say I have the more expensive "stock" Mac Mini in the world, and a bunch of other stuff they sell that does not work, since it is not delivered as they promised and so very much useless.
This guys are a bad joke. What is worse, I have been back and forth with them for over a month now to try to get my money back or all replaced and served as they did promised, but they will not stand up behind at all. They are asking for more money and for me to take over additional expenses to solve (or so they say) all the issues. Needles to say, I will not put a another cent on the table for them to take it and run... More to come on this, but for now, if someone is considering buying from these guys, think it twice... and beware. You can send me a PM if you are considering and want more details. They are a disaster and seems it is going to cost me a lot of money... Maybe they will reconsider and make it up for all their mistakes, but after more than a month back and forth with them, my faith is almost (if not completely) gone.
Best
Eli
