This is a dual stacked Oris 150 Horn system with four Fostex 208E Sigma full range drivers, a pair of Fostex T90 tweeters and separate bass towers utilizing 16" Fostex drivers.
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This is a big system with a big sound. The Oris 150 horn enclosures are stacked two per side and mounted on a custom designed frame, consisting of a rigid 3" X 1" fully adjustable black powder coated steel structure. They stand a little
over 6' and with the bass towers occupy a 4' X 4'
footprint.
The frame has 4 adjustable spikes per side, these are threaded and you can use your favorite spikes from audiopoint etc. (spikes supplied). The bass modules are constructed with 2" MDF and professionally finished with an Italian laminate, color-matched to the Horns. The bass modules sit on a black powder coated steel subframe with adjustable spikes into the floor. The bass modules are incredible and integrate seamlessly with the main horns. They are designed to sit on the outside of the horn towers, tucked tightly in. I've tried them in other positions but this is where they work best. This also gives you the smallest footprint.
You can see from the specs and the pictures that this is more of a horn system than you’ll get from Avantgarde, and all this for significantly less money. The parts alone on this system, with the custom paint job and laminate work, runs at over $6,000 The labor which has gone into this would put the system into the $25,000+ league, if it were sold through a dealer.
The system is essentially cross-over less through the important frequency range (150hz and up), with only the single Hovland cap per side rolling off frequencies from the mid treble on down, with the four Oris horns/Fostex 208E’s run full range. The bass modules kick in at around 155 HZ or so. I've measured bass output within a couple DB at 15 hz. You’ll need a good bass amp and an adjustable XO. I found that the Anthony Gallo Reference subwoofer amp is a good and affordable match for the bass modules. It’s adjustable up to 200hz, has volume and phase adjustment, with a built-in hefty 160w amp. I have a near new Reference Subwoofer amp that I can let go for $500 if sold with the horn system. So all you need now is a good low powered SET amp to drive the horn towers.
I’m currently using Cary 2A3 SE monoblocks - they put out 5 watts per channel and sound very nice with the Oris system. The efficiency of the horn towers is around 106db+, so you have a wide range of options on tube amps, you'll need something pretty quiet however. The Cary's do a great job, they have that 2A3 harmonic richness in spades and are surprisingly dynamic. I also use a special 300b tube that’s interchangeable with the 2A3, and this sounds very nice with the Oris horns also. (The Cary 2a3 amps with 300b tube options are also for sale, but not until the horns are sold)
The speakers are capable of dynamics that will pin you in your seat! They throw an incredibly large soundwave, with good delineation of elements in the stage, great depth, height and width. HF extension is whatever your amps and front-end are capable of, with good partnering equipment the HF is sweet and completely lacks any listening fatigue. Midrange is just what you feed into it- clear, open, with wonderful tone. You’ll need to experiment with toe-in, since there’s definitely an optimal position where you loose the horn colorations and the sound becomes more natural. The bass is infinitely adjustable through placement of the bass modules and adjustment of the crossover. It’s hard to imagine such a large speaker system ‘disappearing’, but with careful placement, these horns completely disappear and create a large focused image. They do not have to be played loud to fill an average room with a big sound field. If you want to play loud, no problem, they’ll play at concert levels without even breaking a sweat.Since there are essentially no crossovers, other than a pair of caps, and the Fostex drivers are readily available from a wide number of outlets, there are no issues as far as any future repair or driver replacement.
The speakers look gorgeous in their Italian marble finish, there are some minor nicks and bumps that are just a consequence of moving such a large system but they in no way detract from their beauty.Yes you’ll need a bit of space for these, my room is 16 X 22.5 and they work well on the short wall, though another couple feet would be nice. Having a larger room would allow the bass to develop more also. But again, they work great in a room of modest proportions.Unfortunately my listening room is being allocated for other duties and these must reluctantly be sold to create space.
Take a trip to Green Lake WI (about 3 hrs from Chicago) for a listen, and we’ll work out delivery options. I can deliver them within a 3 or 4 hour drive, subject to satisfactory transportation costs being met.
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