Cornwall IV vs. Volti Rival, Razz; Razz v. 1, 2, 3 -- what changed?

Hi @silverfoxvtx1800 not looking and just helping a few friends on their journey. I'm using speakers I designed and built for myself about five years ago.Last and final set. I've had enough fun past four decades on these projects. Following along with friends and members is still interesting. Enjoy checking out new designs that manufacturers, DIY'ers, and various designers still come up with. I may sell off my whole system and downsize in a few years though.  Who knows what then. ;)  

What’s up with the horribly uneven frequency response of Volti Razz as measured in the Stereophile review. I am not criticizing, rather asking a honest question.

@silverfoxvtx1800 I did not listen to the SE version of the Rival. I have heard the type II and loved it. Everything the Razz does just bigger and fuller. Plus the low end extension was deep and effortless. I hope to get a pair of Rival's one day, or even (gasp) the new Vittora.. If I had the dough right now I'd probably get a pair of Type 1 with a cool veneer combo to make the chamfer really pop visually. 

Though my more realistic goal is still trading up to a new pair of Lucera's. 

I will need to check those out my friends. Count me a fan of Williams, just have yet to buy.. I’m open to any suggestions you guys have. Last night I was listening to Thundercat Drunk and Sketches of Spain in mono. ( to me the mono sounds better, hard to put into words why) My Volti with my Cary SLI80 sounded sublime.

Just purchased Memoirs Of A Geisha Original Soundtrack LP.  Big fan of John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman (saw both live at the symphony).  @silverfoxvtx1800 -thanks.

😂😂😂 @silverfoxvtx1800 i am so glad you are digging them! I played hooky from work today, had the house to myself and cranked mine all day long. Fats Domino, Steely Dan, Tool, Jimmy Hendrix… every time I do, I just fall head over heels all over again.

I am considering the Lucera. It's high praise that @hdbc3036 would sell Sashas to get a pair.

I stupidly sold my pair of Volti Razz speakers a couple of years ago. I had them set up in a smallish room and felt they were too much speaker for that space. Why I didn’t set them up in a larger space in my home, I don’t know. I have a pair of Wilson Sasha series one driven by a pair of McIntosh MC-501 mono-block amplifiers. If I could sell them for a decent price, I would look into a pair of the new Lucera. Is anyone interested in a pair of Wilson Sasha's in great condition near the NY metro area? Local sale only, I will not ship them

@silverfoxvtx1800

Most new audio components need a break-in period.

I also gave Greg a hard time when he raised his prices on the Rival which I was targeting even though I knew that Covid related supply problems caused increasing cost for many high-end audio manufacturers. Shortly after, I found and purchased a used mint Rival in my favorite wood veneer and I apologized to Greg.

@silverfoxvtx1800 

If you need help with your Virtual System, just send an email to support@audiogon.com 

Silverfox,

Home theater bypass is very easy. You can send the left and right pre-outs from your receiver/processor to any analogue input on your two channel pre-amp. Just set the volume knob at a consistent place when using it for movies. If you preamp has a HT bypass use that setting as it will set a utility gain on the preamp.

the other option is to just wire in a switch like the one linked below. You can of course buy higher end switches.

https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Balanced-Converter-Audio-Selector/dp/B07D7P7366

@silverfoxvtx1800 Great to have these impressions. Obviously, you're still in the honeymoon phases, but so interesting to learn. To think you almost didn't keep these!

Be interested to revisit this thread now and again, especially if you keep posting. 

Always great to hear speaker dreams come true! Cable upgrades next lol.

Enjoy!

Silverfoxvtx1800, you can take pictures of the speakers and put on your system page. Relatively easy to do.

I am not the best one to tell you how to integrate these two systems. I don’t have any big screens, processors, or multi channel amps in my room. Blasphemy in my world.

When you are listening loud to two channel (2 speakers) and other speakers are sharing the room, do this little test. When cranking the new Volti speakers, remove the grill of the Forte, and gently place the tip of your index finger on the woofer cone...you will find it will vibrate to the spl within the room. The Fortes are actually making a sound, and so are the other unused speakers. You are hearing all of the speakers, although only 1 pair are actually playing through an amp. This is a major detriment to two channel when combined with home theater. IMO & IME. Enjoy! My best, MrD.

I am a big proponent of separating home theater and two channel music. If not, compromises will be made. However, in your situation, having two channel and home theater in the same room but using different speakers doesn't make sense. I understand your electronics are different for each pair of speakers, but what would the Fortes do for movies that the most excellent sounding Volti speakers won't do? Having a home theater speaker sitting directly next to a two channel speaker is lost on me. I just don't get it.

From what you describe about the  build quality and sound quality of the Fortes, I would have moved on long ago. Are they on the Audiogon chopping block as we speak?

Good on ya...

people say they are more refined I dont know what that means

I think your listening descriptions show that you DO know what it means.

You said: 

it’s definitely all in the midrange….just a tad not bright but just a little more that I don’t get with the Forte IVs

I just cranked the song Black Day by Monolink a very dynamic song, cracked it way up and was clean and I just let it go…the Fortes didn’t sound good way up there to my ears…..

You're hearing exactly what you're describing. The upper mids and highs are NOT making you cringe and you're NOT getting fatigued. Extra volume is equating to extra fun, not "turn it down." 

That's, at least, a partial definition of "refined," as I understand it.

Good job!

It hardly matters where the Forte 4 cabinets are being made now. The Chinese know how to do veneer laminated MDF, and the cabinets themselves are fairly easy to build. The Chinese have been making MDF panels for years and at the same quality level as the US made stuff.

No, it matters a lot if the details are factored in. In the post on the Volti website (now changed a bit) it not only said they were made in China, but that they were like cardboard and very flimsy. There was a clear connection between country of origin and shoddiness of manufacture in that statement. So whatever your experience or opinion -- undoubtedly correct about what you’re thinking about in particular -- your comment is tangential to what was focused upon here.

Americans make good stuff -- and they make crap.

Chinese make good stuff -- and they make crap.

Those generalizations are to be avoided. But again, the original website post spoke for itself.

It hardly matters where the Forte 4 cabinets are being made now. The Chinese know how to do veneer laminated MDF, and the cabinets themselves are fairly easy to build. The Chinese have been making MDF panels for years and at the same quality level as the US made stuff.

I was a professional furniture maker for years. My speakers previous to my current Cornwall 4’s were Forte 3’s. I am sure that the Volti’s are better made and perhaps sound better which Is why I don’t see the need for excoriating the perceived competition with questionable assertions.

@mrdecibel Thanks for the kinds words about the room. I've done a lot to get it there, and have other treatments stored away in case they are needed!

btw hilde45, I like your room. Horns will sing and spread their wings in there!

Rule of thumb.

One pair of speakers in the room at a time.

I have the Forte on a second system with a Leben 300xs and enjoy the combination. They're not lifelong speakers but like everything else I've ever owned, will add to my enjoyment of hearing new things. The Cornwalls had a bit more effortlessness and the Forte's IMO have a little more detail without being too bright. I found the CW4 a little more relaxed for my tastes. I played the CW4 with an Audionote Cobra, McIntosh C28 and MC2125, and my favorite, the Coda CSIB with 18 wpc A. 

There are many great horn speakers. Cessaro is the best i've heard and come to know a bit. 

@silverfoxvtx1800 congrats on the Razz! They will be amazing. I'd listen to that playlist for a few days prior and just change them out. You will get a good idea right out of the box. Play them harder when you can for a couple hundred hours and you will notice changes.

Have fun! Report back.