High-Efficiency Single Driver Speaker System

Germanboxers really said it all in his response.

I converted to a Single Drive Low Watt setup last year. Mentally it was a big step and truthfully, I don't think I could have done it if I hadn't gotten a chance to hear this approach before I took the plunge. After having lived with my setup now, I'm a total convert.

What I get with my single drive Omegas is a speed, coherency and a very unbox like sound with the best soundstaging and imaging capabilities of any speakers I've owned. I have two systems set up, besides my Omega Decware system, I have another that I rotate Kef LS50's and Harbeth P3ESR's in and out of. I have to say, it's hard to listen to the Kefs and Harbeths after listening to the Omegas. Both sound slow, boxy and very discontinuous. It's like you can hear the transition from the midrange to the tweeter and I also hear an odd phasiness with those speakers that the Omegas don't have. It's common for two way speakers to have the tweeters wired out of phase with the woofers and both the Kefs and Harbeths are designed this way. It's possible that I can now hear this after living with the Omegas. Before I owned the Omegas, I never even heard these colorations, now they jump out at me instantly. When listening to the Omegas I am often reminded of the sound I used to get with some Magnepans I used to have.

That said, I can understand where the single driver concept isn't for everyone. Shortcomings of my system and I can easily live with them is that the sound ultimately isn't as big or with the impact of traditional speakers. After all, this is a single small driver and at the end of the day, it's not going to move as much air as a big multi way system. For me, it's not an issue, but for others, I could understand how it could be. I know some people play their music quite loud and for those folks, I'm sure some of them would miss some of the big sound you get from multiple driver setups.

Also, ultimate bass response is limited. According to my SPL meter, in my room, my Omega's start to roll off right at 60hz. I'm not a bass freak so it's not a big deal and there are other single driver speakers with larger drivers so as you move up in driver size, this should become less of an issue.

Don't get me wrong, my system will play loud and with impact, but if you are the type of person that blasts Midnight Oil with 100db+ peaks, you'll notice that they don't have the slam that a comparable well designed two way with bigger drivers has.

As far as music styles, I'm all over the place. Basically everything except for hardcore rap and heavy metal.

Today I sold a turntable on Craigslist. Guy who bought it came to pick it up (he's got a vintage Mcintosh tube system) and didn't really know anything about the flea power single driver approach. Before telling him that my equipment was two watts and one little driver, I played a song for him. After a minute, I took the grills off and said, "this is just a single driver crossoverless speaker" and I told him the amp powering it was two watts.

He got a funny look on his face and thought I was playing tricks on him. Wanted to know if my corner room treatments were actually the speakers or if there was some more drivers on the back of the Omegas. He seemed to really be impressed and just kept smiling.

Good luck with your decision and let us know how it ends up.

I also agree that Germanboxers is spot-on with his response.

Join the Dark Side!

Seikosa---thanks for your thorough insight and for listing the shortcomings of a Single Driver system as well as the advantages. Taking the plunge is tempting, but not without trepidation considering I've yet to hear this type of system with my own ears---only read reviews and feedback from other audiophiles like yourself and Germanboxers. My musical taste are very similar, but I occasionally like to turn it up and hear deep, distinct notes on both upright bass and bass guitar. Thank you both and I'll keep you posted.

My 4" Merrill drivers really roll off in the lows. However, you wouldn't guess it while listening. The bass you can get out of a quarter wave design is astounding! Every person that has ever heard them goes looking for the subwoofer. The highs literally "float" up to about 15khz. The sound is so fluid and seamless. Since this is my office system, I can listen 30-40 hours a week. I never tire/fatigue from the sound.
This is all driven by a 12 watt vintage Masterwork receiver.

Are single drivers the end-all? Probably not. I've got a fairly robust theater at home running 2000 watts to shake the house. It's fun and can be overwhelming. Great for SACD's too. However, my Sota table mates better with the work system.

If you made me choose-I would have a really hard time deciding between a Coincident 5 channel system and my Merrill Zigmahornets...try it for yourself.

I listen to jazz, classical & rock and while I'm not very good at describing sound like those posts before mine, I just know it when its right. Having said that, I owned a very rare pair of wide baffle Omega Grande 8's several years ago, had them for a couple of years and then sold them. In the interim I had a couple pair of nice 2 way British monitor speakers (Celestion 100s & Linn Helix LS150s) and now I've recently re-purchased my old Omegas.

Also, several years back I had the opportunity to hear a bunch of different systems at The Vacuum Tube Valley show in Central NJ. I heard PP & SET systems that used KT88's, EL34s, 6L6s, EL84s, 6BG4s, 300Bs, 2A3's, 45s, 50s, 10s as well as Class D amps w/tube preamps. My overall favorite was the one with the lowest power, an SET amp, played on a single driver pair of Beauhorns. Next, I liked the digital amp/tube preamp with a pair of single driver Omegas and next were the Omegas being played on an EL84 Dyna mark II remake. I don't know how to describe it, much more immediacy and it just sounded right. Single driver speakers and Single ended tube amps (hence my a'gon name) just sounds the best to me. Horn speakers on SE amps also sound great as well.