[jonbee]

I haven't posted here for a while and it occurred to me that I was psoting a lot more when I was less satisfied with my system(s), and maybe I had it backwards. So- here comes an anti-rant from a long time stereo warrior that isn't messing much with his main rig.
3 years ago I got my RM30s and was so pleased with them I wrote a glowing review in Audio Asylum that is still linked on the VMPS site. The RM30s outperformed everything I had owned to that point, with the exception of Apogee Divas, which as a large dipole energized the room in a way a monopole can't.
Since then I've changed amps 3 times (now using PS Audio GCC-250) my player from Modwright's best modded Sony 999 to his best modded Sony 9100, from one modded Carver sub to two and now to 2 ACI Force XL subs (I live in a condo, so space is limited). I added the ambience tweeter. At each stage the whole just kept getting better.
At this stage the only sonic issues I wasn't quite satisfied with were the bit of excess energy in the mid treble, and what seemed to be some lack of body in the upper bass/lower mids.
Others had written about these, and I deemed the issues easy to live with. About a year ago I changed my speaker cables, going to a very heavy guage OF long grain solid core copper on the woofers, and some silver double shotgun braids from Clear Day (sold on A-gon) on the mids/highs. The cable change was transformative. The mid treble emphasis disappeared, extra power appeared in midbass and lower mids right where it seemed light, and the transaprency and soundstaging took a jump.
At that point I felt I had arrived. After 40 years in this hobby this system sounds as I had alwasy wanted it to, on any music and source. They truly are a clear window across the spectrum.
I've continued listening to other high end systems (most much more expensive than mine), and while I always like what I hear on these well tweaked systems, not once did I wish I had any of the speakers in these systems.
When I get to reading and thinking about trying some other speakers, flicking the on switch puts a smile on my face and the ideas disappear instantly.
I guess this for me is the Holy Grail -loving the sound even more long after the flush of the newness has worn off.
Just my 2C.
Kudos again to Big B.

[John Casler]

Jonbee,

Great sentiments

One of my clients was visiting me the other day, and ask me "John, what speakers would you have and recommend if VMPS didn't exist?"

I thought, and thought, and thought, and really couldn't come up with a speaker that would or could replace B's designs.

Don't get me wrong, I love many brands of speakers and like you enjoy visiting my friends who have them, but NOTHING does it quite as well.

I have been to 5 or 6 CES/THE Shows in Las Vegas and visited pretty much all the big names, and the moment I got back in front of my system, I knew that there was just something to it (and yes it can take a while to get it just right) that other speakers just somehow miss.

Glad to hear that you enjoy that same satisfaction in your own way.

It is a great feeling not to be wanting for anything specific in your system.  It gives the freedom to just enjoy the music and all that it can deliver.

 

[simon wagstaff]

Live in a condo?  Glad I am not in your building!



Maybe some of it has to do with a mature attitude?  I have gone through and changed a lot of equipment. I know that there is better out there but I am also very happy with the sound that I get with my system, though all I have from VMPS are a pair of smaller subs. I do think a pair of RM30 would be very nice but if you can sit down and enjoy what you have, well, sometimes it is enough.

[Brian Cheney]

Jonbee:

Thanks for the kind words.

Along with the RM40, the 30 has achieved a kind of "classic" status with many devotees. 

[jonbee]

Classic. As in Shakespeare?
That's exactly what I think of them. To me, something becomes a classic when it just gets things right, in balance. I own 2 classic Jaguar cars which I keep because they get things just right in the style department, and to me the RM30s are just that in (for me) a real world sized speaker.
I've had a number of long time 'phile friends over, and they all walk away impressed, even shocked.
Last week I received a pair of Talon Khite standmounts, which were $4000 list a few years back. The co. had some buzz as the hot new kid on the block. I was thinking maybe they would work for my office. After 2 minutes next to the RM30s I was looking at the boxes and writing the ad to sell them. I moved them from room to room and while they do some things quite well overall they, like many others I've had in the last 3 years, were put to shame convincingly by the RM30s. I'm spoiled by them enough that I won't listen to much less, even in my 10x12 office.
While I've yet to get some good $10k+ speakers in here for comparison, the gulf between speakers like Thiel 3.6, Revel F30, Ohm Walsh 5, Coincident Total Eclipse, Devore 8 and others I have spent time with in the last 3 years, all within the same general price range, is so large, and the diminishing return curve so steep that I don't know at what level the true competition lies. Besides the V-60, of course!
True classics, indeed!

[Brian Cheney]

I'm blushing.

Again, thanks for the kind words.

[woodsyi]

I have had my RM40s for 5 years now. Much upgrades have gone into associate gears but the speakers have stayed.  I haven't felt the need to change....

[rblnr]

Been very informally surveying speakers up to 15K  or so w/an eye toward replacing the 40s.  Nothing's seemed a major step up -- just sideways or down.  They're just a joke of a value.  Still need to install the blackhole and new midwoof as well.   

BTW, just got a great deal on some Audio Research 210 monos -- truly spectacular amps that bring my 40s to a new level.  Had an excellent amp driving them before, but the improvement is obvious from moment one. A major step up which is the only point of upgrading to me.  Shows too what the 40s are capable of.

[woodsyi]

I am always looking too but I think I may be stuck for a while.  I just like the way the midrange ribbons play the critical parts of the vocal music.  There is purity in the female vocals with the RM40s that I like.  It's not just the crossover thing either because I prefer these over Soundlab stats which is crossed at 70 with subs.  But I will keep looking because none of us can keep still. 

[John Casler]

Been very informally surveying speakers up to 15K  or so w/an eye toward replacing the 40s.  Nothing's seemed a major step up -- just sideways or down.

Hi Bob, haven't seen you in a while.

I think you would need to expand that "search amount" to 20k or 30k and even then you would have a tough time (depending on your search criteria)

However you DID miss a speaker that WILL exceed the RM40's capabilities under 15K.  The RM v60 and the RM v60 BCSE.  However in knowing your room, they might not fit the set up.

They're just a joke of a value.

 


To Brian, that is one of the best compliments, since one of his "core goals" is VALUE/PERFORMANCE.

Still need to install the blackhole and new midwoof as well.

Both offer very nice improvements to the 280Hz and down region. 

BTW, just got a great deal on some Audio Research 210 monos -- truly spectacular amps that bring my 40s to a new level.  Had an excellent amp driving them before, but the improvement is obvious from moment one. A major step up which is the only point of upgrading to me.  Shows too what the 40s are capable of.

And you, as a REVIEWER get an opportunity few get, and that is to hear a large amount of gear (including speakers) in your own environment and system for extended periods.

Your new amp find demonstrates how the VMPS design lets you swap equipment and actually hear the subtle and significant qualities and differences of those components.

We appreciate your thoughts.

[rblnr]

Your new amp find demonstrates how the VMPS design lets you swap equipment and actually hear the subtle and significant qualities and differences of those components.

Yep.  Even as an obvious big fan of the 40s, I was surprised on how much 'headroom' there was to their performance by upgrading amps.  My credo of spending at least half of your equipment budget on speakers is busted here.  Got one of those offers though that I couldn't refuse on the amps.

As an aside, I see some of the recommended systems in TAS being very front heavy and a bad value on a cost/performance scale.  Too much allocated to electonics/DACs/cables, etc. vs. speakers at a given system price.