VMPS 626R stock vs. GR modified 626R

Marbles · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 05:11 pm »

As I'm giving this more thought, Danny was able to use the stock woofer and get incredible bass from it.

I hope BC revisits that portion of his crossover to see if he can improve upon it. Maybe he already has.

Out of curiosity, is the megawoofer a drop in replacement for the stock woofer in terms of the cutout? Would one need to change the XO?

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 05:16 pm »

The new woofer will drop in but the basket is smaller in diameter, leaving a gap. We plan to make a trim ring available shortly. The crossover has been adjusted to match the new driver.

Whatever Danny did to the 626, he deprived its owner of all factory service in or out of warranty. Since the parts are custom, if anything ever goes wrong Danny will be unable to fix it. High price for what is essentially a sideways move.

Marbles · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 06:01 pm »

Quote from: Brian Cheney

The new woofer will drop in but the basket is smaller in diameter, leaving a gap. We plan to make a trim ring available shortly. The crossover has been adjusted to match the new driver.

If a customer wanted to upgrade, is it something they could do in the field, or is it a factory only upgrade?

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 06:04 pm »

Upgrade can be done in the field.

My email responses to you are bouncing, check your provider.

Marbles · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 06:10 pm »

Overactive spam filter, sorry about that.

YGM

jackman · « **Reply #25 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:03 pm »

Eric,

Excellent post and great discussion. I'm curious about your opinion. You have as much experience (or more) than anyone I know, did you participate in the test? Also, what were your findings? I know this is just a quick subjective test but I'd really appreciate your opinion. Did you prefer one over another? Also, did your impressions match those of the people who voted?

Thanks!

Jack

BrunoB · « **Reply #26 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:10 pm »

Quote from: Brian Cheney

Current 626's with the mls cabinets are braced and about 20% heavier than the old style. There is a new woofer, tweeter, and crossover.

I understand that the new woofer is the Megawoofer. The new crossover I guess, is about the capacitance increase for the midrange caps . What about the new tweeter? Is it different from the HET?

Bruno

Robert C. Schult · « **Reply #27 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:20 pm »

Quote from: bubba966

Quote from: JoshK
I noticed that the two, presumeably younger guys (going from years of audiophilism) liked the orig whereas the older gentlemen liked the modded. This is probably because the younger guys still have their hearing!

That was exactly what I was thinking while reading that...

I suspect the point Eric was making was experience. I personally get offended when someone challenges my hearing. At almost 50, I'm still strong out to 3k plus! I bet Brian's at least as strong!

In my first couple of years in this hobby, I didn't have a clue as to what reproduced music could sound like and I had no clue about better equipment and I did not know how or what to listen for. Bass for wrecking crews and highs that killed bats was as good as I thought it got.

Truth be told, hearing is way more than an analytical exercise and what can be measured. I believe hearing is meant to be more of an experience to be appreciated...something that is becoming a lost art as I see it...even in conversation with others. Quite a subject really!

Cheers!

Marbles · « **Reply #28 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:32 pm »

Quote from: Robert C. Schult

On to loudspeakers. We did do a comparison between the GR-Research modified VMPS 626's and the stock VMPS 626's that were there and I got to be a part of that comparison. I preferred the modified over the stock version. Comparatively, the stock version sounded a bit sterile. The modified version had more weight and bloom without sacrificing the delineation of the stock version. The stock version also was a bit more "closed in" where the modified version gave a better sense of expanse. ...

Audiophile for 20 years???? Damn I would have thought you had been an audiophile since before the dinasaurs died

We heard the same things, only the sterile part is my baseline. The more weight and bloom was my (more than naturally sounding) colored. I say tomato. You say Tomita....

Robert C. Schult · « **Reply #29 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:42 pm »

Marbles (I think),

Could you re-post that in bold? In my old age, I can't see sh%# anymore.

Oh, and if you could remind me what we were talking about, that would help too.

Robert C. Schult · « **Reply #30 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:44 pm »

...Ha! No wonder. I was trying to find this again on Audio Asylum.

Robert C. Schult · « **Reply #31 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:45 pm »

umm...what was I trying to find?

Robert C. Schult · « **Reply #32 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 07:47 pm »

How come I can't get this email to send. Mom, why don't you just call me. I can't get this thing to work. Talk to you then.

Bob

EProvenzano · « **Reply #33 on:** 18 Oct 2004, 10:42 pm »

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #34 on:** 19 Oct 2004, 04:31 am »

And I thought Marbles was done testing equipement.....

Marbles · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 Oct 2004, 01:00 pm »

Quote from: lonewolfny42

And I thought Marbles was done testing equipement.....
(or so he told me.... )[/list:u]

Good point.

If you want to bring me equipment to listen to, and then take it back with you, where I don't have to ship, then I'll listen.

Oh, guess I got over the burnoutitis a bit as I'll be comparing some IC's.
Cryotweaks and CVH Pulsars.
[/b]

ehider · « **Reply #36 on:** 19 Oct 2004, 02:49 pm »

Jackman,

Per your request here is an overview of my findings between these two speakers:

Note: I personally avoided any input of my own on these two speakers thus far as I didn't want to affect the outcome of results at HIDERFEST. Here are my findings regarding the modded versus the stock 626R's over a period of 3 weeks:

The modded version of the 626R is balanced and integrated from top to bottom as compared to the original speaker. When you listen to the modded version and go back to the original it is very easy to hear each individual drivers as it does not sound nearly as much like an integrated soundfield from that speaker.

When comparing the bass between both of these speakers the modded version is MUCH better hands down

. Bass notes on the stock version sound so much more "one notey" that it is almost hard to beleive the modded version of the 626R could sound so much better with the same bass driver and cabinet volumes

.

The ability of the modded version to recreate space and ambient details also far out weighs the stock version. For instance; on the modified version it is much harder to point ot where the tweeter is when reproducing highs (a very good sign of excellent imaging). In comparion the stock speaker is fairly easy to identify where the tweeter is playing when you hear high frequencies from that speaker.

There is a very disturbing problem in the stock speaker that I need to point out. When you shift your head from left to right you get a very different spectral shift in balance. This issue becomes very apparent when you compare that speaker to the modified version. The modified version in comparion maintains it's overall spectral balance and doe not change it's overall character spectrally as you move off axis. (I'm wondering how the hell these speakers are so different in this aspect. Perhaps Danny can explain?).

I've compared both of these speakers to my Epiphanys, my Acoustic Reality monitors and a pair of my buddy's Vandersteen 3A Signatures (that are currently in my listening room). The modified 626R version sounds much more similar to those speakers than the stock 626R's, particuarly in driver integration, spatial detail and their ability to reproduce a coherent soundfield.

As far as the results between younger and older audiophiles in our tests I do have some speculation here; I found it quite interesting that all the audiophiles who have been around for awhile all preferred the modded version over the stock 626R. (There were some neophyte audiophiles who also preferred the modified version too, but none of those guys gave me written descriptions that I could post on this thread). It seemed that most of the "older" guys were more focused on the ability of the speakers to sound like real music with a realisitic soundfield and didn't want to just hear a bunch of drivers trying to play sound. It seems as if many of the younger audiophiles didn't comment on these sort of sonic qualities between these two speakers and strictly made their judgements on which speaker's spectral balance that they preffered (all of them were off axis mind you)

.

What I did fail miserably to do in this comparitive test was to allow everyone to sit in the center listeing seat where Robert was sitting. That is where the differences are so marked between these speakers and where the modded version absolutely outclasses the original in virtually every aspect (in my and Robert's opion of course)

. I made this choice as I didn't want to influence anyone's decision in any way by pointing out some of the obvious differences that I was aware of between these two speakers.

In retrospect I think I may have lost an opportunity to show some of the "younger" guys what us "older" guys cheerish from our listening experiences.

jackman · « **Reply #37 on:** 19 Oct 2004, 03:06 pm »

Eric,
Excellent recap! Your ability to capture details in a clear and concise manner and communicate them is as good as it gets. I regret not being able to make it to the "Fest" but your thorough recap is as close to being there as I can imagine.

Thank you for taking the time to post your comments. Hopefully there will be a Hiderfest II!

Cheers,

Jack

zybar · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 Oct 2004, 04:00 pm »

Quote from: ehider

Jackman,

Per your request here is an overview of my findings between these two speakers:

Note: I personally avoided any input of my own on these two speakers thus far as I didn't want to affect the outcome of results at HIDERFEST. Here are my findings regarding the modded versus the stock 626R's over a period of 3 weeks:

The modded version of the 626R is balanced and integrated from top to bottom as compared to the original speaker. When you listen to the modded version and go back to the o ...

Nicely written Eric.

I hope that at the end of the day it was all worth it and that you are enjoying your speakers.

George

JoshK · « **Reply #39 on:** 19 Oct 2004, 04:10 pm »

Bob,

I was joking about the old audiophiles loosing their hearing. No offense intended.