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I just now completed reading your review of the Analysis Omega speakers. I really like crossoverless designs such as the Quads and the old CLS. Did you ever entertain the Soundlabs at any point or audition them?...So my question is in your estimation would the Omegas test out as very neutral/linear on a frequency response measurement?... Thank you in advance for your time and attention in this matter.
Sincerely, PS: Needless to say at the 15K price point there is the Sound Lab Millennium 1 with a far greater number of square inches of mid range radiating area but I have not heard them.
Hello Christopher, Thanks for your interesting letter, which does suggest some of the most important issues surrounding choice of loudspeakers. I will not attempt to react to each speaker model you mention, but I would like to respond to your two chief concerns about the Omegas. First, the question of flat frequency response. Re-reading my review, I see that I did not specifically comment on that parameter, although the sonic characteristics I praise so highly would be virtually impossible to achieve without a fairly flat frequency plot. As for your stern about "opening a window..." vs. bringing the performance into the listening room, I believe my review clearly indicates the answer (italics added here for emphasis): "The Omegas produce very stable images within a soundscape that ranges wall-to-wall and beyond, as if melting away side and back walls. My back wall is mostly occupied by two huge (62” wide) double-glazed windows. With the heavy wooden blinds raised, the speakers can sound a little “hot,” from the back wave reflecting off the glass. For serious listening sessions I always lower the blinds to dissipate that back wave. So spatially revealing are the Omegas that is easy in most cases to discern the size of the recording venue and the microphone setup." In other words, there's a lot more happening then just "opening a window into the performance space." I hope you find this answer helpful. Best wishes, Wayne Donnelly
I enjoy reading your equipment reviews. Recently I change my speakers from ML Re-Quests to Quads 989 and of course it seems to me that my electronics does not match it. I running Quads with Pass Lab X-1 and X-250. Sound is dry. I tested tubes and I love them but of course there is so many to select from that I am totally lost. I tested X-1 with EAR890- to dark, no details. Tested X-1 with Audio Research Vs110 - no difference to X-250. Tested AR LS26 - wow - I love it. But of course there is BAT and Quicksilver etc. I need your advice. My room is about 900sft 8.5ft high. I listen mainly jazz on not too high volume. Should I replace X-1 with tube (BAT, AR) preamp and leave Pass X-250 or keep X-1 and replace X-250 with tubes (BAT VK55 or VK75SE, Cayin, AR Vs110 etc). Thanks, Mike Klimek
Mike, Thanks for your e-mail and you made a great decision changing from Martin Logan to Quads. They do indeed love tube amplification. There are so many choices out there that it would be hard to pick just one or two. You are doing the right thing by auditioning various units. perhaps your local dealer can help as you have some good 'knowns' as to what sounds like what and where you want to go from there. Wish there was a simple "This is the very best for all things," but there is not :( Enjoy the Music, Steven R. Rochlin
Marco Zeeman
Hi Marco,
I have 9 x 9 listening room, Outlaw receiver with 110 x2. In your opinion, which is better suited to this size listening area, the VSA VR1 or the Meadowlark Swift? What about positioning? Your advice appreciated. Louis Claveria
Hi Louis, Either of those loudspeakers should perform well in your small room. The Swifts have slightly deeper bass response, but the VR-1s should do fine if you place them close to the back wall. the VRs our slightly more forward in presentation, but there is not a vast difference. I think that, given the overall qualities of both, you could confidently make your decision Based on your preference and price. Best Wishes, Wayne
Ummm, don't you think you should have mentioned that the AA's are almost clones (visually and technically) of Apogees, not Maggies? You can still buy Divas used for a fraction of this price, and Duetta Sigs for less than half of what a Diva costs. No box speaker will ever sound as good as an Apogee (see Ken Kessler's article about the Scintilla in Hi-Fi news last month), and those who have heard the AA were not running to sell their Apogees. Readers should get the full picture if they are being presented with a $14,000 speaker that has yet to live up to it's Apogee predecessors. Tom
Hi Tom, Ummm, don't you think you should read an article with some care before you start criticizing? My review began with establishing the Analysis' debt to Apogee. Magnepan was mentioned only as a form factor comparison, since many of our readers have never seen an Apogee. Also, the Omegas actually retail for $15K, not $14K. The assertions that make up the rest of your note are of some interest,, but are based essentially on just your opinion. I can't even tell if you have personally heard the Omegas. I admire your loyalty to a classic (although frequently troublesome and difficult) design, but I am quite comfortable with my recommendation of the Omegas. Wayne Donnelly
I have always been emailing you that I will take the analog plunge, but never got around to it. I will this summer because I found an amazing used record store in the Montreal area. Tried out a few of their LP's (I never knew Michael Jackson's Off the wall LP could really sound good!!) in my favorite audio boutique and it was amazing. Plan on getting the Michell Orbe SE with graham 2.2 tonearm and Benz low output mc cart., Aesthetix rhea. My preamp is the VTL 5.5 (which replaced a Simaudio P5 preamp last Christmas), new VTL MB450 will replace my YBA 2 HCDT (probably next year after I get the turntable this summer), speakers are the Avalon Ascendants (you should really review this...I actually was shocked that it was more musical than the Wilson Watt/Puppy 7 and Sophia!!). Never mind about analog...my question is digital. I have listened to the dCS P8i and Theory &Application d10 SACD player. What I noticed about these high-end cd players against players in the $3000 to $5000 CDN players (i.e. Meridian G08, Ayre CX7e, Arcam) is that, besides hearing more details, I noticed that the dcs and T&A players sound more relaxed, less in your face, less harsh sounding, more refined. It reminds me of analog?? Is that the case of all cd players in the $10,000 ++ range. I had on extended loan, a meridian G08 and found that it had oodles and oodles of detail but it was to forward sounding, too loud, sometimes I would enjoy some CD but other times I wouldn't. I would sometimes tune in or tune out depending on how it handled my CDs. If my assumption is correct-> super high-end CD players sound more relaxed (I don't have the audio vocabulary so that is the only way I can describe every CD I played with either the dcs or T+A players), then I have no choice but to shell out that much for a cd player? Is there any cd player that can give me the sound I described but at a decent price? $5000 seems to be decent. I know my analog rig will be costly but it won't become obsolete in 10 years!!! Any explanation or help would really be grateful. By the way, you still need to review more analog!! phono carts., turntables, tonearms. Ren Barroga
Ren, As i see it, the CD format is ok, but not optimum. DVD-Audio and SACD are good, but i bet there will be better formats in a few years. You may be right in that better digital decoders also have the personality of being more relaxed sounding. You might also want to try Naim and Audio Note. Hope this helps. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... Enjoy the Music, Steven R. Rochlin
How are you? I have a question about my Kharma loudspeakers. I can have my soft dome tweeters upgraded with/replaced by ceramic tweeters. What do you think of this upgrade? Thank you, Renaat Mattheus
Renaat, Thanks for the inquiry, but I really don't have a clue. Is this a factory upgrade that would include changes to the crossover, too? I believe the Kharma crossovers are embedded in a block of resin in the bottom of the speaker, which would make such changes difficult and expensive. It is unlikely that you would be able to just change the tweeters without altering the crossover, but I suppose anything is possible. I have heard some very remarkable tweeters in the past year (Escalante Designs review) and another speaker currently in for review). I don't think ceramic, or diamond or beryllium is necessarily the ultimate answer. I have certainly heard better tweeters than what come standard on my Ceramique 2.2, however, but that end of the audible spectrum is less important to me personally than the mid-range or bass. Best of luck on whatever you decide to do. Please let me know how the swap turns out for you if you decide to go that route. Rick Becker
Kind regards, A.Defendini
Thank you for your review of the Analysis Omegas. I glad someone finally got around to writing a review about these speakers! I also ran across then at Jeff Wells' shop in San Jose. As a long time Carver Amazing speaker owner the Omega sound hit home as the next step up. I wondered just what they would sound like in a real home outside of Jeff's great room. Its good to see someone making progress with ribbons. Now if only their price were just a little more Carver-like they'd sell a ton. Very helpful review. Best regards, Marc
Hi Marc, Thanks for writing. It might interest you to know that Jeff visited me in Chicago and helped with the setup of the Omegas. At the end of his stay, he said that the overall musicality of my system as presently constituted was perhaps the best he had ever heard. And better than in his shop. I sympathize with your dream of a lower price for these beauties, but I have to say that I haven't heard anything else near $15K that measures up to them. In fact, here is some breaking news: I'm going to try the larger model, the Amphytrions ($20K), just to see how much better they might be. Stay tuned! Best wishes, Wayne
Sorry you had to leave the Bay Area for Chicago - but it sounds like you got a great room out of the deal. As you know, the rap on Maggies, and I assume the Omegas', is that they can't play rock and roll. Have you spun any Zep or other hard rockers on these babies? Thanks! Jay Valancy
Hello Jay, First, don't shed any tears for me about leaving California. For a half-blind and consequently non- driving city boy, going from suburban condo living to the heart of a great city has been thumbs-up all the way! "Can't play rock." Hmmm. Well, last night I But spun a side of Led Zep IV in your honor, and it sounded pretty kick-ass to me. Of course, I have always looked for the same loudspeaker characteristics for rock as for everything else. The "rock speakers" I recall from years ago typically had exaggerated mid-bass and upper midrange response, and they weren't for me. I hope this answers your question. Best wishes, Wayne
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Dear Mr. Donnelly,
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