[fplanner2000]

I'm trying to figure out whether it would be a substantial upgrade to go from VR-7SE Mk2's to VR-9SE Mk2's, or more of a lateral move.  My room is 19x20.  Thanks in advance for your responses.

[es347]

..I'm thinking yes Harve...go for it!   

[BigSwede]

I imagine it would sound pretty similar, just more of everything, if that makes sense, kind of like when I went from VR-2s to VR-33s. But I haven't heard either one so take that for what it is worth.

How much "more of everything" is worth to you is an individual choice.

[kernelbob]

Have you thought of the VR100 instead of the VR9?  You could go with the VR100 without the XS subs and add those later if you need them, though the bass on the 100 is fine as is and faster than the VR9's.  The 100's also have a smaller footprint and would fit in just fine in your 16 x 20 room.

[JackD201]

I'm a 9 owner as you know but I'm with Robert on this. Given your required speaker placement, the rear firing 15" woofer on the 9 might be a problem for you Harve. You'd want at least 2 feet. The 100s without the Shockwaves will also bring you to similar if not actually lower price brackets. With the 9s however I can pretty much guarantee a more coherent transition from midrange to midbass.

[kernelbob]

Regarding the transition from midrange to midbass, the VR100 uses both magnesium midrange and woofer drivers.  The 7" woofers were chosen over their 9" siblings to maximize the speed of the bass.  Those woofers have to be blazingly fast to keep up with the midrange.  Having heard the VR100 at Axpona earlier this year, I have to say the transition from the bass to midrange and then to the wide range ribbon tweeter was flawless.  I haven't heard the VR9 but I owned the VR5-anniversary which shares the midrange and tweeter drivers with the VR9.  To my ears, the midrange drivers on the VR100 are faster and lower in distortion.

[JackD201]

My Dad has Annies and prior to my 9 Mk2s I had 5SEs. My 9 Mk2s started out as 9s. The 9s are a different animal and 9 Mk2s even more so. There is a reason for the price jump of 300% and the extra tweeter and the sub is only part of the story. The similarities are there but they end at the drivers. The XO of the 9s won't even fit in an Annie plus the woofers of the 9s are acoustically suspended and need to cover less bandwidth. This makes the 9" midbasses much quicker than the Annies. Don't get me wrong, the Annies are fantastic. They are far more forgiving than 9s. So much so that you can even skimp a bit on amplification and still get wonderful, wonderful sound. Back 9s with clean muscle like Harve has on tap however, and as Emperor Palpatine says "It's a fully operational Death Star".  Give it less but equally excellent power and it can be ethereal and achingly beautiful if not strictly accurate. Go wrong somewhere upstream however and it will let you know very quickly.

I haven't heard the 100s and I'm very sure the smaller magnesiums are every bit as quick as you say Robert but the 9s and 11s do have 100dB 8ohm short throw (pleated surround) aerogels and an XO cap array has got loads and loads of storage.

Either way, IMO Harve can't go wrong. I still agree however that the 100 may be the better option because of Harve's speaker placement constraints.

[kernelbob]

Harve, I surely don't want to give the 9's short shrift, especially after Jack's high praise.  Not having heard the 9's, my assumption of their similarity to the sonic signature of the 5-annis is clearly conjecture on my part.  I always question opinions not based on direct experience, so mea culpa.  Of course, you might want to talk with the creator of the 9's and 100's.  Make sure your phone's batteries are fully charged.

[es347]

I have VR5 Annies with a pr of Velodyne 12s and have never noticed the proverbial marrying problem.  I've got corner traps and have the subs dialed in to where the sound is seamless top to bottom at least to my old ears.  Don't get me wrong, I would jump on a pr of 9s in a NY minute if a deal presented itself but I believe there's something to be said for having the subs separate from the mains.

[JackD201]

  Make sure your phone's batteries are fully charged.

  Yes! I'm sure Harve already knows. 

[fplanner2000]

I really appreciate all the well-reasoned responses guys.  I had a hunch Jack would recommend the 9's and Robert the 100's and you both made very good points.  As for my original question of whether going from 7's to 9's would be an upgrade, it sounds like the resounding answer is YES.  That's pretty much the conclusion I came to as well, and I have already talked to Albert about this yesterday(and discovered there's quite a wait to get ANYTHING new).

I believe the 9's are a better fit for me than the 100's, because I like a lot of bass, which the 9 has, the 7's have and the 100's wish they had (which why they come with subs).  The 100's would require me to reconfigure my room, which I am not willing to do.  I really like how my 7's now sound, especially now that my 450's have the new IQ auto-bias circuitry in them.  I believe the 9's will give me even faster bass (9" vs current 11") as well as better detail since the amps are no longer having to push ALL the bass.  In addition, the increased adjustability, lower bass floor, significantly higher efficiency (96 vs 89) and casters for easier movement make this a pretty easy call.  And I do have 2 feet between the speaker and rear wall.

I am really happy with my sound at this point, and listened to some Altairs this past weekend for the first time, being driven by decent solid state.  For $100K, I was not impressed sonically, although the speakers were gorgeous (deep red pearlized merlot).  At best, these would be a lateral move from where I am and the side-firing woofers might create some additional problems.  I also have someone lining up a pair of Marten Momento's which I heard a few years ago at CES, to audition and possibly make a bid on.  I realize this seems a bit contradictory, but I am just making sure I do a reasonably thorough job in listening to several speakers I have liked before before making any speaker changes.

On top of all this, I have a speaker placement guy coming over tomorrow to match my 7's placement exactly to the room.  He has done this professionally for years on behalf of several high-end speaker companies and come very highly recommended.  He also says if I am not happy when he is done, I don't have to pay him!  (He also said this has never happened... )  I will let you guys know the results in a few days - he apparently gets flown all over the country to do this.

Thanks again for all your help - now it looks like I might have to sell my 7's, which is a bit of a concern into this soft domestic market.  Jack - are you listening???

[JackD201]

I'm here Harve but don't look at me I'm getting set to sell my 9Mk2s in preparation for the coming of Daddy 11s 

[fplanner2000]

Do you have a buyer?  If not, PM me and lets talk.

[JackD201]

Trade you my speakers for your amps 

[Holli82]

I'm NOT selling mine.

[fplanner2000]

That's fine, as long as you throw in another $60K cash and 2 draft choices.

[fplanner2000]

Holli - no offense, but I don't WANT yours....

Jack's are "special"

[Holli82]

Good......I'm glad we are on the same page Harve.

Good luck with your search.  Worse case you live with the 7's.  Not a bad place to be.  Loving my nines.  I hope you are able to share in the enjoyment as well.

Rodney

[JackD201]

That's fine, as long as you throw in another $60K cash and 2 draft choices.

 

You drive a hard bargain! Remind me never to play poker against you!

 

[fplanner2000]

Thanks Rodney 

Jack- jus' keepin it real, my friend, in case you were really serious....
Also little chance we'll play poker anytime soon as we have trouble even being on the same continent at the same time!!!  I DO look forward to meeting you sometime, ideally at RMAF so you can hear my system, which by that time will either still have the 7's, or the 9's, or Marten Coltrane Momento's (great speakers but very rare and expensive, so would have to get "used").