[htradtk]

Greetings and happy holidays!

Was wondering if the VR-66 will be ready for CES 2015, been pretty quiet on this model and very interested! Maybe Albert or someone from VSA can chime in with some details.

Henry

[htradtk]

No responses! Is the VR-66 dead on arrival!

[Albert Von Schweikert]

Hello Fellow Audiophiles,

We released the VR-55 instead of the more expensive VR-66 due to our time schedule and anticipated sales results at several price points.  After extensive Beta testing here in the Los Angeles area, we discovered that the height of the speaker cabinet is really important to most people who do not have dedicated sound rooms.  Tall speakers don't sell as well as shorter versions of the same design, which is something that might be obvious except to an engineer (like me) focused on sound quality. 

In July, after several of our local Beta testers decided that the VR-55's sound stage size and dynamic range were outstanding, we felt we made the right move bringing the VR-55 Aktive to RMAF  In fact, three different magazines awarded the VR-55 Aktive "Best Sound Of The Show"  proving that our new performance envelope for the 55 series is going in the right direction.  We had no idea that magazine reviewers would choose our VR-55 over large speakers at $100,000-$200,000  but we all know that quality trumps size, almost every time.

If any of you had been waiting for "just the right speaker" from VSA, you might want to check out the VR-55 Aktives even thought they don't outwardly look "powerful."  They're not so big that they'll overwhelm your room, but they will play very dynamically, just like a large speaker.  They have super high resolution, but aren't thin or sterile.  Tube amps and transistor amps both sound great through the VR-55 and even though you might own a large solid state amplifier, you'll still want to check out the Aktive version.  It doubles the perceived dynamic range (based on bi-amping) and allows you to fine tune the bass in any type of room.  Please note that the price listed at RMAF ($49,995/pr) was an introductory price for the show only.  The base price going forward will be $59,995/pr.  Yes, this is a lot of money, but when compared to the competition, it might be seen as a bargain.

By the way, we will be offering a new finish in addition to the Steinway Hi-gloss Piano Black and Lexus Platinum Silver on the VR-55 system.  Our new painter has the ability to finish the cabinets in any type of wood veneer, grain, or color, at an additional charge.  We have samples of a dark red rosewood finish with black grain pattern, protected with a very thick coat of clear resin which looks like glass.  Two weeks ago, a Japanese Distributor came by to purchase a pair of VR-55 Aktives to pair with tube amps he also carries.  Although he loves the Steinway Black high gloss finish, stating it was the best paint job he's ever seen,  he was amazed at the rosewood and immediately ordered his samples in that finish.  Within a month, we should have the Distributors rosewood pair finished for photography before we ship them to Japan.  Hopefully, the "wow" factor of the finish will obvious in the photographs we'll take for the website.

Happy New Year,
AVS

[gammajo]

Great post Albert! You sure have my mouth watering for a pair in pseudo light African Hazelwood! Any pairs East of the Mississippi yet? Would love to audition.

[jhsu]

As a long-time owner of the VR-6s seeking to upgrade to the VR-66s, I'm bummed to learn about the implied indefinite delay.  With a cabinet height of 42", the VR-55's tweeter likely fires from a height of only 38" (that's ~12" below those on my VR-6s) even after installation (with spikes); call me picky, but the tradeoffs between cost and size (relatively low soundstage height, as well as the cancellation dip at the crossover frequency when listening above the tweeter axis) just won't do it for me.  As Albert correctly alluded in his posting above, for engineers and audiophiles (like me) focused on sound quality, the optimal tweeter location should be at ear-level (or slightly above).  For this, I'm willing to go for the more expensive model with a taller cabinet than the VR-55s.  Is the VR-9SE Mk2 being upgraded anytime soon?

[jhsu]

Please remove this.

[jhsu]

Please help remove this

[kernelbob]

As a long-time owner of the VR-6s seeking to upgrade to the VR-66s, I'm bummed to learn about the implied indefinite delay.  With a cabinet height of 42", the VR-55's tweeter likely fires from a height of only 38" (that's ~12" below those on my VR-6s) even after installation (with spikes); call me picky, but the tradeoffs between cost and size (relatively low soundstage height, as well as the cancellation dip at the crossover frequency when listening above the tweeter axis) just won't do it for me.  As Albert correctly alluded in his posting above, for engineers and audiophiles (like me) focused on sound quality, the optimal tweeter location is at (or slightly above) ear-level.  For this, I'm willing to go for the more expensive model with a taller cabinet than the VR-55s.  Is the VR-9SE Mk2 being upgraded anytime soon?

I also own a pair of VR6 speakers, now retired to my bedroom system.  While the VR100XS system was in development, I sold my VR5-Annis and lived with the VR6's for well over a year as my main system.  I remember many conversations with Albert regarding the tweeter height (actually the acoustic center height) of the VR6's versus the evolving design of the VR100's.  Now that I have the VR100XS (with the VR6's returned to my secondary system), I have to say that I was dead wrong in my insistence in the need for a higher acoustic center in the 100's.  Their sound stage is far better than the VR6's-- larger than the VR6's with symphonic or operatic music, but appropriately sized when serving a solo voice, instrument, or small ensemble.

Albert went through dozens of prototype crossover configurations in the VR100 with the final one involving a minor change which expanded the angle of vertical dispersion of the tweeter.  This involved no change in the physical positioning of the drivers, but generated a final acoustic integration of the drivers into a coherent, hemispherical wave front.

Don't misunderstand, the VR6's are a great pair of speakers and I don't intend on selling mine any time soon.  However, I would not assume to know how the VR55's sound and image based on their height.  As I said, I had the same assumptions on how a lower tweeter height would reduce the sound stage height, but that has not proved to be the case in my experience.

[jab]

As a long-time owner of the VR-6s seeking to upgrade to the VR-66s, I'm bummed to learn about the implied indefinite delay.  With a cabinet height of 42", the VR-55's tweeter likely fires from a height of only 38" (that's ~12" below those on my VR-6s) even after installation (with spikes); call me picky, but the tradeoffs between cost and size (relatively low soundstage height, as well as the cancellation dip at the crossover frequency when listening above the tweeter axis) just won't do it for me.  As Albert correctly alluded in his posting above, for engineers and audiophiles (like me) focused on sound quality, the optimal tweeter location is at (or slightly above) ear-level.  For this, I'm willing to go for the more expensive model with a taller cabinet than the VR-55s.  Is the VR-9SE Mk2 being upgraded anytime soon?

I could do a headstand in the corner of a room and still be astonished by the palpable floating images, deep and wide soundstage, balance and dynamics the VR55's produce.  They truly can alter your perception of real and reproduced.  Nothing at RMAF, big or tall, inexpensive or ultra, came close to my ears.  To challenge my sense of loyalty, as a long time VSA fan, I brought into the VSA room at RMAF,  two physician friends that happen to be mature audiophiles and that have never heard VSA, for a listen.  They didn't budge...  they didn't move.  In fact, I left the room thinking they might not leave the entire rest of the day.
I'd suggest, considering the price point you are willing to spend, to do a road trip to Cali and visit VSA.  If you happen to be in Texas, my African Hazelwood pair are being constructed and should ship in a few weeks.  Would be happy to host!  Best, Jack

[gammajo]

Jab
I am thinking of a pair in African Hazelwood light - would love to see pictures as soon as you have them . I am making a trip from North Carolina to VSA just to hear them in February. Congrats on your purchase

[jab]

Jab
I am thinking of a pair in African Hazelwood light - would love to see pictures as soon as you have them . I am making a trip from North Carolina to VSA just to hear them in February. Congrats on your purchase

You're in for a treat!  As soon as they arrive I'll get pics out.  They'll be a small upcharge for custom finishes but the palate is wider than any mfg can offer, period.  Cosmetically the 55's will morph to you room décor, not the other way around.  Sonically,,,, you'll find out!  Let me know when you have a date for a VSA visit in mind.  I've been meaning to go out as well and get the tour!

[Albert Von Schweikert]

Hello John,

Thanks for joining the Audio Circle and writing a post.  When I visited you a few years ago in Hong Kong, I was truly impressed by the sound you had achieved with my VR-6 speakers.  I totally agree that you had achieved the pinnacle in image focus with your setup!

That being said, the VR-6 was a fairly "directional" speaker system as I was (at the time) obsessed with controlled directivity to avoid room interaction.  Over the past twenty years, my research and comparisons with live instruments vs the speaker system under development has led me to the wave launch now employed in all of my latest work.  This new type of wave launch is also a controlled directivity design, but has a wider vertical dispersion angle than the VR-6 had.  As kernalbob, the owner of VR-100XS #0001, mentioned above, he too was very interested in the height of the sound stage.  He went so far as to have me construct 8" tall stands to elevate the ribbon tweeters above ear level instead of below ear level.  Well, a strange thing occurred when we tested the VR-100XS on the stands: the sound stage did not change, in any of the various dimensions!  That is due to the very wide vertical dispersion I designed by circuit implementation.

When you finally hear the new VR-55 Aktive speaker system (when you close your eyes), you will believe that you are listening to speakers six or seven feet tall.  Although the technology I invented to achieve this is too complex to describe in a short post here, you can believe every word that JAB mentioned about his experience with the VR-55 Aktives at the Denver RMAF show in October. 

The reviewers from The Absolute Sound magazine came to my room numerous times, using our room as their reference.  In private conversations at the end of the show, they indicated that "the VR-55 Aktive's sounded far more realistic than any other speaker at RMAF."  That includes every tall speaker system there from $250,000 on down, from companies like Wilson, Magico, Raidho, Focal, Rockport, et al.  Since so many visitors to my room said I had the best sound, I have to believe that the VR-55 Aktives meet all of my design goals.  By the way, the Show Special pricing published at $49,995/pr has been raised to $59,995/pr due to the final cost analysis of the design.  It is almost as expensive to build as our $100,000/pr VR-9SE Mk2 -- and it takes just as long (12 weeks) since the cabinets have almost 200 parts that are cut and bonded with epoxy adhesive, and assembled in a specialized jig frame.

I hope that all of you wonderful people at Audio Circle get to hear this design, and to do this, we will be bringing the VR-55 Aktive to shows for the next year or two.  It has instantly become our best selling model, so we want folks to experience it for themselves.

Happy Listening!

[gammajo]

Jab
I already have the Hazelwood in my VR  Anni MK2's and love it. I will have only twoto three hours at the showroom - it will be a very quick trip but I think enough to know what the 55's sound like.

[jab]

Jab
I already have the Hazelwood in my VR  Anni MK2's and love it. I will have only twoto three hours at the showroom - it will be a very quick trip but I think enough to know what the 55's sound like.

Wow, stunning pictures!  I've always wanted to live in a treehouse!  Can only imagine how calm and quit it must be!  Retired G?

[gammajo]

Jab No. I work from home and also travel quite a bit. But when I play, I play music!