Ownership and Review of a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder

roysq .. Get the speakers. They will give you decades of great music. Is that not financially responsible for such a modest investment?

I find myself coming to this thread a lot after having demo'd the Ohm Walsh speakers a few times.  I'm very impressed.  Now I'm trying to rationalize dropping the coin on a pair of used 5000's as they never come up used.  But I stay on top of all the used audio sites and out of nowhere 2 pairs of 5000's are out there used....  ARGH!  Budget time.  

Wasn't sure I could swing the 5000's, but love the idea of the adjustability on them if I change rooms etc.   Must... be... financially responsible...

This thread is awesome. I've wanted ohm cylinders the last couple years just based on their Rep. This thread answered so many questions, I now know these have to be in my setup one day soon. 

If anyone ever wants to sell or demo a pair, especially in the Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal area, please let me know. 

Enjoy, monsterstruck! Interesting that you’re looking at the Marantz NA6006. I heard it recently in a friend’s second, modest system, and I was highly impressed. If it matters, he pointed out that the Marantz is DLNA compliant, but the Bluesound is not.

Many thanks to the OP for posting about his experience and to everyone else who chimed in about Ohm speakers. Partly on this basis I have ordered the 4900's for my large room. After a few years off from being an audiophile I am back in the game. Listening to music I like from a Sonos just was not cutting it at all. Plus, I want my young daughter to really experience the music she clearly digs. 

Besides the Ohm SSC-4900's I have ordered an Apollon Audio Stereo AS1200 Amplifier to drive them. Should be enough power ha ha. Debating music streamers now. Might try Marantz NA6006 or a Bluesound Node 2i (possibly with a Schitt Bitfrost). Just gonna stream Amazon HD so don't need anything else. 

FWIW I used to be in deep. Had all Audio Research amp electronics, an EAD CD player, fancy cables, VPI Aries turntable, etc. and Dunlavy SC-IVa speakers. I had a pretty good sounding system. 

Recently, I got a Schitt Jotunheim and an Audeze LCD-X and have really been enjoying that streaming from my Macbook. Looking forward to sharing music again.

Thanks for the replies, and suggestions!  I will be watching for any used 4000s or 5000s in SW Florida (I hate the idea of entrusting delicate and expensive anything to the shipping companies).  I'm sure that the sound would be in some way better than DSP adjusted sound for playing my 2000s in a room bigger than they are suited for.  That said, the sound I have right now is pretty great!

I do have a good 12" Velodyne subwoofer for music, and a not-so-good Klipsh subwoofer that is just used for LFE with movies.  Because of that, the problem was never the low bass, but more like the 80-800 Hz range.  And the reason I got the 2000s despite seeing the room size recommendations was my own ignorance.  My "listening area" is about 18x20x8.  2880 ft3 is appropriate for 2000s, and Evan actually said I could go down to the 1000s if I preferred.  However, this listening area (living room) is just one part of a much bigger room as it is open to a kitchen area to the back, a dining area to one side, and an entrance area to the other side.  Just looking at the walls, the whole room is more like 8000 cubic feet.  I didn't understand that is what matters, not where the couches are!  Oh well, live and learn.  These Ohms replaced a pair of Vienna Acoustics Schonberg speakers that sounded good, but not amazing.  Well, those have been moved into the master bedroom, where they suddenly sound truly amazing; I guess they weren't suited for 8,000 cubic feet either!

I have been a 2000 owner since 2009, one of the first pairs sold.  Not for nuthin', as e say in NJ, but the room square footage appropriate for each of the x000 series is posted on the Ohm web site.  The Ohm Walsh x000 series all sound essentially the same, although larger models have deeper extension and higher output.  So, unless you want to move to a larger model, a sub or subs would help with the overall output issue.  Even though my 2000s are appropriate for my room, I run them with a pair of Vandersteen 2Wq subs, crossed over at 80Hz, first order.  I couldn't be happier with the results.

Osteopic1 - You might also look at a subwoofer or 2. A pair of subs crossed at 50 Hz will take a lot of the load from your speakers, extend your response to below 20 Hz, and increase both system dynamics AND soundstage.

Subs that would work well without breaking the bank include:

1. A pair of HSU Research ULS-15 Mark II's for about $1600 USD delivered to your door. Extension to 20 Hz. 

2. A single Axiom EP-800 for $2750 less a discount if you call Ian (the owner) directly. Extension to 13 Hz. I use one with a pair of 4900's, and it's incredible. 

3. A variety of other subs that are not quite as musical as the units mentioned above, but still attractive price points. SVS, Power Sound Audio, and entry level REL come to mind. 

@osteopic 

I think most people like bass and tend to like it a little bumped up.  No shame in that, it's part of the fun, and the fletcher munson curve effect is well documented.

If you have a bigger room, it's nice that the DSP is helping, but you owe it to yourself to keep an eye out for some used 4000's or 5000's (4900's used would be very tough to find).

Your 2000's would sell rather quickly if history is any indicator.

I've got the 5000's in a 13 x 17 x 9 room, I run the bass and mid-bass "in the middle" as far as the adjustments go.  They thump and I have no need for a subwoofer, I could adjust the EQ if necessary.  Also nice for home theater as I now have my subwoofer in the back of the room, and with the mains crossed at 40 for HT I am getting a more even bass response in the room since the OHM's put out such great bass.

But, you would love the 5000's I suspect.  Essentially a 4 band EQ built into the speaker.

That said, new - the 4900's are the bargain!

This is a long description of my ownership experience, ending with a discovery I made that worked for me.  I hope this may be of help to others. 

I bought my new Ohm Walsh 2000s about 10 months ago, and have been a little ”torn" on deciding just how much I like them, until recently.  From the beginning they felt a little too thin and airy, like the mid/upper bass was just a little too light.  I knew they are very position dependent, and I spent a lot of time trying slightly different locations.  Too close to the wall and the lower bass gets boomy and muddy; too far from the wall and all the voices reminded me of children's voices, with all others sounds just lacking in fullness.  At the best position I could find for my room, it was good.  Just good, not great.  After all the steller reviews, and almost $3,000 spent, I was kind of disappointed.  Except there were flashes of greatness, where certain instruments sounded so much like it was in the room with me that it was startling.  And the sweet spot is, as advertised, a really big portion of the room.  The imaging is good, I think.  It does sound like the music is coming from the entire front wall of my great room, instead of just  a couple point sources.  I should mention that I do have a nice subwoofer, but the "problem" is more in the mid and upper bass.

I let the return period pass because of the hassle of trying to (triple!) rebox these big, heavy things, and the expense of shipping, and thinking that maybe my expectations were unrealistic and maybe this is about the best I can get at this price point.  I haven't actually heard many high end systems, so most of my expectations are just based on written reviews and YouTube videos (looking at you, Zeos!).  Then a few months ago (while looking for ways to improve the sound after realizing that I really should have returned them while I could), I read an article on the Ohm Walsh website about "How big is a big room".  It seemed to me that the problem is that my great room is much bigger than is recommended for the 2000s.  I talked to Evan about this, and he agreed that it sounded like I would benefit from moving up to the 4000's or the SSC 4900.    They were willing to give me a 75% trade in value, but that felt steep to me considering that I was only 2 months beyond the free return period and I was buying a much more expense set of speakers from them.  Still, it was truly my fault for not taking care of this during the very generous 4 month trial period.  

While debating my options (and continuing to try to decide if there even was an actual problem at all), I read something about Dirac room correction software.  I already had a MiniDSP 2x4HD, and it could be downloaded as a software upgrade.  Dirac is supposed to automatically measure and compensate for some of the acoustic flaws that all rooms have, but in some way that goes beyond a typical EQ, something involving phase and timing.  It also allows manual tweaking of the target frequency response curve.   I had played with making some eq-type changes using the MiniDSP parametric equalizer and REQ room acoustic analysis software, but that gets very complicated and I just didn't have that kind of time.  The results I got from my brief efforts: meh.  So, I ran the Dirac room correction on the stock/recommended frequncy curve, and it sounded better!  After a couple weeks, ran it again and played with the frequency response curve to boost the bass a little (a lot!) more, and now it sounds exactly like I always wished it did.  Exactly!  I love the sound of everything it plays, now!  Couldn't be happier.  And I had no idea that I was a bass-head!

I’ve had my 5000’s for about 5 months now. They were purchased used, and the cans needed a little work, as did a few other things. Some additional thoughts.

1. John and Evan are very reasonable on repairs. I’ve been talking to them about updating/re-doing my old Pro-200’s and other than shipping (which isn’t their fault) it also sounds reasonable.

2. The speakers really are good. Mine are older 5000’s and I’m guessing an incremental change has been done here or there but while not perfect, they just do so much right.

3. I’m trying to decide if I think they sound better with the grills off. There is a slight difference in sound. I wish there was a really clean way to have just a black grill, that was a sock that might use a small snap ring around the top and bottom of the can. I think it could look cool, and work really well . (try to imagine a small ring that went around the top, just a sock below, and a slightly bigger snap ring that covered the bottom of the can and the bolts. Ah, how I wish I was a machinist!

4. I’m also using them in my surround sound system, still working on Audyssey XT 32 with them. I tend to like it better with it turned off for my mains, but in use for the center (ohm 3000) and rears (the micro walsh). I do have a dedicated 2 channel pre-amp and amp. I’m playing around with amps, and pre-amps just to listen for differences. I hear them for sure. BUT with the 5000’s the EQ on the back really makes differences.

I think the biggest bargain (if buying new) is probably the SC4900’s. In fact, in the right room I think using 5 of them would make for an awesome surround system.

As for John and OHM’s room suggestions... I’m torn. No question the mids and highs are all voiced the same. Bass is such a personal preference/room/floor/null’s thing. I like bass (not an absurd amount but a little hot). I’m in a finished basement so it’s carpet over concrete. My room is only 13x17x9. I run the bass/mid bass in the "middle" of the 5000’s adjustments. I have the two upper ranges on the high position. But, I have pass labs gear and my room is pretty neutral.

Oh, the live-end/dead end thing that john talks about. 100% true. Other than dispersion I have nothing in the front half of my room anymore. I have GIK panels at what would be the 2nd reflection points, which are on the side walls right in front of my listening position. I do have bass traps in the rear corners and more dispersion.

Overall, still really, really happy with them. Oh, and if you want them to play loud... they can and they just don’t compress.

There are some downsides... Fit and finish is solid, but not the absolute best out there in their price range (that is salk all day long), Wait times can be a bit sporatic and you have to get over the do they use the best drivers, capacitors etc)? I’m completely convinced on the capacitor thing now that spending a ton doesn’t make sense. I do have this twinge... wondering what John could do with a "top notch, sort of based on cost of course" woofer and tweeter.

That said, very few speakers I would rather have for under 10k. The new Salk SS 9.5 interests me, I’ve always like the JBL m2’s... other than that probably something at least like the Vandersteen Quattro CT.

I’m in Michigan, and if anyone wants a demo you can drop me a PM, happy to demo them.

Also willing to give my opinions vs a lot of other speakers I’ve owned...

Klipsch Palladium P37
Golden Ear Triton 2
Klipsch epic CF4
Salk SS8
NHT 3.3
JBL 3900
Spatial M3 S Turbo (fun, fun speaker for the money)
DynAudio Contour 60
and some older ones over the years... Klipsch Quartets, KG4, the Ohm Pro 200’s

@mapman interestingly, in the Strohbeen/Guttenberg interview, John admits he really doesn't have a system of his own.  He attends live performances regularly.  I think this affects how he voices his speakers.

On the OHM speaker website, JS indicates a resolution to update his news blog there more regularly this year. A great place to go to learn about the nuts and bolts of home sound reproduction in general as well as his specific approach with OHM.

Here’s a tidbit recently posted I found interesting:

"Speakers are designed to sound their most ‘natural’ and ‘accurate’ at a specific listening level. At Ohm, we have chosen the sound level heard on the ground floor, rows K-P in Carnegie Hall – be it a solo violinist or full orchestra and chorus. "

I find most things JS says there tend to ring true with me, which I guess helps explain why I like these speakers as much as I do.

I can't help posting:  Some times, my listening sessions seem, um, uninspired.  But then there are nights like last night.  I put together a pretty random playlist on my server.  Nearly every track was just magical.  The capper was "No Way Out" by Peter Gabriel.  Gabriel's albums can be notoriously difficult to reproduce correctly, but if your system can manage it, what can sound muddy and confused on many systems just snaps into focus and makes perfect sense.  Deep, powerful bass, expansive soundstages, and pinpoint imaging all over those soundstages.  Last night, it just clicked into place.  Gabriel's voice was natural, with spot-on transients that were neither too hot nor to recessed.  It was so good, I stopped the playlist at the end of the track, assuming no other track I had programmed could possibly equal this one, and certainly would not equal the emotional connection to the music that kept me riveted to my chair.

And all this from a pair of speakers priced way below what most audiophiles would consider the price range for "serious" loudspeakers. It bears repeating:  John Strohbeen is a master of speaker design and voicing. I only wish his show demos sounded as good as the 2000s do in my system.  

BTW, if you go to the Ohm web site, there is a Youtube link to a cool interview of John done by Steve Guttenburg.

Craigsub

👍

Snapsc ... this is a great suggestion. I did dial in the Axiom EP800 subwoofer last fall, and with a 40 Hz crossover, it has taken the listening experience to new levels. I will try to get some more information posted over the weekend. 

@craigsub

How about a final follow up on the Ohms...what do they do well...what do they do not so well....who might like them....who might not...how are they for piano? trumpet? saxaphone? female voices?  It would be great to hear your conclusions after having these for 9 months.

@bondmanp thanks for the tip....I'll check that thread out!

@tjj99... If you like this thread, check out the Micro Walsh Talls, Who's Heard Them thread, one of largest here.  Yes, Ohms respond well to gobs of power, no question.  And yes, John and everyone at Ohm are a pleasure to deal with.  My 2000s are probably my last pair of speakers.

I found this thread via a link in Ohm Acoustics periodic emailed newsletter that featured craigsub’s comments on his SSC-4900’s.  It’s been a true treat to read through all the posts.  Having been an Ohm user for almost 15 years, it’s been very rare to find much commentary online about them, especially from actual owners who are so pleased with their Ohms.  I count myself in your camp, most definitely.  With John’s patient and friendly consultations - isn’t he just great to work with?! - I purchased a MicroWalsh home theater system in 2004 (Talls, Center, Short Omni’s and SMB-10 subwoofers) and got thousands of hours of enjoyment over the the last 15 years.  Although I had a Denon AVR-3805, it turned out to be mainly 2-channel listening and I loved the sound of my Ohm’s.  We’re moving into a new home in another 6-8 weeks and my budget is a little larger than it was back then, so I am upgrading to Walsh Tall 1000’s for the front L & R as well as center (it’s a relatively small room with only 10-11 feet to the listening positions).  Ohm’s trade-in policy was definitely a blessing in this transaction: I sent in my Talls, the Center and the subwoofers a couple weeks ago and Ohm gave me very fair value.  Also, Ohm suggested that for my surround channels, my existing MicroWalsh Short Omni’s should work just fine given the room they’ll be in.  This, to me, is excellent business practice: actually help the customer, don’t just try to upsell them.  A final comment about amplification.... I am going with a Denon AVR again (this time the x4500H) for all its great processing features, WiFi and app enablement, streaming, etc.  However, a friend who’s a digital audio engineer convinced me to use the Denon’s pre-outs and get Class D amplifiers for the front L, R and center channels.  I got Crown XLS1502’s (300W into 8 ohms, 575W into 4 ohms) and while I’m waiting for my new 1000’s hooked one up to my 15-year-old MicroWalsh Omni’s.  OMG, what a revelation!  The sound is so effortless and open regardless of volume (and I cranked them pretty hard) and the bass depth and musicality is so much better and the amp isn’t even breaking a sweat.  When I mentioned in an email to Evan at Ohm my plan for using the Crowns, he replied “....we’ve been using Crowns in the lab for decades; they sound great and will take all kinds of abuse...”. So, I have new insight into why craigsub is so happy with his PSAudio monoblocks as are the others in this thread who’re feeding their Ohms with amps that have a lot of headroom.  I am thinking I might have to get another Crown to power the surrounds.  :-)

I picked up a pair of kef ls50 over the holidays as a treat replacing other older monitors.   Run them in my 12x12 office with a sub.  I like them alot especially with the sub.  My big Ohm 5s still rule though in the adjacent much larger room. Also moved the Dynaudio Contours into my wife's sunroom where they continue to impress.  My smaller Ohm 100s have found their home in our family room 2 channel a/v system where they are a perfect fit.  Everyone always in the sweet spot!

Fortunate enough to have a pair of the 5000’s that I bought used. Sent the cans into John and the team at OHM for new cans and a once-over.  I have some old OHM Pro-200's that are beaten up pretty badly and not perfect but they did so much right I decided to go all-in on some OHM's.

Pricing was very fair, turnout was very reasonable.

Waited a bit to order a center and rears. They have been ordered from John.

I can’t say enough about how happy I am with the 5000’s. Eventually I will post a review of sorts. Huge soundstage, coherent from top to bottom, plenty of bass, not harsh but all the detail I need. When I want to push them - they do not lose any composure.

I’ve had a pair of the Ohm 2000’s for about a month and they just seem to get better as time goes by. The bass on this model goes down to 32hz and that’s just about right for my tastes so I haven’t felt the need to supplement with a sub. The highs and mid range are very smooth and I can listen for hours without fatigue, from Mozart, Brubeck, Pink Floyd , Beatles no matter what I play they just fill the room with wonderful music. I still have a couple of months evaluation left but so far I don’t see me sending them back. I was in a shop about a week ago looking at amps and listened to some speakers that cost three times the Ohm 2000 and they did sound nice just not nice enough to change my mind.

Bought a pair of what I believe are Ohm sound cylinder Pro-150’s locally for $200 last weekend.  They are in good shape and I did so really without knowing anything about Ohm other than 30 minutes research afforded.  Grabbed cash and bought on-site without listening.  Since then, I have included a freshly refoamed surround Optimus SW-12 12” passive woofer I’ve had around 20 years with a small Dayton Audio 2.1 amplifier that is careful not to over drive the cylinders.  So far, I am delighted with the performance and discovey of Ohm and what simplicity does for a small system.  Its been an inexpensive way to explore and get something truly pleasant outside traditional design.

Thanks Craig,

Nice comments and review.

Are you planning on setting up a center and surrounds from OHM?

Will the sub be as a .1 for theater use only, or are you thinking of setting it up line-level and crossing it at the sub?

Always interested as to how people integrate their 2 channel and surround systems.

Michiganbuckeye (yesterday was confusing for you??) … The subwoofer conversation started as a conversation about the F-1015's and the SSC-4900. I believe the F-5015's are about $11,000 to the SSC-4900's $4900. The $6100 difference is pretty large.

I was leaning towards the F-5015's, but John was looking for exposure in something that more people could afford. We discussed the subs I have here - including one from Rythmik, one from Power Sound Audio and the Axiom. The fact that all crossover and slopes are done in the digital domain, plus the response to 13 Hz anechoically, led John to give the nod to the Axioms with his speakers.

If you upgrade your speakers, adding a sub for the 10 to 30 Hz range will make a lot of sense. That being said, the F-5015's look awesome. Either choice will probably be worth the time and money. Has John given you any suggestions yet? They are running a Black Friday deal now (got a couple of emails about this) - maybe he can get you a deal on the 5015's. 

Craigsub, thanks for the detailed 6 month ownership summary.  Curious to find out more about your conversation with John on subwoofers.  I have a pair of old Fs and am trying to decide between just updating the drivers or getting the F-5015s with the intergral subs.  The large size of my center console would place subs outside of the main speakers instead of between them if I purchased one or more separate, non-integral sub(s).  Also debating going without subs to save the $$$.

It is time for the 6 month summary of the experience our family has had with the Ohm SSC-4900's (referred to as the Ohms from now on). During these 6 months, the Ohms have had every type of music thrown at them, along with dozens of movies in two channel, and finally my kids (who are all grown) playing X-Box and Play Station games.

The Ohms are unlike any speaker we have ever had. We all have biases that "hit us" in different ways. When we first unboxed and put the Ohms into our basement system, my instant bias was that there was no way these "speakers in a can" could deliver detail. I was expecting a diffuse sound with punchy bass from the large driver. This bias turned out to be well off the mark.

The Ohms match or beat any speaker we have had here, and also any that I have auditioned at a high end store. For speakers owned, this includes Legacy Signature SE's ($8000 per pair), Klipsch La Scala II and Klipschorns, VMPS SuperTowers, PSB Stratus Goldi, Onix Reference III's, Infinity IRS Sigmas ($10,000 per pair) and numerous others. In store auditions have included Magic S-5's driven by $50,000 in McIntosh electronics, Magnepan 20.7's, Goldenear Triton Reference and Monitor Audio PL 500 II's. 

The associated system we have is a relatively modest PS Audio M700 monobloc amps (350/700 WPC into 8/4 ohms), Stellar Gain Pre-amp and DAC, and an OPPO 203 universal player. For video, we have a standard Spectrum Cable box. Both the OPPO and the Spectrum are sending a digital signal to the Stellar Gain's DAC using Pangea Coax digital cables. The entire system is about $10,000.

Let's start with detail. On Pink Floyd's The Wall, the song has a background vocal muttering something. On the Ohms, for the first time, those words are quite clear … "You … Yes You … Stand Still Laddy!". The see through quality of the Ohms is incredibly well done, yet the speakers always sound so musical. On the same disc, the guitar work on Mother is natural, and the bass depth of the guitars is palpable. 

To come up with one particular arena in which the Ohms shine would be almost impossible. Every disc we have is played with a deep, wide soundstage, a realistic spectrum starting at about 28 Hz and up to well above one's hearing abilities, and never a hint of harshness. The Ohms are a music lover's dream. They can rock with the best of them, handle male and female vocals with all the emotion intact, and are the type of speakers that make one look for reasons to lose a couple of hours listening.

They also are a tremendous experience for watching video - whether from DVD or from the Cable Box. One experience from earlier this year was watching golf after walking 18 holes with some friends. The microphone was picking up the gallery of golf fans, and one could easily hear comments from the audience members, sometimes coming what seemed behind me. Regular television is actually enhanced by these speakers. 

So - what are the caveats? The Ohms need power - good, clean power - to drive them. They won't rock in the way the Klipsch Heritage line can. Personally, I would recommend nothing short of a good 200 WPC amp to drive them. They are not the speakers that you crank for your buddies while showing them off. They are the speakers you buy because you want to experience something that is close to what you experience live. Just don't expect 120 dB in output at the listening position. Even with that Caveat, we have a pair of Stereophile Class A Klipsch La Scala II's here, and it is the Ohms to which I turn for the best music performance. 

A good subwoofer will add to the bass depth. I am a bass-aholic, and even with the knowledge that a subwoofer will add to the experience, for 6 months, we have run the Ohms without a sub, and we just plain love them. 

On a personal note, to everyone who has owned Ohms for years, and a couple of you, Decades, thanks for participating in this thread. Let's keep the conversation going. This thread has evolved from one person's long term review to a thread of Ohm owners adding their experience and expertise to the thread. You guys all are amazing! 

If anyone has a question, please ask. One of us will hopefully be able to help. 

For now, Terminator 2 is starting on cable. The Ohms are already making it better - it's a wall of sound. Time to enjoy !! 

djones51 - best of luck with the speakers.  I’m guessing the M100 will work great as will the MARS.  Seems to me to mainly help in filling the bottom end and that shouldn’t hurt what the Ohms are trying to do, since the low end isn’t directional.  Be sure to let us know on the Micromega thread.  

Craigsub,

I would agree integrating that Axiom properly with the low pass filter should produce extremely impressive results!

From my interaction with the company it looks like I need to break-in as much if not more than the speakers, since I am used to nothing but box type speakers.

That is very true! When I first got my newer OHM Walshes I was totally befuddled by what I heard and even once again later when I fed them from my current amp a pair of Bel CAnto ref1000m. That despite having owned other older OHM Walsh 2s for over twenty years. But once your ears tune into the different dimensional "omni" sound, if like me, there will be no turning back ever.

NAD amps are a very good cost effective match. Most any good quality amp will do well within its limits. The larger OHMs in particular do respond to power and current though, so I always recommend as much of both as you can throw at them.


Even at Capital Audiofest, where most vendors throw the kitchen sink into their rooms, John S. went with a very modest Outlaw amp to drive the 5015s. It sounded fine especially in the acoustically challenged "room" they were in, but I know from experience, as bondman alludes to, the OHMs will respond and sound different with most any change made upstream. I’ve heard it with even more esoteric tweaks like wires and power cords on pre-amp and DAC not to mention no two DACS, amps or pre-amps sound exactly  the same when things are set up well.

Just my two cents -- I've also posted in the Ohm Micro Tall thread -- I bought a set of Ohm 1000s that were delivered in September and have been enjoying them immensely. (There was a near 40 year gap in my Ohm ownership as I had a set of the original Fs back in the late 70s.)

The sense of real instruments in a space is the strong point of these speakers. While I admire the company's willingness to offer a 120 home trial, there are certain headaches associated with that likely prevents a lot of people from taking them up on it. (Repacking the speakers requires an advanced degree all by itself!) It's a pity that there isn't a way for someone who is simply curious about them to give them a listen outside of a formal trial purchase.

However, as I said before, these speakers are an excellent buy for anyone who is looking for a well-voiced, exteneded range floor standing speaker with a small footprint.

@bondman - I am hopeful I will be as happy as  everyone on the Ohm threads are with their speakers. From my interaction with the company it looks like I need to break-in as much if not more than the speakers,  since I am used to nothing but box type speakers.  When I was discussing amps with Evan he naturally asked what I had which is a Micromega M100 with room correction. He was not familiar with the amp but  researched it and thought it should work OK.  I mentioned my reservations concerning the room correction paired with the Ohm's and could it be utilized. He told me that yes it can be used  but in their experience concerning room correction I should try it with and without, that's when I asked what amps they liked and he said they really like the NAD I memtioned but there are a lot of amps that will work fine.  He said that in his opinion what they have found with room correction in general  is it is coming at the problems that everyday nornmal rooms have from opposite perspectives,  room correction works to remove the room  to produce a good focused listening position and the Ohm's use the room to produce a sort of whole room listening experience, but he did say as a direct answer to my question it can be used. If I end up not using the room correction I might sell the Micromega since that's one of it's main marketing points though it is a very good sounding amp so then again I might keep it.  Might not make sense but it seems like I am not using it as intended and I could probably get an amp better suited to the Ohm's which is why I was wondering what others use with theirs. Sorry for the long post. 

Having paired my 2000s with a pair of Vandersteen 2Wq subs (with battery-biased crossovers) since I got the Ohm's, I can fully agree with craigsub that adding powered subs to Ohm's, if done properly, takes the Ohms to a whole new level.  Go for it!

Mamboni - I have an Axiom EP-800 subwoofer that will eventually be added to the mix. It's a dual 12 inch, sealed subwoofer that is flat anechoically to 13 Hz. I have some pretty good measuring hear at the house, and in our room, the unit provides a flat response to about 10Hz.

Even more important, all signal processing is done via DSP, and a low pass can be set at 30 Hz, perfect to match up with the SSC4900's. The bass quality, to my ears, exceeds even the JL Audio Gotham/Fathom series, and this will allow the Ohm's to enter what one would consider "super speaker" territory.

I haven't matched it in yet, as the review was just for the speakers, which do very well to the upper 20's in bass. John and I talked about this last March, and he is honest to the point where he said adding one of his subs would probably not make for better than what the Axioms would do. And this was also done in the context that I was willing to get a pair of the 5015's (with built in 15 inch subs) at the time.

@djones  - As a happy 2000 owner for 9 years, I expect you will enjoy your new speakers.  But please let them break in as per Ohm's instructions.  And while they work well with a wide range of electronics, they will respond well to improvements in associated gear.

I'm now driving the Ohms with the Wyred 4 Sound ST-1000 class D amp and they are an excellent match. As the Ohm 5000s have a nominal 6 ohm impedance and an easy load, the ST1000s are effectively good for 750+ watts per channel - they are never really taxed in my 14 X 17 X 8 bedroom. The room enjoys a fortuitous acoustic as there are three large closets and two alcoves connecting to it, and dormers on one wall for truncated corners. It's an old 1930s house, very solid with plaster walls. There are no audible standing waves - the bass is nicely uniform and extended. And I can play the Ohms as loud as I want at any hour with nary a sound detectable outside. Because the enormous power reserves, the Ohms sound effortless. As it is a short line source it works well in this smallish room. Few loudspeakers of comparable sound output could work well in a small room as the Ohms do. They sound indistinguishable from mini monitors at low volumes.

Wonerful post mamboni, I hope the 2000’s I ordered give me half the pleasure your 5000’s have given you. May I ask are you still using Rotel for amps? I was a bit surprised when I asked Evan what amps they voiced the speakers with, he didn’t exactly say but did say they really liked the NAD C388 with them. I guess the smaller 2000 speakers not sure that would drive the 5000’s. The other amps he mentioned were modest priced amps as well. Actually this thread  and one other on the OHM' s why I decided to try them. 

@craigsub

As you no doubt know, the bass output of the Ohms will depend to a large degree on their proximity to the front wall - positioning is a compromise between imaging and bass. You must really love your deep bass if you find the SSC lacking as it's low frequency output is similar to my Walsh 5000, being nearly flat in room to 20 Hz! Personally, if I were you I would supplement the SSC with a supersubwoofer to handle the 13 - 20 hz range. Below that you risk shaking your home to pieces!

Little known fact: Mamboni’s posts were a big part in my deciding to give newer OHM Walsh speakers a chance back in ~ 2008. I love mine  (series 3, one generation older than current) still for all the same reasons and find it hard to stay as immersed with most any box speaker for any prolonged period of time when it comes to serious listening.

Mamboni - Thank you for one of the BEST posts I have read on an Audio Forum EVER. I am planning on a final write up to be posted this Sunday, and our experiences are pretty close. In the last 2 months, I have auditioned Maggie 20.7's, Magico S-5's, Monitor Audio Platinum PL500 II Towers ($27,000 per pair) and GoldenEar Triton Reference. 

The Ohm's have the depth of the Maggies, the dynamics of the Magico's, and just lack a bit of bass in contrast to the Monitor Audio and GoldenEar speakers. 

There are no regrets in this purchase, and the Ohms are staying in our system. 

Circa 1989 I was living in NYC doing my medical residency. I didn't own a stereo system and never desired to - reproduced music didn't do it for me. I was an amateur musician playing dozens of concerts every year since high school all through college and med school with various symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles and wind bands - I was always saturated with live acoustic music.

A musician friend invited me to his home to listen to some vinyl on his Vandie CEs driven by Manley tubes:  I was hooked!  I didn't know reproduced music could sound that real. I spent the next few weeks visiting various stereo salons around Manhattan listening to monitors, floor standers, electrostats and planars. None of them really grabbed me: they all sounded like boxes and gadgets making sounds - I didn't hear the live acoustic my ears were accustomed to. I recall that in the sweet spot the Vandies came close - in the sweet spot. Also the B&W 801 were very nice - but not in my budget nor WAF. There was a Newmark & Lewis across the street from my apartment on Park Ave IIRC midtown so I meandered in one day and asked the kid to play some loudspeakers. No magic occurred. Then I spotted these cyclindrical loudspeakers - hmm - intrigued I asked the kid what they were. He said they're Ohms (pro-200 sound cyclinders). He turned them on and whamo; I heard that live airy acoustic that I was immersed in daily at rehearsals. The speakers disappeared and the music just floated above and behind them - effortless, detailed yet natural, just lovely.

I bought those cylinders and boy oh boy did I did I go to town building a library of recordings to play on them. I was driving them with a first generation Sony CD player (oh Lord did it sound bad on certain classical recordings) or turn table and a JC Penny receiver. I loved my sound cyclinders. I proceeded to read Absolute Sound and learned about the Walsh 5's - they became my dream loudspeaker. When we moved to LINY in 1990 I got the big house and nice size den. Two years later I spotted an ad - someone in Florida selling a used pair of Walsh 5's for $2400. Bam- I called the guy, made the deal and sent the check. Two weeks later they arrive - in cardboard boxes badly damaged by UPS ( the idiot delegated the job of shipping to his wife who packed the Walshs in boxes filled with just styrofoam peanuts!  UPS (pronounced OOPS) finished the job all but destroying my beloved Walshs). One can was partly collapsed. One cabinet corner was pulverized. Damage everywhere. I was upset but I had to hear them! I propped one speaker on some books, checked the speaker terminals with an ohm meter, then hooked them up to my Rotels. Wow - they sounded amazing. Just beautiiful - a big wide deep airy soundstage and a bottom octave I had never heard before. You know I listened to them, beaten and bruised they were, for days and debated whether to get them repaired because I didn't want to live without them! 

Eventually, I called Ohm and told John my tale of woe and he chuckled, unsurprised by the UPS gorillas. He assured me that he could make them right - and so he did! I drove those babies to the factory in Brooklyn myself and John was so gracious to me - he gave me a tour of the factory and I had a wonderful day surrounded by parts and gadgets and speakers. Long story short I eventually got my Walsh 5s back, all fixed up and pretty and was thrilled with them for years. I eventually upgrade to the Walsh 5 Series 3 (improvement!) and circa 2011 the Walsh 5000s (big improvement) and I am listening to these amazing loudspeakers playing a Haydn organ concerto as I type this long winded response. These speakers make music. I listen to them at least 3 hours per day as I am retired from my practice - life is good.

The thing about John - you can tell that loves building speakers. And he has a amazingly analytic ear - he can listen to a loudspeaker and describe it's frequency response, power response and damping/alignment without needing a measuring device. It has been said that Tchaikovsky and Schubert were incapable of composing a tune that wasn't beautiful and memorable. I think John has that gift vis-a-vis voicing a loudspeaker. Not only do his loudspeakers always sound musical - they are also rock solid reliable. I have never had an issue with the Walshs I've owned - and I drive them hard sometimes. Lately though, I'm thinking about buying a backup pair of head units for the Walsh 5000s, just in case! I could not go a day without listening to them make fine music

To the OP - you have made a wise choice in loudspeaker with the Ohms.

Polarin, nice on the Duevel Planets. I bought Venus back in
June and they have been really enjoyable. Very similar to Ohms in many ways, but have to give the nod to the Venus overall, probably why I ended up with them. The Ohms too are certainly very enjoyable speakers too.

Roysq … We are getting close to doing a formal write up on the SSC-4900's. Unfortunately, I don't know of a way to post pictures into this forum. Does anyone know how?

You can look for a formal write up over the Thanksgiving Holiday, when I finally have some time. I bought a "distressed" Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram dealership in October, 2017, and this summer was a lot more work than I anticipated. 

For now, I can say I absolutely LOVE these speakers. Every chance I get to try new music, I do. And what they do with old rock favorites like Pink Floyd and Supertramp is astonishing. Deep, tight bass. A soundstage that is MASSIVE. The clarity of vocals is world class. 

They are more power hungry than the Legacy Signature SE's or Axiom M100's, but the PS Audio M700's are more than enough - and for under $10,000 for the total system, the PS Audio Pre, M700's and Ohm's are fantastic. 

Many years ago, my favorite speaker was the Ohm A.....you needed vast amounts of power to properly drive it, so I didn't own them.

@craigsub 

Would love an update on the 4900's  Really your whole set-up.  Pros/Cons vs your other speakers as you have a ton it seems?   The PSaudio amps, how are they now that you have had them for a while.  Always a bit scared of class D?

Even pictures.  Considering some Walsh Talls, or the 4900's as you have.  So, an update with some of the above thoughts if you don't mind.