hORNS Universum MkIII - hORNS by Auotech

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
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Hi this is a difficult question to answer. Nothing was blurred and everything was clear, but I don't know if not being blurred implies a localized image. Guess I am not familiar with using the phrase localized image to describe what I hear.

Also, being transparent, whether you use a turntable like Linn Lp12 (that is not locked in) or digital, or direct drive, will change the imaging.

Hi Bonzo
Thanks for the Reply.
What I mean by localized image is, if I have a vocal on the recording, is that vocal clearly defined in center stage or spread across the whole room as you can get with some Horn loaded speakers?
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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Hi

Just curious about the bass. This looks very small for a true horn loaded bass. Looks to me like an enclosure in the shape of an animal horn. It could be ported or sealed, I can't tell from the specs. The system requires bi-amping BTW. It could well be 100 dB for the "mains" I am not sure the bass enclosure could provide the 100 dB specs...

Not clear if it requires an active crossover for the bass too... In my experience similar horns configuration require a good distance, 15 ft at least, for the (rather widely separated) individual drivers to blend for a cohesive image. That would make this a room with at least one 20 ft dimension, not "small" IME.

The border with the floor contributes to the mouth area, so it is small for a bass horn but it can still work. It's hard to say how low the bass actually extends (rated to 30 Hz but at -? dB?) but if you want full coverage you'd definitely need a subwoofer...

I don't think you'd need quite as much distance with this design and the Tune Animas, etc, probably ~12 ft would be ok.
 

Lee Henley

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Feb 21, 2014
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Ive heard these speakers a few times, the last time I heard them was with my own amps, it was interesting as I only have 8w SET Audio Note amps from the UK. In short the amps didn't disappoint at all and drove the speakers very very well indeed, we even had to turn the vole down in comparison to the 35w Ming Da amps!

If I had the room in my house then Id buy these in a flash, I use the Autotech Mummy's myself which are quite a bit smaller and cost quite a bit less but they do have similar sonic signatures, the only thing is though the Universums offer a hell of allot more as you'd expect!

A few pics from the session

DSCF0169 by henleymajor, on Flickr

DSCF0167 by henleymajor, on Flickr

DSCF0166 by henleymajor, on Flickr
 

Argonaut

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Jul 30, 2013
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@ Kedar....Could you expand a little upon your considerations of the relative merits of the Anima's and the Universums?
 

bonzo75

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@ Kedar....Could you expand a little upon your considerations of the relative merits of the Anima's and the Universums?

Hi this is difficult. Both are very different sounds and will both might or might not necessarily appeal to same person. They are more different than say cones are from horns.

Anima is forceful, raw, guttural timbre. Impact is immediate and forceful. It is not as flowing or integrated as universum. It has some bass issues, and needs a much bigger room to properly stage. But that does not mean it is less.

Universum is more stats like, as it has more details, transparent stage, more flow, and is much more transparent of upstream components. More flow, and easier to listen to for longer hours, or at lower volumes. It has a more relaxing feel while Anima has a more raw energy feel. Definitely better for medium rooms. Bigger rooms will be individual preference as mentioned above.

Both can be heard in Malvern.
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
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@Kedar and others with experience with this speaker.

Do you have any further experience or thoughts on these particularly compared to a twice the price AG Duo Mezzo.
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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@Kedar and others with experience with this speaker.

Do you have any further experience or thoughts on these particularly compared to a twice the price AG Duo Mezzo.

These are much more natural and superior. Duo is shouty with badly integrated bass. Haven't Heard the new XD but haven't heard anyone who disliked the previous one say this is good.

However, what room size are you looking at?
 

CGabriel

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Oct 31, 2013
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These are much more natural and superior. Duo is shouty with badly integrated bass. Haven't Heard the new XD but haven't heard anyone who disliked the previous one say this is good.

However, what room size are you looking at?

Hey buddy, We are building a new reference room from the floor and ceilings upward and outward.
There are few speakers on the short list including an Apogee type (Synergy, Henk rebuild, etc.)
But am not opposed to a good horn system.

The room is approximately 25x35 feet.
 

bonzo75

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Universum are transparent in showing upstream changes between cables etc since that will be your objectives. The speakers are very good but not sure about SOTA. Trios are possibly better, but less transparent of upstream. Much more bass and dynamics. Oswald mills walnut butterfly winged horns but 100 USD if you really want a good speaker that combines the best of apogee and horns and WAF. You can fly to NY and listen. He has different speakers of which the butterfly winged shapes are the great ones
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
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Universum are transparent in showing upstream changes between cables etc since that will be your objectives. The speakers are very good but not sure about SOTA. Trios are possibly better, but less transparent of upstream. Much more bass and dynamics. Oswald mills walnut butterfly winged horns but 100 USD if you really want a good speaker that combines the best of apogee and horns and WAF. You can fly to NY and listen. He has different speakers of which the butterfly winged shapes are the great ones

The Monarch? And you have personally listened to this speaker? Well, it is certainly unique and interesting. Are you saying that you prefer this to any other horn speaker you have heard?

EE7FDDDF-7678-45CA-80EC-41BBFFD8FB60.jpg
 

bonzo75

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Hi yes, I have. It is quite a complete speaker and has the panel type openness and non-cupped high end while maintaining horn flow. This speaker also does the vertical bass like good panels do. It is quite possible tomorrow I sit in front of a couple of horns, none of them commercial, made in some remote part of EU and prefer them, with a bit more western electric family flow or tone, not that this lacks, but I doubt they will be as complete. This speaker also does the vertical bass like good panels do. I guess you already have Maggies, so if you had to open a showroom, you could use that with SS, this with SETs, and if required put in a cone. The good thing is you can listen to it in NY to decide. Each horn sounds very different.
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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Hi yes, I have. It is quite a complete speaker and has the panel type openness and non-cupped high end while maintaining horn flow. This speaker also does the vertical bass like good panels do. It is quite possible tomorrow I sit in front of a couple of horns, none of them commercial, made in some remote part of EU and prefer them, with a bit more western electric family flow or tone, not that this lacks, but I doubt they will be as complete. This speaker also does the vertical bass like good panels do. I guess you already have Maggies, so if you had to open a showroom, you could use that with SS, this with SETs, and if required put in a cone. The good thing is you can listen to it in NY to decide. Each horn sounds very different.

Fortunately they are far away. No audio site has such an attractive effect on me as the Owaldsmill site. https://oswaldsmillaudio.com/. Their masterly executed designs seduce, entice me - their solid wood also seems to complement the musical message in an unique way. Nice to know you enjoyed their sound. I think anyone owning them should not be jealous of David Bionor's anymore ...
BTW, I would also request this rack!
 

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853guy

Active Member
Aug 14, 2013
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Fortunately they are far away. No audio site has such an attractive effect on me as the Owaldsmill site. https://oswaldsmillaudio.com/. Their masterly executed designs seduce, entice me - their solid wood also seems to complement the musical message in an unique way. Nice to know you enjoyed their sound. I think anyone owning them should not be jealous of David Bionor's anymore ...
BTW, I would also request this rack!

Hi Micro,

I first made contact with Jonathan Weiss in 2010 not long after the Parallax was released, having followed Win Tannon's Saskia turntable to (then) representation at OMA. Like you, I was smitten by the design, and the rhetoric that was rightly dismissive of much of what had passed for innovation. I enquired as to the price and was told there was also going to be a smaller, two-way speaker called the Mini that would be around $12,000. We then relocated hemispheres, and by the time I got back around to drawing up a short list, I had watched them climb to $13,500, then $18,000, then $21,000, and now, I believe, $25,000.

I have no idea what real-world costs are involved in hand crafting audio components out of cast aluminum and Pennsylvania hardwoods, but for many reason I never did follow up on my emails to him. Aesthetically speaking, I still consider them to be not only beautiful from a form-follows-function perspective, but also wonderfully idiosyncratic.

There was a member here who owned what the prototype of what I believe became the Monarch, though I'm not sure he still posts here.

Best,

853guy
 

Zero000

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Jul 28, 2014
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Mis-understood Ked's post see his post below.
 
Last edited:

bonzo75

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Justin, we are discussing OMA and not the universum
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
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www.shunyata.com
Hi yes, I have. It is quite a complete speaker and has the panel type openness and non-cupped high end while maintaining horn flow. This speaker also does the vertical bass like good panels do. It is quite possible tomorrow I sit in front of a couple of horns, none of them commercial, made in some remote part of EU and prefer them, with a bit more western electric family flow or tone, not that this lacks, but I doubt they will be as complete. This speaker also does the vertical bass like good panels do. I guess you already have Maggies, so if you had to open a showroom, you could use that with SS, this with SETs, and if required put in a cone. The good thing is you can listen to it in NY to decide. Each horn sounds very different.

Thanks, buddy. That is very helpful. I will try to get to the east coast to give them a listen.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Mar 23, 2015
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Hi All,

Please would someone let me know what are the crossover points on the uni and which tweeter is used?

Thanks!
 
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christoph

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Dec 11, 2015
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Hi All,

Please would someone let me know what are the crossover points on the uni and which tweeter is used?

Thanks!

Sorry, I don't have the info/data but judging from ear, I would guess something between 250 and 300 Hz from Bass to the Midhorn and then something between 4 and 6 kHz from the Midhorn to the Tweeter horn.
But this is just a wild guess, test tones or such :oops:
The tweeter and the mid-range driver are both Berillium drivers but I don't know the manufacturer.
Maybe you could ask Lukasz Lewandowski directly...
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
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Sorry, I don't have the info/data but judging from ear, I would guess something between 250 and 300 Hz from Bass to the Midhorn and then something between 4 and 6 kHz from the Midhorn to the Tweeter horn.
But this is just a wild guess, test tones or such :oops:
The tweeter and the mid-range driver are both Berillium drivers but I don't know the manufacturer.
Maybe you could ask Lukasz Lewandowski directly...

Thanks Chris. I know the mid is a Radian 850. It is the treble I am unsure of but have been told it sound very detailed and good.
 
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