Orb Audio Mod4 Speakers Review

Mod4 - Design, Build Quality and Setup

I like big speakers. In fact, I often make fun of people who prefer smaller speakers due to the reluctance of their significant others or just a reluctance to have anything actually stand out in their otherwise pristine home. Drives me crazy. After all, this is home audio, a domain where you should try as much as possible to recreate a live music performance or the effect of going to a nice movie theater. With most small speakers it's difficult to achieve that realistically. Often you're simply left with a nice looking system that, if it's lucky, impresses the neophytes and delivers a big "ho-hum" to those who know better. When Orb Audio announced its new Mod4 speaker system I felt compelled to finally listen to these spherical trinkets and satisfy my own curiosity. After all, our resident critic, Tom Andry gave the Mod2 system 4 stars back in 2005.

Ask around (online at least) and you'll likely find a whole group of people dedicated to the art of the spherical speaker design. While only a few commercial entities manufacture this type of enclosure, the design is widely accepted as a sound method (pun intended of course) of reducing troublesome acoustic diffraction issues that are common in enclosures with corners. The science is certainly up for debate but I, for one, am glad there is more than one way to make a loudspeaker. If not, the world would be full of identical boxes.

Build Quality & Setup

We anxiously unpacked the boxes which contained the Orb Audio speakers. Each was carefully secured in form-fitting foam which ensured safe passage across the country. Each speaker came in a beautiful Bronze finish that really looked awesome - and unlike anything I'd ever seen in a home theater room. If it's a choice between black or white plastic cubes or a metallic sphere (available in Black, White, Steel, Copper, Bronze...) I know which one I'd pick every time. Orb Audio was kind enough to send us a loaner kit which included one of each of the colors available in the line (our system was in Bronze and so we didn't photograph that here).

Our review system was comprised of a set of Mod4s for the front and center channels and Mod2s for the surrounds. The Mod1 speakers (a Mod 2 system is essentially two Mod1, and a Mod 4 system is just 4 of the little spheres - you catching on?) are quite weighty. They actually have some serious heft to them, coming in at around 2 pounds each. While that doesn't sound like much, go ahead and pick up those little golf ball-sized speakers they sell in big box stores sometime and compare. Two pounds will feel like a hundred next to a $5 driver surrounded by a teaspoon of plastic. I continued my inspection and noted the push-pin style binding posts which can accept up to 14 gauge wire. I'm not a big fan of these connectors, but I understand Orb Audio's use of them considering their series/parallel methodology for adding more speakers into a system. These are certainly better than the spring-clip style of connectors found on most home theater in-a-box systems, and it makes connecting cables to these drivers quite easy.

Our 5.1 system was capped off with the aptly-named Uber Ten 10-inch front-firing, bottom-ported subwoofer. This sub was small enough to be positioned just about anywhere, but certainly wasn't a toy. You could feel that it was a serious product when you picked it up and I found it to be extremely easy to work with. It features a fully variable crossover and speaker level inputs and outputs, so you can use the sub to crossover satellite speakers (fixed at 80Hz) when your receiver doesn't have variable or adequate bass management (think integrated amplifiers or legacy systems). I liked the Auto sensing switch on the back as I prefer those to systems which are always On or Off. In a comical moment I realized that the Uber Ten sub's volume actually goes to 11. Well it's one louder then, isn't it? The sub sells for $699 on its own but only $538 when packaged - a bit more reasonable given the competition and features. When ordering a system, Orb Audio additionally gives you an option to upgrade from a Super Eight sub to the Uber Ten sub for $299 (which is the difference between the selling price of the two subs) when ordering a full (2.1 or 5.1) system.

The Uber Ten is ready for just about anything.

Rounding out the unit is a fully variable phase control which goes from 0-180 and a removable power cord (2-prong thank goodness, so it almost instantly eliminates the most common ground loop issues). The sub has a single line level input, not stereo, which means you'll have to pick a side or use a Y-cable when integrating it into the preamp outs of an integrated amplifier. It's a textured black enclosure that has a stand-off round speaker grill. While the sub looks fine, it looks completely out of place with the rest of the system. How Orb Audio can make such a great looking set of speakers and settle for a Plain Jane sub is beyond me.

Because we opted to use the HOSS (short for "hunk of solid steel") floor stands to mount both the Mod4 fronts and the Mod2 surrounds, we had to do some MODifications... OK, one more pun and I'm throwing myself off this review. This involved reconfiguring the speakers so that they attached directly to the HOSS stands instead of being ready for wall-mounting. It sounds simple, but you actually had to unseat each Mod4 speaker from the center pole it was pre-attached to and then re-attach the speaker to the HOSS stands via a bracket that spanned both posts. It took us a while, but eventually we had everything ready to go. One thing that would have been nice was some instructions. Orb Audio forgot to include those in the packaging so we fumbled around for a while before we broke down and pulled up the website.

As for the HOSS stands, those were easy to assemble using a flat head screwdriver (seriously, who uses those anymore?) We also found out that our standard 12/2 speaker cables weren't exactly the best choice for this rig. If you're using larger cables, you'll likely need to split them and run one wire up each hollow tube. If you follow Orb Audio's lead, you'll stick to thinner 16 gauge cables and try to locate them in black to help them conceal when they pop out the top and bend back down towards the binding posts. All-in-all it could be easier, but it's not a stopping point or anything that would dissuade me from buying them.

Mod4 - Listening Tests and Conclusion

DVD-Audio: Ernest Ranglin - Order of Distinction
Ernest Ranglin is an incredible guitarist whose playing comes across as if he were about 30 years younger than he is. The man is amazing and AIX Records did a great job of capturing the clean performance of this album. The opening track featured a percussive banjo and a well-played melodica (kind of a cross between a harmonica and a piano) which just jumped nicely out of the mix. A natural jazz club reverb is what I would expect given the high definition video of the performance located on the non DVD-Audio disc contained in the digi-pack. This natural reverb was very well reproduced and I couldn’t believe the mid-bass coming out of the congas and through the Mod4 speakers. The next track featured a rimshot-fest of snare, kick and cymbals which drove behind a solid guitar lead that toyfully played with Monty Alexander's piano as they exchanged licks. This song was so full and yet I was able to crank it to sustained levels of over 88 db SPL in a live room without much fatigue.

This system seemed to redefine just what is possible with diminutive speakers. If you would have asked me before this review if the Orbs could possibly sound the way they do I would most certainly have met you with a healthy dose of skepticism.

"Lollipop" gave us our first taste of female vocals and I finally heard a bit more midrange. Alana Davis' performance was solid and pure and I could hear a slight bit of compression when we increased the volume still further to see how much we could get out of the system. There are limits to how much clean audio can be pushed from the Orbs, but the levels we attained before running into any breakup was laudable. The bass coming from the 10-inch subwoofer was nothing short of powerful and pounding and it was impressive how much actually originated from the little Orb speakers themselves.

DTS-DVD: Eagles - Hell Freezes Over
The extended intro to this version of Hotel California was room-filling. The crowds filled the surrounds along with percussion while the guitars coursed through the mains in a slow crescendo. Henley's vocals pumped out of the center channel and backing vocals filled in from all around during the chorus. The room was so live and authentic-sounding during this track that I was having a hard time determining if I was in a great room or the Mod4s were just that good. Another favorite of mine (again, a Henley tune) is "New York Minute." The reverberant keys which open the track carried it into the room with an eerie smoothness. The kick and bass were locked tight and the Uber Ten allowed the low frequency to literally roll out without letting on where the Orbs stopped and the sub started. The toms, which intro the chorus, resounded through the room from floor to ceiling, producing a nice tactile cascade which I felt in my seat. The string-like keys continued and, as the final verse opened up, Henley's voice had a generous amount of texture and grit, letting me know the Orbs could handle finesse during periods of high volume output.

DVD-Audio: The Beatles - Love
I pulled up The Beatles Love DVD-Audio disc and basked in the wash of vocals and reverberant decay of "Because." When my eyes were closed it sounded remarkably like I was sitting in a much larger venue with a real stage performance. Not only were the vocals solid and strong, the background effects (birds, etc) poked through cleanly, despite the excessive volume. "Eleanor Rigby," one of my favorite tunes (and way too short for my taste) sounded beautiful, with vocals which were forward and which had presence. The textured violin was such that, when you sat back, it retained all the movement and fingering sounds perfectly. Not only did the surrounds perform with gusto, but the Mod4 front and center channels all but threw sound into the room for me to enjoy, creating a large, live environment that I was reluctant to ever leave. "Something" had a flowing bass line that really showed that the 10-inch Uber Ten sub could hold its own. The laid back drums contributed with a crisp rhythm which raised its head and peeked into the mix easily. The break was powerful and I again wondered at how these tiny speakers could pump so much volume into the listening room. Track 12 "Blackbird/Yesterday" gave me a breather as I focused on the acoustic guitar and solitary lyric. The midrange issue I had earlier with Alana David didn't seem as easy to pick out with McCartney's voice. I didn't complain.

DVD-Audio: Seal IV
"Love's Divine" is a song I queue up regularly to hear dynamics. From the almost earthquake-like intro to subtle piano and Seal's vocal, this track ebbs and flows in a gradual, rolling pattern. It also brings forth some gentle, but strong subsonic frequencies. When the first hit, just before the chorus, I smiled as I felt and heard the Uber Ten pick it up and throw it into the room like it was nothing. This subwoofer really puts those popular "bass modules," which come with many box systems, to shame - even if it does it with humility while looking like a really inexpensive box sub. "Let Me Roll" always reminds me of a cheesy dance track until it kicks in and, well, starts to roll. Then it really pumps out some nice vocals, backgrounds, and a groove that will shake your feet if you have them meeting the surface of the floor. If that's not enough, a few select sub sweeps will send lesser subs looking for their mommies. Orb Audio's 10-inch wonder fared very well, again surprising me, though by now I should have known better!

Conclusions

My impressions of the Orb Audio Mod4 system can be summed up in three words: Loud, Tactile, and Loud. Did I mention the system can play loud? The Mod4's are more than a match for medium to larger-sized rooms and we were very pleased with the definition, soundstage and imaging of the speakers. While setup was a bit difficult given that Orb Audio obviously ships these beauties intended them to be mostly wall-mounted, nothing was so difficult that we found ourselves cursing the ocean liner that brought in the materials. Though we didn't detail our movie experiences, both music and feature films sounded fantastic on this system. Given that the room we listened in wasn't treated acoustically, it's a safe bet that the Mod4 system is fairly room-agnostic and will sound good in a whole host of differing environments. If you're looking to spend "cube speaker" prices but actually want a system that can play down low and make you feel the bass, the Mod4 system is for you.

Orb Audio Mod4 Speaker System & Uber Ten Sub
MSRP $2778

Orb Audio LLC
520 East 88th Street
New York, NY 10128
(877) 672-2834
support@orbaudio.com

About Orb Audio
Orb Audio is committed to being different. From the beginning in 2002, it has been our intention to deliver speaker systems with the finest quality components, an attractive, upscale design and an affordable price. The only way to accomplish all of this was to be different from the other players in the industry, make our speakers in the United States, and to sell them to our clients directly to avoid substantial (and totally unnecessary) markups. Our satellites are manufactured in the United States by craftspeople with years of experience in electronics assembly. We do not have to take mass market considerations into our design, so we can design our speakers for one thing -- performance.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Treble Extension
Treble Smoothness
Midrange Accuracy
Bass Extension
Bass Accuracy
Imaging
Soundstage
Dynamic Range
Fit and Finish
Performance
Value