Ohm Walsh 3 that are actually Ohm Walsh 2

ScooterMcTav

I know less than I think
Hey folks,

Was fortunate to find a set of Ohm Walsh 3 speakers locally, but am confused as they do not have the third "Perspective Control" - just the high and low switches.

Anyone else seen this?
 
Dimension wise they seem a little off too. Seem closer in size to a 2 than a 3 though the clearly original badges say 3
 
Dimension wise they seem a little off too. Seem closer in size to a 2 than a 3 though the clearly original badges say 3

I think you have Walsh 2s since they only had the two controls. I'd call Ohm. The owner John Strohbeen will likely answer and could certainly tell you more about your speakers. Ohm still supports and offers upgrades to most of their old speakers. Properly working, whether they are 2s or 3s, they are an excellent speaker that do a lot of things well. I have Walsh 3s and they make it into my rotation with my ESL63s and Magnepans.
 
Thanks Bhunter. For all intensive purposes they appear to be 2s, yet the badging is clearly 3.

I will drop Ohm a note to see what they say.
 
Believe it if not, they are 12 x 12 x 33.

Talking with John at Ohm to see if we can figure it out. Will be sending him more formal measurements and some pics when I get back home Tuesday.

From a listening perspective, these speakers are very nice. Much more refined than my other omnipolars, a set of Energy OM-10
 
Wow that is strange, maybe they were trying out different designs and you got one that didnt get marketed. as long as they sound good thats what counts. my 2XOs are my favorite speaker.
 
Well this is also interesting:

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So the Walsh3 is supposed to be 8 ohm. This is certainly an odd speaker set.
 
Well the official measurements were 11 5/8 x 11 5/8 x 32. John identified these as Canadian Ohm Walsh 3 which are the same as US Ohm Walsh 2.

For some reason, they issued them as 3 in Canada, then decided to launch a Walsh 3 in the US.

So, my Ohm Walsh 3s are 2s.
 
Well the official measurements were 11 5/8 x 11 5/8 x 32. John identified these as Canadian Ohm Walsh 3 which are the same as US Ohm Walsh 2.

For some reason, they issued them as 3 in Canada, then decided to launch a Walsh 3 in the US.

So, my Ohm Walsh 3s are 2s.

Mystery solved. How do you like them?
 
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Here's the feedback I sent John:

Picked these up based on the love for them at AK, and their interesting aesthetic. Like most audio enthusiasts, I'm always looking for the "right" sound, and have started listening to different designs just to see if they suit my room or ear better.

Hooked up to a Musical Fidelity a3.2, these guys sound pretty super. They manage to have good mid presence without being too overbearing, or too laid back (I have a set of Soliloquy which are the former, and a set of Wharfedale which are the latter).

However, this is the first time I have listened to a speaker which is near full range on the woofer - the benefit of this high crossover on vocals is apparent and immediate.

Also gave them a solid workout with some dance music, and was thoroughly impressed at all he coherence of the sound. Equally impressive was the depth and pace of the bass - the woofers never lagged, and returned all but the lowest notes.

The only other non-direct speakers I own are a set of Mirage OM-10. Compared to the Ohm, they sound harsh, with an overly broad and diffuse soundstage. That the Ohm manage to provide spacious sound without destroying the soundstage is impressive to say the least.

Consider me a fan - these little guys may make a trip into the tube rig sometime soon to see what they can do there. And despite all the effusive praise I've lavished above, the most impressive quality of these speakers is that they are fundamentally listenable. Surprising how rare that is to come by these days.
 
Well the official measurements were 11 5/8 x 11 5/8 x 32. John identified these as Canadian Ohm Walsh 3 which are the same as US Ohm Walsh 2.

For some reason, they issued them as 3 in Canada, then decided to launch a Walsh 3 in the US.

So, my Ohm Walsh 3s are 2s.

Very interesting. Thanks for following up on this. Too bad they're not typical 3's as you'd be getting increased frequency response in the highs and lows, but as you summarized, the 2's are excellent speakers as well. Glad you like them.
 
Mystery solved. Hoe do you like them?

Forgot to quote you bhunter. See my response above.

Very interesting. Thanks for following up on this. Too bad they're not typical 3's as you'd be getting increased frequency response in the highs and lows, but as you summarized, the 2's are excellent speakers as well. Glad you like them.

Yes, I was a little disappointed as well, as I had assumed a Walsh 3 was a Walsh 3. I actually paid the guy above his asking price to secure them, and with the understanding that a set of Walsh 3 were, well, Walsh 3s.

That being said, with the highs and lows in the average position, I did find them a bit underwhelming. When I moved both to the increase position, I found the top end now had adequate dynamics, as did the bass.

Not that I would mind a few more SPLs in the 30-40Hz range, but the down firing port takes good advantage of my room's acoustic limitations.

However, even though I own speakers that return more HF information, and own speakers that rumble somewhat better, these Ohms are just simply bloody engaging. Listening to Richie Sambora's "Undiscovered Soul" disc last night, and was fully immersed in the track "All that Really Matters". Great warmth on the vocals without losing Richie's rasp, enough high-level dynamics to make cymbals sound like cymbals, and nice warm tones from the bass. Have I heard this song more clinically? Yes. Have I heard it more enjoyably? That's a tougher question. Although I'd describe the sound as "soft", it also had a certain "rightness" to it.

Also seems to be a good fit for the Musical Fidelity a3.2. Although some have described this receiver as tube-like, I have always found it a bit mid forward. The Ohms tame this nicely, and lap up the 185W it can push into 4 ohm loads.
 
I use both my 500C and 8B (4ohm taps) with the 2XO's and they sound damn good. the 2's are more power hungry but i would think your Jolida would drive them.

I have yet to find a set of speakers the Jolida won't drive adequately, especially at the somewhat reduced volume my 40-something ears now require. That being said, I do have some curiosity how well they would work with the mid-forward nature of the Jolida. I actually pulled my "best" speakers (Soliloquy 6.2) off the tube rig and put in a set of Wharfedale Diamond 10.6, as I was tired of the mid sizzle causing tinnitus, and the difficulty I had coaxing bass out of the Sols. A much easier, if less clinical listen.
 
After some longer term listening, I felt I had to post an update.

Unfortunately, the fact my DW could not put decor on the Ohms caused them to be banished to the basement, and my stereo tube rig. Also, we have a "cold" living room color palette, so the brown grille covers and walnut veneer did not meet her color standards.

So, sitting in a wood-walled (tongue and groove cedar) inert room, the Ohms still sound great. That being said, I thought that they were the best speaker I had ever heard for placement in a "lively" room. In the inert room, they lose some of their liveliness, and settle down into being merely excellent. Part of this may also be the more muted dynamics of my Jolida tube amp (specifically tubed with "warm" tubes) vs. the more forward MF a3.2.

Interestingly enough, I was doing an A/B with my $2,300 Soliloquy 6.2, and my wife immediately expressed a dislike for the Sols vs. the Ohms. in her words, the Sols sounded "ting, ting, ting-y".

And maybe that's the best way to describe the Ohms. They sound nice, throw a wide, non-offensive soundstage, and have excellent musicality. They seem like the best of both worlds - a wide listening area with huge sound like bipolars, but not at the expense of losing some shape to the sound stage. Natural and musical sound, with enough precision to be accurate, but not so excessively detailed that it becomes a distraction.

Bass is sufficient for all but the most dedicated bass-heads, and is surprisingly plentiful and deep without damaging the quality of the midrange.

Nice speakers that I will likely never part with. If you have a chance to grab a set in decent condition, do so. They may be "less" than other speakers in specific ways, but the sum of their parts makes them "more" than any other speaker I've heard in their price range.
 
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