Ohm Acoustic Corp., Brooklyn NY

My 4-5000 upgrade took longer than expected, but they had a supply issue with the metal used on the speaker cans.  I still had the old Ohm Walsh 4’s with a bad crossover to use, though.  I can only say for me and my room (a very long sidewall of large windows) it was well worth the wait.  Many months in they continue to amaze me.

June is almost here.

I had to wait 3 months for my speakers and still waiting on the grills. Also I have been waiting 4 months on parts for my vintage Marantz receiver. It does’nt matter who the company is, parts are hard to come by and manufacturers don’t really want to tell a potential buyer the wait is 6-12 months because China or another supplier can’t guarantee parts.

I am wondering what reasons they're giving you for the delay. I would be delighted with the Cornwalls, but they are a very different sy[e of presentation from the Ohms. You need to weigh that before you make a move. I like both, but would prefer the Cornwalls for the great dynamics.

Ohm has been in business for 40+ years. They have refined the omnidirectional Walsh driver design and now sell direct. They are not going anywhere but they do suffer from supply chain issues like everyone else. 

Have you looked at the Decware Errx Radial speaker?

https://www.decware.com/newsite/ERR.html

Not sure of the turnaround time but people seem to like them for about half the price of the OHMs.

@danager those look the bit and I bet they sound it too. 

Get the Klipsch Cornwall IV.

Mike

Sometimes you need to give a small manufacturer the benefit of the doubt.

As you probably know, there is a supply issue that is affecting world-wide distribution. That is probably what is causing the delay.

However, small manufacturers should make their problems known to those who have placed orders for their merchandise, as it is good for customer relations.

If Ohm doesn't respond quickly or openly, I would consider looking elsewhere.

For $6K, you can get far better speakers, especially if you buy used. 

If you like Omni directional speakers, there is Shahinian. Made on Long Island

There is a pair on USAM.

Bob

My tall 3000s took six months to arrive. This was last May, so I have had them for a year now and I am very happy with them. They take some time to break in, much better bass. They really have exceeded my expectations.

Good things come to those who wait. I would stay the course were it me. I have bought from both Crutchfield and Ohm. Both good companies with good customer service and either can have issues. Ohms/Cornwalls are apples/oranges. Both good but totally different. I think your rational for going Ohm in the first place was sound.

every manufacture is having big delays and many are doing very good business during the pandemic with large back orders they are trying to get through. I would be patient.

my friends been waiting almost a year for a Decwar amp, i waited 6 months for  McIntosh preamp, a turntable i ordered is going to be 6 months etc etc.

really they are not going out of business quite the opposite they are booming and have many orders to fill and with supply chain issues everyone is taking a long time. 

relax.... 

Everyone has supply chain issues. If you don't like the timeline go and buy something that is in stock and be happy.

Otherwise, get a refund and quit complaining on a public forum.

2000 Talls ordered last summer took 7 months. Listening to smooth jazz helped me relax while I waited.

I can't imagine anyone who wants the sonic presentation of a pair of omnis like Ohm could be happy with Cornwalls.  Apples and oranges, as they say.  I have a set of Ohms and find them immensely enjoyable -- no urge for any changes.

As others have noted, the supply chain for manufacturers of just about any product is not in very good shape right now.  My car got clipped in a parking lot last December.  It took 2 months to get an appointment at the shop, then that got pushed back a month due to parts availability, and once in for repairs, had another 2 weeks added to the timeline while they were waiting for a $7 bracket that was needed.  Things are just a mess right now.

my luck was not so good with the omni speakers, they must be well away from room boundaries and in a small room, fuggedaboudit. they work as designed only in very large rooms or very heavily and uniformly damped smaller rooms. not for spare bedrooms ever. anything less than perfect room acoustics and they will not give you their much vaunted advantage of total non-localizability and wide sweet spot.

@veemike , hang tough...Mid-June is 2ish weeks hence, and there's a reason that 'patience is a virtue'....

Most only dream about it, our whirl'd of Instant Grats...nobody likes it. ;)

I hope you'll be pleased enough to forget the wait...*S*

The Decware offering a planar top is a good move; the original Ohm Walsh had some issues over weak highs....the problem of most single drivers, accented by 360 radiation v. the usual 90~120... Takes a bit more to 'fill the space' with the dB.

Vertical alignment = Phase is some one else's issue.. Planars are dipoles, so there is a bit of 'lobe' to the high ends,  Beats the typ. tweeter, though... 

Enjoy the Placement Waltz Time....;)

J

The Decware website is interesting. They have a speaker that resembles the Ohm design and also have a speaker that resembles the Vandersteen 2 and 3 models?!???

Right now, and possibly forever, I’m not ordering anything that’s not ready to ship. Sad state of affairs, but that’s the reality. I might put a small good-faith deposit on something where the manufacturer affirms they have everything in stock, but just need to assemble it, but that’s as far as I would go myself. 

They are a great company with great products.

Wait, they will get them done, sometime, possible even later than June.

If you don't wait, I will always regret it!!!!

I ordered 5000’s way before the insanity began, and they still took some time between order date and delivery.  This is not a production line product.  Like you I have a difficult space, and tried many combinations.  The 5000’s accomplished what no other could.  I also have another weird space, and that has Klipsch LaScallas.  Totally different experience.  Both a joy to listen to…..so, I say stay the course, because you can always have both!
 

Ohm has gotten some very outstanding press on internet reviews in recent years including some “best speakers ever” touts from popular reviewers.  I suspect they are swamped with orders compared to years prior. That plus all else going on in recent years and add it up. Crutchfield is a wonderful well run company but they are just retailers not a manufacturer. If only they sold Ohms they could be one stop shopping for me. I’m still well stocked with two pair of great sounding Ohms so in good shape there for now. Did buy a Cambridge Evo 150 earlier in the year from crutchfield. Was fast and easy with nice payment options. Had a minor issue with first unit received but they promptly replaced it. They definitely got their e-business act together. Highly recommended!

I felt compelled to add my $.03 ( $.02 plus the recent inflationary rate)

I own a set of Ohm 3XO AND a set of vintage (1978) Cornwall’s 

I have used both on my Pioneer SA1000 and my Jolida JD302 tube amp and have experienced a much different soundstage between each,as to be expected.

The Cornwall’s are bright, articulate and depending on the recording/volume the bass varies. They are a face forward sounding speaker and broadcast throughout the living space, almost searching you out. They did sound best on the Pioneer, where I could make fine adjustments to the Treble/Bass pots, to suit my liking per recording. On the Jolida they were a bit warmer and presented very well, but at the same time were lacking bass, which I owe to the selection of tubes I am using.

The Ohms sound much different on the Pioneer than they do on the Jolida, again as to expected. Because of the adjustability of the Treble/Bass on the Pioneer I can “tune” the Ohm’s  to my liking, but for 1 to 1 comparison I left the the pots at neutral 

The Ohms, set up a soundstage that is much Iike listening to music coming from an orchestra pit, rather than coming at you like a traditional face forward speaker. If you leave the listening area you do not get the full effect of their nuances. This effect sounded much richer and fuller when connected to the Jolida amp, and the bass (as compared to the Cornwalls) was all there and perfect

There was no “winner”, as it was for my ears only and for my particular tastes.

I prefer the Ohms on the Jolida 302 Tube amp, as that is my main listening set up. 

So to the OP, your choice of speaker should depend on your equipment, your listening habits and the type of music you prefer. ( I’m not a big fan of hard rock on the Ohm’s…but that is not my choice of music anyhow )

As for the delay in shipping….I am an Operations Manager for a company that imports product from Australia and Canada and shipping times, and costs, have increased almost 2 fold from 12-18 months ago. Myself and my inside people are facing our customers (which are 100% industrial) on the material delays daily, and its no easy task. But we keep our composure and respond respectfully, as you mentioned was your experience with the CSR at Ohm’s. Please do not hold the worldwide shortages against them or any other manufacturer, especially those in this type of niche business.

Good luck 

veemike, I don't know much about Ohm production, but have you compared with any specialty/custom built product in the last year or two?  Family members contracted to have a new home built last year and the string of delays and price increases has been overwhelming.  And that from a developer with decades of experience.  Unfortunately it is a sign of our times.

Regarding Ohm VS Klipsch, very different sized companies to begin with.  I believe Ohm only builds speakers as specific orders come in while Klipsch has production lines continuously turning out product.  Then the speaker models themselves.  As others noted, very different designs with very different sonic presentation.  They both have their fans.

Not easy, but I'd say just try to be patient.

Get the Cornwalls and don’t look back. I know I have a pair. And customer service is huge deal to me and CRUTCHFIELD is second to none. 

Thanks EVERYONE for the input.  I realize I had to chill, especially after reading so many others' Ohm Acoustics experiences.  There is merit to doing business with the small guy.  

I decided to ride this one out. As promised for the 2nd or 3rd week of June is really only ... 2 or 3 weeks away!  And I waited this long.

Hindsight being 20/20 is always easier to throw stones.  Knowing what I know now I probably would have gone with the Crutchfield in-stock Cornwalls.

FYI - I currently have April 1997 matched s/n Thiel MCS-1 on the custom Thiel audio speaker stands playing through PS Audio MS700 class D monoblocks, PSA BHK Signature pre and PSA Stellar Phono pre + other accoutrements. The THIEL speakers are fine except for my current loft space they have to play louder then reasonable considering a downstairs curmudgeon. 

Understand where your at mentally, I cancelled a decware order when I realized it was over a year wait list. I would wait for the ohms if I were you. It’s not much longer and that trial period is nice.

...and to johndel1960 - my music tastes have change during my 66+ trips around the sun. I'm surprised how much more Jazz thrills me, prog rock and hi-end instrumental recordings. I still crank up Tho Who, Live at Leeds but with a different perspective. 

@veemike , I GREATLY prefer the Cornwalls. Why you ask? They have controlled dispersion which is virtually mandatory for a large space otherwise the room will cause problems that can not be easily corrected. With Cornwalls all you have to do is put some absorbing tiles on the side walls. You place the Cornwalls right up against (as close as you can without touching) the front wall. This eliminates early reflections in the bass along with the side wall damping. The Cornwalls are very efficient and very low distortion. They will still benefit from subwoofers, two will do.

If you do not have the Extended version of Live at Leeds, YOU HAVE TO GET IT!!!

Have my original vinyl with all the "stuff" and Qobuz provides me with the extended version.

To stay on topic - I'll give the Ohms a serious trial period. And it has to be a serious trial since Ohm says it takes 100 hrs breakin, and no test CD listening. Ohm says listen to music I normally listen to.  

P.S.  If I could figure out the Audiogon SELL classifieds you would already be seeing my Thiel MCS-1 with Thiel stands.  Frustrating getting through all the sell-posting lint.

@veemike  I know why your listing has not posted Contact Support@audiogon.com and I'll be glad to help.

I hav3 helped others in repairing, rebuilding Xovers inohm Walsh speakers 

the quality is pathetic , a Electrolytc capacitor in a Xover does not belong in another but a powersupply  ,and 50 cents resistors , even drivers ,China specials 

klipsch xoverpartsare average at best ,but drivers and cabinet well built and 

made in U.S.A , and much more efficient even a quality 20 watt amplifier would work well with Klipsch.  You  should mention what your electronics are 

and front end ,it does matter as well as. Cables.

@audioman58 , that seems to be the downfall of many speakers.  The xover will get a scrimp, unless the driver(s) demand better.  Which is my thinking on going with a digital one, and running a separate pair of channels to each pair of whatever...

I can dial in what it either came with, recommend for, and massage from that.

@2psyop , that could well be the case, but I'd expect that level of driver in that application.  My diy Walsh mate well with my Heil amts' which sail above and beyond the Walsh could only hope for.

I believe there's a limit to what one should expect from a single driver and whatever acoustically sensitive the cabinet may be for it.  Even with a whizzer cone or 3...

One should keep in mind the whole concept of the Walsh driver concept by drilling about for the patent behind it.   The original F's were as close as one could expect given the era, materials and adhesives available...and nobody seems to really know what exactly was the 'mystery gook' within the cones....🙄

That, and voice coil heat.  The cones have a limit as to when the radial radiation is transitioning to pistonic motion....which is likely the midrange issue that some noticed at the time.  And your trying to 'ring' the cone, not shove it about.

It's fun to play with.... ;)

@mapman ...*L*  That's everyones' problem of late....where's what I need when I need it when it's stuck in customs/backordered/NA of late/etc.

Trampsta, "Come out and play" @ YT

Don't widescreen if acrophobic or motion 'disturbed' (BYOBag)....;)

Ordered my YG Acoustics Hailey 2.2s on November 11.  They arrived on May 19.  The final delay was when they were sitting in a FedEx warehouse 20 miles away for 6 days.  Still waiting from my Symposium rack ordered in December.  Everything is late these days.  I suspect that smaller companies are struggling with supply chain issues more because they don't have the clout of the giant corporations

So sorry that Ohm is way off their game! I can tell you the Tall 3000 would work great in your space as they are some of the easiest speakers to set up.  Having said that, my patience would have worn way thin by now and I would have moved on. 
What is the equipment you’d be using to power the Ohm’s?  And why do you mention the Klispch Cornwallis? They are so night and day different? While the spec’s they will work with 45 watts, they’re really happy with 200-250 watts and the Cornwall play amazing well with 50-100 watts being they’re 102 db sensitivity.

All the best.

JD

avsjerry,

I often hope that I’m not the only member who doesn’t understand half of what you’re saying or the acronyms that you use.

Klipsch and Ohm. Can't think of any two speakers that are more different than those two.

Uh, I'd have cancelled the Ohms a LONG time ago, hopefully you didn't put down much of a deposit. Extended and shifting delivery times are never a good sign...get your money back asap and move on.

If you are cross shopping these two speakers you are not ready to buy anything IMO. 

Great luck with the Ohms that will hopefully be in your home soon! I heard an older pair of Fs at a used store a few years ago and they were pretty damn good. Probably a good choice for a big space you may be moving around in. I look forward to your impressions of them. 

Since Decware ERRX was mentioned,  They can work great in the right application.  We tried the Ohms - They sounded Great - there were a couple of challenges, the Ohm team was very professional, but we ended up with the ERRx and supported another small company.  They work great in a 2nd system in a small 12 x 13' room. 

All part of the uniqueness that is OHM Acoustics.  

John and Evan are quite possibly the most type "B" business owners and managers that I've encountered.  They can be a bit slow, very laid back and they don't always sweat the details.  

Flip side, they are always very accommodating and if something is not to your satisfaction they will always take it back for a refund (within reason), or fix it to your liking.  

The speakers, they also make no sense.  They are not the tightest of builds inside or out, looking at the parts and internal guts make a lot of audiophiles question them, and even pass on them.

Yet, when you listen to them they are very cool, and do so many things right.  Very fun speakers and very enjoyable to listen to.  They also support their products as well or better than anyone out there.

Just a unique company and product.

Speakers arrived. What beautiful pieces of furniture! I purchased my Walsh 3000 Talls in the red sapele.  Interesting about the recommended break in period - SO TRUE!  Out of the box they lacked... a lot.  Interesting though that after about only 3 hours the sound has improved markedly.  So far I now see no reason to hang onto my 1997 matched S/N Thiel MCS-1 speakers.  I may continue this topic as a new thread once I get a couple dozen more hours break-in behind us.

Thanks to all who calmed me down, talked me back from the edge. ONE OBSERVATION - this coming from a newbie to the forums - A percentage of the responses to my original post were absolutely not helpful, were not even remotely on topic. I also noticed that many of those irrelevant posts were from posters with many, many prior posts. Observation, just because you yell louder doesn't make you correct or even relevant. To everyone else, thanks. 

At an average of probably 2 hours a day, my Ohm Walsh 5000 upgrades improved for a couple months, most noticeably in the crispness and detail of bass and all percussion.  Bass notes and kick drum hit at the same time are distinct.  You’re in for a treat!  

@veemike ,

FYI: I bought my OHM Walsh 4's in 1986, they were store demos built in 1984, back then OHM had dealers..

They've been refurbished twice by OHM (1998 & 2021); they still sound as good now as they did when I first heart them back in 1986.  They're all original.

Like most speakers room placement is critical to extract  that last ounce of goodness.  Play with them till you find your nirvana. 

Your 3000's have an advantage over my 38 year old 4's in that the bottom vent fires into a wooden plinth as opposed to mine firing directly into the floor.  That greatly affects the mid range and bass depending on whether it's sitting on carpet or a hard surface, basically the overall tonality of the speaker. Other then that they are quite similar in their overall technology; 10" driver crossing over @ 8 kHz to a soft dome super tweeter, with the rear 180 degrees sound attenuated approximately 20 db versus the front 180 degrees for the 10" driver.

Mine are also 6 ohm but less efficient than yours (mine are 83 db) and I read somewhere in the past that yours are around 86 db versus the published 88 db. which means they're still quite power hungry and prefer a high current quality amp.

Obviously I believe these speakers are keepers, glad to see that you hung in there and weren't too distracted by all the BS commentary you had to endure.

Just for comparison: my 4's listed for $2395 in 1986 (Canadian $), as they were 2 year old emos I paid $1695 for them.  That $1695 translates to $4525 in today's funds.  Best money I ever spent, absolutely no regrets.

👍🙏

Glad to hear that you have had a positive first impression. I have been enjoying my tall 3000s for a little more than a year now. Still discovering how good some of my favorite recordings can sound. The break in period is real and at about 200 hours the speakers really open up. The bass and overall dynamics improve greatly.  

veemike, how are you liking your new Ohms? What components are you using with them? What speaker cables? I am looking to upgrade my speaker cables.

@ulrichr 

I would just get some canare 4s11 speaker cable and call it good.  If you want it to look fancy, find a seller that puts a slick jacket on it.

Thanks, I was looking at those as well as blue jeans cable 10 white, audioquest type 8, Analysis Plus Black Oval 12 and possibly signal cable. I need a 16 foot pair and I want to keep the price below $500. I will be replacing a 35 year old set of monster M1 speaker cables. I still would like to hear from @veemike.