Created to be the flagship for their Mirage Omnipolar series, the new OM-1 made its debut at this year’s CES in Las Vegas. The OM-1 is a 4-piece system consisting of two 74-inch tall panels and two powered subwoofers. Each of the subwoofers holds four woofers in a bipolar configuration, two on each side. Each woofer is in its own enclosure, powered, with servo-control, by its own 375 watt amplifier for an impressive total of 1500 watts per side. The woofers themselves have woven carbon fiber cones and dual voice-coil/magnet/spider assemblies. Carbon fiber is also used for the cones of the mid/bass drivers. Mirage claims that the speakers have extremely low harmonic distortion levels by virtue of their dual voice-coil structures.
The OM-1s made their appearance at CES in static (non-playing) form for general showgoers and the press. Mirage dealers and overseas distributors got a listen to a "work-in-progress" system off-sight. In introducing the OM-1s, Engineer Andrew Welker described them as a cost-no-object vehicle for developing technology that would filter down to the rest of the Mirage line, hinting that there was also room for new entries between it and the current top-of-the-line Mirage OM-5, which retails at approx. $3,500 per pair.
The public and press can see and hear the final OM-1 product at the Home Entertainment Expo 2001 in New York May 11-13, 2001. Production for the OM-1 is slated for summer 2001. The suggested retail price is expected to range from $25,000 - $29,000 for the system depending on finish. The OM-1’s subwoofer will also be available for separate purchase.
