Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2012 21:32:02 GMT -5
PLEASE DISREGARD THIS REVIEW. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY a1uc, THE SUB GURU, THAT THIS SUB IS A PIECE OF SCHITT! (This is a joke! aluc had the sub hooked up incorrectly from his PC outs and had low volume and he thought something was wrong with the sub, not so ..... now months later the Omni S8 sounds great with the Emotiva speaker, very fine 8" sub to supplement smaller front speakers or any speaker in a smaller room at reasonable volume levels).
I posted in the Deals Thread about the Mirage Omni S8 Sub I had ordered from an Amazon dealer, AcousticSoundDesign for $139 shipped out of Nevada. Amazon has another dealer selling it for $140.39 shipped.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F97FRM?ie=UTF8&tag=gosale-20&m=AED492BX4II6G
The Airmotiv4's are a great near field monitor and only lack the lower bass below 50Hz or so. The bass below 80-100 Hz is amazing for a 4.5" driver but I thought a good powered sub would be more defined and tight in this range and down close to 30Hz. The Airmotiv models 5 & 6 are just too large for my situation. I wanted to add a sub to my Airmotiv4's for my computer sound system for a low price if I could find one. The Emo X-Ref 10 sub was the perfect match but too much at the regular price of $499 for my budget on this.
After looking at many options, including Orb, Outlaw, Polk, Emotiva, Martin Logan, HSU, NHT, etc., I finally found the Mirage Omni S8 at the amazing price of $139. This sub is currently selling at Vann's for $369 and Crutchfield for $250. I spent quite some time checking it out and reading two pro reviews. Everything including Mirage's reputation as a great Canadian speaker firm looked like a perfect match. The sub is not super small for an 8". It is about the same size and weight as the X-Ref10. Omni S8 is 2326 cu in and 29.5 lbs versus the X-Ref10 at 2344 cu in and 32.5 lbs. Of course the X-Ref10 with very flexible controls/DSP/Para EQ is a marvel of tweakability but runs $360 more at list price.
The Omni S8 has a medium size enclosure for an 8" driver, 14.5H x 11.8W x 13.6D (not including the 2" extension or so for the front controls and grille). The driver is a patented Polypropylene Titanium Deposit Hybrid (PTDH) cone. I presume that 30Hz at -3dB's or even slightly lower is not out of the question. The Canadian firms like Mirage and Energy have made some excellent 8" subs. I ordered the sub on Sunday the 4th and it arrived on Thursday the 7th, fast!.
I am doing a quick first listen review since there was one member, Matt193, who asked for some feedback and a1uc already bought one. It will take me lots of time to get the 2.1 system complete as I'm not yet sure of my final setup. Right now my Airmotiv4's are coming directly out of the computer towers digital out and I'm using the PC's built-in CD player. I used very fine CD's for this quick test with lots of well recorded acoustic, electric bass, low piano and even some pipe organ, from Telarc, Sheffield Labs, etc.
For the final setup I'm looking at possibly the XDA-2 or maybe the UMC-1. The need is for a high pass filter to eliminate the bass below 90-110Hz or so from the Airmotiv4's. The UMC-1 would have that but not a USB input and the XDA-1 would have the SB input but not the high pass filter. Of course the Omni S8 sub has a built-in crossover if needed and also a crossover bypass switch. An option with the XDA-2 would be the external high pass filter with two crossover settings from HSU. The option for the UMC-1 would be a USB to RCA DAC (I have some confusion on the USB to RCA situation) and they are not cheap. Other issues are no headphone outlet in the UMC-1 and I do want a good headphone amp for late night listening.
www.hsuresearch.com/products/high-pass-filter.html
I also have found several USB, DAC's with headphone amp that would substitute for the above, I think (see below, there are many like these). So you can see my final setup while keeping the cost low will be a big challenge. Anyway, on to the sub! ;D
www.onecall.com/product/Arcam/rPAC/DAC/_/R-115125?PMNID=9103&creative=12444622758
www.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2012/02/13/review-firestone-audio-iltw-usb-dac
This was a really quick jerry-rigged setup, but I feel I got a good initial opinion on the sound of the Omni S8 to make the determination that this sub is a definite keeper.
The sub had to go slightly to the left of its final place which will be centered near the wall right below my computer chair. I did not have the proper cables handy to hook up the Airmotiv4's and the sub, so I had to hook up only the left Airmotiv4 which was directly above the sub. Some might laugh at this but in effect I had the left channel in a 1.1 system. It sounded fine and blended very well so I could concentrate on the performance of the S8 and how it complimented the Airmotiv4. I set the Airmotiv4's Low-Frequency Equalization Adjustment (shelf filter) at -4 to help with the fact that I had no high pass filter to isolate the Airmotiv4's from the S8 sub in the crossover area.
I started with the sub at about 100Hz on the low pass filter and experimented mostly with the setting on the dial from about 80Hz-120Hz. On most music I found a setting of about 90Hz or 100Hz seemed best. As you might know many folks seem to set the sub output level too high. IMO, if you are aware of the sub playing then it is set too high. A good way to set it by ear which I had to do is to raise the sub output level on the dial until you just become aware of the sub as a separate source of low bass. Then turn the dial back down a hair and it should be a perfect blend with the mains and the sub indistinguishable from each other. I actually got to that point quite easily. The Omni S8 with its front panel gain, crossover and filter on/off switch is very handy.
The only time I had to make changes after I pretty much settled down with the sub low passed a the 90Hz point on the dial was when I played a track that had some pipe organ accompanying a choral piece. I dropped the low pass setting down to 50Hz and raised the gain level on the sub and heard some pretty impressive low bass. However, that would be a specific adjustment only for such type music with extra low extension.
I have been very pleased with the Airmotiv4's bass performance considering the small driver. Almost down to 50Hz flat at my computer near field testing was very impressive. Although the Airmotiv4 went lower than my Emo ERM-1's the bass on the ERM-1 was definitely tighter and more defined. I know the tight and fast words are considered by many to be overused in describing sub performance but by these I mean relatively quick transient response bass tones that start fast and end fast with no overhang which seems to make bass tones bloated and slow.
The S8 from this quick evaluation was very impressive to me. Not wanting to jump too fast to final conclusions, let me say here that the S8 from what I heard today should be in the final analysis and testing, which I will do as I have time and the final setup, an excellent match for the Airmotiv4's.
I listened carefully to many different cuts for the definition, tightness, blending and smoothness of the S8 with the Airmotiv4's. I was pleased to say the least.
Build quality appears to be very good. The aesthetic mix of the black oak vinyl finish, silver controls and white driver looks classy to me and is a nice compliment to the Airmotiv4's.
The sub was well protected in a double box with thick Styrofoam padding and only a very tiny dent on one corner of the outer box.
A frequency response test will allow me to determine if there are any objectionable peaks in the sub that I need to flatten by some EQ method.
I feel this sub will be a great blend with the Airmotiv4 or any other small to large bookshelf speakers in a computer 2.1 system, or 2.1 or 5.1 music/movie system in a den or smaller room at quite loud levels with in-room bass maybe down slightly below 30Hz. More later on the low level extension after further test some time down the road.
For $139, this 8" sub is a fabulous deal and excellent performer, boys and girls!
Amplifier Power Output 100 Watts RMS, 400 Watts Dynamic Power
Variable Low Pass Filter Yes
System Type Powered Front firing Subwoofer with Down firing port
Max. Load Weight (lbs) 29 lbs. lb / 13.4 kg
Frequency Response 27Hz-120Hz
Input Low Level, Stereo High Level (Speaker Level)
Overall Dimensions 14.567" H x 11.81" W x 15.354" D
woofer 8" woofer with ribbed elliptical surround™
Product Finish Black Ash
I posted in the Deals Thread about the Mirage Omni S8 Sub I had ordered from an Amazon dealer, AcousticSoundDesign for $139 shipped out of Nevada. Amazon has another dealer selling it for $140.39 shipped.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F97FRM?ie=UTF8&tag=gosale-20&m=AED492BX4II6G
The Airmotiv4's are a great near field monitor and only lack the lower bass below 50Hz or so. The bass below 80-100 Hz is amazing for a 4.5" driver but I thought a good powered sub would be more defined and tight in this range and down close to 30Hz. The Airmotiv models 5 & 6 are just too large for my situation. I wanted to add a sub to my Airmotiv4's for my computer sound system for a low price if I could find one. The Emo X-Ref 10 sub was the perfect match but too much at the regular price of $499 for my budget on this.
After looking at many options, including Orb, Outlaw, Polk, Emotiva, Martin Logan, HSU, NHT, etc., I finally found the Mirage Omni S8 at the amazing price of $139. This sub is currently selling at Vann's for $369 and Crutchfield for $250. I spent quite some time checking it out and reading two pro reviews. Everything including Mirage's reputation as a great Canadian speaker firm looked like a perfect match. The sub is not super small for an 8". It is about the same size and weight as the X-Ref10. Omni S8 is 2326 cu in and 29.5 lbs versus the X-Ref10 at 2344 cu in and 32.5 lbs. Of course the X-Ref10 with very flexible controls/DSP/Para EQ is a marvel of tweakability but runs $360 more at list price.
The Omni S8 has a medium size enclosure for an 8" driver, 14.5H x 11.8W x 13.6D (not including the 2" extension or so for the front controls and grille). The driver is a patented Polypropylene Titanium Deposit Hybrid (PTDH) cone. I presume that 30Hz at -3dB's or even slightly lower is not out of the question. The Canadian firms like Mirage and Energy have made some excellent 8" subs. I ordered the sub on Sunday the 4th and it arrived on Thursday the 7th, fast!.
I am doing a quick first listen review since there was one member, Matt193, who asked for some feedback and a1uc already bought one. It will take me lots of time to get the 2.1 system complete as I'm not yet sure of my final setup. Right now my Airmotiv4's are coming directly out of the computer towers digital out and I'm using the PC's built-in CD player. I used very fine CD's for this quick test with lots of well recorded acoustic, electric bass, low piano and even some pipe organ, from Telarc, Sheffield Labs, etc.
For the final setup I'm looking at possibly the XDA-2 or maybe the UMC-1. The need is for a high pass filter to eliminate the bass below 90-110Hz or so from the Airmotiv4's. The UMC-1 would have that but not a USB input and the XDA-1 would have the SB input but not the high pass filter. Of course the Omni S8 sub has a built-in crossover if needed and also a crossover bypass switch. An option with the XDA-2 would be the external high pass filter with two crossover settings from HSU. The option for the UMC-1 would be a USB to RCA DAC (I have some confusion on the USB to RCA situation) and they are not cheap. Other issues are no headphone outlet in the UMC-1 and I do want a good headphone amp for late night listening.
www.hsuresearch.com/products/high-pass-filter.html
I also have found several USB, DAC's with headphone amp that would substitute for the above, I think (see below, there are many like these). So you can see my final setup while keeping the cost low will be a big challenge. Anyway, on to the sub! ;D
www.onecall.com/product/Arcam/rPAC/DAC/_/R-115125?PMNID=9103&creative=12444622758
www.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2012/02/13/review-firestone-audio-iltw-usb-dac
This was a really quick jerry-rigged setup, but I feel I got a good initial opinion on the sound of the Omni S8 to make the determination that this sub is a definite keeper.
The sub had to go slightly to the left of its final place which will be centered near the wall right below my computer chair. I did not have the proper cables handy to hook up the Airmotiv4's and the sub, so I had to hook up only the left Airmotiv4 which was directly above the sub. Some might laugh at this but in effect I had the left channel in a 1.1 system. It sounded fine and blended very well so I could concentrate on the performance of the S8 and how it complimented the Airmotiv4. I set the Airmotiv4's Low-Frequency Equalization Adjustment (shelf filter) at -4 to help with the fact that I had no high pass filter to isolate the Airmotiv4's from the S8 sub in the crossover area.
I started with the sub at about 100Hz on the low pass filter and experimented mostly with the setting on the dial from about 80Hz-120Hz. On most music I found a setting of about 90Hz or 100Hz seemed best. As you might know many folks seem to set the sub output level too high. IMO, if you are aware of the sub playing then it is set too high. A good way to set it by ear which I had to do is to raise the sub output level on the dial until you just become aware of the sub as a separate source of low bass. Then turn the dial back down a hair and it should be a perfect blend with the mains and the sub indistinguishable from each other. I actually got to that point quite easily. The Omni S8 with its front panel gain, crossover and filter on/off switch is very handy.
The only time I had to make changes after I pretty much settled down with the sub low passed a the 90Hz point on the dial was when I played a track that had some pipe organ accompanying a choral piece. I dropped the low pass setting down to 50Hz and raised the gain level on the sub and heard some pretty impressive low bass. However, that would be a specific adjustment only for such type music with extra low extension.
I have been very pleased with the Airmotiv4's bass performance considering the small driver. Almost down to 50Hz flat at my computer near field testing was very impressive. Although the Airmotiv4 went lower than my Emo ERM-1's the bass on the ERM-1 was definitely tighter and more defined. I know the tight and fast words are considered by many to be overused in describing sub performance but by these I mean relatively quick transient response bass tones that start fast and end fast with no overhang which seems to make bass tones bloated and slow.
The S8 from this quick evaluation was very impressive to me. Not wanting to jump too fast to final conclusions, let me say here that the S8 from what I heard today should be in the final analysis and testing, which I will do as I have time and the final setup, an excellent match for the Airmotiv4's.
I listened carefully to many different cuts for the definition, tightness, blending and smoothness of the S8 with the Airmotiv4's. I was pleased to say the least.
Build quality appears to be very good. The aesthetic mix of the black oak vinyl finish, silver controls and white driver looks classy to me and is a nice compliment to the Airmotiv4's.
The sub was well protected in a double box with thick Styrofoam padding and only a very tiny dent on one corner of the outer box.
A frequency response test will allow me to determine if there are any objectionable peaks in the sub that I need to flatten by some EQ method.
I feel this sub will be a great blend with the Airmotiv4 or any other small to large bookshelf speakers in a computer 2.1 system, or 2.1 or 5.1 music/movie system in a den or smaller room at quite loud levels with in-room bass maybe down slightly below 30Hz. More later on the low level extension after further test some time down the road.
For $139, this 8" sub is a fabulous deal and excellent performer, boys and girls!
Amplifier Power Output 100 Watts RMS, 400 Watts Dynamic Power
Variable Low Pass Filter Yes
System Type Powered Front firing Subwoofer with Down firing port
Max. Load Weight (lbs) 29 lbs. lb / 13.4 kg
Frequency Response 27Hz-120Hz
Input Low Level, Stereo High Level (Speaker Level)
Overall Dimensions 14.567" H x 11.81" W x 15.354" D
woofer 8" woofer with ribbed elliptical surround™
Product Finish Black Ash
