[Brian Cheney]

Mark Shifter has offered me a finish called Piano Rosewood and hinted it would be VERY EXPENSIVE.

Is anyone interested in such an extravagance?  Particularly since the last rosewood RM30's he sent me two months ago positively Glowed in the Dark?

Perhaps Mark or Delia (his cohort in the PRC) could supply pix?

[BobRex]

Yeah, I might be interested, depending upon how expensive it turns out to be.  Mark shows this finish on his site and it looks gorgeous!  The pricing premium for his speakers is up to 600 bucks, which I don't think is too bad.  

Ironically, I was thinking of asking you about this finish when I saw Mark's pictures.

[jermmd]

Here is some photos and info on the finish for AV123 speakers.

[zybar]

That is a pretty sweet finish!

George

[John Casler]

Thought I might throw it up here so you don't even have to click

[Karl_in_Chicago]

I had wondered about this as I've been in the lurking and researching mode for quite a while now - with VMPS on the short list.  I had seen the Piano Rosewood over at AV123 and thought they would look (even more) gorgeous on RM30's & 40's.  Were I to pull the trigger I would like to have the option to get that finish.

[John Casler]

I had wondered about this as I've been in the lurking and researching mode for quite a while now - with VMPS on the short list.  I had seen the Piano Rosewood over at AV123 and thought they would look (even more) gorgeous on RM30's & 40's.  Were I to pull the trigger I would like to have the option to get that finish.

FYI-

Brian has informed me that he now is offering the "PIANO Gloss Finish" on all the MLS veneered models as a "Special Order", for $300 a pair of speakers, or a single Sub.

[John Casler]

Out of sheer generosity B, has asked me to repost the SUB price to $150 per sub

[warnerwh]

My Rosewood RM 40's garner alot of compliments  but that finish really is something! That's an incredible finish. Actually considering the price that's an incredible deal.

[PLMONROE]

Wow, that Piano Rosewood finish is incredible! Since the MLS exotic finishes are $400 extra am I to understand that this extra special order finish would be an additional $300 on top of that for a total cost of $700? I understood that subs only were available in standard finishes of light and dark oak. Is the Piano Rosewood now available for subs or did you mean that for $150 additional one could have a piano light or piano dark oak finish?

[John Casler]

Wow, that Piano Rosewood finish is incredible! Since the MLS exotic finishes are $400 extra am I to understand that this extra special order finish would be an additional $300 on top of that for a total cost of $700? I understood that subs only were available in standard finishes of light and dark oak. Is the Piano Rosewood now available for subs or did you mean that for $150 additional one could have a piano light or piano dark oak finish?

Actually the $400 upcharge for the MLS cabinets is for both the improved cabinet, cabinet materials, more dense MDF, improved bracing, and the upgraded veneer, not the veneer alone. 

The "special order" PIANO finish is a "high gloss" finish, applied in addition to and over, the original cabinet finish in several coats, to achieve the glass like appearance.

You are correct, at this time, we only have the Lite and Dark Oaks in the SUBs, but I have been pushing for some African Ebony, and Brian has promised that we have 4 coming, of which, I have 2 spoken for.

I think it will be hard to imagine the Majesty, of such a sub(s)

Just imagine a pair of the Ebony RM40s flanked by a pair of the LARGERS also in Ebony, or better yet the whole system in the glossy Piano version.

[James Romeyn]

The only image that can do that finish justice is in person, maybe 4x as nice as the pictures. 

[matix]

I am beginning to regret the look of my RM30M in lite oak..

[James Romeyn]

This is the wrong place to spend time if you intend to avoid the trade temptation...You can learn a ton at this site, but with learning comes yearning...the only way the manufacturer forums exist is via money changing hands...nothing new & tempting, nobody buys nothing, factory closes & so does their forum, very very simple.

I've owned at least four pair RM30's.  I didn't trade to go laterally.  Comparing my current pair to the first would be an exercise in futility.

My current MLS seamless piano black enclosures have a cosmetic look that would probably be considered acceptable on a pair of Wilson's priced at about $20-$30k.  These have a better finish (& far better sound) than the $15k Usher Dancer BE10 that I've seen in person. 

[meilankev]

Now Jim,

You must know that upgrade-itis doesn't affect everyone.  I come to this sub-forum just about every day - sometimes multiple times in a day.  And I have never once looked to upgrade any of my gear.  Not my amps, not my sources, and not my speakers.  I've been in this audio obsession for almost 30 years, and my attitude has always been "get it right the first time, and sit back and enjoy it" - well, until the wheels come off. 

With all the improvements, advances, and tweaks espoused on this sub-forum for VMPS speakers, only one has caught my eye.  That is the waveguide, and the main reason is that it is not invasive, and easily pulled off if I don't like it (with no impact to my current speaker).

[James Romeyn]

Now Jim,

You must know that upgrade-itis doesn't affect everyone...improvements, advances, and tweaks on this...forum...only one has caught my eye.  That is the waveguide, and the main reason is that it is not invasive, and easily pulled off if I don't like it (with no impact to my current speaker).

Regarding your will power: It is quite admirable, & makes you a better man than me!  I guess my problem is living so close to Maestro Brian & hearing the changes as they occur.

Re. the CDW: I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but I believe Brian has already made this crystal clear publicly in print.  Any CDW-equipped model at current production spec (not an older model w/ partial upgrades) must absolutley, positively, always have it's CDW installed while the speaker is being auditioned.  The only time the CDW could be removed (just as easily as a normal grilecloth frame via "treelocks") is when the speaker is not used.  No properly setup & optimized VMPS model could possibly be A-B'd with vs. w/o the CDW.

In sequence, here's why some are confused on this subject: Brian built & installed the first CDW w/o any other primary changes to the speakers.  It was then realized that the CDW introduced a first-order low-pass 10kHz filter pole.  B went back & forth trying to figure out a way to solve that issue, whether mechanically or electrically.  Our dear & wonderful member BrunoB of Germany (a chemistry PhD, one of my customers when I was a dealer) devised the current OEM-employed solution of removing the tweeter horn.  Apparrently the tweeter has a first-order rising response pole at 10kHz.  The original purpose of the horn was to flatten that rise & alter the polar dispersion.  The VMPS CDW negated the need for the original horn.  So now, for the spectral response to be correct, the tweeter horn must be INSTALLED for NO CDW, or REMOVED for use w/ the CDW.  It takes a hella long time to remove/install the horn.  There is no way a speaker can be A-B'd with then w/o the CDW.

Other items, B can 'splain: The latest speakers like mine have had every single XO pole altered to optimize performance around the remarkable CDW. 

Owners wanting the complete CDW experience must commit to:
1. Removing the tweeter horn (I'm sure VMPS will do this for a reasonable fee).
2. Either sending the entire speaker back to VMPS or removing the XO & sending it back to VMPS for upgrading.  If the end-user can't do the mechanical work they should look for someone reliable nearby that could do it for a reasonable fee.  The risk & effort to pack & ship is too great.  This is the absolutely perfect time to have the speaker's inputs directly wired & have the new XO installed outboard (OXO).  If possible, build the XO box yourself & save some money in that area.  The super-ambitious could install new internal wire & my recommended non-conductive binding posts. 

I believe everyone who has experienced the OXO, especially w/ the CDW, loves the improvement.

A member who visited yesterday is familiar w/ well-engineered systems in the multiple hundred-thousand-dollar US range.  For much of the listening he sat about the equivalent of one person to the left of the center sweet spot.  He remarked how great was the imaging even at that point.  I sat about the equivalent of 2 persons to the R of center & could have sat there all day enjoying it (actually I did for much of the day).  The CDW is up there w/ room treatments in it's positive listening effects.

[meilankev]

Jim,

Thanks for the info.  Unfortunately for me, I guess that removes the waveguide as a viable tweak for my system.

On the other hand, I think it's strange that just a few days after I wrote my above post, I bought a new HT Receiver for my main system.  My Yamaha that I've been using since 1997 kicked the bucket not long ago.  Since I integrate my Home Theater in with my 2-channel system, the one feature I absolutely needed was Main Pre-Outs.

And I found it in a Pioneer VSX-516, which cost only $169 with free shipping!!!  Now, that's a deal.  I know, I know, why would someone integrate a $169 receiver in with a 2-channel system that includes a preamp and monoblocks that go for almost $10,000???

Priorities, young man.  Priorities. 

Kevin