and a 20 Hz 3 dB down point. Knowing the
value of the BPS-150, this was an intriguing concept. We now know the new OM sub line
is designed to replace the BPS lineup, and if the OM-200 is the baby of the group, then
Mirage’s competition should be paying attention.
The OM-200 consists of two 8” Titanium Deposit-Polypropylene Hybrid woofers with 28 oz
magnet structures and 1.5” voice coils, small on the outside, big on the inside. It sports a
200 watt amp (with claims of 800 watts peak) and all the typical controls and
adjustments you would find on a subwoofer, such as auto on/off, level control, variable
phase and crossover. Mirage did not stop with the typical, because they also included a
video enhancement mode (+3 dB @ 40 Hz) for those who want a little more kick with
their movies. There is also clipping and thermal protection, a variety of inputs, and some
pretty hefty rubber feet and spikes.
For inputs, Mirage has given the user lots
of choice. First, there are speaker level
inputs and outputs for use in a stereo
setup. Second, there is a standard low
level input which utilizes the subwoofer
controls, and finally another low level
input which bypasses the controls except
for phase. This last input is the one to use
with most SSPs and receivers.
General Comments
With the OMNI series replacing Mirage's existing FRx lineup, it is appropriate to make
some comparisons. The new OMNI 260 lacks the powered subs and lower frequency
extension of the FRx-9, but makes up for it by being $200 cheaper. On the lower end of
the scale, the smallest OMNI speakers, the OMNI 50s, are $150 more than the FRx-one.
To address this, Mirage has released a couple of smaller and cheaper offerings in the
OMNISAT series. Mirage has kept a speaker for everyone's price point.
The design and finish of the OMNI lineup is excellent and betters the FRx series. I also
believe Mirage has improved on the audio performance of the FRx series, and I will talk
about that below.
Sound
I have been using the OMNI series for a couple of months in my home theater which
doubles as a multi-channel music system. During that time, countless CD and DVDs have
traversed the system from two-channel audio like EMINEM and Diana Krall, DVD-Audio
from the Corrs to Queensryche and movies from The Ring to Harry Potter. The OMNI
setup is a flexible system and works well with all the material I put through it. As with all
of Mirage’s OMNI polar speakers, the sweet spot is one of the largest in the industry.
Sitting off center by a couple of feet will not hurt the perception of image or soundstage.
This adds value when you have multiple people in the room, but as with all speakers,
there is still that 1 cubic foot spot where it is almost magical. With the OMNI setup, that
spot can send chills down your spine as two-channel music surrounds you, and you have
Page 6 of 10
Product Review
5/5/2003
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_10_2/mirage-omni-speakers-5-2003.html
