topspeed
04-30-2004, 10:53 PM
I was in San Diego this week for business and while there saw an opportunity to check out Albert Von Schweikert's little enterprise. Kevin from VSA graciously invited me to come by and audition the VR4jr ("jr" is for Just Right but everyone, including Kevin, calls them Juniors) and the imposing VR11's. The Junior's are getting a ton a buzz since their release in January and the 11's are moon shots. For those that are interested, here are some impressions:
The front end for both auditions was a Sony transport, Electrocompaniet dac, VAC pre, Spectron amp, and custom VSA cables. There were two AN SET amps lying in wait but alas, we didn't run tubes. Sorry RGA. Unfortunately, they were in the midst of prepping for the New York HE show and their normal compliment of VAC tube amps were already packed to go.
VR4jr (aka the ones normal humans can afford):
http://vonschweikert.com/vr4jr.html
These speaks are tiny, friends. Of course, they were sitting in the considerable shadow of the 11's, titans which will make just about anything look petite, like...oh...a Hummer. That said, it is still a mystery to me how Albert coaxes so much sound out of so small an enclosure. The juniors were in the midst of burn-in and well, you could tell. The treble was a tad silvery and hadn't quite reached neutrality. My VR1's use the same tweeter to wonderful effect so I'm well aware of what this transducer is capable of. Kevin was actually relieved that I could tell the difference thus saving him any backpedaling. Nothing annoying, but certainly not the smoothness I usually associate with VR's. The sound is incredibly dynamic and exhibits VSA's uncanny cohesiveness among their drivers. With pipe organ, they can shake the walls while still maintaining musicality. I can't imagine anyone wanting a sub with these speakers. Mids were liquid smooth but the mid-bass was missing some pop. On The Count Plays Duke "It don't mean a thing", the plucking of the standing bass wasn't as defined as I'm used to. Room? Front end? Speakers? I don't know but it definitely wasn't right. Kevin brought up that the ideal room location is where the 11's are but he wasn't about to move them (at 700lbs each, can you blame him?) so it may have been an interaction thing. I know the VR1's get it right so it's hard for me to imagine the flagship of their retail line getting it wrong. Overall, an excellent speaker but not the giant killer I'd hoped for...maybe. Let's just say I'll hold final judgement until I can hear them in another room, preferably my own!
The VR11se (aka a damn nice house anywhere outside California or Manhattan):
http://vonschweikert.com/vr11_speaker.html
Well, they're big. I mean really big. OK, they're FRIGGIN' HUGE! I have to admit tho, finished in an exotic mahogany they are beautiful. The 11's are simply a whole different ball game from your run-of-the-mill audiophile toys. They just explode! Mind boggling dynamics are the order of the day with the kind of bottom octave energy that compresses rooms. The midband and high freqs. exhibit a kind of clarity and extension that simply reaches to the horizon and keeps going. You hear everything with these speakers and yet aren't fatigued. They don't have a "hi-fi" sound, but the 11's also leave no details unresolved. I've honestly never been a believer of supertweeters however there is definitely some kind of magic going on here because these have the best highs I've heard. Period. I don't want to drone on so let's just leave it at "WOW."
Admittedly, I'd put something shiny with 4 wheels and a prancing horse in my garage before unloading this kind of bank for a toy, but I have a feeling that the people who actually buy the VR11's already have a stable full.
Fun stuff indeed.
The front end for both auditions was a Sony transport, Electrocompaniet dac, VAC pre, Spectron amp, and custom VSA cables. There were two AN SET amps lying in wait but alas, we didn't run tubes. Sorry RGA. Unfortunately, they were in the midst of prepping for the New York HE show and their normal compliment of VAC tube amps were already packed to go.
VR4jr (aka the ones normal humans can afford):
http://vonschweikert.com/vr4jr.html
These speaks are tiny, friends. Of course, they were sitting in the considerable shadow of the 11's, titans which will make just about anything look petite, like...oh...a Hummer. That said, it is still a mystery to me how Albert coaxes so much sound out of so small an enclosure. The juniors were in the midst of burn-in and well, you could tell. The treble was a tad silvery and hadn't quite reached neutrality. My VR1's use the same tweeter to wonderful effect so I'm well aware of what this transducer is capable of. Kevin was actually relieved that I could tell the difference thus saving him any backpedaling. Nothing annoying, but certainly not the smoothness I usually associate with VR's. The sound is incredibly dynamic and exhibits VSA's uncanny cohesiveness among their drivers. With pipe organ, they can shake the walls while still maintaining musicality. I can't imagine anyone wanting a sub with these speakers. Mids were liquid smooth but the mid-bass was missing some pop. On The Count Plays Duke "It don't mean a thing", the plucking of the standing bass wasn't as defined as I'm used to. Room? Front end? Speakers? I don't know but it definitely wasn't right. Kevin brought up that the ideal room location is where the 11's are but he wasn't about to move them (at 700lbs each, can you blame him?) so it may have been an interaction thing. I know the VR1's get it right so it's hard for me to imagine the flagship of their retail line getting it wrong. Overall, an excellent speaker but not the giant killer I'd hoped for...maybe. Let's just say I'll hold final judgement until I can hear them in another room, preferably my own!
The VR11se (aka a damn nice house anywhere outside California or Manhattan):
http://vonschweikert.com/vr11_speaker.html
Well, they're big. I mean really big. OK, they're FRIGGIN' HUGE! I have to admit tho, finished in an exotic mahogany they are beautiful. The 11's are simply a whole different ball game from your run-of-the-mill audiophile toys. They just explode! Mind boggling dynamics are the order of the day with the kind of bottom octave energy that compresses rooms. The midband and high freqs. exhibit a kind of clarity and extension that simply reaches to the horizon and keeps going. You hear everything with these speakers and yet aren't fatigued. They don't have a "hi-fi" sound, but the 11's also leave no details unresolved. I've honestly never been a believer of supertweeters however there is definitely some kind of magic going on here because these have the best highs I've heard. Period. I don't want to drone on so let's just leave it at "WOW."
Admittedly, I'd put something shiny with 4 wheels and a prancing horse in my garage before unloading this kind of bank for a toy, but I have a feeling that the people who actually buy the VR11's already have a stable full.
Fun stuff indeed.