Osborn Loudspeakers Owners & Discussion Thread

[Guest Eggcup the Dafter]

I can't speak for the current range, but the previous Monuments with the Focal drivers were the speakers in the best system I've heard to date.  There are many great speakers out there that I either haven't heard, or weren't set up properly when I did hear them.

 

You owe it to yourself to audition widely before buying in that price range. Even if the Monument is the best speaker available at the price, at any price, etc.... no speaker is universally applicable to all rooms, existing systems, ears, or circumstances (part of the reason I bought the Eclipse is that the lower bass of the bigger models would just get us evicted from our unit!)

[anandpkumar]

43 minutes ago, mwhouston said:

Don’t fall into the trap of bigger is better. Take a good look at you listening space and decide what size speaker is going to work (sound that is) best in the space with your current gear, music tastes and life style. Once more, more (or bigger) is not always more. 

Sound advice. In fact, the room size is one of the biggest factors that can effect the sound quality.

 

I used to have a pair of large floor standers in my large(ish) living room, and I was quite happy with the sound quality. Had to move them into a small spare bedroom for certain reasons, and the difference in sound quality was 'night and day'. It sounded like a totally different speaker, and was terrible in the smaller room - bloated bass, poor imaging and soundstage etc. 

 

You really need speakers that suit the size of your room - get this wrong, and even very good speakers can sound terrible

[aussievintage]

1 minute ago, anandpkumar said:

Sound advice. In fact, the room size is one of the biggest factors that can effect the sound quality.

 

I used to have a pair of large floor standers in my large(ish) living room, and I was quite happy with the sound quality. Had to move them into a small spare bedroom for certain reasons, and the difference in sound quality was 'night and day'. It sounded like a totally different speaker, and was terrible in the smaller room - bloated bass, poor imaging and soundstage etc. 

 

You really need speakers that suit the size of your room - get this wrong, and even very good speakers can sound terrible

 

Pity it's so hard to audition them at home - those lead-lined Osborn Reference as so damned heavy.  

[sir sanders zingmore]

2 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

 

Pity it's so hard to audition them at home - those lead-lined Osborn Reference as so damned heavy.  

 

175kg each for the monuments !!

[anandpkumar]

16 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

 

Pity it's so hard to audition them at home - those lead-lined Osborn Reference as so damned heavy.  

 

13 minutes ago, sir sanders zingmore said:

 

175kg each for the monuments !!

 

That leaves out any home audition options!! You'll need a fork lift to get them in and out of the house......

[Jventer]

@bonuss I have Osborn Eclipse Reference speakers.  Osborn Speakers are not the absolute best speakers on earth, but they are very good value for money. 

 

My advice is to listen to speakers before you buy anything. If possible in as close as possible environment as your own as well as with similar amplification. 

 

 

 

[mwhouston]

Also to give  advice based on personal experiences harder Greg has had a number of driver Xover and Xover component changes over the years as most makers do. Yes I loved my Eclipse but would I like the new ones? But Greg’s speakers seem to be good regardless of driver/Xover mix. And as above, good value for money. 
 

The reason to get speaker size right is to ensure the air in the speaker is working for the sound level output. Big speaker played at moderate levels may never get the air inside working with it. You’ll never hear the full potential of the speaker. 
 

This is the make or break for speakers ensuring the air in the box is adding to performance. In other words too bigger speaker may never call on the boxed air to work with it to produce sound levels you are listing too. Another example is bookshelf speakers if played loud don’t always have enough air to work with and produce the volume levels you want. 
 

Get the size right for room and your listening levels and you’ll get so much more for dollar spent. 

[bonuss]

I do thank everyone for there informative input. I was wondering how I was going to move the  175 kg speakers upstairs to my lounge room. Maybe a piano removalist or crane. I will have to fly to Victoria to have a listen first as recommended

[sir sanders zingmore]

22 minutes ago, bonuss said:

I do thank everyone for there informative input. I was wondering how I was going to move the  175 kg speakers upstairs to my lounge room. Maybe a piano removalist or crane. I will have to fly to Victoria to have a listen first as recommended

Auditioning is highly recommended (as others have suggested). 
Worth noting that there are going to be some pretty good speakers in that price range. It’s worth listening to a few different speakers before you decide

[Whites]

@bonuss All the comments above are relevant. I had a pair of Epitome tower references that I loved but ended up selling as they were too large for my room. The bass became muddy and not focused at slightly higher volumes.

 

 If you can fly to Melbourne that would be worthwhile, Greg is very accomodating. 

[frednork]

I used to have Monuments, a friend of mine has Eclipses (both focal driver series). How big is your room?

[PicoWattson]

Although firmly welded on to my ESLs I do audition a friend's Grand Monuments from time to time and the listening sessions are always longer than intended, completely immersive, and have me coming away knowing there is more than one way to skin a cat. 

 

[bonuss]

1 hour ago, frednork said:

I used to have Monuments, a friend of mine has Eclipses (both focal driver series). How big is your room?

 

My room is 8 meters x 9 meters with 2.7m ceilings. The floor is carpeted and the walls have curtains so it is fairly sound absorbing. It is my lounge, dining and kitchen all open. I might have to buy a different valve amp as my "Audio by van alstine" pre and main amp (mosfet) may be a little too powerful for the Monuments. 

[bonuss]

1 hour ago, PicoWattson said:

Although firmly welded on to my ESLs I do audition a friend's Grand Monuments from time to time and the listening sessions are always longer than intended, completely immersive, and have me coming away knowing there is more than one way to skin a cat. 

 

Do you know which amp he is running with the Monuments?

Edited March 16, 2021 by bonuss

[bonuss]

4 hours ago, sir sanders zingmore said:

Auditioning is highly recommended (as others have suggested). 
Worth noting that there are going to be some pretty good speakers in that price range. It’s worth listening to a few different speakers before you decide

What other brand speakers would be worth comparing?

[bonuss]

12 hours ago, mwhouston said:

Also to give  advice based on personal experiences harder Greg has had a number of driver Xover and Xover component changes over the years as most makers do. Yes I loved my Eclipse but would I like the new ones? But Greg’s speakers seem to be good regardless of driver/Xover mix. And as above, good value for money. 
 

The reason to get speaker size right is to ensure the air in the speaker is working for the sound level output. Big speaker played at moderate levels may never get the air inside working with it. You’ll never hear the full potential of the speaker. 
 

This is the make or break for speakers ensuring the air in the box is adding to performance. In other words too bigger speaker may never call on the boxed air to work with it to produce sound levels you are listing too. Another example is bookshelf speakers if played loud don’t always have enough air to work with and produce the volume levels you want. 
 

Get the size right for room and your listening levels and you’ll get so much more for dollar spent. 

 

This is very interesting info and I might have to look at the smaller towers as well

[sir sanders zingmore]

14 minutes ago, bonuss said:

What other brand speakers would be worth comparing?

That depends on your personal preferences/ what your speaker placement will be (you have a big room but how far from the speakers will you actually sit)/ music preferences etc. 

 

Having said that, the Revels that @Geoff@HeyNow Hi-Fi has would be interesting

https://www.heynowhifi.com.au/products/revel-studio2-3-way-floorstanding-loudspeaker-pair

 

as would the PMCs here:

 

[bonuss]

1 hour ago, sir sanders zingmore said:

That depends on your personal preferences/ what your speaker placement will be (you have a big room but how far from the speakers will you actually sit)/ music preferences etc. 

 

Having said that, the Revels that @Geoff@HeyNow Hi-Fi has would be interesting

https://www.heynowhifi.com.au/products/revel-studio2-3-way-floorstanding-loudspeaker-pair

 

as would the PMCs here:

 

The PMC's are a strange looking animal for sure. I normally sit about 6 meters from the speakers or stand 7 meters on the other side of the kitchen bench or if I am on the dunny then I am 10 meters away with a wall in between lol

 

[Jventer]

6 hours ago, bonuss said:

Do you know which amp he is running with the Monuments?

He normally uses valve amps.  I know he uses the Cyber 880i as well as the Cyber 100 15th Anniversary quite a lot in demos.  I suggest to  phone / email him and ask what he has available before you go.

[aussievintage]

7 hours ago, bonuss said:

Do you know which amp he is running with the Monuments?

 

Some of Greg's speakers (maybe all of them) are easy to drive).  My Eclipse play well with a simple 2 watt SET amp.  I have listened to the Epitomes driven by his Consonance EL34 valve amps, and also one of the latest Luxman amps.  Quite a variety there.

[sir sanders zingmore]

5 hours ago, bonuss said:

The PMC's are a strange looking animal for sure. I normally sit about 6 meters from the speakers or stand 7 meters on the other side of the kitchen bench or if I am on the dunny then I am 10 meters away with a wall in between lol

 

 

They are certainly "function over form". Of the two speakers I threw out there, I've heard the PMCs and for my personal preference I'd take them over the Monuments (although my family might veto it based on their looks!).

The Revels are a speaker I've always been curious about but never heard myself 

 

My bigger point though is that you shouldn't listen to me. If you are going spend that kind of money, you should listen for yourself and listen to a few speakers just to get a sense of the differences and what your preferences are (the PMCS are very different in sound to the Osborns).

 

EDIT: what is your current setup (if there is one)? 

Edited March 16, 2021 by sir sanders zingmore

[frednork]

8 hours ago, bonuss said:

 

My room is 8 meters x 9 meters with 2.7m ceilings. The floor is carpeted and the walls have curtains so it is fairly sound absorbing. It is my lounge, dining and kitchen all open. I might have to buy a different valve amp as my "Audio by van alstine" pre and main amp (mosfet) may be a little too powerful for the Monuments. 

Sounds like a good size for Monuments or Eclipses,

 You dont really need to worry about the amp being too powerful, usually the opposite. The more important issue is how it sounds/matches with the speakers. I dont think they are particularly difficult to run. I used mine with a valve hybrid. Enjoyed them for many years.

Edited March 16, 2021 by frednork

[bonuss]

31 minutes ago, sir sanders zingmore said:

 

They are certainly "function over form". Of the two speakers I threw out there, I've heard the PMCs and for my personal preference I'd take them over the Monuments (although my family might veto it based on their looks!).

The Revels are a speaker I've always been curious about but never heard myself 

 

My bigger point though is that you shouldn't listen to me. If you are going spend that kind of money, you should listen for yourself and listen to a few speakers just to get a sense of the differences and what your preferences are (the PMCS are very different in sound to the Osborns).

 

EDIT: what is your current setup (if there is one)? 

 

My current setup is Audio by Van Alstine preamp and main (mosfet valve) 250 watts per channel , B+W 804 Nautilus series speakers, SVS 4000 sub, Dac Maverick Audio D2 upgraded with Sparkos opamps and tubes. Digital input is my laptop or the TV. I have a sacd player but not working and cant fix. Good cables everywhere wireworld and Eickman

Edited March 16, 2021 by bonuss

[anandpkumar]

11 hours ago, bonuss said:

What other brand speakers would be worth comparing?

 

Have a look here for a compilation of potential speakers in different price ranges

 

Also here for a list of Australia & NZ based speaker manufacturers

 

[Guest Eggcup the Dafter]

4 hours ago, bonuss said:

 

My current setup is Audio by Van Alstine preamp and main (mosfet valve) 250 watts per channel , B+W 804 Nautilus series speakers, SVS 4000 sub, Dac Maverick Audio D2 upgraded with Sparkos opamps and tubes. Digital input is my laptop or the TV. I have a sacd player but not working and cant fix. Good cables everywhere wireworld and Eickman

What is it that you don't like about your current speakers? Or is this part of a larger change you are planning including the amps?