A star is born.... Stereophile review of the Vimberg Mino

“you have to understand the potential of any component and how to get the system to work together.”

@bigkidz....I completely agree with you. I’ve been through my fair share of components through the years. There is always going to be something better out there...the real question is, how much better and at what cost.

I have no desires to upgrade anything major in my system...I am in my happy place 😊

@lalitk Next weekend I am going to a buddies home to hear the Audio Solutions Figaro L speakers.  Without hearing either at this time (AT i will come see you soon to get a listen) I can report back at some time in the future what I heard.  My experience with ceramic drivers with owning Talon speakers, replacing paper cone drivers in an old Infiniti speaker with ceramic drivers,I heard a much cleaner, more detailed and dynamic sound with the ceramic drivers. They made my old Vandersteen model 5 speakers sound slow in comparison.

Now considering $45,000 versus the Figaro $10K speakers, the Figaros I am told are wonderful sounding from two people that have good listening skills.  BUT they are on the warmer sound of things.  Are the Minos worth $35K more is the real answer.  BUT from my experience, you get what you pay for and what you can hear with the equipment you are using.

For example, I have heard the Vandersteen model Seven speakers on several occasions.  I never felt like I wanted or needed to consider them over my Vandersteen model 5As.  They were better but I never felt over twice the list price plus I purchased mine used for one sixth the price.  Now that being said, I build my own components.  The person I purchased my 5As from had purchased the model Sevens so I took my DAC there to hear it in his system.  Swapping out his highly regarded DAC for my DHT R2R point to point wired DAC was an eye opening experience.  That is when I really heard the differences between the 5As and the 7s.  It was a noticeable difference within less than 30 seconds.  Now I know what the extent of the performance of the model 7s and I want a pair.  It was one of the best sounds that I have ever heard.  Anyone have a pair they would like to sell me very cheap!

So it just goes to show that you have to understand the potential of any component and how to get the system to work together.

Happy Listening.



  

You missed my point entirely. Why would I or anyone else would pay $45K when I can have same level of performance say for $16K.

It doesnt cost $16k. You can buy accuton drivers for few hundred dollars.

@audiotroy 

Tidal and vimberg are not custom tuned to your ears. I think based on that, it is an overpriced product. They have been tuned to the designers ears. And for that price I would expect solid diamond cabinets, all diamond drive units, and all metal parts to be made of solid gold or silver. Are they? 

audiotroy,

I think you missed my point entirely. Why would I or anyone else would pay $45K when I can have same level of performance say for $16K.

IMHO, Price is no longer a factor in achieving high level of performance in audio. There are plenty of manufacturers pushing the performance barrier at lower price point.

Listen to Audio Solutions (Figaro L or XL) speakers, I was blown away by them paired with Vitus Integrated.

Accuton drivers can be bought for a few hundred bucks and crossover parts for a few bucks. Thats already 60% of the vimberg.

The last thing you need is a box. The box doesnt make any sound its just designed to hold the drivers in place. So for a fraction of the cost you can have a vimberg.

There is no evidence provided by vimberg that their speaker has superior specifications.

Lalik so is a pair of $325k Wilson Chronosonics a better deal

Is a Buggatli Veyron at $2.2 Million a better deal than a new Corvette at $60-100K.

There will always be asspirational products that represent the ultimate in performance.

We ran a test T + A R 2500 vs the Krell K300i the more expensive piece was better it is always the buyers job to figure out for themselves how good they want whatever they are buying and if the more expensive piece is worth the improvemets for the price.

You can buy a Timex or a Rolex if accuracy and price are important buy a Timex if you crave craftsmenship and love the look and feel of a high end watch you buy one for those reasons.

“The Tidal Akiva is $215k the Vimberg version of the same loudspeaker is $45k“

That is still crazy money to be dumping on a pair of speakers. There are plenty of excellent offerings from Eastern Europe that can be had under $20K.

Lets address some of these issues:

D2girls the Vimberg line is an exact clone of Tidal designed by Tidal, the intent is to dramatically make the loudspeakers more affordable for people so they exposuse the same design methodology, use similar parts and have similar attributes. Vimberg is designed to offer about 80% of the performance of the more expensive models. 

The Tidal Akiva is $215k the Vimberg version of the same loudspeaker is $45k.

Also D2 Girls we can get JBL perhaps not everyone wants a gigantically wide, industrial looking 1950's monolith, in their Living Room, also not everyone enjoys the extremely wide yet unfocused sound stage that these types of loudspeakers do, if we did we would pick Avante Garde that makes the best horn loudspeakers in our opinion.

Unfortunately, your ’open’ reads like and basically is an advert. I haven’t heard the speakers; at this point, your ’announcement’ here would incite a preference in me not to.

👍
From the first post this thread reads like an ad, so obvious so blatant.
They maybe good speakers, they maybe a dog with flees, but it should not be in the hands of a self professed retailer of them, to say or do advertising for them.
The thread should be shut down, till an "impartial" hopefully seasoned member with a few post preferably under his belt, starts a thread on them, then the retailer can put his "2 cents" worth in.   

Cheers George

Amea were due out in November...its March already and still not out. 

Vimbergs are not close to Tidal in anything. This from a reviewer

It's just a bad look to so shamelessly use an A'gon post to hype a product you happen to sell...these guys just don't learn and I'm surprised they're allowed to put this stuff in here...or do the monitors know this and allow a little grave to be dug...hmmm...from the first time these guys posted to now it hasn't ever been anything but lame.

@audiotroy....Unfortunately, your ’open’ reads like and basically is an advert. I haven’t heard the speakers; at this point, your ’announcement’ here would incite a preference in me not to.

If I had 20~30K$ to drop at this time, I’d rather get a new trailer to replace the one stolen from me and my business. With the balance, I’d replace the truck we use to pull it around....

"Don’t waste your money on a new pair of speakers, you get more mileage from a new pair of sneakers..." Billy Joel’s advice, which still has a basic practicality that I can appreciate;....

I’m not inferring that they’re bad speakers....I’m just not interested in them or the way you’ve chosen to intro them.

Buy an ad, like a normal dealer.

I don’t think they’d over priced per se. Since I am enamoured with brands like Wilson, with their Alexia 2 model costing $58,000 as well as being one of my dream “end game” speakers, it would be hypocritical of me to suggest that these new speakers are over priced.

However I think a lot of these speakers on the low end of speaker manufacture offerings that are priced 8-20k and that are using small drivers are not the best use of your money. I just feel like there’s much, much more value if you double your budget and get something higher end. Like instead of the Vinberg, get Tidal.

this is just a wild theory in my part, but maybe Vinberg only exists as to not “cheapen” the tidal brand by offering “value oriented” speakers. They look exactly like smaller tidal speakers...

I read the review in stereophile. A couple of things stood out: the review raved about the ceramic drivers, and 2: $8k for the diamond tweeters.
These guys aren’t the 1st manufacturer to use ceramic drivers and the speakers I have heard with ceramic drivers were harsh and sterile. If you like ceramic, go pick up a 15 year old Usher AC10 for $2000.
$8k for a diamond tweeter pair? Crazy!! I would put up an Usher DMD tweeter up against it any day and the usher DMD costs $1000 a pair.  

Is it just a coincidence that whenever you pick up a new product line it becomes the new best thing since sliced bread? I notice you're not a JBL Synthesis dealer, so of course you don't mention the Everest DD67000. That speaker offers far better dynamics and scale to the sound then two 8 inch drivers ever could.
I noticed that Vimberg is actually a subsiddary of Tidal. Indeed, the speakers look almost like Tidal, just a step down. As if Tidal offered smaller versions of their big speakers for half price.

I would encourage those interested in the Mino or Tonda D to listen to the Tidal Piano G2.  The Vimberg Amea is interesting as Tidal does not offer a stand mounted 2 way in its current line-up.

Vimberg is A high value product but it is not a Tidal, particularly when compared to the latter’s current product line.

Well if the purchaser doesn’t have good ears they should be perfectly fine with a $150.00 Bose speakers and safe a bundle of money.  In my humble opinion, most of you, who buy new equipment in general, don't have good ears.  Think abut it, how many excellent sounding speakers or audio equipment is out there which over the years appreciates in value and most of you agreed on the sound quality and it's performance. Not many....So, what makes you sure that if you walk into a store and like the sound of speaker after only couple hours or less of listening to it, will continue to impress you for a long time to come. Well, guess again, the chances are that less than a year or so later, you'll be looking at another set of speakers. at another shop or audio show. The bottom line is that you'll never know for sure, how long your new speakers/system will satisfy your ears until you spend some time with them in you own listening room - granted you have train ears/brain and healthy hearing. 

Listening to them would be proof to the individual, that they are getting a superior speaker to THEM.

That would be true if audiophiles had perfect hearing but they dont. 

Active crossovers have their own set of problems.

like what?

Listening to them would be proof to the individual, that they are getting a superior speaker to THEM.

if audiophiles had perfect hearing you would be correct. However, they dont, therefore you're wrong. 

So you pay 30k or 40k on a speaker and they dont give you any proof that youre getting a superior speaker. All you get is the manufacturers say so and a few positive reviews to reinforce it.
not even a frequency response graph.

Plus you know they are not gonna be custom tuned to your ears so that guarantees imperfect sound plus horrible passive crossovers that are not as accurate as active crossovers. Not to mention horrible rectangular cabinets with too much diffraction off the edge.

It really is a disaster. I wouldnt buy it.

Listening to them would be proof to the individual, that they are getting a superior speaker to THEM. 

There are enough speakers in every price range, to find a speaker that fits what the listener wants from a speaker.

Passive crossovers, are not horrible, if they are designed correctly with good quality parts. Nor are active crossovers always better. Active crossovers have their own set of problems. 

And please point out the rectangular boxes used by Vimberg... 

I've been begging you for months already, to not buy any speakers, and take up a different hobby.

I have not heard the speaker so I cannot comment.  But I have to wonder why they would use the Accuton Cell drivers (which are designed to provide a common acoustic center among the tweeter, mid, and woofers) and then use high-order crossovers?  

Seems to me that Marten likely puts these extremely interesting drivers to better use; a side by side would be extremely interesting.

Dear @audiotroy : You make money with, so you have to talk in the way you do it.

I don't have the opportunity to listen it and maybe could be good performers.

As Tidal crossover speaker here more of the same: a blend of boputique caps tone controls, yes the high-end caps are tone control full of colorations/distortions but nothing more that can truly help to the MUSIC enjoyment. 

Good business for Tidal.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

https://vimberg.de/mino/

So you pay 30k or 40k on a speaker and they dont give you any proof that youre getting a superior speaker. All you get is the manufacturers say so and a few positive reviews to reinforce it. 
not even a frequency response graph.

Plus you know they are not gonna be custom tuned to your ears so that guarantees imperfect sound plus horrible passive crossovers that are not as accurate as active crossovers. Not to mention horrible rectangular cabinets with too much diffraction off the edge. 

It really is a disaster. I wouldnt buy it. 

Heard the Mino at an audio show and it was love at first sight -- and first listen!