Omnidirectional speakers?

[Dusty Chalk]

My next set of speakers will probably be omnidirectional -- I'm just not much of a speaker listener, I do my critical listening on headphones, so speakers tend to be when I'm up and moving about [post-shower, etc.]. So which ones should be on my list?

MBL
Shahinian

Anything else?

[Gary]

All I know is that the MBL 111B received a write up in Sterophile of August 2002. I've not heard any, though.

[Pinknik]

MBL's seem ratha pricey for a speaker you'll only listen to now and then. What's wrong with your Dynaudio's? Why omni-directional? Just askin is all.

[Dusty Chalk]

Nuthin' wrong with my Dynaudios -- I love 'em. Will probably keep 'em when I get the (probably) Shahinians. It's just that 99% of the time, they're not facing the right direction (I stand right in front of them 1% of the time). I'm trying to come up with a scenario where they're pointing in the right direction most of the time, and I just can't do it. And I don't want to set them up right for 1 of the 2 most frequently assumed positions, as it will totally ruin the other.

Nothing wrong with trying to improve my listening experience, is there?

Look (http://www.elac.com/en/products/six100/4piplus_2.html), they even have omnidirectional supertweeters now.

[KT88]

omni's take a very large space but they can be wicked good if they are of the same quality. The only ones that fit that dezscription are the MBLs. B&O have a funky little set also.
-Bill

[Pinknik]

Nothing wrong with trying to improve my listening experience, is there?



Nothing in the least. I was just trying to figure out your reasoning. I've only ever heard the MBL's, and I don't believe I was hearing them at their best, as they were good, but nothing special. From what I've read, and what they cost, they should be special. I've read good things about the Shahinian's as well, but haven't heard them, same for the B&O speakers. If you finally get one of them, let us know how it turns out.

[Dusty Chalk]

Abso-definitely.

[Rivendell61]

The B&O Beolab 5's are interesting:
http://www.beoworld.co.uk/beolab5.htm

Not really omni, I think they claim 'hemi-directional'.

Mark

[Dusty Chalk]

Thanks for the add.

I'm trying to remember the name of that one Japanese one I kept seeing in MJ Audio. Anyone know? It had a sensitivity of like 70 (yes, I know -- terrible -- it was still supposed to sound good). EDIT: Murata (http://www.murata.com/speaker/es024.html)

For those keeping score, I'm also adding the Duevel Bella Luna (http://www.cd-konzert.de/Produkte/Ebellaluna_st.htm) and a kit called Fontana (http://www.visaton.com/english/uebersicht/6_26_u.html).

[Taurus]

How about the classic "Walsh" series from Ohm Acoustics (http://www.ohmspeaker.com/)? Or Mirage's "Omni" (http://miragespeakers.com/omni260.shtml#) series.

[Mick Jones]

Omnidirectional speakers eh? Some of the very worst speakers that I ever heard were the old Swedish Sonab omnidirectional ones. You got an array of tweeters firing out in all directions and upward firing woofers! The more you paid, the more of these tweeters and woofers there seemed to be. I can certainly remember hearing models with about five tweeters. They all had a really bizarre soundstage. Images of Sonab speakers below are from a recent eBay UK auction - they sold for all of 67 pounds sterling (about $125).

[Magnus A.]

You may be interested in trying to find a pair in the more expensive range of Carlsson ortho-acoustic loudspeakers, based on his controversial principle of omnidirectional sound radiation.

Website dedicated to Stig Carlsson and his speakers (http://www.carlssonplanet.com/index.asp?lang=en)

Carlsson was head of the Electro-Acoustic Laboratory at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Stig Carlsson’s ortho-acoustic theory (http://www.carlssonplanet.com/artiklar/Carlsson_Ortho.PDF)

Review of Carlsson’s Sonab OA-52.2 speakers in Hi-Fi Choice (http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/archive/perl/600_printreview.htm)

[tomcat]

The B&O Beolab 5's are interesting... Not really omni, I think they claim 'hemi-directional'.

Aren't there terrible resonances with those aluminum "hats"? Can this sound any good? Just asking...

[ZenArcher]

Look at Mirage Omnisat system - there are several reasonably priced options.

I use them for my rear channels, but have experimented with them as main speakers. They do a good job of "filling the room with sound" and sound pretty accurate to me.

[Mick Jones]

Aren't there terrible resonances with those aluminum "hats"? Can this sound any good? Just asking...

I think that you are somewhat missing the point here. Omnidirectional speakers aren't meant to sound any good, just equally bad from lots of different directions!

[Aman]

How about the classic "Walsh" series from Ohm Acoustics (http://www.ohmspeaker.com/)? Or Mirage's "Omni" (http://miragespeakers.com/omni260.shtml#) series.
I have the MicroWalsh series and I LOVE IT! Highly recommended.

[Mike F]

MBL's seem ratha pricey for a speaker you'll only listen to now and then.
They only start at around $20,000 for floorstanders, $10,000 for stand mounts. :p
And who knows what you'll spend on QUALITY amplification to drive 81dB (in)sensitive speakers. :thumbsdn:

I'll bet they sound sweet under the proper conditions though! :)

[MikeyH]

I think that you are somewhat missing the point here. Omnidirectional speakers aren't meant to sound any good, just equally bad from lots of different directions!

Takes me back to the 70s in UK Dixons (think Radio Shack in the UK..). New Sonab system, playing Cat Stevens and Lindisfarne. My first non-radiogram record reproduction, and it was fabulous.

Agreed, the stereo is 'diffuse' at best but those Sonabs really weren't too bad in terms of clarity and detail. They definitely got the sound of Moonshadow out.

Way better than the similarly sized and layout Bose coffin boxes. I know, I've got some and they're nasty.

[soundboy]

Mirage's upcoming OM series....mucho $$$$

http://www.soundstageav.com/audiovideonews/pics/20064_mirage.jpg

[Mick Jones]

Takes me back to the 70s in UK Dixons...

Oh no I'm having 1970s flashbacks...Comet, Dixons, Laskys...Garrard SP25 decks, Amstrad tuner/amps, Sonab speakers...Dark Side of the Moon played at every demo...aah make it stop!

[Sarchi]

If you want to experiment with an outstanding speaker that has really good dispersion characteristics, I'd recommend:

Order a pair of the Visaton B200 drivers (96dB/1w, about $140 each)
Go to Home Depot and get some 3/" MDF
Knock up a pair of open baffles, a la "Darkstar" (see the Red Wine Audio forum for details)
I have these on a temporary swap and they are absolutely stunning. I've heard them in a large space and they did brilliantly at retaining stage and scale as you moved around the room.

Ymmv..

[KT88]

One of the moderators on the head-Fi.org site has just bought a pair. He says they are awesome and after speaking at length with him, I am confident of his assessment.
-Bill

[Sarchi]

They are truly special drivers, and ridiculous at the price. Everyone should try them. :)

They remind me of everything I loved about Lowthers--- speed, detail, dynamics, "drama"...they make music and are never boring. They allow your amp to breathe. AND, with apparently none of the horn loading issues.

[Ski Bum]

MBL's seem ratha pricey for a speaker you'll only listen to now and then. What's wrong with your Dynaudio's? Why omni-directional? Just askin is all.
I believe they MBL line of speakers range from about $20,000 to more than $50,000. Not exactly a casual purchase. IIRC MBL's top of the line electronics are even more expensive.

Jonathan Valin of The Absolute Sound has been gushing praise over the MBL speakers and electronics for a while now. OTOH, HP is gushing his praise over other stuff. I heard the MBL Radialstrahlers (sp?) at HE2005 and thought they were quite good, but I liked the big Von Schweikerts better (admittedly, not a bargain purchase either). I'd be glad to do a more careful comparison in extended home auditions if anyone would care to arrange it. ;)

In any event, in the price range that you are probably actually considering, I'd get conventional speakers and not worry about wandering out of the sweet spot.

[visprashyana]

The Heil speakers were some of the best that I heard at last year's Munich show. I don't remember who distributes them in the US, but they were very fast and pretty musical. I think this design can actually be very good even though I am not a fan of the MBL sound. They may sound good in a theater, but they are extremely bright in a normal sized room. Heil makes several models and they aren't crazy expensive.