I heard O/93’s at Command Performance a while ago. They were fine but they really didn’t draw me in; there was no magic. I’ve never heard the O/96’s, but from the name, the price, and what I’ve read about them, I gather they are a step (or two) up. On that same trip I heard 40.2’s at Deja Vu, which are now what I own.
BTW, I was very impressed by Audio Note AN-E’s, which I gather were part of Devore’s inspiration for the O series.
This is a perfectly legitimate take.
So I spent a solid 2 hours demoing the O’96 this past July at In Living Stereo in Manhattan. The room was extremely well treated and the accompanying electronics were Mactone. I don’t remember the cabling.
From my written notes on that day - O’96s throw a wide soundstage, very dynamic. You can feel the instruments, the drums, the bass thumping. These speakers put out a ton of energy but unfortunately this wall of sound is VERY fatiguing and very forward in your face without finesse. Also imaging is a bit vague and smeared.
And this is also a perfectly legitimate take.
I listened to the O/96’s for hours at Axpona ’19 and the O/93’s only slightly less at Axpona (just for the sake of interest even though I own a pair) and at Axpona, the O/96’s were impressive and immersive and the O/93’s were just so-so. The reason is simple-the O/96’s were set up along the long wall of a small room to listen near-field and with better associated equipment. Bottom line-neither speaker is an imagining champion but both are capable of great touch and tone IF you position them with care and stick to complimentary electronics and speaker cable.
