AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Owner's Circles => Von Schweikert Audio Owners => Topic started by: Albert Von Schweikert on 6 Oct 2011, 11:53 am
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Hello Fellow Audiophiles,
We have received many phone calls and emails about the rumor that the VR-4 will finally be discontinued, and so we decided to let you all in on a little secret before the new VR-44 makes its World Debut in room 522 at RMAF. Our room partners are Joe Jurzek and Bill Baker of Purity Audio; more about these geniuses later....
Yes, the rumors are true, as all things must pass.... After continuous production since 1979, the VR-4 will be dropped from our line. It is a sad but exciting time for us, since the VR-4's replacement, code-named VR-44, is so vastly superior that we felt that using the old "VR-4" name would be confusing to people who thought the VR-4 would never, could never be improved upon at its price point. However, it is so different than our original version released in 1979 that we felt we had to change the name, for no other reason than to eliminate confusion.
WHY DID WE DECIDE TO ELIMINATE OUR MOST POPULAR MODEL?
After spending the past two years working on cabinet R&D and evaluating drive units designed for us by the most talented transducer engineers in the world, we realized that the entire VR-4 platform needed to be overhauled if we were to continue to lead the field in audio engineering at this popular price point (the $10,000 to $20,000 range).
The all-new VR-44 is built upon an entirely different principle of wave-launch and transient response effects, which are vastly important to the illusion that the speakers have disappeared and musicians have magically appeared in your room. Of course, the 17 reviews of the VR-4 system starting from 1989 indicated that we were in the right direction from the beginning, so we're proud of the outgoing model and don't wish to discredit the tens of thousands of VR-4's out there in our valued customer's homes. In fact, the first reviewer to write about the VR-4 (then called the Vortex Screen) was Robert Harley, writing in Stereophile, July 1989, where he stated something like this (if my memory is correct): ..."the Vortex Screen might just be the Holy Grail of speaker systems: an affordable speaker that outperforms anything I've ever heard at its price point".... In fact, Mr. Harley bought the review pair which he kept for 7 years (a life time in the span of reviewer ownership, I'm told). As Mr. Harley has said many times as present Editor of The Absolute Sound: even though there are better products coming out all the time, your older components don't suddenly turn into boat anchors, they still sound as good as when you bought them! So, to sum this up, if you own the older model, it still is a great sounding speaker system! However, you just might like our new VR-44 quite a bit more.... something to think about on your next birthday, right?
NEW VR-44 TECHNOLOGY
In order to launch a phase coherent and Time Aligned wave-front from the new combination of drivers used in this system, I knew that I would have to optimize the front baffle shape based on the new drive unit radiation patterns. The new front baffle was specifically designed to combine a multiple-driver pressure front as a "unified" wave that can mimic the sound of a single diaphragm recording microphone. The new VR-44 uses a single cabinet, tapered at the top to provide a minimum baffle for the dual ring Wide Surround tweeter, while the baffle widens to accept the larger width of the midrange and bass drivers. The front baffle also leans backwards in order to Time Align the entire driver array, including the woofers. In the previous VR-4 designs, the woofers were aimed forward, while the midrange and treble drivers were on a slanted baffle to align the driver voice coils. This is called Time Alignment and was first described by Ed Long, an engineer at JBL several decades ago. However, the use of two baffles which have differing sizes and radiation planes does not optimize the entire wave launch as well as anyone had previously believed, even though the measurements "proved" that this type of design is valid.
The "new" cabinet shape and baffle actually aren't really new: we used this design in a previous model called the dB-99 which was current from 2004 to 2008. Although the dB-99 garnered several rave reviews, it was primarily directed towards SET (single ended triode) users, and when the SET fad died down, we decided to discontinue that model. It seems that most audiophiles aren't really interested in super high sensitivity speakers, but want smooth sound and great imaging, something that is lacking in many high sensitivity designs (like horn speakers).
Fast foward to 2009: after working on the TriLaminate cabinet wall technology and testing new "high resolution" wide-range drivers, we designed a new version of the dB-99 which has DNA from the VR-4 platform. This new hybrid model, the VR-44, can be ordered as a "passive" version if the customer has a large amplifier and does not wish to bi-amp; if the customer owns a tube amp, then the Aktive version makes more sense.
The sound field generated by the new VR-44 is extremely "open" and the speakers disappear, as completely as any other speaker we have heard. The new radiation pattern seems to tolerate a wide variety of room conditions and even in small rooms, the sound stage is huge and incredibly stable, no matter where you sit.
The front baffle, along with the rest of the cabinet, has wall thicknesses which vary from 2" to 3" and the entire cabinet consists of three different materials, laminated together. Please read my Technical Paper on "The Audibility of Speaker Cabinet Resonances" posted here last year (and is also published on our website). If you haven't read this paper, I developed a laminate of three different materials with opposing "Q" factors which reduces the tendency of the cabinet to "ring" or resonate when the woofers are vibrating. In fact, this Trilaminate Wall Design is so novel that we have applied for two patents. The most interesting aspect of this new cabinet design is that it is extremely affordable compared to the raw cost of an aluminum cabinet, keeping the total speaker system price to a reasonable level without sacrificing any transparency to achieve the low retail price.
EXOTIC DRIVER MOUNTING TECHNOLOGY
To further reduce the cabinet's tendency to resonate along with the drivers, we are utilizing a driver mounting system that isolates the driver frames from touching the cabinet. By mounting the drive units on a thick gasket of non-drying plasticene (an artificial clay that looks like sticky tar), no vibration is passed from the driver to the cabinet walls. In fact, the sticky clay (developed to damp the hulls of nuclear submarines) will bond the drivers to the baffle without the need for screws, further reducing the possibility of the drivers becoming loose and creating vibrational problems. (However, we still use screws to prevent customers from thinking that we "forgot" to install the screws).
WHY USE A SINGLE CABINET INSTEAD OF TWIN STACKING CABINETS?
Our original design from 1979 was realized as a small 6" two-way speaker sitting on top of an added subwoofer cabinet. At that time, we felt that isolating the bass from the midrange and treble would enhance the clarity, since cabinet technology was not at the advanced level we find in today's most respected speaker systems. After the first pair of prototypes were evaluated in the late 1970's, we later added Time Alignment a year later, with a tweeter set back to align its voice coil to the midrange, ensuring proper impulse coherence. (You don't want the tweeter's pulse to reach your ears before the midrange if you value signal "coherence"). Of course, each pulse should arrive at your ear (or measurement mic) at the same time if you wish to produce an accurate 3-D image recreation along with correct instrument timbre. We are still amazed at the lack of attention that other companies have shown this very basic concept of phase coherency; simple A/B/X comparisons prove that these basic concepts are extremely vital to a genuine 3-D sound stage and correct timbre! Bi-wiring was another improvement mandatory to connect two different speaker cabinets per channel, which is carried over in our new model.
We have "rediscovered" that having a single baffle for all of the drive units to "launch" from provides a more uniform dispersion pattern that is also more coherent than using two dissimilar baffles (one for bass and the second for midrange-treble, as found in our previous VR-4 design). Many designers feel that using multiple small baffles is the correct approach, but there is a trade-off that needs to be addressed. Although it is true that several small baffles will eliminate "diffraction" from a wide baffle, it is also possible to accidentally create a multiple wave front of disimilar wave shapes that do not combine perfectly at the listening position. The use of different shaped and sized baffles is more difficult to implement than is generally known, as I discovered during the development of the UniField Model 3....
When using a single baffle to create a unified wave front, the trick is to eliminate a wide baffle around a tweeter, so that it can radiate a wide wave-front before the sound reflects off the surrounding baffle. Naturally, since the midrange and woofers have larger diameters than the 1" dual ring tweeter, it makes perfect sense to taper the width of the front baffle to reduce baffle reflection effects in the midrange and treble frequencies. In addition, to eliminate the diffraction effects that cause large dips and peaks in the off-axis pressure response, the successful design will utilize rounded or chamfered edges, thus leading to the shape of our new front baffle, which has highly chamfered edges.
ALL-NEW DRIVERS
If the crossover is the "brain" of the speaker system, then the "heart" of the system are the drive units. As source material improves every year, transducer designers are trying to keep up with the high resolution that high bit and sample rates provide. In order to accurately reproduce an extremely fast transient, the diaphragm has to be extremely light and rigid, which often leads to a peaky response due to "ringing" of the diaphgram. If you have been turned off by ceramic or metal cone drivers in the past, you will be amazed at the blend of accuracy and musicality that our new "high resolution" drivers offer. This musicality and lack of harshness is due to the composite nature of the diaphragms, which are all laminates of different materials, including carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium alloys, rubber, plastic, and wood pulp fibers. The cones are extremely light and stiff, but are non resonant.
Our European engineering partners in Denmark, Norway, France, and Germany helped us develop new drivers that behave as a single "point source" and were designed as a "system set," not as individual units. This game plan enabled us to create a truly neutral sounding, coherent sound field, since we don't have any driver discontinuities to compensate for. In addition, the transient responses were designed with specific targets in mind, with the understanding that the goal was to simulate a single driver system. To implement this goal, the drive units need to be made from the same type of materials that have a unified sound quality - this insures that there is no discontinuity in the sound quality of the total driver array. A clever transducer designer can further optimize the sound quality by using a "target" transient response figure that all drivers must meet, adjusting the Force Factor of the drivers to ensure coherent and simultaneous driver response in both sonic and mathematical dimensions. To state that the new VR-44 drive units are the most advanced drivers in their price class might be an understatement! The diaphragm materials, voice coils, and edge surround materials were carefully developed to ensure a "unified" sound quality rarely found in multi-driver systems. The clarity and transparency are quite amazing, but most importantly, the new driver array sounds as musical as any speaker we have auditioned, at any price category.
One of the secrets of this result is that we are using a very wide-band full range driver instead of a narrow-band dedicated midrange driver (as formerly used in the VR-4). Since the new full-range driver only needs a bit of augmentation in the deep bass and high treble, the crossover points are completely inaudible, since they occur outside the ear's most sensitive region. For this reason, the VR-44's midrange driver took several years to perfect, since most full-range speakers have a bit of tendency to "shout" in the upper vocal range; ask any Lowther owner (or Art Dudley of Stereophile) about this problem....to reduce the effects of cone flex that creates that "forward" or "shouty" problem, we had our cone damped with carbon powder and synthetic plastics, which sounds FAR better than ceramic, metal, or other attempts at making a wide range driver.
THE SOUND OF A SINGLE, PERFECT DRIVER (?)
If you have read about our UniField Model Three monitor, you can understand how successful this design approach can be. In fact, one of the most respected reviewers who "tells it like it is" (Jonathan Valin of The Absolute Sound) had compared our $15,000 UniField 3 to his $89,000 Magico M6. Mr. Valin's side-by-side comparison in TAS December 2009 was highly illuminating, as he felt that our approach was right on target and he found many similarities in transient response, clarity and transparency between these two speaker systems (even though we are priced at 1/6 of the Magico price point). Mr. Valin applauded our technology and due to the advanced concepts we designed for the UniField 3, we were awarded their coveted Editors Choice Award last year. We thank TAS and Mr. Valin for pointing out our superiority in both sound quality and value. The new VR-44 should create even more excitement due to the larger size of the image, the incredible dynamic range, and "punch" created by the powered subwoofer system!
BABY VR-9 MK2?
We decided to carry over the UniField Model 3's engineering technology into the new VR-44 platform, based on its "Augmented Single Driver Design," but we have also used some of the technology of our super expensive flagship models VR-9 SE Mk2 and VR-11 SE Mk2 to "soup up" the VR-44: namely the powered subwoofer system. Since many audiophiles have wished to build a system around bi-amplification to greatly enhance dynamic range and better tone quality based on using tubes on the midrange-tweeter section, with solid state amplification on the woofer section, we developed the VR-44 Aktive. The bass volume level can be adjusted for room conditions and/or listener preferences, and we guarantee that you will not hear a powered subwoofer system as fast and tight as the VR-44 Aktive!
VR-44 PASSIVE
As many audiophiles all ready own large amplifiers that can drive a medium sensitivity speaker system, they don't necessarily want to spend extra money on a built-in amplifier to drive the twin 8.8" woofers; our Passive version with internal passive crossovers will work just fine for them. Due to its 90dB sensitivity at 4-ohms, the new VR-44 Passive is easy to drive and as little as 100-watts can drive it to concert hall levels (although it will handle 500-watt amplifiers without strain or stress). The VR-44 Passive will retail from $17,000 in standard automotive paint finishes (USA pricing), with optional paint finishes available at extra cost. In other countries, we expect that the VR-44 Passive will have a higher MSRP due to the high cost of Air Freight and the import taxes levied on imported goods.
VR-44 Aktive
Since we have seen a definite trend towards medium powered tube amplifiers, most likely based on tube's 3-D imaging and lush tonal balance, the VR-44 Aktive would be the best possible speaker system to achieve a World-Class sonic reproduction of a live orchestra. Why? In a bi-amped system, you can have the best of both worlds: extremely punchy and solid bass response to below 20Hz with blazingly-fast transient response, combined with amazing depth and holographic imaging that only tube amps are capable of. No outboard crossover is required with our design, you only need to use a bi-wire cable set, such as the excellent Delphi Aerospace cables made for VSA. The VR-44 Aktive starts at $20,000/pr in the USA with standard automotive paint finishes, (exotic paints available at extra cost). In other countries, the MSRP might be a bit higher due to the high cost of Air Freight and import taxes.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
To sum this all up, the new VR-44 is a pyramid-shaped single cabinet speaker system with a high gloss paint finish (available in custom colors). It is about the same size as the outgoing model, at 42" tall x 13" wide (bottom) and 9" wide (top), and is 27" deep (counting the heat sink fins). Weight is 151 uncrated.
Both VR-44 Passive and Aktive models utilize two-8.8" OEM composite-coned custom-built woofers by SEAS of Norway in our modified quasi-transmission line cabinet design, with a 6" composite cone full range speaker used as a midrange from Scan Design, and complemented by the Scan Design 1" Wide Surround dual ring tweeter at the top. At the rear, you will see twin pairs of WBT NextGen binding posts for bi-wiring and the Morel midrange-tweeter horn driver, driven by our Ambience Retrieval System circuit and level control. The cabinet consists of a 3" thick composite TriLaminate wall consisting of resin impregnated HDF, artificial stone, damping adhesive, and thick industrial felt and foam internal lining. There is extensive bracing, creating the multiple chambers we use for rear-wave woofer loading that terminates in a port at the rear. There is a 100% filling of dense crimped Dacron, originally designed to fabricate tube traps, so it is far more effective than "plain jane" Dacron, acoustic foam, or fiberglass. The bass response from this cabinet, woofers, and loading technique have to be heard, to be believed: yes, we are known for great bass reproduction, but this design tops everything else we have offered at this price point. If you have heard some of the $10,000 powered subwoofers on the market, you will have an idea on how great this powered system can sound on 16Hz organ pedal tones, Kodo drumming, and Fender bass guitar. Concert bass drum whacks will knock you out of your listening chair, so make sure to wear your seat belts! But best of all, the powered subwoofer system is totally integrated into the midrange and treble, you cannot hear the subs working as a separate source that is "disconnected" from the mids and highs. In fact, this speaker sounds more like a one-way electrostratic panel than a multiple-driver cone system....however, it has dynamic range and "punch" that no panel speaker can touch.
SOUND QUALITY
The VR-44 is extremely fast, neutral, and highly accurate - but it is not "clinical" or unmusical. Even though it features an amazing abundance of detail, there is no audible coloration, especially when compared to the outgoing model. It is not dry or bright - nor is it warm or soft.... it seems to have no sound of its own. But it is MAGIC in its ability to transcend what we used to believe was possible with reproduced sound; the excitement factor is off the scale! Frequency response is flat from 16Hz to 40kHz and distortion is below 0.5% at 93dB.
RMAF ROOM 522 - PLEASE VISIT US
If you're going to RMAF next week, please drop by and listen to the VR-44's in a World-Class system, with the mind-blowing Purity Audio components such as their $28,000 Ultra GT preamp featuring extremely exotic technology that caught Dick Olsher's attention in his TAS Show Report - as you may know, Mr. Olsher is a very seasoned reviewer but is also a nuclear scientist who worked at an advanced nuclear physics laboratory - you might say "he knows his stuff."
We will also be playing the controversial Eera Tentation CD player, which looks like a $300 unit but sounds like a Studer analog tape deck and retails for $12,000! We will also feature the Delphi Aerospace Master-Built Signature cables and quite a few other goodies, such as the revolutionary Purity Audio Harmony, which is a tube buffer stage that will improve any input source dramatically. We have had a team of acoustic engineers design the room layout and treatment, so you won't have to suffer through a mediocre demo proving that hotel rooms suck....
Bill Baker and Joe Jurzec of Purity Audio, along with Albert Von Schweikert, wish you a safe trip to Denver and as always,
Happy Listening!
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Sounds very juicy, can't wait for images, reviews, and full specifications. :thumb:
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The Purity Audio Design team is honored to have Von Schweikert Audio join us this year in the Purity room. We are confident it will be a stellar room drawing the attention of the most discriminating audiophiles and music lovers alike. We have been planning this room since we departed RMAF 2010.
This room will be full of world debut products. The Purity Ultra GT Silver ($29,995), Purity Harmony Stereo and Mono Bloc versions ($2,595/$3,495), Purity Power Custom Power Supply ($1,200) and Von Schweikert's new VR-44 Aktive loudspeaker ($20,000) :drool:
As Albert mentioned above, we wish you a safe trip to the mile high city and do hope you will stop in to audition this system and say hello. Be among the first to hear these products.
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I would love to hear that system and the VR-44s...is there ever an audio show less than 1,000 miles from Minneapolis?
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We've posted a number of VR-44 pics (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Von-Schweikert-Audio/189669414416259) on our Facebook page so please stop by and give them a look.
BigSwede - I don't know of any but if you ever hear of one, please pass along the information and we might add it to our calendar of events!
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Looks like you have another winner, I'll be sure to check them out next weekend.
That is one serious looking speaker.
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/316899_239660099417190_189669414416259_686100_1627264389_n.jpg)
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I can't wait. Less than a week and we will be setting these up and listening to them :thumb:
I like the size of these speakers and they look like the perfect fit for our showrooms as well. I'll get the passive version when the time comes.
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Looks like a dB99 on steroids,,, bullet-proof. The 99's were maybe my all-time favorite VSA real-world speaker. Tunable to the room they were pretty special.. Albert, Damon,, r u planning a "VR22" with/smaller footprint for small/med sized room as hinted by a poster on facebook?
Jack
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Rear ports I am assuming?
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Rear ports I am assuming?
You are correct Sir!
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m137/vondemon/Rear.jpg)
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Nice shots Damon.
They really are looking good.
Can't wait to see and hear them.
Good luck in Denver.
Cor
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My personal opinion.....I prefer the look of these over that of the VR-4 and the piano black is stunning. Of course I prefer piano/high gloss black for everything.
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Very interesing Albert! Can't wait to hear 'em at RMAF!
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Gorgeous! But then again, I'm biased. :D
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=52210)
Kevin T
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Wow, that's a nice looking speaker. I never saw a pair of 99's in piano black. What are you driving them with?
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Wow, that's a nice looking speaker. I never saw a pair of 99's in piano black. What are you driving them with?
In that old pic, I was using a pair of Supratek Malbec monoblocks. I'm now using a Yamamoto A-08S.
Kevin T
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At the rear, you will see twin pairs of WBT NextGen binding posts for bi-wiring and the Morel midrange-tweeter horn driver, driven by our Ambience Retrieval System circuit and level control.
Intriguing !!!!! Beautiful looking design and implementation....
I'd like to hear those with some really great large room placement options with added appropriate room dampening....
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Albert,
A couple of questions re the VR-44:
1) Are these transmission line speakers or bass-reflex?
2) Are you using the Feastrex driver as a mid-range, as with the U3s?
Thanks,
Garrett Hongo
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Hello Garrett, the VR-44 uses our Quasi-transmission line hybrid. There are three internal chambers of varying size, each damped with a precise amount of highly resistive crimped Dacron. The port at the rear is really for aperiodic pressure release in this design, since the stuffing density is very high and the power amplifier has compensation to flatten the deep bass down to 20Hz and below. This bass system is extremely tight, fast as hell, and so powerful you can feel the pressure from bass drum whacks at 20 feet.
All the drivers were designed as a system using composites and are the brain children of myself with the help of engineers at Scan Design in Denmark. The driver diaphragms are made from layers of carbon fiber, ceramic coated aluminum and magnesium alloys, fabric, and wood pulp (paper fibers). The full range driver used in the UniField Model 3 and this new VR-44 indeed have similar sonic characteristics, as you surmise.
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Albert, This is very good to know about the T-line structure and reassuring for those of us devoted to the way your speakers produce bass. And also interesting that you took the notion of a full-range driver as a mid from the U3 and transferred it, albeit with a different driver, over to the VR-44. I very much liked the U3s way with the mids and lower trebles--essentially with operatic and choral voices--as you know. I thought it the most sophisticated I'd heard, in fact. It will be interesting to hear how the VR-44 performs with opera singers and polyphonic choirs. I assume a similarity....
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Albert, Another question--Can the VR-44 be run with jumpers rather than fully bi-wired? From the rear pix, it looks as though the binding posts are close enough banana jumpers could be used....
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Kevin, I may just let go of my DB99s for the 44s. Although I won't get to use my Sun Audio 45 amp with the 44s, the Lamm ML2.1 will be more than enough. :wink:
Congratulations Albert and Damon.
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Since the WBT NextGen binding posts are side-by-side, it would be easy to set up a jumper link if bi-wiring was out of the question.
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Keith:
The 44s do look pretty amazing, but I don't think I could ever give up my Yamamoto A-08S. The synergy between the Supratek, Yamamoto, and dB99s is just too good to mess with.
Kevin T
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Keith:
The 44s do look pretty amazing, but I don't think I could ever give up my Yamamoto A-08S. The synergy between the Supratek, Yamamoto, and dB99s is just too good to mess with.
Kevin T
Kevin.
I know what you mean. I have always been more than pleased with the DB-99s and Lamm setup. But listening to the Unifield line, VR9 and VR11, I know Albert's VR44s would be a notch higher in terms of resolution. :duh: I am confused.
Btw, how do you like the super tweeter in your system?
Keith
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Hello,
new VR-44 will be my next speaker, propably my "last" speaker.
I have questions:
Can I have it in "light maple"- colour?
Can I drive it directly balanced from cd that has
volumecontrol? I mean is VR-44 fully actice?
Thank you
-Jyrki
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I think its only the bass that is active,if so you need an amplifier to drive the mids and up.
But hopefully someone else knowing for sure will clarify this for you.
Maybe also consider the VR-33 or VR-35 ?
Almost regardless what one buy there will most likely be something thats even better,and usually more expencive :wink: The thing about "last speaker" I believe is kind of a choice one have to make,to actively decide that this I am going to keep for a long time.
I own the VR-35 and it is a speaker that does so many things right,not perfect,probably nothing are anyway,but for me it is a speaker that deliver so much of the good stuff and at a price I think is ok,and I believe it will cost too much for my taste to get something "much" better...
Rune
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I think its only the bass that is active,if so you need an amplifier to drive the mids and up.
But hopefully someone else knowing for sure will clarify this for you.
Maybe also consider the VR-33 or VR-35 ?
Almost regardless what one buy there will most likely be something thats even better,and usually more expencive :wink: The thing about "last speaker" I believe is kind of a choice one have to make,to actively decide that this I am going to keep for a long time.
I own the VR-35 and it is a speaker that does so many things right,not perfect,probably nothing are anyway,but for me it is a speaker that deliver so much of the good stuff and at a price I think is ok,and I believe it will cost too much for my taste to get something "much" better...
Rune
You are correct about the "Last speaker" comment. I have said that too many times :D
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Hello,
new VR-44 will be my next speaker, propably my "last" speaker.
I have questions:
Can I have it in "light maple"- colour?
Can I drive it directly balanced from cd that has
volumecontrol? I mean is VR-44 fully actice?
Thank you
-Jyrki
I'm also very curious about how the connection to one preamp/amp will be made. In a previous post it was stated all that is needed to connect to the active speaker was a bi-wire speaker cable. So I guess I connect my amp to my preamp or CD player (with volume control) and run the speaker cable from my amp to VR-44. The high side of the speaker cable would run the mid/high and the low side of the speaker cable would run the amp. I know when you have an external crossover your amp running the mid/highs will not see any of the load for the low end. Is this the same in this setup? :scratch:
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The VR44 is active in that it has a powered subwoofer..
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Hi bstew,
You'll still need an amp to run the midrange drivers and the tweeters. I'm betting 50wpc will be plenty in the headroom department. Like the DB-99s, VR-9s and VR-11s, high level inputs is the norm. That way the amp will serve as the input stage of the onboard amps and the bass amps will hew closer to the main amplifier's rise time signature. That leaves pretty much just the proper volume setting to get the sound properly integrated. HTH. :)
Jack
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Keith has taken the plunge! Unfortunately for him, they arrived the day after he left for a family vacation in Europe.
That means they are in my charge until he gets back. :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted: :icon_twisted:
I've uncrated them and will commence burn in of the XOs and drivers tomorrow with Bel Canto 300s. Keith has yet to decide the final amps for his 44As. Right now it's looking like the new Lamm ML2.2 although the Ayon Vulcan is a possibility at this point.
This should be fun. :thumb:
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So far so good :thumb:
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So Jack, how would you compare them with the VR5 Annies?
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Dear Fellow Audiophiles,
Our original advertised prices for the VR-44 Passive and Aktive speaker systems were preproduction estimates. Now that our fabricators have built the first few production runs, two of the most expensive components of this system, the cabinet and finish, along with the amplifier, have been requoted.
The cabinet shop here in our industrial area has decided that the elaborate construction consisting of angled cabinet walls and Tri-Laminate wall layering was much more time consuming that they had originally thought and raised the price accordingly. The paint shop also realized that the quality of the finish that we demanded was going to cost more as well.
In addition to the cabinet and finish work, our local amplifier manufacturer who builds the VR-44 Aktive plate amp has switched brands of internal parts and has made the rear metal panel almost twice as thick to reduce vibration, so he has also raised his price. I imagine that my quest for perfection has caused these increases, but as an audiophile, I didn't want to make any compromises.
VR-44 Passive is now $22,000/pr, while the VR-44 Aktive is now $25,000/pr. A well-known reviewer who visited our room at the Newport Beach T.H.E. Show said we were lower in price than competitors approaching our quality level of materials and sonic performance. In fact, he actually said the VR-44 Aktive was a 'bargain' as he has reviewed speaker systems in this size range which cost $20k more than our MSRP.
If any of you are in the Los Angeles area and wish to stop by for a factory demo in Riverside, please call us at (951) 682-0706 one day in advance to schedule a visit. We hope to see you soon!
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So Jack, how would you compare them with the VR5 Annies?
I still think the Annies have the edge in refinement and jump in the midrange on up. Down below however, unless you've got a heck of a muscular amplifier, I'm giving that to the Aktive.
I've been running the 44As with Valvet A3.5R Class A, 0NFB amplifiers that do 50wpc. For folks in love with their mid-powered amplifiers and don't have the space or budget to bi-amp their Annies, I'd steer them towards the Aktives. For those running any generation of 4s prior, my Mk3s included, the 44 brings back and adds to the coherence of the Gen III HSE, the detail of the SR Mk3 and flexibility more similar to the DB-99 SE Mk2.
I find that the new rear ambience tweeter is vastly superior to all other rear domes that have come before, Annies included.
The 44 just did to the 4 what the 35 did to the VR-3. They are outperforming my Mk3s which are strapped to a BAT VK-6200 and run with a pair of Ambience Reference subwoofers at a fraction of the real estate and cost of amplification. It's a whole new ballgame.
With all due respect to Albert, I can't see anybody going for the passive over the semi-active version. Then again, there are folks out there that have yet to embrace active sub bass and their benefits. I embraced this long ago when I got my VR-9s.
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I still think the Annies have the edge in refinement and jump in the midrange on up. Down below however, unless you've got a heck of a muscular amplifier, I'm giving that to the Aktive.
I've been running the 44As with Valvet A3.5R Class A, 0NFB amplifiers that do 50wpc. For folks in love with their mid-powered amplifiers and don't have the space or budget to bi-amp their Annies, I'd steer them towards the Aktives. For those running any generation of 4s prior, my Mk3s included, the 44 brings back and adds to the coherence of the Gen III HSE, the detail of the SR Mk3 and flexibility more similar to the DB-99 SE Mk2.
I find that the new rear ambience tweeter is vastly superior to all other rear domes that have come before, Annies included.
The 44 just did to the 4 what the 35 did to the VR-3. They are outperforming my Mk3s which are strapped to a BAT VK-6200 and run with a pair of Ambience Reference subwoofers at a fraction of the real estate and cost of amplification. It's a whole new ballgame.
With all due respect to Albert, I can't see anybody going for the passive over the semi-active version. Then again, there are folks out there that have yet to embrace active sub bass and their benefits. I embraced this long ago when I got my VR-9s.
I have had the opportunity to listen to the 44 at the factory. Agree with Jack's comments.
Second his thoughts on active vs passive. I think Albert can do a better job of selecting an amplifier for the low frequencies than anyone else. This gives the owner so much more flexibility in selecting an amp to drive the M/T. However, it's nice that Albert gives you a choice. I guess it is one of those "do you like your sports car with a manual or auto transmission" debates. One of the reasons I selected my VR-9 was the active bass. NO regrets after 5 years+
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Hi Rodney,
How ya doin with the upgrade? :wink: I'm hoping to pay you a visit in January. :thumb:
I just wanted to mention that the 44s aren't mine. They belong to Keith but are in my care for now. Keith's visited them twice and seeing his face, boy, I happy for him. The finish is stunning too as Keith opted for a custom Jerez Black Metallic which is a kind of midnight blue.
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Upgrade has been terrific. Hard to believe the 9's could be this much better.
Look forward to seeing you in Jan
Rodney
P.S. Pacquiao was robbed!
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I have had the opportunity to listen to the 44 at the factory. Agree with Jack's comments.
Second his thoughts on active vs passive. I think Albert can do a better job of selecting an amplifier for the low frequencies than anyone else. This gives the owner so much more flexibility in selecting an amp to drive the M/T. However, it's nice that Albert gives you a choice. I guess it is one of those "do you like your sports car with a manual or auto transmission" debates. One of the reasons I selected my VR-9 was the active bass. NO regrets after 5 years+
I'll step in here and serve as an example in support of Albert's decision to provide a passive version of the VR 44. I'm considering the 44's and have a fairly new pair of Bryston 7B SST2's that are currently driving a pair of notorious amp Killers, the Infinity 9 Kappas. This job is a walk in the park for these amps even though the Kappas dip to .8 ohms at 32 and 340 hz accompanied by some nasty phase angles. The sound improvement they introduced to the Kappas was breathtaking. The 44's being a significantly easier load indicates the Brystons would do well driving them from top to bottom. I would be averse to paying $3K more for the Aktive plus whatever I would lose selling the Brystons to buy a quality low to mid powered amp for the top half. Also consider that the Aktive amps are not full amps but are power boosters that will depend on the main amp(s) output. A high output high current amp would not require this boost. There are many people who have a similar scenario so I would give credit to Albert for being a brilliant marketeer to go along with his equally brilliant engineering skills. :thumb:
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This thread desperately needs speaker porn.
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I'll try to post some pics by the weekend.