The closest sound to live music, is the new Von Schweikert VR 11, which was demonstrated in Vegas this year at the 2004 Show. We compared live versus recorded each night, with the help of wold famous recording engineer (13 platinum records (?)) Chris Huston, by making on the spot, "live recordings" of Misty River, a wonderfully tallented group of beautiful young ladies possessing absolutely heavenly voices.(Please buy their albums!!) The sound we achieved using the VAC electronics was spectacular, but the cardboard-like walls of the ballrooms of the venue at the San Remo, were an obviously limiting factor for us all (including our friends in other rooms) Even so it was, by all accounts stupendous.
The bottom line is that, NOTHING IS CLOSE TO THESE SPEAKERS for realism of sound. With a frequency response of @ 10HZ to beyond 50KHZ, they pretty much cover the full musical spectrum. They list for $100K, and I know that this is a great deal of money, so one must ask, are they worth it? Not to a neophyte or beginner, but for those in search of the Holy Grail of Speakers, I would say, unequivocally, YES!!!Everyone who heard them agreed that they are beyond amazing...and now for the good (call it even better, news... for those not able to come to the Vegas show, Von Schweikert Audio has the VR-11's set up in their private listening studio in San Marco, California, at this very moment, making them available for private auditions. I am now using the Halcro Mono Block amps for the electronics, since we no longer have the VAC. Good news gets better: I am currently booking flights for interested parties, First Class (credit with purchase) and hotel accommodations. This is an experience that any music lover will never, ever forget.
Email me @ lrsky@bellsouth.net Serious inquiries only, of course.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Larry R. Staples
President Emeritus, Von Schweikert New Business Devopment Worldwide |
MBL, with MBL's best electronics driving them. It was a hypnotic moment in audio, defying all preconceptions of 'recorded music'.
The old addage, that, "Nothing is live music, but live music" is correct--but that ineffable illusion of 3 dimensional, holographic recreation that I experienced, was not to be believed or understood--at least not by me.
My congratulations and ultimate respect to MBL. At this moment in time they are the "Masters of the Audio Universe."
Good listening,
Larry Staples |
Ammending a previous post--which I've started to do many times, but just didn't bother...the very best speaker system I've heard, by a really wide margin is the MBL System.
I'm extrapolating what I heard, from the big po (potential) that was there, based on the handicap of the venue.
Show venues, and I know this from exhibiting personally, as far back as 1986--are a nightmare...poluted electrical lines, inadequate power, flimsy room construction, terrible diminsions...you name it, they're all there to some degree.
In Munich a couple of years ago, I heard the MBL's always a curiosity of mine, based on the 'look and feel' of the product.
So, while exhibiting myself, in my own suite, I took a bit of a break and visited their room.
The MBL's do things dynamically that most speakers have real issues with--and let's face it, one missing ingredient of loudspeaker reproduction is 'Dynamic Fidelity', (thanks Jim Thiel). Without the enormous contrasts which ARE one prime ingredient in accurate reproduction, we have a truly renditional moment, instead of a passable faxcimile. (sp?)
Then, there's scale...which is to say, size of, focus of, and the three diminsions necessary to complete the whole of the experience.
The MBL's handle these areas with aplomb and are, therefore, IMHO, easily the best of those that I've experienced.
Do they cost a lot? Yes--but then, you get a lot--a whole lot!
Best,
Larry |
Tbg,
Boy do I understand your comment...you're precisely where I was BEFORE I heard them set up, for a change, in a manner which showed of their charms.
I'm thinking, taking a good friend to the 'great' restaurant, on an off night trying to explain what it was, or has been at other times.
Only hearing for one's self is believing...so I get it.
Once I heard them as they should be, wow--I was hypnotized.
Glad you're happy with your recent purchase, those are intoxicating speakers, by the way. (As if YOU didn't already know).
Best,
Larry |
Mapman,
As usual, you've hit it right on...
The MBL's because of the 360 degree dispersion is quite a bit trickier to set up--and the room becomes an increasingly greater part of the sound.
But, yes, when right that 3D, soundstage with instruments lurking in a place in space, takes on an almost 'visual' quality...'Help me ObiWanKinobi'....that kind of holography.
Larry |
Best loudspeakers I've ever heard?
Two come to mind as of this post.
First, the Sound Labs A-1's which I owned.
Second, The MBL big boys.
The order is the order of memory not which was/is best...the MBL's win hands down, but at multiples the cost of the Sound Labs that's not too surprising.
The MBL's have that, 'you REALLY ARE THERE', kind of dynamic, holographic thing going on that very few if any speakers can even touch...they are, in a word, miraculous.
Good listening.
Larry |
The 'big boys', I don't remember the model numbers and am too lazy to look it up Tbg.
All I know is, that the promise of 'live music' was as closely realized as I have ever experienced.
Before, room, power, etc. all conspired to 'limit' the experience. Not this time. They were everything, if money were no object, that I'd chose for the perfect system.
I'd do it realizing that all elements necessary for great sound would have to be attended to. Do what the great Winston Ma, did (First Impressions Music and a friend an colleague) when he built his 'listening room' in his beautiful home. "MAKE IT PERFECT" only if you want the sound to be as good as it can be.
But, they really were/are magic in all facets of sound reproduction for my taste--Dynamically accurate, Tonally accurate, Spatially Accurate, (if this sounds a little like a Jim Thiel seminar, it's because that's where I learned it).
Having played Alto Sax for more years than I care to admit, I've been in live music scenarios thousands of times...the unamplified kind...and wow, that's what these are capable of.
If only...$$$$$$
Best,
Larry |
Question re Bose 901...
Amar Bose's basic theory in his design was predicated on the basic assumption that 89% of all sound is 'reflected'.
He then designs a speaker which actually points direcly into the wall with 88.8% of it's drivers (call it 89 lol).
Doesn't that, then change his basic plan since we can safely assume that most performers aren't 'singing into the wall directly'?
"Here's Michael Bublé, singing, 'Fly Me to the Moon', of course he's facing the wall, so that all you Bose fans out there can better understand the lyrics."
'mmmfllllllllly...mnnnneeee tnnooow de moonnnnnnesh, nand,'
Wow, does anyone else wonder how such a nit wit scam such as this could possibly get legs? Moreover why's this guy a billionaire...doesn't that piss anyone off but me?
lol
Larry |
