December 5, 2006 Elite speaker designer and manufacturer Mirage now has a new flagship product - the OM Design Series is the first high-end Omniguide based loudspeaker and the US$3750 a pop (that’s for each speaker) OMD-28 is the top of the range. First introduced in 2001 and granted worldwide patents in 2006, Omniguide technology was designed by Mirage’s Chief Engineer, Andrew Welker, and allows loudspeakers to radiate sound in a completely uniform 360-degree radiation pattern. This unique technology offers a dispersion pattern that perfectly mimics the way sound is produced in nature, producing a vivid and realistic sound stage. Now after four years of continuous research and development, the OM Design Series has set another milestone in the company’s speaker development. The result is a range of high-end Home Theatre speakers capable of creating the ultimate illusion of a live performance.
Mirage introduces high-end Omniguide-based loudspeaker
All models in the OM Design Series share identical state-of-the-art drivers offering a consistent sound common to all speakers. The woofer and midrange cones utilize carbon fibre and are ‘matched’ to Mirages patented Ribbed Elliptical Sound technology – a technology that was developed to guarantee linear inward and outward travel of the woofer, increased cone area and excursion.
The flagship OM Design model is the OMD-28, a floor-standing design featuring a complex curved cabinet finished in an exquisite hand-made wood veneer. The OMD-28 features dual 8-inch multi-layer woven carbon fibre woofers, one 5.25-inch multi-layer carbon fibre/fibreglass midrange with under hung motor system, and a new-chambered 28mm titanium dome tweeter.
To further enhance low-end bass response the OMD-28 employs two downward firing ports that capitalise on the space between the bottom of the cabinet and the high gloss base as a loading surface. The result is usable low frequency response that extends down to 18Hz (ref –10dB), enabling it to handle the deepest of musical passages. Designed for the most discerning audiophiles, the OMD-28 is eminently suited to amplifiers from 50-300 watts and has a frequency range of 25Hz through to 20kHz.
The OMD-15 is a 40-inch high, 3-way design that features a sealed top section having an active 5.5-inch Titanium hybrid midrange, together with a 5.5-inch passive radiator. The bottom portion of the beautifully finished high-gloss OMD-15 cabinet, houses a 5.5-inch hybrid woofer with a downward firing port that capitalises on the space between the bottom of the cabinet and the base, extending base response.
Supporting both the OMD-28 and OMD-15 are the OMD-C1 and OMD-C2 3-way centre channel speakers, and Omnipolar OMD-5 and the OMD-R surround sound speakers.
The Mirage OM Design OMD-C2 centre channel speaker utilises two 6.5-inch (16.5cm) carbon fibre woofers and the same 5.25-inch multi-layer carbon fibre midrange, together with a 1.1-inch (28cm) titanium tweeter as employed in the OMD-28. The OMD-C1 is of similar design employing two 5.5inch (16.5cm) carbon fibre woofers, a 4-inch Titanium midrange and a 1-inch chambered (20cm) pure Titanium hybrid dome.
The OMD-5 with its Omnipolar design is a surround or rear speaker and is the most versatile speaker the OM Design Series. It can be used as a front, rear or even centre channel speaker. The OMD-R surround speaker features two 5.25-inch (13.4cm) multi-layer carbon fibre woofers, together with two 2-inch (5.1cm) Titanium cone midrange drivers and two 1-inch (2.5cm) titanium dome tweeters. Both the OMD-5 and OMD-R surround speakers are rated for amplifiers of 25 to 200 watts output.
The Mirage OMD-28 is available in Black, Rosewood and Burled Maple high-gloss finishes, the OMD-15 in Black and Rosewood high-gloss finishes, the OMD-C2 in Black, Rosewood and Burled Maple high-gloss finishes, the OMD-C1 in Black and Rosewood high-gloss finishes, the OMD-R in high-gloss Black, while the OMD-5 are available in Black or Rosewood high-gloss finishes. All Mirage OM Design Series are covered by a five-year parts and labour warranty.