NY Times visits Ojas

[Mr. Widget]

It is! Refurbished by Revox themselves. Really nice deck.

I'm sure it is, but I can't see playing music through one. I finally sold my Otari MX5050 because even though there was the "cool factor" after all these years of being spoiled by the audio quality of digital I couldn't abide the noise and distortion.

I have kept my Nakamichi 700 purely for aesthetics... I haven't played a cassette on it in 20+ years! I mean, really... why would I?

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I'm sure it is, but I can't see playing music through one. I finally sold my Otari MX5050 because even though there was the "cool factor" after all these years of being spoiled by the audio quality of digital I couldn't abide the noise and distortion.

I have kept my Nakamichi 700 purely for aesthetics... I haven't played a cassette on it in 20+ years! I mean, really... why would I?

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Very nice!

Well, as a guy who has a turntable, a tube LCR phono stage, a cassette deck, a single-ended tube amp, horn speakers, and a vintage R2R DAC from the 90s in his system, suffice to say that not everyone's enjoyment of music / audio requires the utmost in measured audio fidelity. With a good recording on a metal tape, that Revox deck sounds excellent! In fact, it is sounds excellent in high quality type I tapes as well. Any tapes really if well recorded, which I enjoy doing.

I'm a millennial, so I experienced analog growing up in the 90s, but the digital tech boom hit in my formative years. A lot of young people are tired of convenience and want a more tactile experience in their hobbies, one reason why physical media in general is seeing a resurgence. I'm also deep into tube DIY, so I'm very invested in the gear that I've designed or restored (which does not include that Revox, mind you).

 

[EJ3]

Very nice!

Well, as a guy who has a turntable, a tube LCR phono stage, a cassette deck, a single-ended tube amp, horn speakers, and a vintage R2R DAC from the 90s in his system, suffice to say that not everyone's enjoyment of music / audio requires the utmost in measured audio fidelity. With a good recording on a metal tape, that Revox deck sounds excellent! In fact, it is sounds excellent in high quality type I tapes as well. Any tapes really if well recorded, which I enjoy doing.

I'm a millennial, so I experienced analog growing up in the 90s, but the digital tech boom hit in my formative years. A lot of young people are tired of convenience and want a more tactile experience in their hobbies, one reason why physical media in general is seeing a resurgence. I'm also deep into tube DIY, so I'm very invested in the gear that I've designed or restored (which does not include that Revox, mind you).

I am a Heins 57 Variety (my correct spelling for my name & born year [so no Ketchup money or pickle money, dang!]).
But still play and (sometimes) make cassettes (usually using NOS Maxell UDXL II tape) on my JVC T-W315 & KENWOOD KX-W8050 (both dual bay decks).
Also 2 AKAI reel to Reels (rarely used)
I have a Technics SL-M3 & a DUAL 1229 turntables to play my LP's.
A Sony RCD-W500C to both play & record to CD with.
An NAD 4300 for general FM (& DXing) & a SONY XDR-SDH3 for HD FM
An oPPo 205 UDC for all my other disc needs.
Since 2007 no TV (but that will change for 2025).
No streaming capability (so far, don't see why I would want to).
A desktop computer in my office (the stereo stuff is in the living room).
Glad to see some others doing cassette stuff.
I don't know about others but unless an LP is not in very good condition,
I don't see digital as more than a small increment better in sound quality.
Perhaps that is because of the general noise of boats, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, etc.
I live on a navigable river, in a forest, so...sometimes it's a bit noisy & sometimes it's eerily super quiet.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I am a Heins 57 Variety (my correct spelling for my name & born year [so no Ketchup money or pickle money, dang!]).
But still play and (sometimes) make cassettes (usually using NOS Maxell UDXL II tape) on my JVC T-W315 & KENWOOD KX-W8050 (both dual bay decks).
Also 2 AKAI reel to Reels (rarely used)
I have a Technics SL-M3 & a DUAL 1229 turntables to play my LP's.
A Sony RCD-W500C to both play & record to CD with.
An NAD 4300 for general FM (& DXing) & a SONY XDR-SDH3 for HD FM
An oPPo 205 UDC for all my other disc needs.
Since 2007 no TV (but that will change for 2025).
No streaming capability (so far, don't see why I would want to).
A desktop computer in my office (the stereo stuff is in the living room).
Glad to see some others doing cassette stuff.
I don't know about others but unless an LP is not in very good condition,
I don't see digital as more than a small increment better in sound quality.
Perhaps that is because of the general noise of boats, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, etc.
I live on a navigable river, in a forest, so...sometimes it's a bit noisy & sometimes it's eerily super quiet.

Wow that's quite the setup! Very nice. I don't watch TV either, movies sometimes. With hobbies like these, who has time.

In my system, my Thorens TD 125 MKII and my LCR phono bests any DAC I've owned. Digital is there as a convenience. The format sounds great and it isn't just nostalgia, in my opinion.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Here's a look at my recently completed LCR phono stage, D3a and E55L tubes, triode strapped, completely transformer coupled from input to output, balanced ins, separate chassis power supply with umbilical. I've since made a new umbilical to get a little more space between the power supply and phono chassis.

Me and the OJAS dude would get along nicely I am sure

 

[EJ3]

Here's a look at my recently completed LCR phono stage, D3a and E55L tubes, triode strapped, completely transformer coupled from input to output, balanced ins, separate chassis power supply with umbilical. I've since made a new umbilical to get a little more space between the power supply and phono chassis.

Me and the OJAS dude would get along nicely I am sure

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Very Nice!
My home intercom system (three stations, one in each bedroom) the master control (that can run AM or FM radio to the other three stations as well as itself) is in the breakfast zone, kitchen area) and a push to talk station at the front door: is tube based.

 

[EJ3]

Very Nice!
My home intercom system (three stations, one in each bedroom) the master control (that can run AM or FM radio to the other three stations as well as itself) is in the breakfast zone, kitchen area) and a push to talk station at the front door: is tube based.

This system has been in operation since 1965, as well as the central vacuuming system & the non blowing baseboard radiant heat (via a boiler system).

 

[HXT1]

So now the clothes that homeless people used to wear and the audio gear that broke-ass people used to buy at Goodwill and yard sales are being priced beyond the means of anyone without trust fund income?

Just trying to imagine how it gets even worse from here...

what? audio gear that broke ass people used to buy at goodwill? Oh, when ****** "solid state" and CD came on the scene? I put the ojas stuff in the same camp as pureaudio OB stuff.... simple, well built with quality materials, and heirloom quality.
But yes they are pricey... things go around and come around. We knew about set tubes and high efficiency speakers long ago. I'm not in the market nor am I the target market for his stuff, but I appreciate it for what it is, and I think it's great that he's doing what he's doing, which is exposing younger normal (non audiophile ) folks to good audio , analog, and tape. I think that's great. How does it get worse? I don't understand the hate except from a consumerist /elitist view maybe. And the more "popular" and "hip" they get the more acceptable huge ridiculous speakers, tube amps and tape machines become to my wife shhhh

 

[HXT1]

You can make good horn systems, look at JBL their bigger speakers like the M2 or the 4367. But those of Ojas and Kiplisch are not that well designed in a lot of cases. The only thing i do like from Kiplisch is their K402 horn, but only when there is a good (non kiplisch) CD on it.

JBL is something else, the M2 or the 4367 how a good hi sensitive system with tweeter horns should be. And i'm planning to make something similar myself (for myself), but also based on science and measurments, not overpriced nostalgia. And many do. This kind of speakers do something that no slim tower speaker can, having tons of headroom due to the high sensitive CD and big woofer.

But what is true, is that people like Ojas show to the Millenials and youngsters that there is more than IEM's and BT speakers to listen to music... Maybe the wrong way, but they start digging on the internet and may arrive here.

I'll hope I get a chance to hear a 4367, or M2... I'm sure sota horns are incredible. I've heard million dollar systems in purpose built rooms, and been underwhelmed, disappointingly. Heard Philip C's marantz klh setup and was enthralled....

 

[HXT1]

Very Nice!
My home intercom system (three stations, one in each bedroom) the master control (that can run AM or FM radio to the other three stations as well as itself) is in the breakfast zone, kitchen area) and a push to talk station at the front door: is tube based.

love it!!!!

 

[HXT1]

My conclusion on this is that this guy is just a hipster making overpriced hipster stuff with proven tech from the past. It probally sounds good as he is using parts that should sound good, but it's not as accurate as modern tech is. If that is a problem is a subjective preference, i would not mind as i like the old Altec speakers and tube amps. But in the philosophy of this site it's old obsolete and flawed technology (what it at the end also is from engineering side of view). And i'm definitly not the only one who like that "old obsolete and flawed tech", many do. That is why this guy (and many others who make those oldskool setups) are still selling a lot.

And i think you can get this kind of sound with modern tech also. I'm actually in the process of building something that should sound similar with big compression drivers in a horn and a midwoofer under it. It won't have the bandwith of modern speakers, but that is what the friend for who it is wants. But i use modern big compression drivers in big horns crossed low to an modern (mid)woofers in a reflex by a dsp and class D amps to get there (as the he wants it relative high power) and may add a solid state circuit that adds harmonic distortion (with a bypass) to get the "tube sound". It's still in dev phase altough (so no finished plans yet). The system i'm building will also be much cheaper than this overpriced hipster system.

he's actually a prolific creative, who grinds a s just happened to learn how to use Whatsapp and internet networking while we were doing things the old way. He got to where he is at my hustling, and yes when I first saw his stuff I was like: "This guy is just mass marketing econowaves to them dang young terminally unique rich kids" then I thought: Bully for him. I'm not rich and even if I was I'm cheap, so lots of diy, wheeling and dealing, trading, refurbishing etc. My speakers have old altec Hollywood CD s, c2001 Japanese woofers, and old 1980s Gauss supertweeters, and they sound really good. I have 6 other pairs of speakers but these ones are my favorites... would I buy premade hip theatre speakers at a huge premium? nope. At one point I had over a dozen R2R machines in my garage...I like what OMA is doing but I'd never buy those either.... what I'm saying is: My name is Harvey, and I have a problem with audio gear.... HEELLLLLLLPPP!
I love this site because it gives me access to folks who really know their stuff tech wise, manufacturers, fanatics, and guys who know SOTA... My hope is to just land one day, and be good with what I have, just focus on getting more music. I think I'm close. But I'm sure I'll hear a system that makes me rethink everything and that's what I love about this hobby/lifestyle!

 

[HXT1]

If the skatepunk-entrepreneuer-turned-audio-guru-to-the-stars *really* wanted to break the rules, he'd submit his works to testing like Amir's.

ears and mics/anechoic chambers etc are two completely different things but I get your point. I'm interested in those newfangled ear pipe things those fellows developed that supposedly eliminate coloration and distortion caused by the shape of our ears and ear canals.... im guessing they do the same thing as cupping your ears? im trying to find out more about them.