VR 33's Volume

maxdog · « **on:** 13 Nov 2010, 05:48 am »

I have VR4jr's, and the major complaint I have is I'd like more volume. I have a Gamut D200 amp, and think it's got lotsa balls. Would the VR33 raise the roof a bit more? Those nights when the red wine is driving , I really like to crank it,and wonder if the VR33's will answer my prayers.
What say you??Do I need a different amp, or speaker upgrade?

Carl

DARTH AUDIO · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Nov 2010, 04:13 pm »

Quote from: maxdog on 13 Nov 2010, 05:48 am

I have VR4jr's, and the major complaint I have is I'd like more volume. I have a Gamut D200 amp, and think it's got lotsa balls. Would the VR33 raise the roof a bit more? Those nights when the red wine is driving , I really like to crank it,and wonder if the VR33's will answer my prayers.
What say you??Do I need a different amp, or speaker upgrade?

Carl

I had the VR-4jrs and I upgraded to the VR-33's. I really liked my VR-4jrs, but the VR33's are in a completely different league(Just my opinion). The 33's play very loud! I have 200 watt tube monoblocks and my room was 16'x24' with high ceilings. I play a lot of Prog Rock at high levels and the VR-33's sound great. Hope this helps.

es347 · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Nov 2010, 04:21 pm »

I had the 33s here in my HT for a while and agree with Darth Audio....nice room by the way.

maxdog · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Nov 2010, 12:56 am »

Crap!!!.. Now I gotta blow $4000 bucks!!!..Thanks, I think!!..))

ceedee · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Nov 2010, 07:46 am »

Quote from: maxdog on 13 Nov 2010, 05:48 am

I have VR4jr's, and the major complaint I have is I'd like more volume. I have a Gamut D200 amp, and think it's got lotsa balls. Would the VR33 raise the roof a bit more? Those nights when the red wine is driving , I really like to crank it,and wonder if the VR33's will answer my prayers.
What say you??Do I need a different amp, or speaker upgrade?

Carl

Hey Carl,

They sure will 'crank' you as many visitors already know.

There is one thing, by turning up the volume you will probably not notice the usual loudness due to the realism. Once, when I was in Bucharest tuning the VR 11 SE we were sitting down having a glass of wine, mr. Parlog, the owner wanted to get the real loud music from his system. Boy that was loud but due to the clearity of the music it did not feel like loud, it was still very exceptable for our brains. Next day we have meet some people from the other side of the river asking were the music came from???

Only when a soundsystem is not rightly balanced you get distortions which our brains wo'nt except and 'tell' us to be too loud.

You also can send your VR 4 jr to VSA for a upgrade. Ask service@vonschweikert.com

Good luck,

Cor

Jumpin · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Nov 2010, 03:54 pm »

Still breaking in my VR - 33. So... I played them very loud in my 36' x 28' basemant space yesterday. It was plenty to fill the space, and I still had plenty more room to go on the volume dial. I could here the music very clear & loud while I was upstairs with the basement door open.

es347 · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Nov 2010, 05:11 pm »

Hey there Jumpin...I'm thinking this must be your first post here. It's cool to see more and more VSA owners come out of the woodwork with the release of the VR33s. Hundreds of prs. have been sold already. This Albert guy seems to know how to design and build a speaker. Can I get an amen?

Jumpin · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Nov 2010, 11:27 pm »

es - Maybe my first post in this forum but have been around audiocircle and posted for years. I owned Maggies MG III's which by the way are on Audiogon now. I needed something more dynamic & with more output for my large room. So far, so good. VR-33 Just breaking in. Definitely meet my needs & expectations. Albert is great to work with. We spoke for a long time & that helped me make the decision.

Oh... Amen!

CGull · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Nov 2010, 06:56 pm »

Double Amen the VR-33 will amaze you.! My only concern is when I finally get to hear the VR-35 that I'll have the uncontrollable upgrade urge!
I do have a serious concern regarding the VR-33's. What is the life span of a speaker? How great they sound and non-fatiguing they are, I'm playing them six to eight hours a day five-six days a week compared to the hour or two I would listen with my old speakers?

JackD201 · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Nov 2010, 07:18 am »

Quote from: CGull on 16 Nov 2010, 06:56 pm

Double Amen the VR-33 will amaze you.! My only concern is when I finally get to hear the VR-35 that I'll have the uncontrollable upgrade urge!
I do have a serious concern regarding the VR-33's. What is the life span of a speaker? How great they sound and non-fatiguing they are, I'm playing them six to eight hours a day five-six days a week compared to the hour or two I would listen with my old speakers?

At the rate you're going I'd say same as your warranty........10 years

bstew · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Dec 2010, 03:17 pm »

Quote from: CGull on 16 Nov 2010, 06:56 pm

Double Amen the VR-33 will amaze you.! My only concern is when I finally get to hear the VR-35 that I'll have the uncontrollable upgrade urge!
I do have a serious concern regarding the VR-33's. What is the life span of a speaker? How great they sound and non-fatiguing they are, I'm playing them six to eight hours a day five-six days a week compared to the hour or two I would listen with my old speakers?

LOL we all seem to get the upgrade bug. I received my pair of VR-33 about 2 weeks ago. They have been setup for about a week getting broken in and such. My room is 19' 8"L x 11' 7"W x 9' 0"H. I went with the VR-33 since the room isn't as wide as I would like. Currently I have the VR-33 on the long wall (19'8") with me sitting about 11" feet from them. Currently I'm using a PS Audio DAC with the Bridge card pulling music from my NAS. My amp is a Rowland 102. I must say I am amazed at how good this "budget' system sounds. I have owned some very expensive systems in the past and I am enjoying this system even more than others. Albert knows how to build a set of speakers. These need to be on everyone short list. Talk about musical! My wife sat down the other night and all she said was "wow, these sound really good". These speakers allow me to enjoy the music. I don't find myself sitting down trying to decode the artist location or anything like that. I just sit down and enjoy my music collect. To me this is what it is all about!

JackD201 · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 Dec 2010, 03:24 pm »

I know exactly what you mean stew

es347 · « **Reply #12 on:** 3 Dec 2010, 03:42 pm »

Hey, maybe it is "all about the music"

Steve · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Dec 2010, 04:50 am »

Quote from: es347 on 3 Dec 2010, 03:42 pm

Hey, maybe it is "all about the music"

Maybe helps with the WAF?

pardales · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Jan 2011, 08:03 am »

How well do they play at low volume? What I mean is do you have to turn the volume UP on the 33's for them to come to life or can you play them at lower volumes and still get good resolution?

JackD201 · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Jan 2011, 08:19 am »

Great question! Okay owners. Speak up please!

DARTH AUDIO · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Jan 2011, 06:45 pm »

Quote from: pardales on 17 Jan 2011, 08:03 am

How well do they play at low volume? What I mean is do you have to turn the volume UP on the 33's for them to come to life or can you play them at lower volumes and still get good resolution?

From Sunday morning trio music (ECM of course) to loud Porcupine Tree DVD concert. These speakers are great sounding at any level!!

BigSwede · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Jan 2011, 09:32 pm »

Quote from: DARTH AUDIO on 13 Nov 2010, 04:13 pm

I had the VR-4jrs and I upgraded to the VR-33's. I really liked my VR-4jrs, but the VR33's are in a completely different league(Just my opinion).

I was going to ask how the VR-33 compares to the VR-2, but I think you just answered my question.

I like my VR-2s a lot, now I gotta consider if I should drop ~$4K on the 33s...probably shouldn't. Damn.

Mildly interesting side note: Back when I sold audio gear (mid '80s), my favorite speaker that we carried was the Genesis 33...coincidence?

es347 · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Jan 2011, 10:07 pm »

Hey BigSwede, go for the VR35s or don't go at all

pardales · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Jan 2011, 10:48 pm »

Quote from: DARTH AUDIO on 17 Jan 2011, 06:45 pm

From Sunday morning trio music (ECM of course) to loud Porcupine Tree DVD concert. These speakers are great sounding at any level!!

I don't doubt that they sound great. But I tend to listen at relatively low volumes and have found lower sensitivity, multi-driver speakers to need quite a bit of volume to liven up. For those with dedicated listening rooms this might not be a problem, but I tend to do a lot of listening later in the evenings, in my living room, while others are sleeping and need good resolution at low volumes. Thanks.