[JoeyGS]

HI,

Has anyone tried or have done any mods to their VR1 speakers?  I found this lone site and would like to get your opinion if this will help improve the VR1 to another level.  Likewise, an opinion from Mr. Von Schweikert is highly appreciated.

http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Von_Schweikert_VR1_Mods&Category_Code=MODS&Product_Count=40

Thanks for your help.

Regards,
JoeyGS

[WGH]

I don't know if changing a couple of resistors and caps will bring the VR1's to a totally new level, my initial reaction was that the price seemed excessive, especially with used VR1's going for $600 on agon, unless the mod also includes the speaker too.

You can increase your VR1's focus, clarity, and bass definition for free by following the steps I took to modify my VR2's.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=44748.0

If you really want to move to the next level then sell your speakers, take the $900 you would have spent on the mod and put the money towards a pair of Salk Songtowers

Wayne

[jimdgoulding]

http://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=2932

Custom fitted and offered with a 30 day trial period.

[JoeyGS]

Thanks Wayne for your valuable inputs.  Do you think the VR1 will still benefit from the additional bracing?

JoeyGS

I don't know if changing a couple of resistors and caps will bring the VR1's to a totally new level, my initial reaction was that the price seemed excessive, especially with used VR1's going for $600 on agon, unless the mod also includes the speaker too.

You can increase your VR1's focus, clarity, and bass definition for free by following the steps I took to modify my VR2's.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=44748.0

If you really want to move to the next level then sell your speakers, take the $900 you would have spent on the mod and put the money towards a pair of Salk Songtowers

Wayne

[JoeyGS]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the link.

Is your rectangular shape surround a must to optimize the improved effect? Or can an octagonal shape which will allow the grills to be installed with the surround fixed provide the same effect?

Regards,
JoeyGS

http://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=2932

Custom fitted and offered with a 30 day trial period.

[jimdgoulding]

Jo-ey, hi.  I would make them to fit inside of your grills with as much area as we can keep.  They are made from high quality wool felt.  Cheers.

[WGH]

Thanks Wayne for your valuable inputs.  Do you think the VR1 will still benefit from the additional bracing?

JoeyGS

I have never looked inside a VR1 but almost any affordable speaker can benefit from additional bracing. Installing NoRez would be an easier alternative.

[jimdgoulding]

Joey-  Sorry, I didn't answer your question head on.  They will work fine have no concern.  I've tailored the shape for many customers. 

Got this at 1:28 today from a fellow using original VR4's:

"Hi Jim

Thanks--everything fits just fine--it took me a few days to get the time to take the VR4 sock off and get the surrounds on--those suckers are heavy and a bit of a pain to take apart , but man do they sound great now!  I've always loved my Von Schweikerts (but have been priced out of the newer models) and now I LOVE them even more and have no desire to upgrade.

I was pleasantly surprised by the sound (I knew it should work, just didn't know to what degree as so many things in audiophilia have produced just barely audible changes)  The sound is much more pleasant, natural and spacious--it was obvious  right away even at very low volume and the air around instruments is now MUCH more apparent and the soundstage has changed pretty noticeably--kind of like playing with speaker positioning.

Great stuff, thanks again

Ken"

[smilach]

Hi Joey -  I was in exactly the same place as you one year ago, looking for a way to improve the sound of my VR1's.  I had been using them in a nearfield application in my home office and was looking for a little more snap and resolution.  One issue for me was the drivers in the VR1's.  I'm not saying the drivers are bad, but they aren't "best in class" and personally I couldn't see spending several hundred dollars on tweaks for an incremental improvement.  Instead I went a different route and for a price not much more than the cost of the Reference Audio mods, I worked with Rick Craig at Selah Audio (also here on AudioCircle) and purchased a pair of custom-designed nearfield monitors built around the SB Acoustics SB17NRXC35 midwoofer and the SB Acoustics SB29RDC dimple tweeter.  Rick asked what music I listened to, what "sound" I was after, and designed the crossover accordingly.  After listening to the speakers for a week I felt they offered much more detail & clarity than the VR1's, were much better on transient attacks on piano and percussion instruments, painted a clearer image, and overall were voiced much more to my liking.  After that first week I wanted to make sure I wasn't rationalizing my latest purchase so I rotated my VR-1's back into the mix.  I could tell immediately that the Selah Audio Vicinos were much more to my liking and it was time for the VR1's to find a new home.

After selling my VR1's, it was clear I easily could have spent much more money tweaking my VR1's than what I paid for the Selah Audio Vicinos less what I took in selling my Von Schweikerts.  I'm not saying the path I took is the best choice for everyone, only that in the tweaking game you can sometimes spend a lot of money for very little improvement and would do better by spending the same dollars purchasing a completely different piece of kit.   -  Scott

[JackD201]

Not to mention the obvious that some tweaks can do more harm than good 

[smilach]

That is certainly one of the risks of tweaking, you can make things worse instead of better.  Based on my experience if I was looking for "better sound" out of a pair of VR1's, I would pull the mid-woofers and dampen the shielding with mortite, rope caulk or plasticlay and purchase a pair of the tweeter surrounds from Jim Goulding.  If those two tweaks didn't get me to the sound I was looking for I would start a search for speakers more to my liking and sell the VR1's.  As I experienced it is possible to make significant gains in performance for less money than an "over-the-top" tweak.

Please note my comments are intended for those who, like me, don't have exceptional skills in the DIY arena.  For those with DIY skills there are many more options to consider at any given price point.  - Scott

[JoeyGS]

Scott and jack,

Thank you very much for your insights.

Regards,
JoeyGS

[blownrx7]

I figured I would add my .02 since I used to own a pair.  Although they were good for the price, I thought they sounded way too thin and were not up to the VS sound-quality I had been accustomed to.
For a better example, comparabley priced, I feel the Quad 12L actives reach far deeper and have much more body throughout the frequency range.
I owned a pair of Totem One's (not the Signatures) as well and the Totems were in a way different (better) class than the VR1's by a LOT. Considering the price, they should be, but I bring this up to impress that I didn't think the VR1's were the world-beaters that the reviewers led us to believe.
Maybe that's why they were dropped from the line with no (quick) successor (along with poor sales perhaps?)

That being said, I would not spend large amounts on mods.  I would do the speaker frame damping, chassis damping (for those not afraid of sawing wood) and maybe replace the caps with some reasonably priced exotic caps (this would depend on the caps used originally). As long as it was well below $100 bucks invested, it would be money well-spent.

[JoeyGS]

Guess what.......major tweaks for the VR1 may not be neccessary. When I inserted the Lightspeed Passive Attenuator in the signal chain my system sounded like a $20k system.  The sound coming out is so transparent that I had goosebumps all the way.

This is the best tweak for about $450 purchased from GeorgeHifi or even much lower if self-DIYed.  I would encourage you to try it.  Take note that this has a out impedance of 7kohms and the ideal input impedance of the power amp is 50kohm and above (100kohm with definite excellent results)

On the other hand.....the only tweak that I would venture in the future to are the woofer frame damping and a pair of the tweeter surrounds from Jim Goulding -  that is if I still find a need for it.  As of now, I am just plainly enjoying the music (both for critical listening or just being cool with the music)

For the other VR1 users.....if you have used this with the Lightspeed, please chime in your impressions.

Regards,
joeyGS