Orb Speakers Official Thread - Page 3

Surely someone will post their informed opinion. IMO Orb's manual is completely bogus. Have you tried setting your receiver (edit or) sub's crossover higher to 120 Hz or 150 Hz and compared it to how your current set-up sounds? Just curious...

Try different X-overs and see what you like.

many will tell you to cross the orbs as high as 200hz, but that makes the sub totally localizable and not worth it.

I find that crossing the orbs at 100hz or 120 hz sounds best.

I just tried the crossover at 100 and 150 (no 120 option on my receiver - Pioneer VSX-1016). I actually liked 80 better. However, I did follow the Orb manual and put the crossover to "0" on the actual sub, and did the adjustments on the receiver. I think I liked it better with the actual sub put at 120 and the receiver at 80. I do not really understand how all this works. Is it bad to put the sub at a crossover and the receiver on a crossover? If I put the sub up at 120 (receiver at 80), am I now getting 120 or 80? I do not mind saying that I do not know what I am doing. Please help.

Thank you

What are the wattage rating of the Mod 2's?

15 - 110 watts

I have the Orb mod2 setup with super 8 sub. I'm noticing a change in sound quality when playing material in DTS. The sound is not as full and rich in this mode. I have changed receivers several time with not change in the sound quality.

In DTS mode, much of your audio is probably coming through the center channel. My wife and I prefer "7 CH STEREO" mode on our receiver quite often, depending on how a DVD is mixed. We find the DTS mixes to be thinner sounding, too. Not necessarily bad, but they are mixed to give the most effect to surround sound, and that means leaving a lot of the front left and right speakers out of the mix until they are needed for effects.

I am curious to hear from those that returned their Orbs after trying them out at home.

I always listen to music in 5-channel stereo - I think it fills up the room more. Most music is not recorded to be listened to in the surround sound formats.

Sorry. Can't help you.

Can someone tell me if I can run the speaker wires to a seperate sub, then to the mod 2's as well as using the lfe line with the super8? What would my settings have to be changed to? Just curious if this would work or if anyone has tried it. Looking for a fuller sound with my set up. I have the following: Denon 2805 with Mod2's at the left, right, and center. Just Sony surrounds in the back. Thanks.

Ah, cool thanks. I may try the try the splitter.

Has anyone tried Mod2's with a non super 8 sub?

I'm very close to purchasing some Orbs as the WAF is just too high to pass up .. I'll get my fancy ugly massive fun speakers when we redo the basement I guess. Anyway .. I'm considering coupling them with a different sub as they room they are going in is fairly large with a vaulted ceiling. In particular, the SVS 20-39 PCi cylinder sub. I'm concerned they might not match up well though, as the SVS has a top range of 100hz and most everything I've read suggested a crossover around that range.

My room is 33'X20' with 16' vaulted ceiling. The floor is all traveretine, one wall is all windows. The other wall has a large cutout. The room is an acoustic nightmare. I bought the People's Choice about 1 month ago. We sit and watch movies in one half of the room, so the surounds are close behing us. I can not account for what your room is like or what sound you like, but, in my opinion, the Orb sub gives plenty of bass. I have my crossover at 120, and the sub volume is turned 1/2 to 3/4 up. For the size and price, the system is pretty good. I was also limited by the WAF.

Ain't it funny...if Orb would just invent a speaker that is transparent, wireless, helium filled, and about ten inches in diameter so that there would be no need to find a spot for the sub-woofer...then the only thing left would be solar powered...and they would simply own the speaker market...certainly all of us who are "limited by the WAF".

Any thoughts.... I personally wasn't blown away by my Super 8 sub. My room was a little too big for it... not to mention the sub just quit on me. As such... I think I'm going to upgrade to something a little more aggressive. Any thoughts about pairing an Orb Mod2 5.1 system with an SVS PB12-NSD or SVS PB12-NSD/2 subwoofer? They have variable cross overs which go up to 160Hz.

Any thoughts? Does this sound like overkill?

Funny you should mention that cbesper, my sub died about two weeks ago, after three months or so of service. They are sending me a box so that I can return it for repair (charging me $40) or replacement since it is under warranty, but I don't think that "refund" is an option. If I were gonna replace mine I think it would be with an RBH 10"er, because they say that it is especially "musical". I think that RBH speakers are something special and their subs are highly regarded and glowingly reviewed.

I don't think that your SVS 12"er is necessarily overkill, it's just important that the frequencies up through 150 - 200 hz integrate nicely with the little Orbs. I thought that the 8" Orb did a good job of that, but wouldn't mind just a tad lower extension. I don't play my sub that loud, as I just want good coverage the low end to the high without emphasis on much more than the voice frequencies. Our room is 28" by 16" with 18' vaulted cieling, but the little Orbs fill it up remarkably well when we crank up a concert DVD or the movie gets loud. My only complaint is with the center channel...that's where I hear a little "hollowness" and miss the deeper resonance of, say something like Sean Connery's voice. I am about to try another CC speaker to see if that makes a difference, but don't have it yet, and want to wait till my sub is returned before making a definitive comparison.

This stuff is sometimes very frustrating, and it makes me a little nervous that the Orb subs seem to have an alarming failure rate...what happens when the warranty period is over?

tomboyter... Yeah I know what you mean setting up a good sound system can be a little frustrating. I already put in waayyy more research into my HT than what I was hoping to. I thought the super 8 was OK but I certainly couldn't feel it (that's my HT room though). Admittedly, if it didn't quit I probably would have kept it with no major complaints. It was set up in a basement room which is 17x24 ft. I think the Super 8 relies on an amount of resonance which my room lacked.

Yeah my major concern with getting an SVS subwoofer is the higher frequencies. As a correction to my last post, the SVS crossover goes to 120hz not 160hz... 120hz is actually what I preferred on my Super 8 though. Anything higher seemed to be too localizable.

BTW... I'm quite pleased with the Orb Mod2's. Even without a sub the HT sounds quite nice.

So did anyone here pick up the new Mod4 wall mounts or center stand? I called Orb a few weeks ago and asked about the Mod4, and they told me that had about 12 production quality sets of new wall mounts and center stands for the Mod4. I think they were based on the BOSS stands. I called back yesterday and they said they were gone but that the new products should be for sale by March or April. So, my question is, did anyone here get them? Photos??? I couldn't cajole a photo out of Orb, but I'm putting the Orbs in my theater room and the idea of Mod4 framing the screen is very enticing. I should have ordered them when I had the chance, which is a lesson I didn't need to learn again.

Someone mentioned in an earlier post that there was a cheaper alternative to the HOSS. That is just waaayyyy too much $ to spend on a stand. Does anyone know of a cheaper, generic stand that will work for these?

I'm pretty sure the connector on the back of the speakers is a standard size or, more accurately, one of a few standard sizes and shapes that exist. My friend has stands that he bought somewhere else for $60/pair and the guys @ Orb told him what would fit. His rear speakers also fit on mounts that he already had on the wall. I'd double check w/ them and to find out exactly what it is you are looking for, but I'm pretty sure they work w/ a variety of other stands.

Any stand that can handle a 1/4" 20 thread bolt will work, look up Sanus stands. Any of their satellite offerings should work. I was using them until my Hoss stands were delivered. They had been on back-order.

Thanks....just took a quick peek at their website and noticed that Target carries them. I think these little orbs are going to be perfect. I have a sub already. It is a Sony so I may just see how they sound with it. Or do you think I should go ahead and get the one that comes with the Orb Package? I am going with orb2's for front and center, with orb1's (white) for the surrounds. I have the WAF to consider.

Trust me on this I own two complete sets of these things. Your sub WILL NOT cut it. Most people cross the Orbs at about 120-150 so the sub you use will be very important. I'm afraid the Sony won't be able to reproduce what is needed.

Maybe some others will chime in.

After searching around for weeks & weeks for a nice small satellite/compact/mini... system, I seem to have come full circle. I am dealing with a major WAF issue(s).

After looking at what seems like every speaker company known to man, and reading way to many reviews for my own good, it boils down to the Orb system is the one that comes out on top over & over & over again. (Except for maybe the Sunfire XT Cinema Ribbon Series)

I have not shown my wife the sphere/orb shaped speakers yet. I'm not exactly sure what her response will be.

My Major concern is the clarity of dialogue. If there is not a tremendous improvement over the TV speakers, it will have to shipped back. (She has tinnitus & some deafness issues).

So, how would you rate the clarity of dialogue for TV & DVD's?

I was actually hoping to hear that. I think having a sub that was built for this type of system would be best. Too many times in the past I had tried to skimp on some things and I have never really been satisfied. Yes it has been loud, but I am wanting a clean, clear, and difinitively surround sound. Oh yea and still loud....LOL

So, how would you rate the clarity of dialogue for TV & DVD's?[/quote]

I have had my ORB speakers for about two weeks. The center channel from ORB replaced a fairly imposing center channel from Cambridge Soundworks. I am more than happy with the dialogue from the ORB's. The sound is crisp and clear. As with any speaker system make sure you have the right balance between the center and fronts to be certain the fronts don't overpower the center. Give the ORB's a try. I have the mod2 system and am knocked over with the quality of the sound. Given the 30 day trial you can't go wrong. Mine won't be going back!!

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Totally agree with rstand. Took the words right outta my mouth.