[bblilikoi]

Albert, Another question--Can the VR-44 be run with jumpers rather than fully bi-wired?  From the rear pix, it looks as though the binding posts are close enough banana jumpers could be used....

[keith]

Kevin, I may just let go of my DB99s for the 44s. Although I won't get to use my Sun Audio 45 amp with the 44s, the Lamm ML2.1 will be more than enough. 

Congratulations Albert and Damon.

[Albert Von Schweikert]

Since the WBT NextGen binding posts are side-by-side, it would be easy to set up a jumper link if bi-wiring was out of the question.

[kgturner]

Keith:

The 44s do look pretty amazing, but I don't think I could ever give up my Yamamoto A-08S. The synergy between the Supratek, Yamamoto, and dB99s is just too good to mess with.

Kevin T

[keith]

Keith:

The 44s do look pretty amazing, but I don't think I could ever give up my Yamamoto A-08S. The synergy between the Supratek, Yamamoto, and dB99s is just too good to mess with.

Kevin T

Kevin.

I know what you mean.  I have always been more than pleased with the DB-99s and Lamm setup.  But listening to the Unifield line, VR9 and VR11, I know Albert's VR44s would be a notch higher in terms of resolution.  I am confused.

Btw, how do you like the super tweeter in your system?

Keith

[Jyrki N]

Hello,
new VR-44 will be my next speaker, propably my "last" speaker.
I have questions:
Can I have it in "light maple"- colour?
Can I drive it directly balanced from cd that has
volumecontrol? I mean is VR-44 fully actice?
Thank you

-Jyrki

[Jaco Pastorius]

I think its only the bass that is active,if so you need an amplifier to drive the mids and up.
But hopefully someone else knowing for sure will clarify this for you.

Maybe also consider the VR-33 or VR-35 ?
Almost regardless what one buy there will most likely be something thats even better,and usually more expencive    The thing about "last speaker" I believe is kind of a choice one have to make,to actively decide that this I am going to keep for a long time.
I own the VR-35 and it is a speaker that does so many things right,not perfect,probably nothing are anyway,but for me it is a speaker that deliver so much of the good stuff and at a price I think is ok,and I believe it will cost too much for my taste to get something "much" better...

Rune

[bstew]

I think its only the bass that is active,if so you need an amplifier to drive the mids and up.
But hopefully someone else knowing for sure will clarify this for you.

Maybe also consider the VR-33 or VR-35 ?
Almost regardless what one buy there will most likely be something thats even better,and usually more expencive    The thing about "last speaker" I believe is kind of a choice one have to make,to actively decide that this I am going to keep for a long time.
I own the VR-35 and it is a speaker that does so many things right,not perfect,probably nothing are anyway,but for me it is a speaker that deliver so much of the good stuff and at a price I think is ok,and I believe it will cost too much for my taste to get something "much" better...

Rune

You are correct about the "Last speaker" comment. I have said that too many times 

[bstew]

Hello,
new VR-44 will be my next speaker, propably my "last" speaker.
I have questions:
Can I have it in "light maple"- colour?
Can I drive it directly balanced from cd that has
volumecontrol? I mean is VR-44 fully actice?
Thank you

-Jyrki

I'm also very curious about how the connection to one preamp/amp will be made. In a previous post it was stated all that is needed to connect to the active speaker was a bi-wire speaker cable. So I guess I connect my amp to my preamp or CD player (with volume control) and run the speaker cable from my amp to VR-44. The high side of the speaker cable would run the mid/high and the low side of the speaker cable would run the amp. I know when you have an external crossover your amp running the mid/highs will not see any of the load for the low end. Is this the same in this setup? 

[es347]

The VR44 is active in that it has a powered subwoofer..

[JackD201]

Hi bstew,

You'll still need an amp to run the midrange drivers and the tweeters. I'm betting 50wpc will be plenty in the headroom department. Like the DB-99s, VR-9s and VR-11s, high level inputs is the norm. That way the amp will serve as the input stage of the onboard amps and the bass amps will hew closer to the main amplifier's rise time signature. That leaves pretty much just the proper volume setting to get the sound properly integrated. HTH.

Jack

[JackD201]

Keith has taken the plunge! Unfortunately for him, they arrived the day after he left for a family vacation in Europe.

That means they are in my charge until he gets back. 

I've uncrated them and will commence burn in of the XOs and drivers tomorrow with Bel Canto 300s. Keith has yet to decide the final amps for his 44As. Right now it's looking like the new Lamm ML2.2 although the Ayon Vulcan is a possibility at this point.

This should be fun. 

[JackD201]

So far so good 

[es347]

So Jack, how would you compare them with the VR5 Annies?

[Albert Von Schweikert]

Dear Fellow Audiophiles,

Our original advertised prices for the VR-44 Passive and Aktive speaker systems were preproduction estimates. Now that our fabricators have built the first few production runs, two of the most expensive components of this system, the cabinet and finish, along with the amplifier, have been requoted.

The cabinet shop here in our industrial area has decided that the elaborate construction consisting of angled cabinet walls and Tri-Laminate wall layering was much more time consuming that they had originally thought and raised the price accordingly.  The paint shop also realized that the quality of the finish that we demanded was going to cost more as well. 

In addition to the cabinet and finish work, our local amplifier manufacturer who builds the VR-44 Aktive plate amp has switched brands of internal parts and has made the rear metal panel almost twice as thick to reduce vibration, so he has also raised his price.  I imagine that my quest for perfection has caused these increases, but as an audiophile, I didn't want to make any compromises.

VR-44 Passive is now $22,000/pr, while the VR-44 Aktive is now $25,000/pr.  A well-known reviewer who visited our room at the Newport Beach T.H.E. Show said we were lower in price than competitors approaching our quality level of materials and sonic performance.  In fact, he actually said the VR-44 Aktive was a 'bargain' as he has reviewed speaker systems in this size range which cost $20k more than our MSRP.

If any of you are in the Los Angeles area and wish to stop by for a factory demo in Riverside, please call us at (951) 682-0706 one day in advance to schedule a visit. We hope to see you soon!

[JackD201]

So Jack, how would you compare them with the VR5 Annies?

I still think the Annies have the edge in refinement and jump in the midrange on up. Down below however, unless you've got a heck of a muscular amplifier, I'm giving that to the Aktive.

I've been running the 44As with Valvet A3.5R Class A, 0NFB amplifiers that do 50wpc. For folks in love with their mid-powered amplifiers and don't have the space or budget to bi-amp their Annies, I'd steer them towards the Aktives. For those running any generation of 4s prior, my Mk3s included, the 44 brings back and adds to the coherence of the Gen III HSE, the detail of the SR Mk3 and flexibility more similar to the DB-99 SE Mk2.

I find that the new rear ambience tweeter is vastly superior to all other rear domes that have come before, Annies included.

The 44 just did to the 4 what the 35 did to the VR-3. They are outperforming my Mk3s which are strapped to a BAT VK-6200 and run with a pair of Ambience Reference subwoofers at a fraction of the real estate and cost of amplification. It's a whole new ballgame.

With all due respect to Albert, I can't see anybody going for the passive over the semi-active version. Then again, there are folks out there that have yet to embrace active sub bass and their benefits. I embraced this long ago when I got my VR-9s.

[Holli82]

I still think the Annies have the edge in refinement and jump in the midrange on up. Down below however, unless you've got a heck of a muscular amplifier, I'm giving that to the Aktive.

I've been running the 44As with Valvet A3.5R Class A, 0NFB amplifiers that do 50wpc. For folks in love with their mid-powered amplifiers and don't have the space or budget to bi-amp their Annies, I'd steer them towards the Aktives. For those running any generation of 4s prior, my Mk3s included, the 44 brings back and adds to the coherence of the Gen III HSE, the detail of the SR Mk3 and flexibility more similar to the DB-99 SE Mk2.

I find that the new rear ambience tweeter is vastly superior to all other rear domes that have come before, Annies included.

The 44 just did to the 4 what the 35 did to the VR-3. They are outperforming my Mk3s which are strapped to a BAT VK-6200 and run with a pair of Ambience Reference subwoofers at a fraction of the real estate and cost of amplification. It's a whole new ballgame.

With all due respect to Albert, I can't see anybody going for the passive over the semi-active version. Then again, there are folks out there that have yet to embrace active sub bass and their benefits. I embraced this long ago when I got my VR-9s.

I have had the opportunity to listen to the 44 at the factory.  Agree with Jack's comments. 

Second his thoughts on active vs passive.  I think Albert can do a better job of selecting an amplifier for the low frequencies than anyone else.  This gives the owner so much more flexibility in selecting an amp to drive the M/T.  However, it's nice that Albert gives you a choice.  I guess it is one of those "do you like your sports car with a manual or auto transmission" debates.  One of the reasons I selected my VR-9 was the active bass.  NO regrets after 5 years+

[JackD201]

Hi Rodney,

How ya doin with the upgrade?  I'm hoping to pay you a visit in January. 

I just wanted to mention that the 44s aren't mine. They belong to Keith but are in my care for now. Keith's visited them twice and seeing his face, boy, I happy for him. The finish is stunning too as Keith opted for a custom Jerez Black Metallic which is a kind of midnight blue.

[Holli82]

Upgrade has been terrific.  Hard to believe the 9's could be this much better.
Look forward to seeing you in Jan

Rodney

P.S. Pacquiao was robbed!

[95Dyna]

I have had the opportunity to listen to the 44 at the factory.  Agree with Jack's comments. 

Second his thoughts on active vs passive.  I think Albert can do a better job of selecting an amplifier for the low frequencies than anyone else.  This gives the owner so much more flexibility in selecting an amp to drive the M/T.  However, it's nice that Albert gives you a choice.  I guess it is one of those "do you like your sports car with a manual or auto transmission" debates.  One of the reasons I selected my VR-9 was the active bass.  NO regrets after 5 years+

I'll step in here and serve as an example in support of Albert's decision to provide a passive version of the VR 44.  I'm considering the 44's and have a fairly new pair of Bryston 7B SST2's that are currently driving a pair of notorious amp Killers, the Infinity 9 Kappas.  This job is a walk in the park for these amps even though the Kappas dip to .8 ohms at 32 and 340 hz accompanied by some nasty phase angles.  The sound improvement they introduced to the Kappas was breathtaking.  The 44's being a significantly easier load indicates the Brystons would do well driving them from top to bottom. I would be averse to paying $3K more for the Aktive plus whatever I would lose selling the Brystons to buy a quality low to mid powered amp for the top half.  Also consider that the Aktive amps are not full amps but are power boosters that will depend on the main amp(s) output.  A high output high current amp would not require this boost.  There are many people who have a similar scenario so I would give credit to Albert for being a brilliant marketeer to go along with his equally brilliant engineering skills.