Occam Audio's New Speakers Bring High Output and Low Distortion to the Masses

Filed under: Home Audio > Speakers > Bookshelf Speakers



When I first wrote about the new CSS SDX7’s, I was flooded with interest from fellow enthusiasts, both excited by the SDX7 and a gorgeous finished subwoofer using a pair of the 7” drivers. Everyone wanted to know “Whose are those?” Well folks, that particular product was one of many coming from a cooperative called Occam Audio.


Occam Audio, named after the scientific principle developed by William of Ockham, is using products from stellar DIY based companies and offers both finished and DIY kits at outstanding prices. The company is made up of woofers from CSS, tweeters from Wavecor, amplifiers from O-Audio, and finished speakers and enclosures from Jeff Keyes of Lucid Acoustics. Together, the products make for an impressive package for the audiophile who likes to buy and enjoy, or the detail-nut DIY specialist.

There are three different lines available at the moment: two full range speakers and a single subwoofer system. Both speakers are available in 3 different formats (bookshelf, center channel, or wall-mount) and if you prefer the finished route, are available in 3 different finishes: Black Satin, Cherry Real Wood Veneer, or Walnut Real Wood Veneer (all finishes can be upgraded to a deep high gloss Piano Lacquer). If you prefer to build it yourself, you can even choose what level of build you get into: you can get the base kit (which comes with all the hardware necessary and a CNC machined front baffle with grill) or the rough kit (which comes with all the hardware necessary and a complete, assembled, but unfinished enclosure).

The MTM, which features a pair of CSS’s renowned wide-band WR125ST with truncated frame and a Vifa DC26NC55, provides wide bandwidth in a small package for $130 if you want the Basic kit or $170 if you prefer the Rough kit. You can pick up a finished speaker for $250; add $50 if you want the piano finish on this one.

The MTM 7 features two of CSS’s infamous high output, low distortion SDX7’s with a single Wavecor TW0303WA01, a textile tweeter with a low resonance frequency designed for two-way systems just like this. The MTM7 is priced at $249 for a Basic kit or $299 for a Rough kit. Finished speakers start at $400, with the piano finish coming for another $75.


The SUBSD12 is just that... a subwoofer featuring CSS’s SD12 paired with a 500 Watt O Audio amplifier. The Basic kit comes in at $430, the Rough kit at $500, and the finished subwoofer at $650. You can have this one finished in piano black if you put down the other $100.

More products are around the corner from Occam Audio. For Canadians, head over to www.CreativeSound.ca to have a look; Americans and International customers, head over to www.OccamAudio.com.