Ownership and Review of a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder


Greetings all - I recently ordered a pair of Ohm Super Sound Cylinder speakers, or SSC-4900's. They are in the middle of the Ohm Walsh lineup, and are about 38 inches tall and the cylinder cabinets about 12.5 inches in diameter.

Specs are listed at 88 dB for a 2.8 V input, and a response curve of +/- 3 dB from 25 to 20,000 Hz. 

This whole process is part of a "high end, high value, USA made two channel system" thread I started a couple of months ago on another forum. The electronics are the PS Audio Stellar Gain Pre-amp/DAC and a pair of PS Audio M700 mono amps.

The PS Audio equipment has already elevated the Axiom M100's and Martin Logan Electro Motion ESL speakers in terms of performance. The Axioms have a "twin" available in Brick and Mortar outlets from Bryston called the A1's. 

For reference, other speakers which we have or still have in house include: Klipsch LaScala II's, Legacy Signature SE's, Infinity IRS Sigmas, Ascend Sierras, PSB Strata Goldi, VMPS Super Towers and a host of other speakers. 

The Ohm Walsh speakers have been something about which I have read since 1977 (the year I got the audio bug), but have never had the chance to experience. The SSC-4900's sell for $4900 per pair, though the name and pricing are coincidental. The "4900" is due to the idea that the speakers are "almost a 5000", but with less controls - one switch vs. 4 for the 5000, but also a lower price.

John Strohbeen, who is he president at Ohm and who has been with them for almost 40 years, was gracious enough to spend an hour talking on the phone about our room, the associated gear, and also that there would be a review thread. It was after this discussion that we decided on the SSC-4900's. 

I am purchasing the speakers, not getting a review pair. They are under the 120 day return policy. John is well aware that my daughter sings opera, my son is adept at classical guitar, and that live music is the reference. He was actually quite pleased about this. 

This will be fun (at least for me), and hopefully informative. Comments are welcome. 

I honestly have no idea what to expect from the Walsh sound. They are so different from other speaker designs that the only thing to do is set them up properly and hear what happens! 
craigsub
I should be listening to them some over the next few days, the second speaker is suspose to be delivered today, I got the first one last Saturday. Kind of nerve racking breaking them into two packages I would have paid extra if they were strapped and sent as one. I never thought to mention it, but who would think UPS takes 2 packages from one place going to one address and delivers one in 2 days and gives the other a tour of half the eastern US. 
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djones51 - best of luck with the speakers.  I’m guessing the M100 will work great as will the MARS.  Seems to me to mainly help in filling the bottom end and that shouldn’t hurt what the Ohms are trying to do, since the low end isn’t directional.  Be sure to let us know on the Micromega thread.  
It will be a while the second speaker which UPS sent on a sightseeing tour I believe has a bad woofer. Got the speakers positioned pretty good put a cd in set back to enjoy and The first song I tried to listen to had distortion/ rattling in the bass. Thought OK let try  Come Together - Beatles and McCartneys bass made it rattle so bad my wife wondered what the noise was. Tried switching cables and reversed the channels, it's the speaker. I'll have to get in touch with Ohm probaby Monday before they open and go from there. 
I called Mr. Strohbeen and he fixed my speaker over the phone.  He told me to remove the can and see if the wire connector had come lose and switch the can with the other to check the enclosure. Very nice guy to do business with, said if that din't fix it they would send me another pair no problem.   It seems the wire had come lose because I nor my wife no longer hear the rattle/ distortion. I switched the cans back to the original enclosure and they are sounding great. I also ran the room correction and to my ears they sound better without it. With Room correction the Ohm's lose some of their 3D sound they don't fill the room like they do without it. I'll play with it a little more but for now I am enjoying them with room corection off. I am already getting used to the sound of them and I don't think it would matter because my wife absolutely loves them so I can't se them going anywhere.