Odyssey help please please

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johnny

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Please bare with me, Im new to this. I just bought a pair of odyssey 250w/channel 4om and hooked it up to a Rotel RMB 1095 amp 200w/channel. As of right now, I am only using 2 channels system. I use a pioneer elite receiver as a processor.

The problem I got right now is when I try to crank it up to about +6 db, the amp shuts off. I thought it should be able to play louder than that. I checked the speaker wires and it looks good. Please help me what I do wrong. Thanks in advance
 
johnny said:
Please bare with me, Im new to this. I just bought a pair of odyssey 250w/channel 4om and hooked it up to a Rotel RMB 1095 amp 200w/channel. As of right now, I am only using 2 channels system. I use a pioneer elite receiver as a processor.

The problem I got right now is when I try to crank it up to about +6 db, the amp shuts off. I thought it should be able to play louder than that. I checked the speaker wires and it looks good. Please help me what I do wrong. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

If I recall the 1095 is a 5 channel amp?? How loud is '6db' that means nothing to me. I have Odysseys and they get real loud off of a sunfire signature. Assumption is u still have the jumpers and are driving with just two channels. Assuming the 1095 is a 5 channel amp - have u tried using 4 channels to drive your Odysseys or do you have plans to do so? Honestly sounds like your amp doesn't like the low impedance stat.
 
Get yourself 18awg magnet wire. Make 1cm diameter cylindrical about 16 tight turns. Scrape enamel off ends and insert 2.2ohm 5W metal oxide resistor- solder. Place the output inductor you just made in series with +/- amp output.

This is a simple and cost effective(about $5) trick manufacturers use to make their amps more "various speakers" friendly to be able to tolerate capacitive load.

I know my former amp RMB-1075 used to have it as default design and had no problems driving ML Vista, despite the fact that it sounded far from perfect - output inductors tends to limit amplifier bandwidth.....

On the other hand: get yourself a more capable amplifier, as it was commented here on this forum on multiple occasions, that Rotel in not ideal companion for Martin Logans.
 
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MrBT said:
Get yourself 18awg magnet wire. Make 1cm diameter cylindrical about 16 tight turns. Scrape enamel off ends and insert 2.2ohm 5W metal oxide resistor- solder. Place the output inductor you just made in series with +/- amp output.

This is a simple and cost effective(about $5) trick manufacturers use to make their amps more "various speakers" friendly to be able to tolerate capacitive load.

I know my former amp RMB-1075 used to have it as default design and had no problems driving ML Vista, despite the fact that it sounded far from perfect - output inductors tends to limit amplifier bandwidth.....

On the other hand: get yourself a more capable amplifier, as it was commented here on this forum on multiple occasions, that Rotel in not ideal companion for Martin Logans.
Click to expand...

Really? Wow, I always thought I got a good amp. Just bought the dam thing too haha. Thanks for the input
 
I still have the jumpers on. I was thinking about doing that. Now since you tell me, I'm gonna try that to see if it any different. Thanks
 
johnny said:
Please bare with me, Im new to this. I just bought a pair of odyssey 250w/channel 4om and hooked it up to a Rotel RMB 1095 amp 200w/channel. As of right now, I am only using 2 channels system. I use a pioneer elite receiver as a processor.

The problem I got right now is when I try to crank it up to about +6 db, the amp shuts off. I thought it should be able to play louder than that. I checked the speaker wires and it looks good. Please help me what I do wrong. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Hi!

Loudspeaker impedance ranges from 4 ohm to 1 ohm at 20 kHz.

1095 is a five channel amplifier with sensitive protection circuitry.
Operating 2 channel its performance ranges from 235 watts @8 ohm and 278 watts @ 4 ohms.
Even in two channel not designed as my colleagues assert to operate with loads below 4 ohms.
Power does not double from 8 ohms to 4 ohms.
Loudspeaker is not easy to drive since it is a very difficult load.

Conclusion
change the Rotel for a amplifier that can deliver watts at 1 ohm.
Innersound amp though twice as expensive as the Rotel is a good choice.
 
M15 said:
Hi!

Loudspeaker impedance ranges from 4 ohm to 1 ohm at 20 kHz.

1095 is a five channel amplifier with sensitive protection circuitry.
Operating 2 channel its performance ranges from 235 watts @8 ohm and 278 watts @ 4 ohms.
Even in two channel not designed as my colleagues assert to operate with loads below 4 ohms.
Power does not double from 8 ohms to 4 ohms.
Loudspeaker is not easy to drive since it is a very difficult load.

Conclusion
change the Rotel for a amplifier that can deliver watts at 1 ohm.
Innersound amp though twice as expensive as the Rotel is a good choice.
Click to expand...

You are right. Even I tried to bi-amp and still shuts down. When it is loud ( for my rotel), it sounded like the mid is cracked and shut off.

We like doing home karaoke sometimes too, I'm wondering if the odyssey efficient for karaoke? I tried it and the mid pretty bad. I don't know if it was an amp or the electrostatic? Do you know a decent amp and model can drive the odyssey? Thanks a lot for your info.
 
johnny said:
You are right. Even I tried to bi-amp and still shuts down. When it is loud ( for my rotel), it sounded like the mid is cracked and shut off.

We like doing home karaoke sometimes too, I'm wondering if the odyssey efficient for karaoke? I tried it and the mid pretty bad. I don't know if it was an amp or the electrostatic? Do you know a decent amp and model can drive the odyssey? Thanks a lot for your info.
Click to expand...

Do not sell rotel until have checked Odyssey with more powerful amplifier.

A word of caution about the following recommendation. I have not listened to this amplifier. However have read good things about amplifier at MLO forum and the Sanders Sound System website.

Sanders Sound System. ESL Mark 2 stereo amplifier.

price @ $4,500. Life time warranty.



Please check Martin Logan Owner's forum classified ads for good used equipment that is less expensive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The following is my subjective opinion, may not be good advice since I do not know the details of your case, that is budget ceiling and extent or percentage given to CD vs. DVD listening.

A thought came to my mind. Why do you not keep the Rotel for the other five home theatre loudspeakers.

I do not know which ML's will precisely match the Odyssey. What I do know is that the Motion series matches with the Electromotion. Possible to get 5 Motion loudspeakers for the 1095. I do not know what your total budget for the system.
But if you want to hear good reproduction of music you will have to get the ESL Mark 2 amplifier for the Odyssey's.

Should be clear in the mind audio system for listening to music or movie soundtracks or both. Buy equipment accordingly. Two channel solutions less expensive than 5.1 or 7.1. Middle end less expensive than high end. Odyssey's are true high end design.
IMO Odyssey is not the loudspeaker to buy for home theatre audio reproduction unless you intend to buy a suitable amplifier which will be relatively expensive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
M15 said:
The following is my subjective opinion, may not be good advice since I do not know the details of your case, that is budget ceiling and extent or percentage given to CD vs. DVD listening.

A thought came to my mind. Why do you not keep the Rotel for the other five home theatre loudspeakers.

I do not know which ML's will precisely match the Odyssey. What I do know is that the Motion series matches with the Electromotion. Possible to get 5 Motion loudspeakers for the 1095. I do not know what your total budget for the system.
But if you want to hear good reproduction of music you will have to get the ESL Mark 2 amplifier for the Odyssey's.

Should be clear in the mind audio system for listening to music or movie soundtracks or both. Buy equipment accordingly. Two channel solutions less expensive than 5.1 or 7.1. Middle end less expensive than high end. Odyssey's are true high end design.
IMO Odyssey is not the loudspeaker to buy for home theatre audio reproduction unless you intend to buy a suitable amplifier which will be relatively expensive.
Click to expand...

Wow them amps you mentioned way over my budget for now. The whole purpose of buying the odyssey was for home karaoke. Our family likes to gather together and sing. I don't listen to music at home, mostly in my car. I do watch movie and been using pioneer elite for my acoustic Bose speakers and it just fine with me. Do you know If the odyssey do the karaoke thing ok? Thanks a lot
 
High quality 5 channel amplifier by Parasound.
Specifications for Parasound A 51 multi-channel power amp.
250 watts RMS X 5 @ 8 ohms
400 watts RMS X 5 @ 4 ohms
60 amperes maximum per channel.
THX ultra 2 certified.
Circuitry designed by John Curl.

Price $ 4,500.

Another equally good and more powerful 5 channel amplifier by Anthem.
specifications for P 5:
325 watts continuous X 5 @ 8 ohms
500 watts continuous X 5 @ 4 ohms
675 watts continuous X 5 @ 2 ohms.

weight 130 pounds.

Price $ 5,000.

Made by Martin Logan associated company.

conclusion:
Price of above power amps nearly similar. I would select the one manufactured in North America rather than East Asia.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mono wire ML with Rotel.

Remove jumpers connecting panel terminals with woofer terminals.

Take care to connect only panel terminals with power amp.

Only the top left red and top right black connect to Rotel through speaker cable.

If now Karoke works or not please let us know.
 
M15 said:
Mono wire ML with Rotel.

Remove jumpers connecting panel terminals with woofer terminals.

Take care to connect only panel terminals with power amp.

Only the top left red and top right black connect to Rotel through speaker cable.

If now Karoke works or not please let us know.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. I'll try it tonight and will let you know
 
Gordon Gray said:
Buy Tom's Pass Labs 250.
Click to expand...

I checked it out and I'm sure it's a good amp for my odyssey. But I am looking for 5.1 so I can drive a logos center and ml electrostatic rears. Try to find some use ones but it seems like there is not a whole lot online. Do you happen to know any website carries use amps to suit my situation? Thanks
 
Ok. I will tell you... If you can find a used sunfire signature amp - it will drive anything for prob around 1300 to 1500. I have one and it works remarkably well. Re: my suggestions - that was a prayer in hopes that you don't have to swap out your amp.

But.....Odysseys for karaoke???? I mean sure you can do that but those speakers were made to be listened to in a sweet spot right between them. How did you come about the Odysseys ?
 
johnny said:
Thanks for the tip. I'll try it tonight and will let you know
Click to expand...
I couldn't wait until tonight to test the mono wire you told me, so I took off from work and drove home to test it out but no good result. The mid is terrible, it is worse than the bose acoustic i was using to sing, and the bose is horrible already. I would want to try some amps that you guys recommended but not sure if it makes any different in karaoke. Living in a town with no local dealer and can not audition one is not going to make any better. What I have been doing was going through different reviews and order it online. The amps are expensive and I cant afford to order it and test it put to see if it works. Anyone has experience with using a commercial amp for the odyssey?
 
timm said:
Ok. I will tell you... If you can find a used sunfire signature amp - it will drive anything for prob around 1300 to 1500. I have one and it works remarkably well. Re: my suggestions - that was a prayer in hopes that you don't have to swap out your amp.

But.....Odysseys for karaoke???? I mean sure you can do that but those speakers were made to be listened to in a sweet spot right between them. How did you come about the Odysseys ?
Click to expand...

I thought a friend of me owned one before and it sound fantastic so i went ahead and ordered one. Stupid me. may have to sell it for other speakers
 
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