It's been some kind of Von Schweikert weekend. Sold my VR4s on Friday and, right on schedule, drove 100 miles south and picked up a pair of VR5 HSEs from 2003 that I've had my eye (and ear) on. The VR4 Gen iiis are superb speakers, it goes without saying. Bass like I've never heard: controlled, precise, and deep. Those 9" Tonegen drivers in Albert's t-line cabinets are without parallel in my listening experience. They move a lot of air.
But the VR5s HSEs are another animal entirely. Crystal clear mids and highs. Like a bell. The mid-range "glare" that I"d noticed on the VR4s is completely gone. It's like cleaning a window. I was slightly disappointed in the bass at first, but of course I was comparing it to the VR4gen iiis. Then I remembered the dacron fill. Pulled out handfuls from both cabinets, and voila: bass, full yet controlled: not quite the VR4 geniii, but 95% there. The truth is, that's more than enough.
Is there a better buy at 3K (or 4-6k for that matter) than a pair of VR5 HSEs? The cabinetry, the sound, the relatively modest size--it's an astonishing bargain. They're better than I could have imagined.
