 |
| Letters -- May 2004 Von Schweikert Audio VR-4 Gen III HSE May 26, 2004 To Dan Davis, I just read your enlightening review of the Von Schweikert VR4 Gen III HSEs. Very well articulated! I am a former owner of ESP Concert Grands, and if I remember right, you once did a review on them. I am considering the VR4 Gen III HSEs, but I am curious how they stack up to the ESPs (since I lived with the Concert Grands for four years). Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, I do not have a Von Schweikert dealer near me (Denver). Jeff Galloway Yes, I did review the Concert Grands about five years ago and liked them a lot. After all this time it's hard to compare their sound to the VR4 Gen III HSE, which I've been listening to daily for the past six months, but I'll take a whack at it. I'm confident in saying that the VR4 Gen III HSE is much more neutral than the darker, warmer tonal balance of the Concert Grands, though I haven't heard them in their latest iteration, which includes some major changes. The VR4 Gen III HSE is also more extended at both extremes, the bass tighter than that of the Concert Grands. And with fewer drivers, the VR4 Gen III HSE is faster and more seamless. They're also a couple of sizes smaller, more suitable for a "normal" room than the Concert Grands, which need a larger space in which to bloom. I get more detail too, from the VR4 Gen III HSE, but never at the expense of harmonic veracity. The VR4 Gen III HSE is also less than half the price of the Concert Grands when I had them. As to availability, you might contact Von Schweikert Audio to try to arrange some other way you could hear them....Dan Davis Goodbye Yellow Brick Road May 19, 2004 To Rad Bennett, I read your review of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and just ran out to buy the DVD-Audio version (I’m not updated with SACD yet). I felt like a little kid who got his first bike, as I listened to the opening of "Funeral for a Friend." What an incredible mix! Thanks for pointing out this recording. Josh Davidson Lamm, Halcro, and Tenor May 17, 2004 As I'm in Europe, I will be pleased if you can help me. I own one system made with EMM Labs, Halcro dm10 and dm68, and Avalon Eidolons, and sometimes I think that the sound is a little thin, that it needs more weight. As I know that you have written about the new Lamm M1.2 Reference and you also know well the Halcro electronics, I will be very happy if you can tell me how these amps compare. Another amp I'm thinking about is the Tenor Audio 300Hp. If you have heard it, also please let me know your opinion. Sorry again, but here right now it is impossible to compare both amps. Felix The Lamms will give you a full tonal palette; they're anything but thin-sounding with their richly textured midrange. So as a counter to a "thin" sound I'd certainly suggest you give the M1.2 References a try. If by "weight," however, you men more low-end grunt, the Halcros are darn good in that regard. The Lamms won't improve upon that area. If you're missing low-end weight it may be more of a speaker or speaker-placement issue. I have not heard the Tenor Audio amp you mention, but I would like to at some point. I would advise you to check in on the June 1st "The World's Best Audio System," where I audition the Gryphon Antileon Signature amp and Sonata Allegro preamp....Jeff Fritz No new "TWBAS"? May 3, 2004 To Jeff Fritz, Did I miss the May 1 update of "The World's Best Audio System," or was a new article omitted? Although I haven't been able to purchase any of the equipment that you discuss, I still love reading about what is possible at the Ultra end of things. I am thinking of buying a used set of Wilson Audio speakers if I can figure out what to drive them with. Franz "TWBAS" was originally conceived as a quarterly column. Right now it appears that we may have a slightly more aggressive publishing schedule than that. The next article -- on Gryphon Audio Designs of Denmark, and their reference equipment -- will appear on June 1....Jeff Fritz
Ultra Audio is part of the SoundStage! Network. |
