Ohm A's -- LA / Eagle Rock CL

[bshorey]

Hi bshorey:

Thanks for the tips and thanks for the offer. I will DEFINITELY keep you in mind. If the VC is sagging, will that be audible? How efficient are they? And, assuming the amp is operating properly, what should they sound like?

Sam.

If the VC is sagging, they'll probably work, but you risk doing further damage, especially if the surrounds are shot. Check the surrounds first, I'm guessing they'll be completely rotted out after almost 40 years.

They are terribly inefficient. The F's really need 200 - 300 wpc to drive them, the A's need even more. They don't like to be clipped. They sound like any Walsh speaker, they radiate sound 360 degrees. They don't have great high frequency response, as the large driver produces all the lows as well as the highs. They don't have any crossover distortion, because they don't have any crossovers.

I wish one of you guys would just go get the darn things, and figure out of you like them/want them later! (Hopefully not..).



bs

 

[tubed]

Ohm A Early 1970s 100-300 watts recommended amplification 8 ohms 25-17k hz 78 db sensitivity
recommended room size 200-600sq '
MSRP $3995

 

[SoCal Sam]

I heard back from the seller. He says he has received a couple of paypal offers. He wants me to beat the other offers. Not looking good...

 

[bshorey]

I heard back from the seller. He says he has received a couple of paypal offers. He wants me to beat the other offers. Not looking good...

And he said the same to me. I think that he's playing you against me. As much as I want these, I'm not going to get into a bidding war on CL. So, you now know I'm begging out, stand your ground and see if he lets you have them.

Again, if you find they're more than you bargained for, *please* keep me in mind.

Sigh..

bs

 

[Bigears]

I heard back from the seller. He says he has received a couple of paypal offers. He wants me to beat the other offers. Not looking good...

Just as well Sam, once you wire them up to that stack of arc welders you call amplifiers they will be nothing but piles of smoking embers anyway.

 

[bshorey]

I heard back from the seller. He says he has received a couple of paypal offers. He wants me to beat the other offers. Not looking good...

Sam,

The seller contacted me, and was quite open with the fact that you were the other person interested (he didn't let on that he'd asked you to make an offer). I told him I had a friend on an audio list who might be trying to buy them for me, and I didn't want to get into a bidding war with somebody that might potentially be myself. His last communication asked if he should just go ahead and do the deal with you, and I told him to go ahead.

So, please fetch them, and again, please, please, keep me in mind if you find they're not for you.

Good luck,

bs

 

[chrisjlaw]

If you read the listing carefully it seems that the seller has only an orphaned speaker for sale......Is this actually the case?

 

[SoCal Sam]

If you read the listing carefully it seems that the seller has only an orphaned speaker for sale......Is this actually the case?

No, he has a pair. I have an appointment to view them tomorrow.

 

[dragon]

If you read the listing carefully it seems that the seller has only an orphaned speaker for sale......Is this actually the case?

I was wondering about that too. But still a good deal on one as long as the VC not wasted or the cone crushed. I'll attach a photo of a Ohm A for those who have never seen one.

 

[tubed]

No, he has a pair. I have an appointment to view them tomorrow.

According to the literature on Ohm's site the drivers are 18" in diameter. they must be an awesome sight...I'll help you patch that ding:yes:

 

[SoCal Sam]

I was wondering about that too. But still a good deal on one as long as the VC not wasted or the cone crushed. I'll attach a photo of a Ohm A for those who have never seen one.

The guy tells me one of them quit working and the fuse was not blown.

 

[SoCal Sam]

According to the literature on Ohm's site the drivers are 18" in diameter. they must be an awesome sight...I'll help you patch that ding:yes:

You on! Help is much appreciated!!:thmbsp:

 

[dragon]

The guy tells me one of them quit working and the fuse was not blown.

I'm guessing that the VC is fried or the core piece of the magnet has broken free and has 'magnet shift'. Look inside the cone and if the gap looks off center then the magnet will need to be repaired. The epoxy can fail after 35 -40 years. The photo I attached shows 2 mags from a pair of Ohm F's, one is good and the other has mag shift. The gap should look evenly spaced around the magnet's core piece.
If there is mag shift then don't attempt to move the cone. That will finish off the voice coil for sure if it's not already crushed.
If they both look OK it's probably a fried voice coil or the spider has saged so far that the voice coil has fallen out of the magnetic gap. The only other thing it could be is the wiring. Switch drivers on the cabinets and see if it plays when switched. If it does then it's the wiring in the cab or wire connectors.

 

[dragon]

According to the literature on Ohm's site the drivers are 18" in diameter. they must be an awesome sight...I'll help you patch that ding:yes:

How do you patch a ding?

 

[tubed]

Hi Dragon. I was refering to the damage to the cabinet. The pictures you've given us seem to reveal you have intimate exposure to these speakers. When in proper working order to what extent would they impress maybe a seasoned veteran? Are they fixable without the dealers help? Thanks

 

[SoCal Sam]

I'm guessing that the VC is fried or the core piece of the magnet has broken free and has 'magnet shift'. Look inside the cone and if the gap looks off center then the magnet will need to be repaired. The epoxy can fail after 35 -40 years. The photo I attached shows 2 mags from a pair of Ohm F's, one is good and the other has mag shift. The gap should look evenly spaced around the magnet's core piece.
If there is mag shift then don't attempt to move the cone. That will finish off the voice coil for sure if it's not already crushed.
If they both look OK it's probably a fried voice coil or the spider has saged so far that the voice coil has fallen out of the magnetic gap. The only other thing it could be is the wiring. Switch drivers on the cabinets and see if it plays when switched. If it does then it's the wiring in the cab or wire connectors.

Thanks for the pics and tips. Very helpful.

 

[iflopdanutz]

 

[dragon]

Hi Dragon. I was refering to the damage to the cabinet. The pictures you've given us seem to reveal you have intimate exposure to these speakers. When in proper working order to what extent would they impress maybe a seasoned veteran? Are they fixable without the dealers help? Thanks

Oh, a ding in the cabinet. I thought you had a trick for fixing a ding in the cones. My mistake.
For me, the F's are the most enjoyable speakers to work on (never worked on the A's). The first time I tore one apart was a little scary but I like repairing speakers and don't view it as a chore. If you've replaced foam surrounds on a typical woofer without getting too stressed then you can on these yourself too. It requires a few extra steps but no rocket science. If you have to replace the voice coils and don't have any reconing experience, you may be better off leaving that to someone else.
How impressed you'll be with the sound depends on your music preferences. They will amaze you on some music and not so much on others. I listen to classic rock about 95% of the time and one song on a disc will carry you away and another song on the same disc will leave you unimpressed. There’s no sweet spot with these speakers. You can be sitting, standing or walking around the listening room and it’s all good. For me a big portion of the enjoyment comes from the unique looks and function of these speakers.

 

[dragon]

No, he has a pair. I have an appointment to view them tomorrow.

Update! Update! Update! Update!

 

[Susurus]

Unlike ribbons, there is an upper limit. Too little and they don't open up. Too much current and they fry. Keep within the narrow band. A restoration of F's by Holt(?) is a great thread.

Nice Holy Grails there! Portions of the cone are Ti, Al, and what else?

I'm sitting with a Holy Grail here courtesy of a capture and 'Pony Express' with Speakerlabfan and Ka888's help recently.