July 18, 2005

I just read your review of Mirage Omnisat v2 FS and your comments comparing the old Omnisat and the new. I was very impressed with your insightful analysis.

I would like to ask your opinion on comparing Omnisat and Mirage OM-series speakers. Obviously, the OM series are a "traditional" style. Q: Are the Omnisats really comparable to OM speakers (OM-9 or OM-6 for example)? The modern aluminum cabinets of Omnisat cannot possibly radiate sound as effectively as wood cabinets, right?

I have a home theater with a projector in my basement. The size of the speakers is not really an issue. If Omnisat v2 FS really sounds on a comparable level to that of OM-9, OM-5 or OM-6, then economically one should go for the new Omnisat v2 FS. Would you recommend that?

Jan Feng

A: Comparing Mirage's Omnisat and OM speakers is a bit of an apples-to-oranges thing. Although both have a similar design goal of achieving a radiation pattern over 360 degrees, the way they achieve that goal is quite different. The older OM-series speakers use front- and rear-mounted drivers whereas the Omnisat uses one set of drivers and reflects their output off of specially placed "saucers" that are part of what's called the OmniGuide. As well, the v2 FS is priced at $1000, but the lowest priced of the older models you mentioned, the OM-9, costs $1400 per pair. Therefore, the v2 FS is handicapped by being "price limited," meaning that you can usually only do so much with a lower-priced speaker versus a higher-priced one.

Another big difference is the various speakers' purpose beyond sound. The OM speakers were designed for sound quality first, looks second. As a result, they're bulkier and have much larger cabinets that help them produce deeper bass. The Omnisats, though, while producing good sound, are also designed to look very good, and as a result they're more elegantly styled and have smaller cabinets that aren't capable of the same kind of bass output. For a larger-scale home theater, then, something like the OM-9 might be better for you than the v2 FS in terms of sheer output capability.

On the other hand, in terms of your comment about not possibly radiating "sound as effectively as wood cabinets," this is where the Omnisats excel and, I believe, why Mirage has invested so heavily in the new technology. It doesn't have anything to do with aluminum versus wood, but rather the technology employed in each. Mirage's OmniGuide, which is what all the Omnisats are based on, is really something when it comes to dispersing sound. As a result, the Omnisat v2 FSes do a "disappearing act" that I've never heard the OM-series speakers quite match.

Have I confused you? Hopefully not. Just know that each of the models has strengths and weaknesses.

...Doug Schneider