Quote Originally Posted by drseid
Congrats on the new acquisition. I have never heard the Eggleston speakers, but have always wanted to. Now I will need to really seek them out at next year's CES. Pretty good value (at least on paper) for $10K/pr IMO.
Yes, and if you visit Germany let me know before so that we can enjoy good music and beer. So far we have The Apogee DIVA Reference, Apogee DIVA Caliper Signature and the Eggleston Works Rosa here amongst some other toys. So its quite a bit of fun and very musical!

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As an aside... Do you remember which models from VS you auditioned by any chance? I realize it was quite a while ago...
I am sorry but i do not remember, if i had to guess then it would be something like a 5 or so.
I only ask because VS models really start to take off and sound quite different with their upper-end models. I like the entire line except the VR-4SR ($10K/pr.), but I felt the line really was taken to a new level with the (now just discontinued) 12K/pr. DB99 mkIIs, and of course their top tier models the VR-9 and VR-11 (the latter is my favorite speaker at any price). They also have a new model just released called the VR-5SE that run $20K/pr. The 5s are certainly pricey to be sure, but sound very nice and have the same general presentation of their big brothers in a smaller package.
I am sure the top models are very nice and have their fans, as with all top speakers. Unfortunatly i have been subjected to the world elite (which i am sure the 9 and 11 are too) and in this range a lot of things depend on taste and presentation, My absolut top dog fav. are the Apogee DIVA, Fullrange, Grand, Scintilla and Studio Grand. Eggleston Works Ivy and Savoy, Martin Logan Statement E2 (old one), Magnepan MG20.1 (on the bottom ranking but VERY good), Dali Megaline, Kharma Exc., Sonus Faber Amati Homage (in a small room with Einstein OTL) and some others that i dont remember now.
In any case, sorry for the VS rant, none of them may be your cup of tea... Just mentioning the models do change considerably at the higher end of the line so if you heard a VR-4JR or SR... etc, you may not have heard the line at its absolute best (IMO).

---Dave]
No problem, i am glad you mentioned it. I am very citical and there are only a few systems i like but in the top end range it is mostly about personal taste since the price becomes irrelevant. If you can buy a VR11 you could buy a Wilson X2, so its personal taste instead of the price ;-)