Omega Hemps

[postjack]

Tyrion posting his Compact Hemps for sale got me interested yesterday, so I did a bit of internet searchage. I like the looks of the Omega company, and their speakers look very nice, and reasonably priced to boot. I'm a newb when it comes to high efficiency speakers and SET amps (its high efficiency right, not low efficiency?), but I admit the simplicity of it all appeals to me (single ended triode -> single driver).

So what do Omegas sound like? Do they like bigger rooms or smaller rooms?

[tkam]

Correct it's high efficiency, single driver speakers like the Hemps are designed to be very efficient requiring only a couple of watts to reach loud volumes.

The problem in my experience with single driver speakers is that you'll usually have a big roll off at both ends of the frequency spectrum. They have a unique sound due to this roll off and not having any crossover. It's a sound that has a pretty strong following. But you can count me as one that doesn't like it.

[postjack]

Correct it's high efficiency, single driver speakers like the Hemps are designed to be very efficient requiring only a couple of watts to reach loud volumes.

The problem in my experience with single driver speakers is that you'll usually have a big roll off at both ends of the frequency spectrum. They have a unique sound due to this roll off and not having any crossover. It's a sound that has a pretty strong following. But you can count me as one that doesn't like it.

Sounds interesting, but it definitely comes across as being a "niche" type of sound. I'd sure like to audition a pair though.

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, you really need to hear it. And I'm not sure it's so much that I'm not the target market for the sound -- I actually did really like it -- so much as most of the music I listen to didn't do well on them. Most of the music I listen to really benefits from having full-frequency extension in both directions. But when I was listening to music on which it really didn't matter so much, I really liked them. Not enough to own, but if I ever win the lottery, I'll probably have at least one single-driver speaker setup.

[bhd812]

or when you get older DC. I see most people who have been down the path for a long time eventually retire from the market place with single driver or horn speakers. I don't doubt either in the beauty of sound they do reproduce but I also thinks its more of a "older more settled" way these people look at it at that moment.

I heard Used omegas (not sure which one) long time ago, nice sound but i am way to young in my "must be Dynamic" life now for them. I could see me in the future sitting in my future library listening to a set while reading a book..maybe sipping on some brandy or something. but now its Coffee and 20-30hz for me.

[n_maher]

I'd be curious to hear more about their spec since the stated frequency response is 50Hz ? 18K. That's a little rolled off in the high end (assuming we're talking -3db specs) but pretty decent low end for a single 8" driver.

[postjack]

I'd be curious to hear more about their spec since the stated frequency response is 50Hz ? 18K. That's a little rolled off in the high end (assuming we're talking -3db specs) but pretty decent low end for a single 8" driver.

A little rolled off in the high end might be good for application in a smaller listening room like mine. Sometimes the Quads can be a little bright, and I feel that if I could put some more distance between them and myself this would not be the case.

[tkam]

This isn't the best example since the Zu Druid's aren't a single driver system since they have a tweeter to help out the high-end but this is a FR graph that I typically associate with single driver systems:

Note: this is the FR graph for the original Zu Druid done by the National Research Council of Canada:

Top curve: on-axis response

Middle curve: 15 degrees off-axis response

Bottom curve: 30 degrees off-axis response

[Duggeh]

A little rolled off in the high end might be good for application in a smaller listening room like mine. Sometimes the Quads can be a little bright, and I feel that if I could put some more distance between them and myself this would not be the case.

How much toe-in do you use and how far are you sitting? I found my 21L a little too bright and with worse imaging when they were toed in too far.

[n_maher]

Jack, you should just ask Mike about them. He's not the kind of guy who's going to bullshit you just to make a sale.

[grawk]

Jack, you should just ask Mike about them. He's not the kind of guy who's going to bullshit you just to make a sale.

He only bullshits when he's being paid by someone else...

[postjack]

How much toe-in do you use and how far are you sitting? I found my 21L a little too bright and with worse imaging when they were toed in too far.

I'm sitting ~6ft away, and actually am using a significant amount of toe-in. I'll try firing the speakers more forward and see how that works, thanks for the tip.

Jack, you should just ask Mike about them. He's not the kind of guy who's going to bullshit you just to make a sale.

I'm not really looking to buy, just expressing a curiousity about high efficiency single driver designs and the amps that power them. So I decided to make a public post and waste all of your time rather then PM Mike and waste his time.

[n_maher]

I may have already been talking to Mike about something else and mentioned that he should have a chat with you. So now I can waste both of your times.

[Duggeh]

I'm sitting ~6ft away, and actually am using a significant amount of toe-in. I'll try firing the speakers more forward and see how that works, thanks for the tip.

I sit about 7 feet away, chair and speakers as close as convenient to an equal triangle.

When the quads are toed right in like monitors they are certainly too bright. I just kept inching them outwards until I went "that sounds good" and left it.

[deepak]

I'm sitting ~6ft away, and actually am using a significant amount of toe-in. I'll try firing the speakers more forward and see how that works, thanks for the tip.

I'm not really looking to buy, just expressing a curiousity about high efficiency single driver designs and the amps that power them. So I decided to make a public post and waste all of your time rather then PM Mike and waste his time.

You should hear the Duos *swoon*

[iceman94]

Just a thought, Omega now has a DeepHemp sub to match their line for the bottom end. It can even be used as a stand for the Compact Hemps. Not sure if this would alleviate any FR rolloff concerns- I know I'd be a lot better with a top-end rolloff than a bottom-end one.

[postjack]

Just a thought, Omega now has a DeepHemp sub to match their line for the bottom end. It can even be used as a stand for the Compact Hemps.

I guess you would need two if you really wanted them to act as stands for the Compacts?

[iceman94]

I guess you would need two if you really wanted them to act as stands for the Compacts?

Well, yeah. It would make things a lot more expensive, but you get stereo bass (don't know if it makes a difference, some claim it), and you don't put the money into good stands. Also, I think I came across a post on AC saying that one plate amp can be built in a separate enclosure to power both subs if you go for two, which would reduce overall cost a bit more. Most of the $ is tied up in the cabinets, though.

[postjack]

When the quads are toed right in like monitors they are certainly too bright. I just kept inching them outwards until I went "that sounds good" and left it.

Its wild as hell, but I just did exactly this, and any notions that the Quads are bright disappeared. Thanks so much for the tip Duggeh!