[gammajo]

Review of Von Schweikert VR 5 Anniversary Mark II Speakers

Other equipment: Ayon CD5s $11,300 (all-in-one transport, DAC, and preamp). Nuforce Reference V3SE $5,000 mono blocks modded with Cardas binding posts, special fuses, vibration controlled with Hyperion Magnetic floaters, weighted with lead bags, and isolated with PS Audio Quintet.  Morrow Audio bi-wired SP6 speaker cables. Skagg audiophile balanced IC’s. Herbie’s gliders under stock points. Room 38 foot by 22 with soft pecky cypress walls, maple floors on trusses, 10ft peak ceiling. The CD’s and SACD’s used in evaluation were the best recorded and most familiar in my collection.







Comparison speakers: I have enjoyed Von Schweikert VR4SR Mark 1’s for many years in the same room and location, all descriptions are compared to the VR4SR’s which I have considered a very fine speaker and preferred to Wilson, Dali, and many other brands. I go to live acoustic performances often. I am not a “found the holy grail type” but with the Anni’s I just may have found my speaker for the next decade. I am not a dealer and have no financial ties with VS audio.


Speaker Design: The VR5 Anniversary Mark 2’s use a four-layer triple chambered hybrid transmission line cabinet. The innermost layer is ½ inch marble, then a special acoustic damping adhesive layer bonded to thick high-density MDF and beautifully finished with an African Hazelwood veneer. The tweeter is 1” flag ship ScanSpeak R2904/7000-05 Revelator. Midrange is an advanced 6.5” mineral and fiber composite from AAC in France. Woofer I s a pair of 9” SEAS Excel’s from Norway. There is a 7” front port and an adjustable rear ambience tweeter. Other goodies include WBT platinum binding posts, and top of the line wire and capacitors throughout. Initial setup was easy, taking about one hour using two helpers because of the weight of the 16 ply birch packing cartons and speaker modules (580 lbs total). Speakers had roughly 75 hours on them at time of first audition. The manual is clear and complete.

First up was classical piano because I am very familiar with what a piano should sound like in my room, having played a 7 foot Kawai grand in the same room as the speakers in the past. Through the VS Anni’s, piano now sounded seamless across all registers, with a better sense of the nature of the instrument with its wood case resonances and felt hammers on strings more evident. This allowed the piano to sound fuller, more natural, and real.

All instruments were more convincing. Guitars conveyed the sense of type of string and wood. Bass viol was much richer and accurate in timbre complexity. Sax had more burnished warmth with appropriate bite and no harshness. High flute was sweet and light and low flute mellow and full bodied. Organ was much closer to real, with true excitement.  Massed strings were at another level of power and beauty with no stridency. Close-mic’ed female voices were free of artificial edge. Male voices were wonderfully clear and present. Whispered and poorly enunciated words that were barely decipherable before, were now clear with no strain to hear them.  When pushed with loud, highly-layered, complex music, there was less congestion or compression of dynamics. There was never any sense of struggle by the speaker to meet the softest, loudest, or quickest demands. Drum kits and percussion from treble to bass were awesome with jump, control, and subtle timbral distinctions easily heard.

The VR4 very slight hard edge on certain passages was now completely gone yet with even more micro and macro detail present. I can only explain this as a dramatic reduction in mechanical distortion and cabinet resonances. The whole sonic landscape was more seamless, natural, and musical. The music was more dynamic and real, yet more relaxed. The musicians, whether classical, pop, jazz, or rock all seemed more confident and in control, yet more fluid because of a sense that everything was flowing with correct pace and proportion. Nothing jumped out, calling attention to itself, yet many things gently invited appreciation, including better location of instruments behind other instruments. Sound stage width remained excellent but now there was clearer placement, greater air, bloom, and holographic depth.  In summary, if I heard these speakers and were then told that they cost $50,000 I would have promptly worked hard to save $10,000 per year to afford them five years down the road because these speakers brought me so much closer to the experience of live music and not just increased hi-fi dazzle that turns to frazzle. I judge them to be an awesome value for price, and able to challenge any big-dog you care to mention.  As a bonus the whole Von Schweikert team has been stellar throughout the ownership experience with their passion for music and quality clearly evident at all times.

[es347]

Yup...you are correct my friend! 

[gammajo]

Review of Von Schweikert VR 5 Anniversary Mark 2 Speakers

Other equipment: Ayon CD5s $11,300 (all-in-one transport, DAC, and preamp). Nuforce Reference V3SE $5,000 mono blocks modded with Cardas binding posts, special fuses, vibration controlled with Hyperion Magnetic floaters, weighted with lead bags, and isolated with PS Audio Quintet.  Morrow Audio bi-wired SP6 speaker cables. Skagg audiophile balanced IC’s. Herbie’s gliders under stock points. Room 38 foot by 22 with soft pecky cypress walls, maple floors on trusses, 10ft peak ceiling. The CD’s and SACD’s used in evaluation were the best recorded and most familiar in my collection.

Comparison speakers: I have enjoyed Von Schweikert VR4SR Mark 1’s for many years in the same room and location, all descriptions are compared to the VR4SR’s which I have considered a very fine speaker and preferred to Wilson, Dali, and many other brands. I go to live acoustic performances often. I am not a “found the holy grail type” but with the Anni’s I just may have found my speaker for the next decade. I am not a dealer and have no financial ties with VS audio.


Speaker Design: The VR5 Anniversary Mark 2’s use a four-layer triple chambered hybrid transmission line cabinet. The innermost layer is ½ inch marble, then a special acoustic damping adhesive layer bonded to thick high-density MDF and beautifully finished with an African Hazelwood veneer. The tweeter is 1” flag ship ScanSpeak R2904/7000-05 Revelator. Midrange is an advanced 6.5” mineral and fiber composite from AAC in France. Woofer I s a pair of 9” SEAS Excel’s from Norway. There is a 7” front port and an adjustable rear ambience tweeter. Other goodies include WBT platinum binding posts, and top of the line wire and capacitors throughout.

Initial setup was easy, taking about one hour using two helpers because of the weight of the 16 ply birch packing cartons and speaker modules (580 lbs total). Speakers had roughly 75 hours on them at time of first audition. The manual is clear and complete.

First up was classical piano because I am very familiar with what a piano should sound like in my room, having played a 7 foot Kawai grand in the same room as the speakers in the past. Through the VS Anni’s, piano now sounded seamless across all registers, with a better sense of the nature of the instrument with its wood case resonances and felt hammers on strings more evident. This allowed the piano to sound fuller, more natural, and real.

All instruments were more convincing. Guitars conveyed the sense of type of string and wood. Bass viol was much richer and accurate in timbre complexity. Sax had more burnished warmth with appropriate bite and no harshness. High flute was sweet and light and low flute mellow and full bodied. Organ was much closer to real, with true excitement.  Massed strings were at another level of power and beauty with no stridency. Close-mic’ed female voices were free of artificial edge. Male voices were wonderfully clear and present. Whispered and poorly enunciated words that were barely decipherable before, were now clear with no strain to hear them.  When pushed with loud, highly-layered, complex music, there was less congestion or compression of dynamics. There was never any sense of struggle by the speaker to meet the softest, loudest, or quickest demands. Drum kits and percussion from treble to bass were awesome with jump, control, and subtle timbral distinctions easily heard.

The VR4 very slight hard edge on certain passages was now completely gone yet with even more micro and macro detail present. I can only explain this as a dramatic reduction in mechanical distortion and cabinet resonances. The whole sonic landscape was more seamless, natural, and musical. The music was more dynamic and real, yet more relaxed. The musicians, whether classical, pop, jazz, or rock all seemed more confident and in control, yet more fluid because of a sense that everything was flowing with correct pace and proportion. Nothing jumped out, calling attention to itself, yet many things gently invited appreciation, including better location of instruments behind other instruments. Sound stage width remained excellent but now there was clearer placement, greater air, bloom, and holographic depth.  In summary, if I heard these speakers and were then told that they cost $50,000 I would have promptly worked hard to save $10,000 per year to afford them five years down the road because these speakers brought me so much closer to the experience of live music and not just increased hi-fi dazzle that turns to frazzle. I judge them to be an awesome value for price, and able to challenge any big-dog you care to mention.  As a bonus the whole Von Schweikert team has been stellar throughout the ownership experience with their passion for music and quality clearly evident at all times.

[jimdgoulding]

Bloody well written review, my friend.  Several stars and good listening.  John R., you there?

"Sound stage width remained excellent but now there was clearer placement, greater air, bloom, and holographic depth".  Have you ever considered how much early reflection you are getting where your speakers are positioned?
   

[gammajo]

Jim, Yup. I cover the mid area front wall with thick blankets and pull the speakers out to 35" from front wall when listening. Also have the rear ambience tweeter turned down to 1. And I have the side walls at first reflection, covered with heavy drapes and a thick rug in front of the speakers. use these methods rather than permanent acoustic treatment due to WSF.

[jimdgoulding]

Good man.  Acoustic screens, tho I don't know where to find them, might perform better and cool out your lady.  Have you tried bringing them into the room further still?

Like ths . .
 


I don't have one either, but you get the idea.

[Rx8man]

Excellent review Joe, I'm sure you'll be happy   Albert and his crew did a beautiful job and turn-around time.

I wanted to mention your room is incredibly awesome, I look forward to meeting you and a listening session

[kernelbob]

gammajo, your setup is very similar to mine.  I've been using VR5-Annis (the Mk-1 version) in a room 22' wide with peaked ceilings, 9' at the side to 10' 6" at the peak.  Length ranges from 52' to 72'.  I have the back midline of the speakers 47" from the front wall and the front midline of each 52" from the side wall.  The toe-in angle is critical to get both a large, open image and at the same time a solid, deep stage.  I adjust toe-in so that the speakers exactly point to a position 42 feet on the centerline between the fronts of the speakers.  Binoculars make the confirmation of the angle easy.  A change of the focus point of a foot either way is easily audible.  Good thing I don't get obsessive about these things.

Thanks for the pics.  Your speakers' finish match your room's wood perfectly, blending with the decor.

[gammajo]

Thank you everyone for your comments. Kernelbob our rooms do seem similar. Will try your strategy modified for my situation. I do get decent sound fpr background listening from back of the room on the side where I sit to relax, (in pic, bottom right near lamp shade) though I do my intense listening near field. When wife is away for a week I move my listening triangle more toward the center of the room.

[jimdgoulding]

Thank you everyone for your comments. Kernelbob our rooms do seem similar. Will try your strategy modified for my situation. I do get decent sound fpr background listening from back of the room on the side where I sit to relax, (in pic, bottom right near lamp shade) though I do my intense listening near field. When wife is away for a week I move my listening triangle more toward the center of the room.

"I move my listening triangle more toward the center of the room".  Ah, now I'm feeling you.

[Delacroix]

Folks - I merged two topics here at Joe's request as the review was originally double-posted. If anyone's post was lost in the process (which should not have happened) I apologize.

[gammajo]

Thanks Delacroix

[jimdgoulding]

You're OK, Delacroix, I don't care what anybody says.

[Delacroix]

Thanks Jim (I think!)

[jimdgoulding]

Thanks Jim (I think!)

You betcha.  That's quite a system you have there yourself, ole bean. 

[JackD201]

Glad you're enjoying your new babies Joe. To me moving from SRs to 5s was like going from a 325i to an M3. Wish I could've said from a Carrera to a GT2 but the 9s killed my budget for that! 

[gammajo]

Thanks Jack - way back I had a 735i L7. Now I have a 13 year old car but a system that rocks - good trade, since I never drove over 140MPH anyway

[gammajo]

About one month in with my VR5AnniMK2's and still have a grin on my face
Looks like in another month I will be auditioning a complete set of Masterbuilt cables.

[kernelbob]

I realized that my comment about aiming the VR5's to a point 42 feet from the front of my speakers may have been unclear.  This isn't my listening poisition, that's about 19 feet from the front of the speakers.  My experience has been that the toe-in of the speakers should not aim them at the listening position, but to a point well behind that position.  If I aim the speakers at the listening position, the soundstage is too narrow.  Opening them too wide and the sound image loses solidity and starts to lose depth.

[htradtk]

Greetings everyone,

Looks like I'm about ready to pull the trigger and get my Anni's upgraded to the MkII. Wrote Albert an E-mail concerning the partical MkII version I all ready have discribed in an earlier post by Albert. Albert wrote back and said that all I need is the new wiring and a couple more tweaks to the internal cabinet. I'll keep you all posted. Kudos to Albert, Damon and the folks at VSA. They are a great customer oriented company and stand behind their products! 

Henry