RM-V60s Arrive!

PLMONROE · « **on:** 3 Apr 2007, 10:16 pm »

Not fully uncreated yet, but Brian you outdid yourself!

Pictures truly do not do these beauties justice. If they sound only half as good as they look, I will be happy forever.

BTW, I haven't looked yet but are there any protective coverings over these tweeters as there are on the FSTs?

Paul

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Apr 2007, 11:18 pm »

Yes, you must remove the film over the tweeters. Take off CDWG to do so.

I will post the setup instructions later today.

John Casler · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Apr 2007, 11:34 pm »

Less filling.

Tastes Great.

Breath Mint.

Candy Mint.

Look good,

Sound good,

Work of Art, Sonic Achievement aa

Paul,

Congratulations on being the very first RM v60 owner.

I didn't think they were supposed to arrive until Thurs.

Nice to get things early

B, and I want to thank you for your patronage, and patience during the period from when you placed your RM40 (LOADED) order to us morphing it into the RM v60 order you now see, and soon will hear, in front of you.

And also the trust and faith needed to jump sight unseen, into the first large departure Brian has made, in speaker design in some time.

Right now, I envy your ears

Quote from: PLMONROE on 3 Apr 2007, 10:16 pm

Not fully uncreated yet, but Brian you outdid yourself! Pictures truly do not do these beauties justice. If they sound only half as good as they look, I will be happy forever.

BTW, I haven't looked yet but are there any protective coverings over these tweeters as there are on the FSTs?

Paul

PLMONROE · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 12:02 am »

Quote from: Brian Cheney on 3 Apr 2007, 11:18 pm

Yes, you must remove the film over the tweeters. Take off CDWG to do so.

I will post the setup instructions later today.

Good -- I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment as how to properly set these up as they deserve. As I post this two nice 18 year old youths with strong backs and empty wallets (which I will correct) are moving these up to my sound room on the second floor. aa aa aa

Housteau · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 02:29 pm »

Outstanding. Now it begins, and with any luck I will join you with new adventures of my own next week.

I see that the set-up instructions have been posted. I noticed in them that the recommended starting position does not have them set to crossfire in front of the listener, but suggests a slight toe in instead. Is that due to the nature of the waveguide itself, or is it more specific to the design of the V60?

meilankev · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 03:43 pm »

Paul,

After so much anticipation, have you decided what song will have the honor of being the first to be played through your new speakers??? When I got my new system (including VMPS speakers) back in early 2002, my family and I were just moving into our new home. We had been in temporary housing for over 8 months, and I had no access to any real audio system for all that time. Needless to say, it gave me plenty of time to contemplate what song would be #1 in line.

It was King Crimson's "Ladies of the Road".

congrats!!!
Kevin

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 04:00 pm »

The V60 has a lot of dispersion, so I do not use as much toe-in as with our box speakers. As you will hear they virtually illuminate the room with sound.

PLMONROE · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 04:01 pm »

Since John recommended keeping the volume initially really low, unhooking the bass, and turning down the mids to insure no signal other than the treble was going into the tweeter I chose an album of Paganini. I don't think its sounded that good since he was alive and able to play it himself!

PLMONROE · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 04:43 pm »

Quote from: Brian Cheney on 4 Apr 2007, 04:00 pm

The V60 has a lot of dispersion, so I do not use as much toe-in as with our box speakers. As you will hear they virtually illuminate the room with sound.

Boy do they ever! I only had a chance to play them for an hour or so last night. Even without careful placement, establishment of proper toe in, determining good dampener placement, etc. etc. it was obvious from the very first note that these are in a special class all by themselves. I am not a good reviewer and at my age my hearing is not as acute as 20 years ago but here are my initial, preliminary impressions. Imaging is far superior to my old RM-40s with TRTs but the old spiral tweeters. The sound is cleaner and the position of various instruments can be more accurately determined. With the 40s, on really good CDs my sound stage extended from about 9:45 to 2:15. Now it is from 9:00 to 3:00. Also the sound stage is deeper. It seems like the front of the orchestra is nearer and the rear is further back. And female vocalists -- gad, do these speakers ever love female vocalists! I can't quite put my finger on this but there is just this dramatic, increased sense of presence, for lack of any better terms I can call to mind. It is as if Diana Krall, instead of standing in front of your table is sitting in your lap!!! I can't imagine how good these will be when properly set up, adjusted and broken in. And when the VLAs arrive --WOW. Thanks Brian.

Paul

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 05:07 pm »

Ah shucks,'taint nothin'.

It took me over an hour to get them dialed in at CES in a 14x19x8'room. What dimensions are you working with?

PLMONROE · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 07:10 pm »

Not as big as I would like -- converted upstairs bedroom -- 13.5 X 17 X 9.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 08:57 pm »

Hey PLMONROE,
Maybe I missed it but curious what amplification you are using to drive your new speakers.

PLMONROE · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 09:34 pm »

Bill, I initially hooked up just my Kora Cosmos Ref amps (100 watt monos). My next step is to try biamping the V60s with the Koras on top and a Parasound HCA-3500 solid state heavily modded by Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio on the bottom. Of course there is still the ss plate amp for the sub.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #13 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 09:38 pm »

Sounds like a nice combination. Be sure to turn it up, I wasnt to hear those crisp highs here in NY

PLMONROE · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Apr 2007, 02:53 pm »

Quote from: John Casler on 3 Apr 2007, 11:34 pm

B, and I want to thank our patronage, and patience during the period from when you placed your RM40 (LOADED) order to us morphing it into the RM v60 order you now see, and soon will hear, in front of you.

It is I who is in debt to you and Brian. BTW, perhaps I should clarify that to which John is making reference. The RM-40 has truly evolved since its inception with many, many changes having been made. Last fall I decided to sell my old ones which were two if the first production models and buy a new set with everything on them that Brian had available. Fortunately for me, as it turned out, my order was somewhat delayed as some parts Brian needed were on back order. So I waited, and waited, and waited gnashing my teeth. Then John in his typical, cryptic fashion made public a vague reference to new speakers. I contacted him only to find out that my order was at long last ready and would be shipping the following morning. When I tried to get more information on the new speakers he very politely said that if he told me he would have to kill me. Talk about being frustrated -- but one look at John and its obvious he is one big dude you don't want down on you! At risk of life and limb all I could get out of him was that these would be unlike any other speaker ever made and Brian felt they would stand up any speaker on the face of planet Earth. Now I am hooked! If Brian feels that way you can pretty much take it to the bank. It took John two or three calls to Brian to even come up with a ball park price. Brian offered to "eat" the beautiful RM-40s he had ready for me and allow me to upgrade to the new V60s. So with little more information than that I took him up on his offer and that is how I ended up as the first proud owner of these speakers. So it is I who is thankful to John and Brian (and for a delay awaiting parts). aa aa aa

Paul

PLMONROE · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Apr 2007, 07:15 pm »

Quote from: Housteau on 4 Apr 2007, 02:29 pm

Outstanding. Now it begins, and with any luck I will join you with new adventures of my own next week.

Let me sheepishly share a part of the adventure in which I can assure you, you do not want to join!

When the RM-V60s arrived the container containing the bases and OXOs was on the top of the pallet They were in a plywood crate made up of as nice a grade of plywood as one can find at Home Depot or Lowes. The top of the crate was attached by what seemed to be a hundred screws. Being naturally lazy it occurred to me that since the crate was at a nice comfortable waist high level and since Brian had been so considerate as to pack it on its side with the top facing out there would be little merit in unloading it onto the ground for unpacking. All I had to do was remove the screws from the top, sit it aside, and slide the bases out. Piece of cake. I removed the top to find a six inch thick foam spacer which I removed.There in closed in a cloth bag was the first base which I proceeded to remove. Unfortunately I neglected to note two things. One was the cloth bag was open in the back. The second was that nestled in the back of the base and in the opening of the bag was the XOX. :duh:This of course promptly fell from waist high toward the concrete driveway.

Since I obviously wasn't going to drop the base to try to grab the OXO I instinctively and without thinking tried to catch the OXO with my foot. Ouch! Not really a good plan, but on the other hand after waiting so long for these, damage to my foot rather than the OXOs might not have been a bad choice had I had the time to comtemplate it. The OXO escaped with only a little of the finish knocked off one corner which I think I can repair with a wax cabinetry pencil. My right foot was not so fortunate as the OXO fell on the front part of it edge down!

Fortunately examination and x-rays the next day determined that nothing was torn, severed, or broken. However I was advised to stay off my feet for several days until the swelling goes down. But wouldn't' t you know it? My wife insists I did it intentionally just so I had good excuse to do nothing but sit and listen to my speakers!

John Casler · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Apr 2007, 07:25 pm »

Ouch!!!

Maybe that is how B, broke his toe?

Housteau · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 Apr 2007, 08:06 pm »

Paul had emailed me this story the other day I guess shortly after it had happened. I had told my wife about it over the phone since I am out of town. Then she asked me: "were the speakers OK?" I was so proud of her at that moment, as she seems to get it

.

PLMONROE · « **Reply #18 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 04:11 am »

Tonight I biamped the v60s with SS to the bass and triode tubes to the mids and tweeter. How did it sound? Long version -- don't have time to give the long version. Got to get back to listening to music. Short version -- I think I have died and gone to Heaven!

Paul

John Casler · « **Reply #19 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 06:39 am »

Now "THATS" what I'm talkin about aa

While I don't want to spoil the fun, I should mention that Paul hasn't received his stereo pair of VLAs yet