VR4 SR MKII extreme makeover...from great to really great..

es347 · « **on:** 30 Apr 2009, 01:58 pm »

My VR4 SR MKIIs are presently at the VSA factory for a "VR5 Anniversary facelift". After beating myself up over this for several months, I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I've asked Joe to document the whole process via digital photos which I intend to add to this thread as we go along. As it turns out, my VR4s were actually built last Fall with the VR5 Anniversary cabinets so the upgrade will consist of adding faux stone blocks to the inside of the cabinets to further deaden things, replacing all drivers with the exception of the rear-firing tweeters, changing out the jacks to those really cool WBT jewels, and, of course, replacing the crossovers with those of the servo-controlled variety. I have requested that Albert "lay hands" on my speakers

and perhaps perform incantations; the same ones he performs on the VR9s would be nice aa I apologize for those former posts where I drug a few of you through this gut-wrenching, hand-wringing decision making process but in a week or two, I'll actually be starting yet another break in process...and I can't wait...and neither can Pam

Jaco Pastorius · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 May 2009, 09:01 am »

Congrats!

Looking forward to the continue !

Best,
Rune

McTwins · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 May 2009, 09:33 am »

This should be very interesting to follow

es347 · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 May 2009, 01:43 pm »

We've had a slight mid-course correction. Rather than upgrading my VR4s we've found a buyer so Albert is building a new set of VR5 Anniversaries for me. We are still going to document the construction process showing internals, crossover board construction, robed incantations, etc. I will post pix as soon as they become available. Gotta get these babies home and in my listening room. The old MLs just aren't doing it for me

Delacroix · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 May 2009, 02:01 pm »

Now that is the kind of mid-course correction one can only envy, Gavin.....just don't be tempted to go to pair of 9s while you are at it.....

Seriously, it would be great for the folks here to learn about the process so keep us posted and let's see if we can't get some pics going.

es347 · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 May 2009, 12:34 am »

That's the plan Delacroix. Albert said they will be taking digital pix throughout the process even one with him standing beside the monitor with my speaker's freq. curve showing. I will post them as I get them.

Gavin

JackD201 · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 May 2009, 04:49 am »

This thread is gonna ba a CLASSIC!!!!!!

DRjam · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 May 2009, 09:12 am »

This thread should change name. That is a fantastic mid-course change IMO.

Send pix ASAP plz.

es347 · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 May 2009, 10:44 pm »

Quote from: JackD201 on 3 May 2009, 04:49 am

This thread is gonna ba a CLASSIC!!!!!!

Pressure's on!

jermmd · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 May 2009, 11:16 pm »

What is the MRSP of these speakers?

es347 · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 May 2009, 12:02 am »

es347 · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 May 2009, 12:03 am »

economides · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 May 2009, 08:48 pm »

Gavin,

Welcome to the 5's world

I am sorry to tell you but you won't miss your 4's at all

Andrew
Greek team of VR 5 Anni's (we are only two of us in Athens)

es347 · « **Reply #13 on:** 4 May 2009, 09:21 pm »

That's what everybody tells me Andrew

keith · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 May 2009, 09:15 am »

Hi Gavin. Congratulations in advance!

I truly believe you made the right choice.

Seriously, if your reaction will be like Jack's when he first got the 5's, it should be just giddy laughter and disbelief.

es347 · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 May 2009, 10:05 pm »

Hey Keith,

Thanks for the reassurance. I can't wait to hear them. I am trying to picture Jack laughing giddily

es347 · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 May 2009, 10:37 pm »

VSA_JOE · « **Reply #17 on:** 6 May 2009, 05:34 pm »

Good morning gentlemen, and ladies! I see our good friend Gavin has posted the pictures we took for him. I'll give you guys a little insight to some of those pictures, so that you know what you are looking at.

The 1st, 7th, and 8th pictures are of the M/T unit, mainly taken to show the internal bracing of the M/T unit before all the internal dampening is done to the cabinet. Why more than one shot? Well we discovered, none of our guys are really photographers, so we took a lot(there's a lot more) of pictures hoping some of them came out good.

The 2nd shot is of our crossover for the M/T unit, minus a few things, we weren't comfortable showing of the whole crossover, so we showed what we could.

The 3rd shot is of the bass crossover, minus a few little things as well, just to give Gavin a little idea of whats sitting inside those cabinets.

The 4th shot is of the bass cabinet laying on its side with the stones being installed.

The 5th shot is a shot taken from the top opening of the bass cabinet showing the internal bracing used inside our bass cabinets.

And the 6th shot is of the M/T unit on it's side with the stones installed.

I hope these little descriptions help you out when looking at these pictures. any questions please feel free to ask.

es347 · « **Reply #18 on:** 6 May 2009, 05:48 pm »

Quote from: VSA_JOE on 6 May 2009, 05:34 pm

Good morning gentlemen, and ladies! I see our good friend Gavin has posted the pictures we took for him. I'll give you guys a little insight to some of those pictures, so that you know what you are looking at.

The 1st, 7th, and 8th pictures are of the M/T unit, mainly taken to show the internal bracing of the M/T unit before all the internal dampening is done to the cabinet. Why more than one shot? Well we discovered, none of our guys are really photographers, so we took a lot(there's a lot more) of pictures hoping some of them came out good.

The 2nd shot is of our crossover for the M/T unit, minus a few things, we weren't comfortable showing of the whole crossover, so we showed what we could.

The 3rd shot is of the bass crossover, minus a few little things as well, just to give Gavin a little idea of whats sitting inside those cabinets.

The 4th shot is of the bass cabinet laying on its side with the stones being installed.

The 5th shot is a shot taken from the top opening of the bass cabinet showing the internal bracing used inside our bass cabinets.

And the 6th shot is of the M/T unit on it's side with the stones installed.

I hope these little descriptions help you out when looking at these pictures. any questions please feel free to ask.

Yes, what he said

audio_builder · « **Reply #19 on:** 7 May 2009, 01:53 am »

So let me get this straight, for $28,000.00 you get:

1.   A crossover with components hot glued to a piece of wood
2.   Resistors, capacitors and inductors of garden variety
3.   Resistors soldered in series
4.   Electrolytic capacitors
5.   Iron core inductors
6.   Wire soldered to unsupported component leads
7.   A HDF speaker box with some Black hole dampening glued to the inside
8.   A beautiful black piano finish

Man am I in the wrong business!