Ohm CS info

[bre's dad]

I'm looking at a set of Ohm CS speakers and am trying to find info on them. The Ohm website lits three versions (SCS, SCT, SCT+). I'm assuming these are the SCS but not sure. Ad only list them as CS. Anyone have experience with these? How do they sound or compare to OHm 2's? Closest thing I might have are some DCM Time Window 3's (I've been told the 3's and the Ohm 2 are a close compare.) I'll probably run them from a Pioneer SX-1080 or my McIntosh C28/MC2105, if the wife will allow them in the living room.

 

[wualta]

You're talking about the Sound Cylinder series. I like mine, but as with any speaker, you'll want to listen before you buy. The only way to tell the models apart is by height. The info currently on the Ohm site is contradicted by the extant brochure(s) describing the line. I have the short ones and like them, but they're not flat in my room and there are no controls.

 

[bre's dad]

what are some specifics to watch out for (red flags, other trouble areas) on these? Cone assembly rattling?

 

[wualta]

No mechanical problems that I've seen.

The only real problem is figuring out which model you're looking at, because, amazingly, Ohm didn't label them! There's just the serial number (which, if we could decode it, might provide some clues), two fake woodgrain colors (plus black), and 2 lines of 3 heights each, so you have to measure them.

The original 1988 Sound Cylinders (the ones I have, with oak or textured black finish) were spec'd in the Jan 1988 Stereo Review test as 31.5". Mine are 31" on the nose. According to the newly updated-in-2013 Ohm website, the SC (1990?) was a single inch (half-inch?) taller at 32", the SCT was 37", and the SCT+ was 42".

The PRO models (150, 200, 250) which could be oak or black, despite what the website says, were 34.5", 39" and 45.5".

They are all uniformly 12" in diameter measured at the perforated "can" at the top. At least mine are. Stereo Review said 11.5".

You literally cannot identify the players without a program... and a tape measure.

Ideally, you want the tallest PRO model, since presumably they'd have the best tweeters and would be tall enough to put those tweeters at ear height. Supposedly they have the best power handling figure as well. Ohm's brochure says they have an "improved" Walsh driver as well, which could mean they're using a polypropylene cone, as in the XO models, but that's only a guess.

They're a worthwhile speaker, but don't pay too much if you have to buy them sound unheard.
.

 

[bre's dad]

I listened to them last night, though it wasn't an ideal set up, hooked to a miserable little Sherwood receiver that wasn't working well to begin with and hooked up in his kitchen. They didn't sound bad, much better than some Polk bookshelf speakers he had. I ended up forking out about $140 for them, less than his asking price. Nothing rattling or anything. The socks were missing (he took them off as they were in bad shape and he like d the look better without them). The only other physical issue is one of the wire terminals is missing so the wires or dangling out of the port on the bottom, which will be addressed after I finish rebuilding some Mach 1's.

I didn't get a chance to play with them much becasue i had to deal with my 7 year old last night and a few temper tantrums, but I did a quick compare to one of my Klipsch KG4.5 (only thing hooked up in the same room.) I won't go into detail of the compare as it was late and I wasn't in the best of moods.

I'll call Ohm and try to figure out which ones these are. I didn't measure them, but they're around 36" tall aboud about a foot in diameter (exact same height as my DCM Time Window 3's if that helps.) My 4 year old 'had' to get into the photo, so you can use her (average 4 year old height) as a size comparison .

By the way, how the hell do you take these things apart? I need to remove the base of one to replace the wire terminal. I'd also like to remove the top piece/cage/cover to eventually replace the sock and to clean them up... they have a little cigarette aroma to them.

 

[dokblues]

Might want to take a look here: http://www.ohmspeakers.com/store_item_detail.cfm?item_ID=31&cart_ID=217814198249

 

[bre's dad]

Might want to take a look here: http://www.ohmspeakers.com/store_item_detail.cfm?item_ID=31&cart_ID=217814198249

I combed through the Ohm site and saw that, but it didn't give me what I needed, other than some tips on how to look for buzzing, which these don't do.