Vandersteen VLR (non CT), my opinion

Grammy award winner uses the VLR for studio work. It’s a fantastic speaker and as pointed out, the grill frame serves a VERY important sonic function.

"It's difficult to give much weight to any of Amir's "reviews.""

They call for no less skepticism than any other review that offers objective material in support of a subjective assessment: recommend for or against purchase and labeling with various statuettes of the Pink Panther. I appreciate his efforts to provide objectivity to a market notorious for the absence of hard data and for his efforts to maintain a consistent standard for measurement. In this case, those standards strictly applied conflict with the purpose of demonstrating product performance similar to what a buyer might experience. Whether nearfield measurement means much is hard to say, but it might be important in a monitoring application. Obviously many home users have room effects to contend with, with or without room correction. In general, I think he has provided valuable information in spotlighting new brands and products that perform well and that can provide new hobbyists a positive point of entry in the way of affordable products that perform well.

I believe the VLR Wood was the original iteration of the VLR now in production.

B

chenry

... Amir did not test the unit both with and without the front grille assembly. So I do not think it is possible to give much weight to his review unless ...

It's difficult to give much weight to any of Amir's "reviews."

Re the ASR review of these (VLR "Wood", not VLR CT), Amir tested the speakers without the grilles in place, which is his standard practice for all speakers he tests using his Klippel Nearfield/Spinorama protocol. Unfortunately, the grilles are different in the VLR speakers, having a thick MDF panel with a waveguide contour at the cutout for the coaxial cone mounted with polymer pins to the speaker box over which is stretched the grille fabric, which is a thin woven material.The grille assembly is essential to the speaker design and leaving it off in this case is removing an important component of this small speaker. Unfortunately as well, Amir did not test the unit both with and without the front grille assembly. So I do not think it is possible to give much weight to his review unless the second testing is done to show performance of the speaker as it is designed to be used. IMO, this review should have been taken down due to its methodological flaw until at least a repeat testing with the grilles could be done and shown.  As usual, there was a peanut gallery full of comments by people who did not listen to the speaker trying to pan something they had not heard based on a flawed test.

@tomic601 the they I was refering to where the Thompson subs.
“They” as in a corporation.

Nice humour JT… that was very well done.

~Holmz
Pronouns: Was/Were

(Corporations are afforded legal protection like people, but I refuse to call a corporation He or She. Maybe “it” would work for a corporation? 😁 )

I am thinking about the VLRs for the front room, but I need to let the haus-boss finish filling it up.
I’ll likely have no room for a sub, but I could put a tactile transducer on the floor, which is the opposite of those speaker floating decouplers that the Carbon guy spruiks.

@holmz it might to help clarify who the “ they “ is…..Amir in those last few sentences….. 

I have heard VLR in many homes w and w/o subs… always excellent imo….

Jim

Yeah Bob, but they were like $20k … 😶

Thomson rotary sub

Are those the ones that use a fan like thing in a box?

In any case, for such a simple box and driver, they perform amazingly well.

B

Thanks @gdnrbob.

The ASR review also noted that they we better on-axis.
And the low bass that they noted is also likely helped with them in the corners. Fortunately Amis showed a step function response there, which was as expected from a good design..

I suspect if the front edges were Radiused, then it would make them a bit easier off axis. And maybe some dynamat or something to quell any resonances inside.

I might rebook at these for the front room. That would be a quieter area where I stay below the loud range… where they look like don’t like too much power/SPL and distortion is going up.

I think I complained in that review about about testing them down to 2Hz and they were complaining about the impedance. I would likely use a sub or a Thomson rotary sub if I was interested in 2 Hz to 20Hz… but that is just me.

One thing that I think is a for sure, is that the testing and your positioning are in violent agreement.
I’ll give them a pass for not appreciating step response, nor phase.

Toole says it doesn’t matter, and they stick to it… but I like when they at least show the measurement.