Cerwin Vega XLS 215

[BIGPERM]

Just picked these up from the freight company tonight. They are replacing my Klipsch kg4's. These are not for the faint of heart.

First, they're huge. I'm 6'4" and they come up to my sternum. They are 49" tall. In addition they weigh about 100lbs a piece. Look absolutely massive compared to the Klipsch.

Listening via Technics tt through a Sansui 8700db at 160 wpc. The amp pushes them easily.

They dig deep and wide. Wonderful sound stage. Still burning them in. So far have thrown the verve, deep purple, led zep, mia, and stereolab on the platter. Divine. Just lovely, huge, poweful full range speakers.

You're gonna need a HUGE room though. Have them in a dining room from a house built in the 60's. 10 ft ceilings, carpet, long and just wide enough. Using 4" thick bass traps. Only dissapointed in lack of bass roll off. Stops too soon. But that is due to the acoustics of the room. Just sounds too dead in some regards.

With taller ceilings and tile or wood floor, my sonic dreams would come true with these beasts of speakers. What a blast!

[Mr Peabody]

The bass could improve with break in. Glad to see you are happy with them.

[dakatabg]

Those are huge, they are pretty much the same with the CLS-215. I was thinking to buy a pair but I changed my mind. Too huge for my place plus I don't need that much power, those 2 15" woofers will need a lot of juice!

[harley .guy07]

I have heard a lot of people that are happy with the new batch of vega products coming out. You definitely have to have the room for them and a good amount of power helps even though they are quite efficient but every person I have talked to and the reviews I have read tells me that Cerwin Vega is on a path of improving there speakers to a point that they have came past that college party thing and are a real option for people with a big room to fill and have a budget that matches the big vega's. If I had a second room big enough for a set of them I think they would be a fun speaker to play around with for the simple fact that they are very dynamic, from what I have heard there imaging and sound staging has improved and you can crank the hell out of them without worrying if you are going to damage them as long as you have the power. But you are right they are a beast and for me in my present home they are just way too much to fit anywhere that I could put a system. If I brought a pair of these home my girlfriend would freak out wondering first where to put them and then she would ask if some of my friends where going to come by to play some music because she would think that they were for a pa system or something.

[BIGPERM]

I've heard there is some break in time. I knew they were something special when I first played them. But i still kept looking at my Klipsch, thinking woah wait a min, u guys were great. My ears miss them somewhat during this break in period. But came home to day two with the CV's. So much more dynamic. So deep. Still have many hrs to go to get them broken in, but like what I hear. Listening to Houses of the Holy now.

To my surprise, George Strait, Eddie Rabbit, Kenny Rogers sounded like they were right at home. Anne Murray though needs these speakers to break in a little, or perhaps my ears were so fatigued after playing a alot of music that first day.

I am concerned though with feedback from these monsters to my turntable. Currently sitting on a heavy, real wood multi-media piece of furniture-thing. Has five heavy glass shelves. Holds by boat-anchor weight amp. TT on top. Speakers about 3 ft to each side. Considering an external rumble filter.

No a whole lot of literature on these. Amp has a subsonic filter already, but i have read they arent very good.