Hi all,
Has anyone heard (of) Oephi speakers?
I am on a quest to hear a range of bookshelf speakers and a dealer has suggested these, he says they’ve had great reviews.
Not cheap, about £2,700, but in line with some others I am thinking about from Linn, PMC, Neat, Dynaudio etc… my long list 
Thanks, Tony
So far, I’ve had the chance to listen to Oephi speakers at two hi-fi shows. I really liked the sound—perhaps partly because they weren’t being demoed with classical music or boring jazz. The amplifier was always a Moonriver.
Looked at Lounge 2 myself online. Ear review worth reading.
I have a demo this afternoon, I will report back.
Also hoping to hear similarly priced (up to £3k- ish) Neat and PMC speakers.
In a week or so the Linn 119’s and ATC 11’s.
My gut says Neat, but I’ve been wrong before, so I am open minded.
Tony
If you are looking at transmission lines, have a look at a Alchris ( not easy to get a demo though) and Kerr acoustic have a new small stand mount k400
Great dem today.
Started with PMC Twenty5 21i, didn’t like the look of them and didn’t like the sound. Thin, narrow, just not fun. Two tracks in, they were out. I know lots of people like them and would perhaps say they need longer, but they just didn’t click with me - the key just did not turn in the lock.
Next up, Neat Petite, cheaper and attractive in oak (+300), and immediately sounded great. Listened to them with a range of music for about 20 mins, I really like them, but a nagging doubt about the bass, which for want of a better word was a bit vague.
Next up was the Oephi Lounge 2 standmounts (£2,700).
Utterly beautiful, in Oak. Not tall but quite deep, which is fine.
Then we listened - and woweee!
I will try not to fly off into superlatives, but immediately I knew. I knew that was probably going to buy them. The sound was clear, detailed, wide soundstage, really musical, I could listen to the drums on the right and the sax on the left with no interference, just sat back in my seat and marvelled at the great music - they were just so much fun.
Track after track going to the end, it was just perfect, I couldn’t wait to get them home and to start exploring my music and to begin discovering new music… I am trying to stay away from the superlatives, but is not easy. What a find.
Next up, Neat Momentum JS (bookshelf). Large, well made, £5,000!
Good start, much bigger sound, but quite overwhelming, strong bass, too much? But worse, I was missing the Oephi, there was something missing, not as well controlled and just not as much fun; not as much emotion coming through, just not sucking me in in the way that the Oephi did.
Wow, how about that - more shocks, this hifi game is full of surprises, I’d not even heard of Oephi until the dealer mentioned them on the phone. BTW the dealer was Rayleigh - Ray was a star - about 3.5 hours non-stop music - by the end we were just sharing new artists and tracks and forgot the hifi.
Then, I wanted to throw a curve ball - I would like to hear the £1,500 Rega Aya… quite different, floor stander and shall we say, with a style all of their own.
My first Rega 3, almost 50 years ago, is imprinted on my life. I have so much respect for Roy Gandy for so many reasons, so I wanted to just hear them.
So I did. And they were brilliant. Big sound, great range, really good to listen to, real fun, wide soundstage and y’know, I could live with these - the problem is, they were just the second best speaker of the day - and they were nowhere near as good as the (more expensive) Oephi, and by a large margin. I was in love.
For the last hour Ray brought in the floorstanding version of the Oephi Lounge 2.5, which at £4,500 were an absolute steal, but would be too much for my current small room.
And then just for larks, Ray brought in the Oephi Immanence 2.5 (£12,500) which were just on another level - staggering, totally engaging, I’d never heard hifi this good (I used to own Isobariks - these are better!). I’ll stop now or I will slip into the black hole of gush and superlatives! If I had the right room I would be lining up a home dem.
Oephi speakers are a new name in the UK, but you are going to hear more about them, a lot more; they are gorgeous and groundbreaking and will win a lot of friends.
So, what next for me?
I have another dem tomorrow; ATC and Dynaudio, and whilst I have learned not to pre-judge these things, I fully expect to go back to Rayleigh, pick up a pair of Oephi Lounge 2 speakers to try them at home, and then probably I’ll buy them.
What a find!! Very happy.
Tony
There have been some very consistent reviews and themes on the Oephi’s and the founder has some distinct views on the most important elements of speaker design.
I am with you on sometimes you just instantly know a speaker is wrong for you, I listened to Russel K 50’s some time ago and within first couple of notes it was a firm no. They swapped in the then new floorstanding model and that was much more in line with what I look for (even though I’ve never owned a floorstander).
I had an exchange with Russel K about my experience and he was very open and honest that the 50’s were far more difficult to extract their best and could be sublime or nowhere, the floorstanders were more predictable.
Based on your experience I doubt the ATC’s or Dynaudio will displace that Oephi.
I’ve actually got some fairly recently purchased Neat Petite Classics and find their bass brilliant in this room. However if I go into the cabin my Guru 12’s have a sound that is way different but right in the setting but overwhelm in this room where the petites just groove.
Please tell us what amplifiers were used for your demo. I have read that at shows Oephi usually use Moonriver or tube amps.
That makes good sense. Thanks,
Good point - their Naim boxes were out on loan so we used Gold Note - I know that is not ideal and I will use my own system before I buy, but I called up this morning and they had a slot at midday, so I took it.
Not perfect, but I was looking at the comparative differences, and I know there is a risk that those dismissed could be better with Naim.
Can’t remember the name of the DAC, maybe you can tell from a pic I’ll post when I work out how to change the file format
Which ones are the Oephi? The little ones?
The smaller speakers that I am interested in - Lounge 2 (£2,700).
The larger are also Oephi, but the higher up Immanence 2.5 (£12,500).
Tony
Ok looks like the Lounge have just been upgraded to the Lounge2
Great review—I think the Oephi are really good, too.
The Totem Signature One are also excellent. If you can find a dealer, be sure to give them a listen.
ProAc D2R are great speakers
My bad (as the kids say these days), it was the Lounge 2 - the floor standing equivalent is Lounge 2.5
I’ll go back and edit to avoid any confusion.
I’ve had a simillar interest in hearing these for a while now, and they do look very nice
A pair of immanence 2.5 are available on everyone’s favourite auction site for around £6.5k
Back home now from Tom Tom Audio where I dem’d the ATC 11’s, Neat Ministras and Kudos Super 10a’s.
Anyway, ATC first, unbelievably clear, precise, rock solid soundstage, all musicians clearly placed, very impressive - but didn’t make me wanna get up and dance. £1,650. Not for me.
Next up Neat Ministras. I love the Iota’s sound, so I had high hopes and I wasn’t disappointed.
Great sound, much bigger and better than Iotas. Nowhere near the precision of the ATC’s, but wow did they sing.
But in a bit of a quandary as I loved the Oephi yesterday and these are nearly half price (£1,500 ex-dem) and really work - the key definitely turned in the lock.
Not perfect but goodness me, I could live with these - and I might. Maybe.
Next, Kudos Super 10a’s - £5,000!
Really great. Precision and rock solid soundstage, they were similar but better than the ATC (but a lot more expensive).
Really worked well, impressive but still short of the boogie factor and fun of the Neat.
I know there are lots of people here who swear by ATC and Kudos speakers; I am not saying they’re wrong (of course not!), but it looks like I am a Neat man!
Equipments used: Naim 222 (as pre-amp), 333 streamer and NC 250, oh and Naim NACA5.
All speakers sounded great, it came down to style and sound preference.
Where does it leave me?
I’m off to Italy for a week, then will listen to the Oephi again and maybe other Neats in the range, then home demo(es), and then decide.
It has been a great experience and I really get the feeling that I have a fair grasp on the issues/pros and cons in this space. I would also like to hear the Linn 119’s, which again I have high hopes for.
Bottom line though - I think I’ve made my decision already.
Cheers
Tony
PS Thanks to Tom Tom who were brilliant - the store is like a Naim museum with lots of rare pieces, for example one of the original power amps that JV made for Capital Radio before Naim was even incorporated.
