[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
Some time ago, I have purchased from Danny at GR Research one V1, one V2 and one V2 sub only kits.








I have put on them many hours of listening; therefore I can say that I am now more familiar with their sounds.
I did a listening audition with side by side V1 and V2.

This is my set up:
Source: Rega Apollo CDP
Amplifier: Niteshade Audio SE-15 (10wpc)
Interconnects: Signal Audio Silver 50cm.
Cables: Signal Audio - OFC - 10 feet.
Switch box: Home made with heavy duty toggle switch.
V1 and V1 enclosures are 6 feet away from back wall.
I have carpet and some wall absorbers.

The music was: Electronic (Animusic), jazz (Brubeck), vocal (Diana Krall), classical, drum, harp, electric guitar and more…
Some CDs were very well recorded and some others were not so well recorded.

By switching from the V1 and the V2 within a few seconds I was able and it was easy to ear any small differences between the two units. That’s my way of doing things, you might not agree, but that’s O.K. with me.

The mids and highs from the V1 are more naturals.
The mids and highs from the V2 are a little veiled and I just wrote: A little veiled. My wife confirmed that.
Both the V1 (12” coaxial) and the V2 (8” coaxial) have the same amount of details.

If you only listen to the V2 without the V1, then you cannot notice the small veil on the V2.
Now in the bass department, the V1 is more natural, more detailed, however, to my liking, I prefer the bass of the V2.
Why ?

It’s because it sounds better to my ears, not because it better. It’s more what I like to ear; don’t forget that I am not only looking for a perfect neutral natural sound in the bass department. I like the little coloration and exaggeration of the bass on the V2.

By the way, the GR Research SA-1 SS plate amplifier from Danny is doing a great job and the Eminence 12” bass Acoustinator are incredible for the price. I paid 25 USD each for units that had a few scratches… The other ones, I paid 75 USD which is still 20 USD less than what Parts-express is asking.

Now, which one is better?
Both, each one as its own strength.
For the mids and the highs, I prefer the V1.
For the bass, I prefer the V2, not because it’s better, but because it more to my liking.

I might later on use my V2 (Ferrari red) sub only and put on top of them, a 12” PAudio coaxial driver and see if that’s my dream speakers.
I will promptly recommend to anyone that asked me, the V1 or the V2 for audiophiles on a budget.

I am very anxious to listen to the V1 and V2 in my new acoustically treated listening room, which should be ready around September 2011. If everything goes well, which is rarely the case in Vietnam.

I will come back in September with more comments.
Have a nice day.
Guy 13.

[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
Happy Easter to all !

In two weeks from now, a French Canadian friend of mine will come to see me.
Well, he will visit Vietnam first, then, pay me a visit.

In Montreal, he’s the owner of a hi-end audio store called:
AUDIO CLUB
http://www.audioclubmontreal.com/magasin/

He’s been selling hi end equipment for the last 30 years.
25 years ago, I bought from him my first hi-end system for a total of: 15,000 $
In 1986 that was a lot of money!
(Naim CD, pre and amplifier and B&W - DM-3000 speakers.)

I will bring/drag him to my house, where I have my audio stuff. (GR Research V1 & V2 and Niteshade Audio SE tube amplifier.)
and ask him to tell me honestly, very honestly what he think of my set up.

Of course my set up won’t be at its best, because I have no acoustic treatment in my living room, but still, I already had opinions from a few non audiophiles and they liked it.
Now I need the opinion of someone that knows about good stuff.

Yesterday after setting up my system for the future visit of my friend, I did some very, very serious listening and see below my findings.

Warning ! ! !
This might be a repeat of something I already wrote under this or a different topic some time ago, however, if I write more or less the same things, it’s to confirm what I already wrote and maybe make it clearer.
Plus my drivers have now more mileage…

My set up is still the same.
GR Research V1 and V2 with a switch box to switch between the two speakers.
Niteshade Audio SE Pentode 10 wpc amplifier.
Source CD: Rega Apollo.
Interconnects and speaker cables : Signal Audio USA – OFC.
Only room treatment is a carpet and some furniture.
Room size: 24 X 30’ cement walls and ceiling.
No need to tell me that it’s far from the ideal set up !
I know that !

Bass from the V1 and V2.

V1 as a little deeper bass.
V1 as a much tighter bass.
V2 bass is a little muddy; however, it reminds me of the bass from my audio stuff from the 60’s
Depending of the type of music, I would say that sometime I prefer the bass of the V2, however, the bass of the V1 is always more natural.

Mids and highs.
The V1 mids and highs are definitely more natural, they have more presence and more fine details, more depth.
The V2 mids and highs are a little veiled and lack some details. The problem with the V2’s mids and highs is that you must not make a side by side comparison with the V1.
Each one as its own signature.
In a near future, I will have a well acoustically treated listening room, then and only then, I will really hear the potential of both V1 and V2.
Thanks for reading and I hope this was not too boring.
Guy 13
 




 

[Rocket_Ronny]

Thanks for sharing your findings. It is helpful.

Rocket_Ronny

[Guy 13]

Thanks for sharing your findings. It is helpful.

Rocket_Ronny

Hi Rocket_Ronny and all Audio Circle members.
It's always a pleasure to read your comments and encouragement...
As written in a previous topic, once I have set up my acoustically treated listening room in my new house,
toward the end of this year,
if everything goes well,
which is rarely the case here in Vietnam,
I will make another serious listening session and then,
I will know more exactly what the GR Research V1 and V2 are capable of.

Of course, as usual, I will share my findings with all the Audio Circle members.
By that time, I might also have acquired a new amplifier ? ? ?
I am not sure yet which one, but it might be one of the following tube amplifiers:

Wright Audio model : Lolita integrated SET 7 wpc. (JJ KT77)
Niteshade Audio model : NS40 integrated Push Pull 40wpc (6L6)
Audio Note Kit model : L1 EL34 integrated Push pull 18 wpc.

Which one ? ? ?
It might be a very difficult choice,
since IMHO all of them have their own strength and weakness.
It will be a tube amplifier, no doubt about that.

I might instead spend my money on good room treatment and thick carpet; however finding a thick carpet might be a problem here in Vietnam.
I went pre-shopping to see what is available here and I could only see cheap, thin, small Made in China carpets… Grrr…

You guys in USA are so lucky with all the choice and good quality products.
If I was back home in Canada, that would not be a problem, but, I am stuck here in hell with 90F+ everyday.
When my friend from Audio Club, Montreal, Canada will come to visit Vietnam,
then see me,
then listen to my system,

I will make another write up, report or whatever you like to call it. (LOL)

Happy Easter.
Guy 13
   

[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
I saw a post in my topic, but when I open the forum a second time to asnwer, it was not there anymore, can that member post his thread again ?
Thanks.
Guy 13

[Charles Xavier]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
I saw a post in my topic, but when I open the forum a second time to asnwer, it was not there anymore, can that member post his thread again ?
Thanks.
Guy 13

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=93904.0

[Guy 13]

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=93904.0

[/Quote]
I think it would be neat if you could do a more thorough treatise on the differences between the V1 and V2.
I would love to read that. >>
End of quote.

Hi Charles Xavier and all Audio Circle members.

I am not sure if I can find better words or describe in more details the differences between the V1 and V2.
I have to put that into more precise words, something that is not easy for me...
However, I will try to do that for the benefit of all Audio Circle members.

You will have to wait, until I have completed the contruction of my acousticaly treated listening room and by that time (Around September 2011) I will have found the right words, as you know, I am a French Canadian and English, is my second language.
But it can be done, if you give me some time.
Guy 13

[jtwrace]

French Canadian and English, is my second language.
Guy 13

Just post it in French then.  No problem.   

[Tyson]

Sounds like the V1's are a bit better, overall, than the V2's.  Not too surprising, I suppose.

[Guy 13]

Just post it in French then.  No problem.   

Hi jtwrace and all Audio Circle members.
Posting in French might not be a problem for you jtwrace,
but what about all the other Audio Circle members ? ? ?

I will take a little more time and with the help of my French-English Oxford dictionary, I will find the right words and write up something nice and if it's not nice, it won't be because I have not tried. Ha, ha...
Guy 13 

[Guy 13]

Sounds like the V1's are a bit better, overall, than the V2's.  Not too surprising, I suppose.

Hi Tyson and all Audio Circle members.
For some it's a little bit better and for others it's a lot better and for the perfectionnist it's... Well, never good enough ! (LOL)
Guy 13

[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members.
In a previously thread of mine, I mentioned that a friend of mine was coming to visit me in Vietnam, well he did and he’s now heading back to civilization, which is Montreal, Canada.

Last Wednesday I dragged him to my house so that he could have the privilege to listen to my GR Research V1 and V2, plus my Niteshade Audio SE-10 amplifier.





Well, as I often say:
You like or you don’t like!

My friend Pierre did not confirm that he liked my V1 and V2, neither had he said, that he did not like them, instead we had a friendly argument about:

How can you be sure that the bass is at the same level in decibels as the mids and highs…

However, I must say that he did say that the V1 sounded better than the V2. How much better, he did not say.
 
You have to keep in mind that my friend owned an audio store for the past 35 years selling Linn products.

First is not technical at all and second he believe that large audio manufacturers are the only one capable of offering the best in sound reproduction.
Like the owners of many stores that represent some well know brands, he’s very narrow minded when it comes to something different other than what he sells.

OB speakers are definitely not his cup of tea !
 
Unfortunately, I don’t have much more to share with you about his listening session, as he did not share much with me.
I think as a friend, he did not want to upset me by saying that he did not like my set up.

But that’s O.K. what’s important to me, is that: I, me, myself like my GR Research V1 and V2.

Sorry about my thread not being more informative.

Guy 13