Price Paid:  $900.00 from ONLINE

Summary:
HAVE HAD THESE FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS NOW AND AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE 0M-9S. WENT THRU THE BREAK-IN TIME AND DID NOTICE A CHANGE. MORE WARMTH AND TRANSPARENCY WAS MOST APPARENT, ALTHOUGH IN MY OPINION THEY SOUNDED GREAT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. SOME HAVE SAID THEY WERE A LITTLE BRITTLE AND EDGEY WHEN NEW, BUT TO MY EARS THEY WERE ALWAYS WARM SOUNDING. MY PREVIOUS SPKRS WERE KLIPSCH REF. SERIES WHICH ARE VERY BRIGHT, SO MAY HAVE STILL BEEN USED TO THE HORN TWEETERS. THE SOUNDSTAGE IS INCREDIBLE WITH THE OM-9'S. THE SPEAKERS ALMOST SOUND DETACHED FROM THE MUSIC-SOUND RADIATES BEYOND THE SPKRS THEMSELVES. WONDERFUL FOR HT. A SUB IS NEEDED FOR HT, BUT FOR MOST MUSIC I FIND MYSELF TURNING THE SUB WAY DOWN OR OFF ALTOGETHER. BASS IS VERY GOOD FOR 2) 6 1/2 IN. WOOFERS. DETAIL IS SUPERB AND THE MIDS ARE SO WARM. VOCALS ARE WONDERFUL WITH NO HINT OF NASALNESS OR SIBILANCE. PLACEMENT IS A LITTLE TRICKY BUT NOT OVERLY DIFFICULT. JUST NEED TO GIVE THEM SOME SPACE FROM BOUNDARIES, AND IN MY ROOM A SLIGHT TOE-IN HELPED WITH IMAGING BUT THESE SPKRS ARE GREAT FROM ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE ROOM BECAUSE OF THE OMNIPOLAR DESIGN. EVEN SITTING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ONE SPKR YOU STILL ARE IN THE SWEET SPOT. HIGHS ARE NEVER HARSH OR EDGY-VERY WARM AND SWEET. THE BUILD QUALITY IS EXCEPTIONAL. I HAVE THE GLOSS BLACK MODEL WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL. BINDING POSTS ARE THE BEST I'VE SEEN-BI-WIRE CAPABLE (WHICH I DO AND THERE IS A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN DETAIL) DO NEED A FAIR AMOUNT OF POWER FOR THESE BUT MOST HIGH CURRENT AMPS SHOULD BE FINE. I HAVE A PRE-PRO WITH A NAD POWERING THE OM-9'S W/100 WATTS EA. AND IS MORE THAN ENOUGH, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THEY WOULD SOUND EVEN BETTER WITH A BETTER POWER AMP. THESE THINGS LOOK INCREDIBLE TOO. THEY ARE NOT A SMALL SPKR BUT SEEM TO "FIT" THE ROOM QUITE NICELY WITHOUT OVERPOWERING IT. AS YOU CAN TELL I AM QUITE PLEASED WITH THE MIRAGE OM-9'S AND WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO CHECK THEM OUT WHEN IN THE MARKET FOR A REASONABLY PRICED EXCEPTIONAL SPKR. LIST PRICE IS $1400 BUT MOST DEALERS WILL DISCOUNT FROM THAT.

Strengths:
SOUNDSTAGE-DETAIL-WARMTH-IMAGING. WONDERFUL WITH HOME THEATRE. ENOUGH BASS FOR MUSIC, BUT WILL NEED SUB FOR HT.

Weaknesses:
NONE REALLY, BUT HORN TWEETER FANS MAY FIND HIGHS TOO WARM. NEED SOME SPACE-NOT TIGHT TO WALLS OR BOUNDARIES.

Similar Products Used:
KLIPSCH-PARADIGM-BOSE(DON'T BOTHER)

Price Paid:  $5800.00 from Best Buy Electronics

Summary:
I used to be a pro DJ and have used an extensive amount of equipment... everything from TOA, EV, Klipsche and Yorkville to JBL/Infinity. When I finally decided to buy and build my own home & theater system, I was dead set on the JBL Studio series. I had the money in my hand and went to pick them up but while waiting for the clerk at A&B Sound (kind of a jerk and had very poor product knowledge)I decided to check out Best Buy. While I was there I heard the most incredible sound coming from the home theater room. I went in and couldn't believe the sound coming from this system. I talked to the owner and purchased the entire system on the spot. The soundstage, timbre, and warmth that a set of these speakers produce once broken in is simply amazing. Even though I have been a diehard JBL fan for years, these speakers blew the sound quality of JBL out of the water. The music and movie/tv audio was so crisp and well matched that it made listening a pleasure. I still can't believe how full my room sounds...no matter where you stand you are not out of phase or out of touch. If you like balls heavy boomin bass..buy the subwoofer too, otherwise get the JBL's, but if you appreciate all types of music/media and have the money and space for this type of system...GET IT!!! And DON'T cheap out on the wire for hookup...you'll regret it later. Take your time in setup and really listen to a few types of music when setting it for your room. I toed the loudspeakers in a bit...about 1-2inches. The sub is a brute but powerful and the whole veneer look is awesome!!! System Package was $5800 for: Harman Kardon 220AV amp 2 - OM9 Loudspeakers 1 - OMC2 Center Channel 2 - OMR2 Rear Channel 1 - BPS400 Powered Sub Braided Monster Cable 200' and Powered Sub Connector Optical Cable and Component RGB DVD Cables

Strengths:
Sound quality, size, looks, ease of use

Weaknesses:
Takes about 100 hours to really break these speakers in but worth the wait

Similar Products Used:
Mission, Sonobull, EV, JBL, TOA, Yorkville, Vivid....you name it, I've tried it

Price Paid:  $1140.00 from Tweeter

Summary:
I've been using KEF 104/2's for the last 10 years and was curious as to what new stuff's out there for a "reasonable" of $. Went to various places and listened to Vienna Acoustics, PMC, ProAc, Acoustic Energy, Monitor Audio, etc. Went in to Tweeter out of curiosity and decided to check out the Mirage OM 7 and OM 9-a totally different kind of speaker than ANYTHING I'd listened to. I was really shocked not by the imaging (that's what these things a really known for) but the even tonality- especially vocals. No sibilance-very transparent. The OM 9 REALLY stood out so I figured I'd try 'em out. They're keepers (replacing the 104/2's). Unreal imaging with REAL musicality-WOW! Oh yeah, amps are a Threshold SA-3 power and FET 9 pre. EXCELLENT combo with these speaks!

Strengths:
1)Imaging-no real surprise here. 2)tonality. 3)tranparency and accuracy of mids-especially vocals, 4)bass depth, power and extension (big surprise). 5)build quality

Weaknesses:
can't think of any

Similar Products Used:
KEF 104/2, Vienna Acoustics Bach, KEF Q7, and probably the most similar in terms of "sound", DCM Time Windows (original).

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Petter's

Summary:
Got these speakers at one of those stores that buys out bankrupt stores and resells stuff, usually at 50% off retail. Needless to say, I was a bit skeptical, but loves the piano gloss finish and the solid construction. I knew nothing about the speakers, but bought them before someone else could. Got home and checked this site for reviews and felt great about my purchase. I hooked them up and was amazed, I had to resample my entire cd collection, just to hear what I'd been missing. I love the omnipolar sound and how it fills a room. People are always convinced I have the surround speakers on! I just recently picked up a pair of MIT biwire speaker connects and have created an even more amazing soundstage. If you can find these speakers for anywhere near $1000 or even full price, I would gladly pay it. Never have I been more excited about an addition to my household. I stay up til the wee hours just to hear one more CD in all it's intended glory.

Strengths:
Great sound, price, and aesthetics. Sound even better Bi-wired

Weaknesses:
While the bass is amazing for two 6.5" woofers, any rap or R&B fans may be disappointed.

Similar Products Used:
Klipsch, B&W, Infinity

Price Paid:  $1150.00 from Tweeter

Summary:
I bought this speaker last summer to replace my Vandy 1C''s. I listened to a great number of speakers before purchasing. The speaker is very lively and powerful in the context of my system. It sounds great on all types of music, including hard rock, which is atypical of a number of audiophile speakers. It was definitely the missing piece in my system. System: Adcom GCD750 Adcom GFP750 Classe CA100 Mirage OM9''s Monster Power HTS2500 Audioquest Python & Gibraltar Cables Audioquest AC Cables

Strengths:
Tight and powerful sound. Sounds great on all types of music. Great soundstage.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Vandersteen, PSB, Polk, Energy, Triangle, Magneplanar, Martin Logan, Vienna Acoustics