[drewfidelity]

Hello,
 
I have spent the majority of the last 48 hours listening to these wonderful speakers.  I have had the opportunity to own too many pairs of speakers.  As you are all well aware, the Internet has given those of us who are seeking better sound the opportunity to keep switching components often without tremendous negative financial reprocussions normally associated with the practice.  I picked this pair up on Ebay and they arrived on Sunday.  

I previously had a pair of Piega P10's that I supplemented with a Sunfire True Subwoofer IV.  I listen to Jam Band, Acoustic Rock, Adult Alternative, Classic Rock, Female and Male Singer/Songwriters, Jazz, and Classical in that preferential order.  I have about 1,000 CD's and probably have 50 that I listen to regularly.   I like FM radio for varietyand have ordered the XM Reference Tuner from Polk that should arrive sometime this week.  

The listening room is 12 Wide, 24 Deep, 8 High.  the speakers are on the short wall about three feet from the back wall and eight feet apart.  My listening couch position is about 10 feet away.  The speakers are in their original factory settings for Midrange, Tweeter, and Super Tweeter positions.  I have removed about a pea size amount of putty from each Subwoofer.  I am still experimenting with placement, now with them toed in much more than I normally do, but not as much as would have them cross signal before the listening position.  I may try that tomorrow.  

These are great loudspeakers.  Everything that the Piegas did well these seem to be able to do better.  The FF-1's make the Piegas presentation seem lifeless.  These are extremly detailed speakers without being harsh.  The soundstage width is exceptional, but the soundstage depth is even more impressive.  Great frequency extremes.  Midrange seems so realistic.  

These are the dynamic version FF-1's with the Dynaribbon midrange and the Scan-Speak tweeters.  If anyone has advice on speaker positioning or on setting the various driver configurations I would appreciate it.  Also I would be interested in finding out what VMPS owners are using to drive their speakers.  

Thank You.

[meilankev]

Hello Drew,

Congratulations on your new speakers !!!!  And, of course, welcome to AudioCircle.

I'm not aware how many VMPS owners here have the FF-1, as most own the "newer" speaker line (626R, RM1, RM2, RM40, RM/X).  I can tell you I have communicated with three different "seasoned audiophiles" (from a different audio site) who much prefer the sound of the older line of VMPS speakers to that of the RM/X or RM40.  

So, although you may not find any brothers-in-arms here relative to the FF-1, I'm certain you find folks very impressed/curious on your set-up.  

I've owned the RM40 (w/ TRT capacitors) for 2 1/2 years, and I am extrememly satisfied.  My previous speakers were Thiel CS-3.5 (which I still use in my wife's Karaoke system downstairs).  I'm one of the few that drive the RM40s full-range with tubes, but I understand this isn't really possible with the FF-1.  I would venture a guess that bi-amping with some SS brute on the bottom and tubes on the top would yield a wonderful combination.

As for music, I try to listen to a CD about as often as I change the oil in my car.     I'm a vinyl man through and through.

Again, congrats, and welcome.  Please hang around and share your knowledge with us.  It can only benefit us to get a different perspective on VMPS.

Kevin

[Brian Cheney]

The dynamic FF1 is still available at its 1994 price of $6800pr, $400pr more if you want the FST as supertweeter.

[warnerwh]

Drewfidelity: Welcome to audiocircle. Glad to see someone new has found that VMPS does an unusually good job of designing speakers.  I have the Supertower/R SE's which are similar to the FF 1's and am quite happy with them.  The sound is excellent. I've gone out and listened to various speakers costing much more and they don't even hardly compete imo.  The RM 40's are the only speakers that really outperform these except in the low bass.  I'm sure you'll be happy with those for some time to come.  They outclass many of the well known speakers that cost much more.

[John Casler]

Yes Drew,

Welcome to the VMPS Forum.  It is good to have someone with the FF-series speakers on board.

I think you'll find that those on this Circle use a quite diverse range of electronics to "drive" their VMPS.

I've seen Theta, Pass, Bryston, CineNova, Kora, Rowland, Jolida, Carver, Plinius, Krell, Citation, ATI, Marsh, DeHavilland, and of course AMPZilla, as well as others.

[rkapadia@ROOP]

Hello drew,

Welcome to the circles.  As John mentioned, there are quite a few amplifiers that perform well with the FF-1's.  High current capable, clean SS is always a great place to start.  Feel free to drop me a call or email, I can arrange for some loaners for you to compare in your home or that you can audition here if you'd like.

[Dunedain]

John:  You can add Adcom to that list of amps we VMPS owners use with our speakers.  
Our GFA 5500 amp can handle The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on DVD video
at -6dB under Dolby Digital reference volume level at a distance of 13 feet to the listening position
with our RM2 speakers.  And that's with no subwoofer, the GFA 5500 has to do all the work.  

And the sound quality from the RM2's is superb!  The level of detail and resolution
is unlike anything else I've ever heard.

Enjoy your VMPS speakers, drewfidelity.  Welcome to this select club.