Incredible searing FRUSTRATION!

ScottMayo · « **on:** 4 May 2004, 03:53 pm »

Ok, I'm exaggerating. A little.

This is becoming a fixation. I just want to listen to a pair of RM/X's.

Is it so much to ask? If the speakers are what has been described, then they are the puppies I want. (If it turns out that they've been overly-hyped, I'll find you people, oh yes I will. I'll sneak into your homes and put Radio Shack drivers in your cabinets when you sleep. And replace the hand-tuned caps in your crossovers with 0.10$ electrolytics. With reversed polarity.)

And this is driving me nuts because there's a perfectly good pair of B&W Nautilus speakers I can have for less than the RM/X's, and frankly they don't actually suck. I could probably be happy.

So this is kind of last call. Is the RM/X really "the best speaker that no one ever bought?" Am I after a unicorn here? Any RM/X owners willing to put up with a visit from my wife and myself for just, say, 4 hours or so? Weekend plane tickets and a cheap hotel is starting to look like the only solution. I'll pay for a dinner, even, assuming it's somewhere I can afford after buying the RM/X's.

I mean, for pity's sake, people will listen to this set up I'm trying to build, so it should drum up a little business for VMPS. Brian, you out there? Can you find me an RM/X owner who will put up with a visit from an only slightly eccentric couple, ideally an owner not more than 3 hours away by plane from Boston?

(I'm only kidding about the radio shack drivers. No one deserves that.)

Offers and synpathy welcome. Try
scottm
(at)
net1plus.com

Thanks.

wshuff · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 May 2004, 04:02 pm »

Roop is in New York. How far is that?

cbartolomei · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 May 2004, 04:45 pm »

You can listen to my pair. Are you willing to fly into Chicago or Milwaukee?

cb

ScottMayo · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 May 2004, 05:25 pm »

Quote from: wshuff

Roop is in New York. How far is that?

201 miles. I checked. But he's got a very particular sales model in place: he insists on offering services which, while really nice, I simply don't want. If you want someone to visit you "on site" after your speakers are broken in, and do final placement and tuning for you - and if you aren't trying to save pennies wherever you can - then on the basis of my emails with him, I recommend him very, very highly. I'm sure it's the ultimate, for someone who wants the full service treatment. But full service comes at a cost, and it's not a cost I want to pay. I'm already feeling guilty over what I plan to shell out for my absurd audio desires.

I suppose I could have just just auditioned them there and bought elsewhere - this is America, and free market happens. But given the number of his hours I was going to eat, I decided that just wasn't quite fair. With less scruples, I'd probably be uncrating my own pair of RM/X's right now.

Anyway: My buying preference is "best value". I use Bryston amps because, while Krell or ML might be a microscopic bit cleaner, the Bry 20 year no-limitation-whatsoever-and-we-meant-that guarantee is such a sweet, sweet deal. I'm looking at VMPS because everyone swears that you can spend ~10K and get ~20K worth of speaker. (Except John C who says ~50k).

So now I'm trying to find someone who, for the price of a dinner (for him) and plane tickets (for me), will show off his Elixirs.

This is what I get for being a compulsive, value-demanding, fair-play minded, compulsive audiophile. Or maybe just a typical audiophile, to be more concise.

ScottMayo · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 May 2004, 05:29 pm »

Quote from: cbartolomei

You can listen to my pair. Are you willing to fly into Chicago or Milwaukee? -cb

Yup! Email me, we'll work out details. scottm@net1plus.com

John Casler · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 May 2004, 06:27 pm »

Quote

I'm looking at VMPS because everyone swears that you can spend ~10K and get ~20K worth of speaker. (Except John C who says ~50k).

Hi Scott,

Did I say $50K? I meant $60

ScottMayo · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 May 2004, 06:59 pm »

Quote from: John Casler

Quote
I'm looking at VMPS because everyone swears that you can spend ~10K and get ~20K worth of speaker. (Except John C who says ~50k).

Hi Scott,

Did I say $50K? I meant $60

Caaaareful. If *anyone* can't afford to have his speakers Radio Shack'd and re-capactorized in the night, it's a dealer...

Anyway, go offer this cb fellow some tickets to Blue Man Group or something. If I like what I hear, I'm likely to say "I'll have what he's having", which probably means the TNT caps. Your additional profit on that alone should leave you eternally grateful.

Seriously, if I like these things and buy them, and direct new buyers to you, what's my commission? It's sounds like I'm going to have the only pair in New England....

ctviggen · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 May 2004, 09:16 pm »

I doubt the dealers make that much money per speaker pair. VMPS speakers seem to me to be relatively low profit margin speakers. For $4,600 (RM40, although mine cost more with all the bells and whistles), you're getting four 10-inch woofers, a bunch of midrange ribbons (8?), four tweeters, nice electronics, good cabinet, etc. My Linns retailed around that price, and they have two woofers, two mids, and two tweeters and OK electronics (although the cabinet is nice). There doesn't seem to be a ton of profit in VMPS products.

ScottMayo · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 May 2004, 10:08 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen

I doubt the dealers make that much money per speaker pair.

Tsk. If it's over 5% markup, it's capitalist swine greed. *noddle*

(Ok, not for high end speakers. 10% for high end speakers.)

(Mostly, I was yanking John's chain.)

brj · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 May 2004, 11:31 pm »

Quote from: ScottMayo

If I like what I hear, I'm likely to say "I'll have what he's having", which probably means the TNT caps.

Yeah, I've heard the dynamics were explosive!

I'm sure the TRT caps are almost as good....

John Casler · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 May 2004, 04:46 am »

Quote

Seriously, if I like these things and buy them, and direct new buyers to you, what's my commission? It's sounds like I'm going to have the only pair in New England....

Let me see, $12,000 for the speaker now worth $60k, how about $48k comish?

Quote

(Mostly, I was yanking John's chain.)

Something tells me you haven't seen me in my business suit

ekovalsky · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 May 2004, 08:01 am »

You're welcome to visit Arizona (Phoenix area) and audition my rig built around the RM/X. They have the TRT caps and silver Analysis Plus wire on the bass. My digital front end, amp, cables, and power are all good so you there aren't any limitations from upstream.

PM me if you're interested...

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 May 2004, 11:18 pm »

Fair warning to those interested in this system:
The RM/X (stock version) has a current retail price of $11,900pr plus shipping.

As of Aug 1 that price goes to $14,900pr plus shipping.

As of Dec 1 that price goes to S19,900pr plus shipping.

At the Dec 1 2004 retail we will finally break even selling this system.

The retail price will increase in easy stages to $44,000pr by Dec 2005.

John Casler · « **Reply #13 on:** 6 May 2004, 02:08 am »

Quote from: Brian Cheney

Fair warning to those interested in this system:
The RM/X (stock version) has a current retail price of $11,900pr plus shipping.

As of Aug 1 that price goes to $14,900pr plus shipping.

As of Dec 1 that price goes to S19,900pr plus shipping.

At the Dec 1 2004 retail we will finally break even selling this system.

The retail price will increase in easy stages to $44,000pr by Dec 2005.

Talk about music to someone's ears. For current owners, this means your speaker pair is not depreciating, but appreciating

rosconey · « **Reply #14 on:** 6 May 2004, 10:24 am »

after a certain price point they loose the vmps (value per dollar)magic-

ill never afford a pair unless i hit the lottery anyway so my opinion means squat

KCI-JohnP · « **Reply #15 on:** 6 May 2004, 07:26 pm »

Quote from: Brian Cheney

Fair warning to those interested in this system:
The RM/X (stock version) has a current retail price of $11,900pr plus shipping.

As of Aug 1 that price goes to $14,900pr plus shipping.

As of Dec 1 that price goes to S19,900pr plus shipping.

At the Dec 1 2004 retail we will finally break even selling this system.

The retail price will increase in easy stages to $44,000pr by Dec 2005.

Your kidding right?? A speaker that quadruples(spelling?) in price?

bkwiram · « **Reply #16 on:** 6 May 2004, 07:59 pm »

I'm willing to bet about $32,000 that he's not kidding.

jackman · « **Reply #17 on:** 6 May 2004, 08:06 pm »

I'm sure these speakers are awesome and blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda...but check out Joker's little rubba, dub, dub picture! It has replaced Psychoanimal's as my favorite! Where did you get that and how can a person (if he is so inclined) follow suit? Cool!

zybar · « **Reply #18 on:** 6 May 2004, 08:29 pm »

That avatar can get my fired!!

I didn't think I would have to be careful viewing AC at work.

When home that is some nice eye candy.

George

John Casler · « **Reply #19 on:** 6 May 2004, 08:37 pm »

Obviously Mr. Joker is a gentleman concerned about "breast cancer" and is providing educational video on "self examination".

I find it a community service, and applaud his example

Keep up the good work Mr. Joker