[revg1952]

later the Super Tower III price went to $4300 pr kit/$5200 pr assembled then discontinued Hope this helps
Rev G

[Stimpy]

Stimpy performs very neat service re-posting these dinosaurs.

Thanks!   

Though, I don't know if I consider older VMPS speakers dinosaurs.       At worse, fossils worth preserving...!   

[revg1952]

No Worries;
I wish I still had either one of those models especially the Super Tower III's both great speakers
Rev G

[Stimpy]

REPOST  -  Now $2600

Not mine, but just adding to the thread:

VMPS RM40:  $3000

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-vmps-rm40-2015-06-24-speakers-14108-newfane-ny

"I have for sale a very nice pair of RM40s. they are equipped with all the upgrades including TRT caps, silver wiring, binding post set up for biamping and in beautiful african ebony. these speakers weigh in at almost 300 pounds so I'm not going to ship them. I'd be willing to drive and meet within reason or they can be picked up and auditioned. I'm asking $3000 or best offer.  I apologize for the sideways photos.

Thanks for looking"





Read more at http://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-vmps-rm40-2015-05-25-speakers-14108-newfane-ny#tE6eXpMl4S6Vt3Fg.99

[Stimpy]

Vintage VMPS smaller subwoofers sub - (Walnut, California - Inland Empire)  $400

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/ele/5050657315.html





"I have for sale a pair of VMPS passive subwoofers. These are in great condition and sound terrific. This is a 12" diameter non-powered subwoofer with a 12" active radiator in front and a 12" passive radiator in bottom. VMPS calls it their "Smaller Subwoofer" It measures 16" wide, 16" deep and 27" tall with a nice walnut cabinets.

VMPS has been known for making outstanding sub woofers and speakers for nearly 3 decades. The subwoofer is rated at 8 ohms and the frequency range is 28-150Hz. These will take just about all the power you can throw at it (up to 250 watts rms) and the bass is really tight.

I had all the drivers (main and passive radiators) refoamed a few years ago by VMPS themselves. I removed the speakers from the cabinets and shipped them. The passive radiators are mounted in a "slot" at the bottom of the speaker cabinet. VMPS informed me that the bottom of the cabinet needed to be knocked off to access them, then screwed back on when replaced. I've shown the bottom with the screws in the pictures.

Asking $225 each or both for $400"

[Stimpy]

VMPS LRC Prototype - (Walnut Creek, California - San Francisco Bay Area)  $800

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/5050756719.html





"LCR Tower Prototype...Like NEW

VMPS design philosophy covers what many experienced listeners desire from high-fidelity loudspeakers. "CES Winner in High-End Audio"

Specifications:
LOWS - 2 x 6" Woofer front loaded
MIDS - Rectangular 4 x 8" Neo ribbon producing 280 Hz - 6.9 kHz
HIGHS - Neo FF Tweeter
Impedance and Sensitivity - 4 Ohm 90 dB/1W/1m
Power handling: - 250 Watts RMS @ 4 Ohms
Frequency response: - 35 Hz - 23 kHz
Dimensions and Weight: - 10.5" H x 32"W x 13"D and 50 lbs
Finished in Black Oak with black clothe grills

MSRP: $950.00 each

Just 800 for the pair!!!"

[Stimpy]

One single VMPS SUPER TOWER II 5" MIDRANGE DRIVER SPEAKERS (8 available)  -  (Boulder, Colorado)  $20 BIN

http://www.ebay.com/itm/one-single-VMPS-SUPER-TOWER-II-5-034-MIDRANGE-DRIVER-SPEAKERS-8-available-/351423334424?_trksid=p2054897.l4275






"ONE SINGLE 5" MIDRANGE FROM VMPS SUPER TOWER II SPEAKERS

    8 ohms
    NUMBERS ON MAGNETS: X3915 1056 8709
    AUCTION/SALE INCLUDES: One VMPS Super Tower II 5" midrange driver
    THERE ARE 8 AVAILABLE: buy one or all.


This speaker is in perfect working condition and sounds great!

USA 48 SHIPPING: $6

WORLD SHIPPING: USPS PRIORITY AIR MAIL FOR A BOX WEIGHING 5 POUNDS."

[James Romeyn]

Stimpy,
Thanks for posting this.  What does "BIN" mean after the price? 
Jimbo

[opnly bafld]

On Ebay; buy it now.

[James Romeyn]

I briefly thought about buying four or all eight.  It's a remarkably good mid range.  As can be seen, stamped steel basket, poly/carbon cone, thick black foam surround.  Earlier I might have wrongly said it has rubber surround.  I would of course ask for better HR image of the surrounds in proper diffuse light, to make sure they are good, but it's really thick and I suspect with much better longevity than same vintage VMPS woofers. 

Never measured T/S parameters.  Earlier I mentioned it might be good as a mid bass, but I recant that now because I suspect the super thick surround raises Fs too high for bass duty, but could be wrong.  Please chime in to confirm/contradict this thought.     

This was VMPS standard mid range, replacing the Peerless employed prior.  Later the Asian sourced Versa Tronics 5.25 WCF appeared as an upgrade, which it was in pure musicality but compared directly, Brian's own mid range (this one) was much more dynamic, and lower THD too IMO.  Yes, a little rougher upper range, but still very natural and smooth, just that nothing beats the smoothness of WCF (WCF is highly self-damped for smooth high range roll off, but the self-damping also dulls dynamic snap, which is why the WCF light shone bright for a short time then it quickly disappeared).

Really curious how low these cutoff employed as a mid bass.  I suspect the thick surround takes a long time to burn in, and it must be thoroughly burned in for accurate T/S parameters.

I'd consider putting a small coil in series, just to roll off a little on top.  IIRC this mid range had decent sensitivity, estimate 88 dB, so four of them per channel without pad estimate 94 dB.     

Don't know exactly why, but suspect for mid bass duty, passive radiator loading is ideal for these (PR cone area 2x active woofer cone area, IOW Sandy Gross knows what he's doing in his GoldenEar line). 

They are pretty homely looking, like DIY.  You can see the glue fastening the dust cap, the huge paper gasket for rear-mounting (from the 40s-60s), chunky stamped steel basket, roughly cut with coarse edges.  But I don't recall anyone every burning one up, especially because Brian crossed them so high.  (Maybe one guy who sent his drivers and crossovers back fried, the entire crossover had flamed and melted about every component...obvious grotesque abuse.)     

[esprits4s]

From Agon:
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-vmps-tower-2-special-edition-local-pick-2015-06-13-speakers-60601-chicago-il

VMPS Tower 2 Special Edition Local Pick:  $900
Read more at http://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-vmps-tower-2-special-edition-local-pick-2015-06-13-speakers-60601-chicago-il#0QoXvz3TjOk4HhJw.99

[esprits4s]

Are these mids on Ebay the same as or replacement for the ones which were used in the SuperTower /R?

[James Romeyn]

Brian designed both 4 and 8 Ohm 3915 mids.  They sounded pretty similar IIRC, not much difference between the two.  In all cases, all of Brian's crossover sections were 8 Ohm.  IOW, the ST/R always had two mid range cones, so that was the only model in which we installed 4 Ohm mids, two in series for 8 Ohm.  All the single cone models ("Tower" series) and all the four-mid range models (ST/IIaR and all the ST III cone mid series) employed 8 Ohm mid range cones. 

I don't recall anything about the weird and very short lived "Dynaribbons" which I'd never ever purchase, always disliked the upper mid/low treble range.  Brian followed Richard Heyser phase philosophy to a fault, meaning he always avoided LP poles on the mids till he was absolutely coerced into to it decades later with the planar mid Neo models.  The Dynaribbon is a good example of a mid that really needed a LP pole and never got one. 

For a period the 3915 cone mid range was VMPS' only cone mid range, so we installed it in every single cone mid model.  Later, all the models employing the 3915 mids had the option of "upgrading" to the WCF Versa Tronics.  Some or possibly all the "SE" models included the Versa Tronics WCF standard. 

I built hundreds of "Tower II" and "Tower II SE" models, owned one of just about every model Brian built in my time there.  The easiest way to differentiate between the two is the former has semi-horizontal array of mid/treble drivers, the latter have all drivers in vertical array.  For a time, prior to the arrival of the totally different SE cabinets, regular TII cabinets with all available upgrades (WCF, whatever was the dome upgrade, planar super tweeter, possibly capacitors) were called  "Tower II SE." 

I hope TII SE owners (vertical driver array) are not offended by the following.  Myself and another guy who worked for Brian agreed the original Tower II outperforms the more costly SE.  I never could figure out why because every feature of the SE was supposed to improve performance.  I finally decided the shape of the mid/treble array is the main and only potential reason, with better phase relationships overall.  It's anti-intuitive, but I'm convinced it's true.  If you look closely at the path length differences, it favors the TII over the SE.  The shallower the xo slopes the more critical are path length differences, one of the Achilees' heels of Brian's preferred slopes.

Now, if your listening distance is long enough, toss everything I just wrote, and the SE series are better throughout.  In Brian's 30-some foot LEDE sound room sitting a mile away, you'd prefer the SE series.  The longer the listening distance the less relevant are driver path lengths.       

This does not apply to any Super Tower series.  In those cases, I always prefer the newer SE series, but this does not mean you should avoid the regular models, because they were very good.  It's just that the SE's are better.  Just ignore all the Dynaribbon SEs, which I really just think are weird.   

The fact that TII SE are usually newer than regular TII favors the former.  It's almost impossible to find regular TII in good working order.  Plus all SE have the Focal glass inverted dome and planar super tweeter,  worlds better than the Morel and standard piezo in the regular TII (about half TII buyers upgraded to the planar super tweeter).  I am also convinced the up-firing piezo on the regular TII definitely improved performance, and the SE lacked this feature.  Plus SE cabinets are infinitely better cosmetically.  We're talking ugly flat black front/back on the TII.  But I did always like the front veneered "kick plate" on the regular TII.  Oak is just plain ugly IMO.  I loved walnut with brown cloth, a fantastic combination.  The assistant director of "In The Heat of the Night" TV show staring Carole O'Connor bought two ST/R and two TII, all walnut/brown cloth.         

I was among the first US owners of VTL Compact 100s.  That amp powering TII and ST/R, as long as you do not favor near field, and as long as it's tuned properly, to this day yields fantastic performance and for symphonic program would send any mortal little box even today crying momma.  Cordesman's summary in Audio magazine was spot on (VMPS were runners up in article featuring state of art Infinity IRS III, Duntech Sovereign 2001, and possibly the large Apogee ribbons).

I'll never forget two friends/show attendees walking into our CES room, ST II/R tuned perfectly, Meitner 101s, Brian's room really dark the way he loved it, their jaws drop half open, they had just left the B&W 801 room, Brian played Mahler or some huge opera, and I said, "This is a real full range speaker."  Nobody tuned Brian's speakers like he did, and when they were right it was truly awesome.

The late Bert Whyte, Audio Magazine: "The question isn't whether VMPS is ready for digital, it's whether digital is ready for VMPS."     

 

[Shear Bliss]

Thanks James,

Always enjoy your input, views on your time with Big B. Your wealth of information from this period of time is priceless for us older VMPS owners!! I also have owned the T-II and T-II SE with the newer cabinet which I did like. Still running the ST/R I bought locally two summers ago which only needed a re-foam on the three big woofers, still a awesome speaker to this day IMOP.

Do have a question though, what would your choice of tweeter be as a "drop-in" upgrade to the four domes in the ST/R ??? I have often wondered about whether the gold inverted tweeters would be a option ?

The VMPS era was such a special time in audio for me, others too I am sure! What Brian brought to the masses in hi-end speakers at a insanely beautiful price point will go down in audio history, never to be repeated by anyone ever again! A special era indeed.

DW > S.E. Michigan

[James Romeyn]

It really depends what make/model are your current domes.  As far as just dropping in a replacement, I would certainly say no, but if the domes physically drop in, there's nothing to stop you from trying it.

In every single ST/R the domes are straight first order electrical slope.  The domes are crossed much higher than any two way and even higher than most 3-ways. Because the pole is so high, I tend to believe the acoustic slope is close to 1st order, increasing in angle only near the bottom of the pass band.

I think this is a good experiment.  All the domes are 8 Ohm each, in your case parallel wired yielding 4 Ohm net.  Measure with a capacitance tester the capacitance bank on the crossover board or cup (lower of the two IIRC).  Sometimes or always the total value Brian wrote on one capacitor with a Sharpie. 

It's somewhere around 6mF.  Get a capacitor value (or bank) yielding 1/2 the OEM value.  This yields the same pole for one 8 Ohm as the OEM pole for 4 Ohm net.

Remove one OEM dome.  Use test leads directly to a power amp through the 1/2 OEM capacitor value.  Now you can directly compare in your hands one OEM dome vs. any alternate 8 Ohm dome through the capacitor bank of 1/2 the OEM value.  Adjust volume as needed to match. 

I really never liked much the Morel MDT29.  The Morel MDT33 is an upgrade, but I still think Brian slightly altered the caps for MDT33 vs. MDT29.  Any of the Scan Speak D29000 series is fantastic (early models have a sticky coating that attracts dust and hair, fixed later). The only Focal (of the older models of that vintage) I would consider are the fiberglass, the Kevlar have distinctive weird resonance, the main reason people disliked early WATT.   

If you do swap, what I would do is the following to mimic the OEM crossover slope. Directly AB: one 8 Ohm OEM dome through 1/2 the OEM value capacitor bank vs. the intended replacement 8 Ohm dome through it's own separate capacitor bank (start with 1/2 the OEM capacitor value, same as the OEM dome).  If needed, when you switch (with test leads) from OEM dome to replacement dome, adjust volume to match. (Note whether volume for the replacement dome is up or down and set L-pad accordingly after you install the replacement domes.)

For the replacement dome, simply add/subtract caps in .1mF steps till you get as close as possible to the roll off slope of the OEM dome.  If you really want to get anal, you can eventually use .01 caps. 

When you install the two domes, the load is 4 Ohm so you must double whatever is your final test value for 8 Ohm.

[Stimpy]

VMPS original subwoofers - pair - (California - San Francisco Bay Area )  $400

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/5072804526.html





"Here are a pair of VMPS original (passive) subwoofers for sale in very good condition. Original specs: 12" woofer, 15" passive radiator, 19-600Hz. Recently upgraded to "Ultra-Mega" Passive Radiators. I have the original boxes and tuning weights for the new Passive radiators. These are very musical subwoofers that received excellent reviews. $400 OBO."

[Stimpy]

"Now, something just a bit different...!"

Acoustat 1+1 Loudspeakers & VMPS Subwoofer -  (Fair Haven/Detroit, Michigan)  $850

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/ele/5018354829.html








"Acoustat 1 Plus 1 Electrostatic Loudspeakers w/Factory Medallion Transformer Upgrades

Work perfect - 11.5" wide and an imposing 93" tall

Included in this price is a VMPS Larger Subwoofer. This Sub has three woofers - 1 Active 15", 1 Active 12", and 1 Passive 15" - Concidered by many to be the most musical sub ever made while still playing down to 18Hz. The subwoofer comes with its own dedicated amplifier.

Google each of these any you will see the rave reviews others have posted."

[Stimpy]

Price Drop  -  $200 OB/$300  BIN

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-VMPS-Audio-Vintage-Bookshelf-Stereo-Speakers-in-Custom-Cabinets-By-Foss-/201384597097?

VMPS Audio Vintage Bookshelf Stereo Speakers Custom Cabinets By Foss  -  (Brookfield, Connecticut)  $500 OB/$700 BIN

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201352006895?rmvSB=true








"Hello you're looking at a set of vintage the VMPS   Model QS 080 with with the Serial number of 7260. bookshelf loudspeakers in custom cabinets.. 


As you can see by the bottom of the cabinets that were made by Sundell for Foss in 1991 are beautiful


Please email call or text with any questions thank you


Please note that shipping is per speaker and shipping charges will actually be 2X what is shown .  Two  separate boxes will be shipped if Shipping is Chosen


Local pick up is free in  either Brookfield Connecticut 06804 or east Hartford, CT 06108


Local delivery possible"

[Stimpy]

VMPS Larger Sub  -  (Winter Park, FL)  $500

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/subwoofers-vmps-largersub-2015-06-20-home-theater-32789-winter-park-fl--2









"I"m selling my VMPS larger sub. This sub has the upgraded 15" Ultra Woofer with an upgraded passive radiator and the Parts Express 1000w amp. This sub sounds great and can play to 17Hz. I also have all the original woofers and passive radiator if someone wants to match it to an existing VMPS sub for a pair. Asking price is $500 but I will accept reasonable offers I and prefer local pickup because this thing is a beast."

[Stimpy]

REPOST 

http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/ele/5074074407.html

6 Foot VMPS SuperTower IIa/R Speakers  - (New Mexico - Albuquerque)  $1000

http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/ele/5025690410.html







"I've got some very powerful, 6 foot tall home audio speakers. They are originally priced at $12,000. The reason the price is reduced so much is some of the speakers are blown and need replacing. I don't have the time or the money to replace them so I'm hoping to leave them in the hands of someone who would like them and would be willing to experience the awesomeness these speakers are capable of. Each box has 4 subwoofers (3-10" subs & 1-15" sub). No Paypal please, cash only."