[cametz]

I have pondered this for sometime.

I emailed John Casler for about five months asking all sorts of questions. He always replied and never pushed. You know what you hear from car salesmen: “I can get you a great deal if you order today.” Well none of that from John. He was informative about questions I posed on general audio as well as VMPS. He is a real professional and gentleman.

So my order arrived. RM2,LRC  all with FST Tweeter, TRT Caps, Silver Wire, Cherry Full Wrap. The Ribbon Surrounds with four FST Tweeters will come soon. Also two Cinenova 3 amps. I am in the process of setting things up and moving and removing the RM2.  It is a great 2 channel sound and with the additional Ribbon Surrounds I’m sure it will be a great HT sound.

Thanks a lot John. I know we will be doing business again.

[Andrikos]

apparently you VMPSed...

[John Casler]

Cametz,

Thanks for the kind words and it has been a pleasure dealing with you, and as you know, no question is unimportant in the process.

One thing I have noticed, is that all of my VMPS clients are great people to deal with, and it is a lot of fun to help them hear some of the finest speakers made.

As I sit in front of my rig, I know what they too are (or will be) hearing as they twist and tweak, their speakers.

Thanks again CM and I look forward to more of your audio adventures, as these puppies "break in"

[F-100]

I also would like to echo what Cametz had just said about John Casler. He is a fine gentleman and a scholar.  Hopefully we can do business at some point in the near future.

[John Casler]

Don't know about all those compliments   (thanks) but I do know I like to help people get and enjoy VMPS speakers.

And F100, my listening door is always open.

[jgubman]

Ditto on the Casler praise.

Always friendly, helpful and full of good advice. Love my LRC, can't wait to get my RM-40s!

[wshuff]

I come not to praise Casler, but to ask...

Ribbon surrounds?!!!

 

Any pics?  Please post 'em when you got 'em.





And John ain't too bad a guy, either.  

[John Casler]

Funny you should ask, I have two clients just chomping at the bit to get theirs, and Brian said they are still not ready.

Actually, I still have not seen said speaker, nor heard it.  Apparently when Sal (one of Brian's cabinet makers) closed up,  the burden of making these went to one of the other guys.

(and thanks Jon and Stacy for the kind words)

[soundguy3]

I bought my VMPS RM40's from John precisely for the reasons mentioned above!  It was a great pleasure and I am extremely happy with the way things turned out!    Thanks John!

Sguy3

[John Casler]

I bought my VMPS RM40's from John precisely for the reasons mentioned above!  It was a great pleasure and I am extremely happy with the way things turned out!    Thanks John!

Sguy3

Thanks for the comments.  Hope all is well and those beautiful monoliths are still giving you the best sounds.

 

[ABlakeG]

Just to jump in on the praise John train, although I ended up not buying VMPSs at all (although I may be looking at them in the future after hearing Jon's (jgubman) LRC, I did buy an ATI amp and the transaction went smooth as silk.

Blake

[John Casler]

Just to jump in on the praise John train, although I ended up not buying VMPSs at all (although I may be looking at them in the future after hearing Jon's (jgubman) LRC, I did buy an ATI amp and the transaction went smooth as silk.

Blake

Hey Blake,

That ATI "is" a great amp.  It should be since I understand some of the basic circuitry desgn is the same, as was originally designed by one James Bongiorno (years ago)

And I do have some VMPS speakers with your name on them just waiting in the wings.

Thanks for the Kudos.

[javry]

[quote="

And I do have some VMPS speakers with your name on them just waiting in the wings.

[/quote]

I used to own a set of Maggie MG-20s a couple of years ago.  I sold them to a local aquaintance and have been looking for something to replace them with.  They were great speakers but too large for my room.  Still, after a year, the signature continues to ring in my head....and it seems that I compare everything to them.  I've just recently learned about VMPS and....well....I'm curious as to how closely the VMPS speakers [RM-40 and RM/X] compare to the maggie sound.  Your thoughts?
Javry

[John Casler]

I used to own a set of Maggie MG-20s a couple of years ago. I sold them to a local aquaintance and have been looking for something to replace them with. They were great speakers but too large for my room. Still, after a year, the signature continues to ring in my head....and it seems that I compare everything to them. I've just recently learned about VMPS and....well....I'm curious as to how closely the VMPS speakers [RM-40 and RM/X] compare to the maggie sound. Your thoughts?
Javry

Hi Javry,

Well that is a loaded question and I have a subjective answer.

The Maggies are great sounding speakers and I have had a few pairs in my time, because I too, like their "sound".  Many will argue that the clairity of the planar dipole and the reflected sonics provide a realistic presentation that is second to none.

Can the VMPS do that? Yes and No.  

The VMPS neopanel and tweeters offer a stunningly real reproduction of the delicacy and detail of real sound.  The immediacy and resolution that you love in the Maggies is even better in the VMPS.

Why is it better?  Because it is reproduced by a ribbon that not only has the transient active ability, but it is not "obscured" by fighting its way through a sonic fog of reflected sound, in comparison.

If you have a properly set up and converged pair of VMPS speakers, you will be hearing a focused, clear, and detailed reproduction of what the microphone heard and as long as room interaction (of the mids and highs) is not too great, (can't get rid of it totally) the reality is breathtaking.

Well set up they are like the sound quality of headphones, with directional cues.

Many will also say that the "emotion" is translated with greater capacity with VMPS.  All I know that everyone I have had listen to mine, couldn't sit still.  Heads are "boppin", knees are "bouncing", and bodies are "wigglin" anytime an up tempo cut makes its way to the cd player.

I think one of the CES judges commented that they even were moved to tears, when Brian played the theme from Titanic to win BEST of SHOW.

I guess that shows something is being conveyed.  I'm sure even Spock might find them "interesting"....

All I know is that, I had the RM40 powered with a very good receiver, when I first got them, and have had various amps, pre-amps and CD players, many of which, I also used with the Maggies, and they have sounded fantastic with all of them.

Now of course the better your gear(s)    the better they will sound.

How do they sound different than the Maggies?  They will not have the "sonic fog", Maggie proponents will call it "air" since that is room generated and VMPS minimize room generated sounds.  

So in a nutshell, the VMPS (my opinion) will take you closer to what is really on the CD or record and "leave out" most of the other stuff.

It gives you "Raw Sonic Reality" without the "in room" processing.

Does this mean the VMPS are "better" than the Maggies?

If you like the total Maggies sound, no they are not.

If you like the Maggies sound with a touch more resolution, deeper bass, greater transients, and a touch less "room", Yessiree BoB!!!

And you can have the pair waiting in the wings, I'll get Blake some others when he is ready.

[javry]

The Maggies are great sounding speakers and I have had a few pairs in my time, because I too, like their "sound".......... The VMPS neopanel and tweeters offer a stunningly real reproduction of the delicacy and detail of real sound.

John,
Thanks for answering.  Since I haven't heard your speakers yet, I have a few more silly questions?  I guess the first one is; what is the principle difference between the RM-40 and the RM/X....in terms of sound.  The reason I ask is that with Maggies, it's basically the same signature.  You just get more of it, so to speak, as you travel up their foodchain.  Second question; How do VMPS speakers image.  Again, I have to go back to my MG-20s.  When properly setup, the image was virtually holographic.  You could walk between the speakers and even go behind them and be strolling around in the soundstage......and that midrange!....just plain stunning. It's part of what's still floating around in my head after all this time.

Weaknesses?....well, there were a couple.  First they need a lot of  room....both on the side and in back and I only have 14 feet to work with on the sides....and they don't like anything between them.  I have an RPTV that sits right in the middle and I always had  to cover it with a quilt to get a good image.  Secondly, there's not a lot of slam on the bottom end...which may or may not be a weakness.  I guess it depends on what your listening to.  In the overall, they were a slice of heaven.  I just wish I had the room to really make em sing.  

Okay...here's my last question.  Until recently, I boiled everything thing down to going with a used set of Revels.  I haven't decided on whether to go with Salons or Studios....still weighing the pros and cons on that one.   How does the RM-40 and RM/X stack up there?

Thanks
Javry

[John Casler]

Hi again Javry,

The prinicple differences in the RM40 and RM/x are:

- Bass response, Bass drivers and driver configuration
- The RM/x comes with the FST tweeter as the stock tweeter
- The FST tweeter is adjustable (free swinging) for vertical listening attitude
- The scooped out front baffle reduces cabinet diffraction and improves imaging and depth
- More neopanels to allow for lower distortion and greater SPLs
- Higher power handling capability
- Taller and heavier

"In terms of sound" the RM/x will have deeper and louder bass response.  It will play at higher SPL levels overall.  It will image and produce the soundstage better, and will have smoother bass response due to the woofer configuration  reducing interaction w/room modes.

As far as "sonic signature" itself, that will be very similar to an FST equipped RM40, since the drivers would be the same from 166Hz up.

Second question; How do VMPS speakers image. Again, I have to go back to my MG-20s. When properly setup, the image was virtually holographic. You could walk between the speakers and even go behind them and be strolling around in the soundstage

In order to talk about "image" we have to establish what imaging really is.

If you wish to reproduce the closest approximation of what the actual recorded event sounded like, you have to remove any and all sonics that were not present at the event.

VMPS speakers do this as good, if not better,  than any speaker made.

If by image you mean recreating a dipolar room enhanced mirage by combining direct and reflected room sound, then, only Maggie, Wraith, Final and a hand full of other speakers will do so.  But remember, and as I said earlier, this is an incredible and "pleasing" sound, but it is in no way an accurate representation of the "original recording".  

and that midrange!....just plain stunning. It's part of what's still floating around in my head after all this time.

As far as midrange, in my opinion, there is no better, or clearer midrange of any speaker, than the VMPS.  From 166hz to either 7Khz or 10Khz, (depending on tweeter selected) there is no crossover and while the Maggie might be similar it does not have the dynamic range and timbre of the VMPS.

I might also add that the VMPS has adjustability so that you can adjust the balance of the tweeter to the midrange to suit your system, room, preferences and hearing ability.

Okay...here's my last question. Until recently, I boiled everything thing down to going with a used set of Revels. I haven't decided on whether to go with Salons or Studios....still weighing the pros and cons on that one. How does the RM-40 and RM/X stack up there?

While others may wish to offer opinions on this, I would say the the Revel speakers are some of the most highly regarded in High Fidelity.

From what little I have heard them (and realize these sessions were in different rooms and different systems) they are incredible speakers.

That said, For me, and I am a VMPS owner as well as dealer, they (Revel) can't offer the same degree of realism, flexibility, and overall perfromance.

The RM40 and RM/x can be compared with the best speakers in existance quite favorably.

If you are looking for the Formula 1 of speakers, this is it.  When you're in the Sonic Cockpit, you are at the original event.  Sweet spot is small, but then a Formula 1 is not a family sedan.

Myself, I couldn't sacrifice the ultimate in realistic performance in the sweet spot, just so I could have enough dispersion to hear bells and triangles when I have my Wheaties for breakfast.

Serious listening is different than casual listening and VMPS offers commensurate performance for both as far as I'm concerned.

Anyone who has spent any quality time in a well set up "VMPS sweet seat" will find it rather difficult to go back to other speakers.