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View Full Version : Obelisk Speakers Advice?


Stubies
18-06-2013, 21:32
I've just received some Obelisk Speakers to test, and possibly buy. Does anyone know about these, or has given them a serious listen?

Long story short - a friend has these as extras, having upgraded to the larger version the Hawk Ensemble. He loves them.

I have given them a bit of a listen tonight - at first listen they seem very detailed, and have a large sound stage - however the base seems muddy and not very authorative. At first impression they seem great for jazz and orchestra, but less of a fit for rock. Perhaps there is a some unwanted resonance - unsure as yet.

That said, they have been sitting on a shelf for a few years - and i have read that Obelisk 'lovers' say they need to be re-run in again to sound correct (and that they can sound really different when not re-burned-in) - some post said it can take weeks' before they really sound right.

I dont have weeks, as he is moving countries in about 4 days... which may not be enough time.

So i ask your help, have any of you had experience with these?

Also, what price do you think is appropriate (they are at least 8 years old) but a new pair run about 4k+ USD new i think...

Much appreciate your help!!

http://shahinianacoustics.com/images/Obelisk.jpg

http://shahinianacoustics.com/Obelisk.htm
tfonseca
19-06-2013, 14:44
Obelisks are incredible speakers. Music just flows, not hifi... Is a quite different approach to sound that I really like, some people don't though. Be aware that they demand a lot of current to sound as suppose to.
Stubies
19-06-2013, 16:20
Obelisks are incredible speakers. Music just flows, not hifi... Is a quite different approach to sound that I really like, some people don't though. Be aware that they demand a lot of current to sound as suppose to.

Tiago

I can see your point, they sound different, open, airy, with presence … just different

How much power is ‘a lot’?? I feel im missing something, maybe its the power (speed) of the amp?

The 50W NAD is perhaps not the best fit, but it is doing a bit better than expected.
Stubies
19-06-2013, 17:57
These speakers have developed from yesterday. Shaking some dust out of them after sitting still for 3+ years.

I would say they have opened up, but they were already the most open speakers i have heard. Some of the brightness has evolved into detail - thats good. The base is tightening up as well - but still seems weak/muffled - missing punch. I have (oooo someone is not going to like this) turned up the base tone control to get some of the punch back.

They are brilliant with Keith Jarrett, Michael Hedges, Ottmar Liebert.

But with Pink and Black Eyed Peas its like it is missing the bottom end.

I wonder how they will evolve over the next days...

I have learned they are from 1993 - so they are an earlier model, i wonder if the newer models have tighter base.
Patrick Dixon
19-06-2013, 17:58
Market price would be around £2K - maybe just under.

see Central Audio Speaker Page (http://www.centralaudio.co.uk/index.php?page=products&id=468)
Stubies
19-06-2013, 18:58
Patrick thanks for the guide price!

Now all i have to do is decide if i like them...

Should be easy... but its not, they are kind of baffling!




Market price would be around £2K - maybe just under.

see Central Audio Speaker Page (http://www.centralaudio.co.uk/index.php?page=products&id=468)
simonms
19-06-2013, 19:02
I have tried many amps with these speakers inc. Meridian 559 bridged which amounts to 1600wpc but found a Dynavector HX 75 at 75wpc to be preferable due to its current delivery. Also used a Pass Labs X250 which was very impressive. John Burns at Pear Audio is your man, extremely friendly and knowlegable on all matters Shahinian.

VB Si.
Stubies
20-06-2013, 10:39
I have tried many amps with these speakers inc. Meridian 559 bridged which amounts to 1600wpc but found a Dynavector HX 75 at 75wpc to be preferable due to its current delivery. Also used a Pass Labs X250 which was very impressive. John Burns at Pear Audio is your man, extremely friendly and knowlegable on all matters Shahinian.

VB Si.

So they need bags of fast power... not to many amplifiers out there fit the bill. The Dynavector seems the least expensive of the bunch - and the used ones are still about 1k to 1.5k

Simon, what year were your Obelisk's from? mine are from 1993 - they have the norweign woofers, were your's the same?

I ask because im not convined on the bottom end - and i wonder how much of that is the amp - so if i upgraded amps would it change the bottom end enough

Thanks!
Stubies
20-06-2013, 10:59
For instrumental music these speakers are great – however they still are lacking bottom end authority and rhythm. Perhaps they will still improve, (re-burn-in over time), however im not convined the bottom end will magically appear

I emailed Shahinian about the speakers, asking about woofer upgrades - Vasken Shahinian responded quickly - really nice he should respond personally. Offered a potential woofer upgrade (to the woofers used in their current Obelisk 2) indicating they were 'miles better'. Waiting to hear on costs.

So it was time to get a closer look. Can you tell somethng about how a speaker sounds by how it looks? What you guys think from the pics?


http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x321/stuarttill/photo3.jpg
http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x321/stuarttill/photo2.jpg
http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x321/stuarttill/photo1.jpg

To me it looks magnet-light. Maybe explains why the base is muddy/weak? Could the corrosion have an impact?

So I weighed one, the speaker weight is about 1400 gm, so the magnet could not be more than 1200 gm. What would a woofer upgrade look like? They are about 6.5 inch i think.