High Efficiency Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: BD Design Oris 150 Speakers by maurelius

Model:	Oris 150
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	1500$-6000$ depending on drivers and DIY efforts.
Description:	Front horn with Lowther driver from 150Hz - 20 KHz, bass cabinet or horn for below 150 Hz
Manufacturer URL:	BD Design
Model Picture:	View

Review by maurelius on October 18, 2001 at 15:07:48
IP Address: 12.93.219.242

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Suggest you re-read Dr. M's review. There is nothing to add to that great review. In 45 years since I built my first amp, this is the most enjoyable speaker/amp combination I have ever had. I certainly must have had every combination of speakers and amps the High End reviewers hustled at my credulous wallet.
Beware, however! There are problems with the Oris 150: I'm haggard with deep bags under my unshaven eyes from no sleep and great musical listening; my wife is planning to leave me unless I come out of the music room; my kids shun any intimacy because I haven't showered in the three months since it arrived; even Clark, my faithful dog, turns his nose away when I drag myself out into the daylight (the dermatologist, however, is overjoyed that no sun has touched this pallid skin). Bert and Ron, you're both subversively mad for letting this monster on the streets. The recession will deepen when workers discover the sweet and clear musical messages they have been missing ever since they followed HP, JA, AD (altho AD's one of us) et al. Greenspan isn't ready for this and if the terrorist groups understand its potential, watch out!
Using the DX3 Lowthers since I couldn't afford the As but understand from others that you should swing for the most you can afford in the Lowthers. Since I haven't heard the AERs, ignorance remains bliss. My bass units are the 97 db sensitive Cabaz sold by Ron W. and the musical Wright 2A3s are more than sufficient to drive these horns/bass cabinets into a 20x30 room fed by orchestral passages, opera, choral works, etc. Substituted DIY silver internal speaker cables for the coppers that came with the kit; in the overall scheme, doubt whether this mod did that much.
All the +s and -s are covered in Dr. Ms review. One negative is that you buy these on FAITH since there is a no-return policy at Welborne. If you don't have faith, my friend, drive or fly to anyone with a set of Oris because in the long run it's cheaper than staying on the Audiophile MerryGoRound. While on this thought about Faith, don't pay attention to the self styled experts who venture to the CES or VSAC or whatever, listen to speakers under the worst conditions imagineable and then make relative pronouncements.
If you must start out with a Left Brain approach, these horns make sense because Lowthers are single source drivers, because room interactions are kept to a minimum by the horn design, because its speed and transient response will clarify, because its macro- and micro-dynamics give renewed meaning to musical passages you thought you knew by heart.............and so forth. Then forget this crap, get drunk or pissed off or whatever it takes to confuse the rational, and then LISTEN with your inner spirit to these Oris 150s. If you don't dance, tap your feet, reach satori, or whatever transformation you tend towards, consider whether or no a spiritual bypass is necessary.
Enough. Time to go back to Oris heaven.

Product Weakness: There are only 24 hours a day you can listen to them.
Product Strengths: There are 24 hours a day you can listen to them.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Wright 2A3 monoblocks
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Audible Illusions
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Belt driven CDP
Speakers:	Oris150/Cabaz
Cables/Interconnects:	DIY silver, Mapleshade
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	every type of classical and jazz
Room Size (LxWxH):	30 x 20 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments:	on first reflections
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 short months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	the usual
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	There are only 24 hours a day you can listen to them.
Product Strengths:	There are 24 hours a day you can listen to them.