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REVIEW: Sonab OA-116 Speakers

146.129.249.194


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Model: OA-116
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $800
Description: Omni directional Orthoacoustic floorstanding speaker
Manufacturer URL: Sonab
Model Picture: View

Review by jonbee on October 23, 2008 at 12:58:54
IP Address: 146.129.249.194
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for the OA-116


The Sonab speaker line began in 1966 and sadly has been out of production since 1989. Stig Carlsson, the iconoclastic designer, had very extensively worked out the room/speaker interface over many years, and the result was what he called Orthoacoustics (see Carlssonplanet.com for details).
My first experience with them was when I bought a pair of the OA-116 around 1980. They were expensive for the times, had beautiful, tasteful wood cabinets as befit a quality Swedish company, and were very unusual in design. They have a downfiring 6.5 in. woofer in a reflex enclosure that was designed to be used close to the rear wall, as the corner loading and reflective properties of the wall were integral parts of the speaker's design. In that respect, they mirror some of the ideas of Roy Allison.
The Sonabs used top mounted mids and tweeters, whose angles were very carefully worked out to provide a precisely reflected image. The OA-116 was the top home model, with a 6.5 in. top mounted mid and 6 cone tweeters in a precise array, some firing back, some front, and some to the sides at various angles.
When I heard them in 1980, I fell in love with them. I had owned a few dozen quality speakers by that time, and the natural, easy sound of these, along with their amazing bass depth and control for their size were unique to me at that time.
I got the planar speaker bug around that time, and sold the Sonabs to buy a pair of Maggies. While the Maggies did some of the audiophile things better that the Sonabs, I felt some of the natural musicallity was not as good on the Maggies.
Over the years, the fond memory of the Sonabs put them solidly on my all time "wish I hadn't sold them" list. Recently a pair in very nice shape turned up on Craigs List, and I snapped them up.
I'm happy to say that my memory had not failed me. I have had many, many more fine speakers since 1980, but I can honestly say I have never owned or heard a speaker that was simply more ENJOYABLE to listen to music on, without going into audiophile analysis mode. They are utterly coherent, have no nasty distortions or colorations and are very smooth. The audiophile sins are those of omission- they gradually roll off on top, don't offer the image focus of good 'phile speakers, and are slightly laid back overall, but darnit, they sound amazingly like live music! The bass is especially impressive, given that it is very tight into the 20s and will play pretty loud- amazing for a 6.5" woofer in a pretty small cabinet.
I currently have on hand 8 pair of good speakers, including a pair of Ohm Walsh 5 omnis. The Sonabs share many of the spatial qualities of the Ohms, but they have a more believable top to bottom balance, and won't play as loudly as the Ohms (few speakers will). Overall, I find the Sonabs to be more true sounding musically.
The Sonabs have found a home in my bedroom system, which has seen the likes of Merlin TSM-M, Joseph RM7si mk2, Monitor Audio GR10s, and many others. I've like them all, but I would choose the Sonabs over any of them just to lie back and listen to some tunes for pleasure.
These have the usual problems with vintage gear- the drivers are no longer available and they suffer from foam surround rot. There are some real devoted fans that run the carlssonplanet.com website, devoted to the care and feeding of these wonderful, unique speakers.


Product Weakness: Need rear wall placement, image not precise, somewhat rolled off on top. Parts not readily available.
Product Strengths: Sweet, very easy on the ears and musically convincing. Very coherent.Large image, deep solid bass. Smooth response, very low coloration and distortion top to bottom.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: PS audio GCC250
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Modwright/Sony 9100 Platinum Sig Truth
Speakers: Sonab OA-116, VMPS RM30
Cables/Interconnects: all silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections): lots
Room Size (LxWxH): 12 x 16 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition: on week
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Sonab OA-116 Speakers - jonbee 12:58:54 10/23/08 ( 16)