Mirage Omni S8 Sub, First Listen

[Deleted]

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

[Matt193]

Thanks for the review, Chuckie!

[Pauly]

Wow, it really matches the Emo speakers too. That was a good pickup, Chuck. I used to have an 8" Energy sub that is very similar to the Mirage(same driver and amp), and it was mighty impressive for the size and price.

[monkumonku]

Yes nice review. What a crazy good price for a decent sub like that! Where is a1uc's review??? Or is it sold already? ;D

[geebo]

Nice review, Chuck...as usual.

[wisconsinite]

Jun 8, 2012 21:52:47 GMT -5 monkumonku said:

Yes nice review. What a crazy good price for a decent sub like that! Where is a1uc's review??? Or is it sold already? ;D

I didn't even open it yet , I had it sent to the shop and forgot about it till I read this . Maybe I grab it Sunday

[Pauly]

He'll probably sell it on the way home ;D. Just don't take it to a pawn shop. They'll screw ya

[copperband]

got me thinking..the price is so good!

What exactly is "Amplifier Power Output 100 Watts RMS, 400 Watts Dynamic Power"? I search RMS and it stands for "room mean square"?
Does that mean this sub is rated at 400 watts?

Is subwoofer(bass) similar to power amp, i.e. the more the power the better it is

[monkumonku]

Jun 8, 2012 23:28:33 GMT -5 copperband said:

got me thinking..the price is so good!

What exactly is "Amplifier Power Output 100 Watts RMS, 400 Watts Dynamic Power"? I search RMS and it stands for "room mean square"?
Does that mean this sub is rated at 400 watts?

Is subwoofer(bass) similar to power amp, i.e. the more the power the better it is

Don't remember exactly what RMS stands for, but that is a more reliable measure of how much power an amp puts out. RMS power is a more consistent measure, meaning the amp will be able to put out 100 watts over a length of time. Dynamic power refers to a short burst of power but the amp is not capable of sustaining that level for more than a very short duration.

Think of it like if you are running track. You can run really fast but only for a short time and then you get tired and wonder why you are even doing this and slow down. Your running as fast as you possibly can = dynamic power (with amps, power to handle the dynamic peak volumes). When you run at a slower, more regular pace that you are able to maintain without getting real tired, that is like RMS power. You are able to sustain it longer.

Emotiva rates their amps using the more conservative RMS way.

Using dynamic power to rate something is sort of like using Viagra on steroids.. it doesn't last. Although beware of amps if the 400 watts lasts longer than 4 hours and call the technician.

And yes, like any other amp, the more power (expressed in RMS terms), the better!

[Pauly]

It's root mean square.

[Pauly]

This is kind of an interesting article on RMS power...www.hifi-writer.com/he/misc/rmspower.htm

[Deleted]

Thanks guys.

Dave (pauly), I owned two complete sets of the original Energy Take Five 5.1 systems a number of years ago. The Energy S8 sub with the system was an amazingly good 8" sub and got rave reviews. My son who was a drummer played his Planet Drums CD thru the Take Five system and said he had never heard such an accurate sounding and tight sub (we used to call this pitch definition and fast transient response). This Omni S8 so far sounds a lot like that Energy sub to me. I'll know more when I get the final setup done.

Continuous RMS (root mean square) power is supposedly a little bit of a misnomer in terms, but has been used as the standard way to test the strength of an amp. Years ago peak power was a bad term that audiophiles turned their noses up when they heard it used. That is because the cheap HTIB systems and low priced receivers and all in one components at Walmart type stores used the peak power at outrageous THD like 10%, with only one channel at 1kHz, for 1/1000 of a millisecond to jack up the total power ratings of their $150 systems, etc. They had all in one $200 rack systems claiming 1200 watts total power! Hey Joe how come your super expensive Phase Linear amp only puts out 400 watts? Watts are watts, right? So peak power got a bad name.

Actually it is more applicable to the way real world power requirements work. Unfortunately there is no high end specification standards for all to follow. Hence the RMS/continuous rating is the industry norm and it measures the very difficult long term power output and many times separates the men from the boys in amps. For example, many of the new light weight amps in receivers and lower price amps cannot sustain continuous power into 4 ohms as is the tough measurement of high current amps, and thus no longer specify their amps at 4 ohms. Many of them only mention 8 ohms or perhaps 6 ohms. Stay away from these amps even if your speakers are rated at 8 ohms, because most of them drop down to the 6 or 4 ohms range at critical frequencies.

Therefore the peak power is actually more important to the real reproduction of musical content which very seldom requires steady tones but usually involves very short or instantaneous dynamic peaks for milliseconds. If the industry had an accepted standard this would be a very valuable specification for amps.

As far as the sub amp it is simply telling us what they rate its amp for RMS steady power and short bursts of peak power. A four to one ratio is common as well as a two to one ratio. The problem is that there is no standard so this is only a very rough estimate, but potentially a valuable one if it were accurate. To me both ratings following tight standards would be a valuable tool to evaluate power amps and sub amps. The RMS rating would be applicable for example in a steady sustained pipe organ note, as low as 16Hz. The peak power rating would be applicable in a very fast low tone from a kettle or timpani drum or perhaps from a piano or bass guitar maybe in the 27-30Hz range or even lower from the largest Taiko drum.

Unfortunately, the tendency seems to be going away from exacting amplifier specifications as I hear more folks say, I don't care about specs man, I just care about how it sounds, very sad IMO.

[Darksky]

Well done, Sir.

[RPA-1 man]

Excellent review. Thanks for that Chuckie.

[paintedklown]

WOW!

Very impressive review Chuckie.

That certainly is a nice looking sub, I have to admit, and it does look right at home with the Airmotiv speakers.

I am glad to see that you are enjoying your new sub. With your glowing review and its nice looks, I am definitely going to recommend this to my cousin who absolutely RAVES about Energy subs, and is looking to put together his HT on a tight budget.

Great find, thanks for sharing that with us.