Congratulations to VSA and Constellation

ROBERT HARLEY ON T.H.E. SHOW NEWPORT’S HIGHLIGHTS
Show report
by Robert Harley | Jun 04th, 2014
Categories: Digital-to-analog converters, Music servers and computer audio
Robert Harley on T.H.E. Show Newport’s Highlights
The 2014 Newport show was another huge success, so much so that it may move to a larger and more deluxe venue next year. The Hilton and Atrium hotels are stretched to their limits by the ever-growing number of exhibitors, and particularly, by the crowds that get larger every year.

I wasn’t able to get into as many rooms at this year’s show, so I’ll share with you what I thought were the highlights of the new products I saw.

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Von Schweikert Audio VR-100XS Loudspeaker

Von Schweikert Audio hasn’t had much success demonstrating its flagship VR-100XS loudspeaker ($140,000) at the last few shows; the sound has been plagued by problems. For this Newport show, Albert Von Schweikert vowed to take complete control over the playback system and setup so that listeners could hear the speaker’s potential. It was worth the effort; the VR-100XS was magnificent, and one of the show’s musical highlights. Despite being in a standard-sized hotel room, the VR-100XS had extremely smooth and extended bass, with none of the typical bottom-end colorations. This is likely the result of the dual outboard bass drivers that operate differently from conventional subwoofers. Designed to be placed behind the listener, these modules “pressurize” the room with low frequencies. In addition to terrific bass, the VR-100XS had stunning transparency, resolution, and articulation through the entire spectrum. Driven by Constellation electronics (Centaur monoblocks, Virgo II preamp) and an Esoteric CD/SACD player, the VR-100XS was magnificent. This appears to be a world-class loudspeaker.

Best Sound (cost no object)
The Von Schweikert VR-100XS (Constellation electronics), Magico Q7 (VAC electronics, Synergistic Research, Scott Walker Audio), Polymer Audio Research MKX-S (FM Acoustics electronics), and Wilson Alexia (Constellation electronics) topped my list.

Hi Ash,

I have set up every VS speaker since 2005 except the Unifield 2, VR-7 and 100XS. One of the first three was supposed to be mine but fate intervened and I ended up in line for VR-11s as the VR-11 owner commissioned the 4 tower 111. The ML3 I have heard on 3 occassions, all with Wilson speakers.

Going by the AXPONA launch my guess is that the ML3 will not be able to drive the 100XS to realistic levels without clipping. At Axpona, the 100s required the midbass drivers to be powered separately when paired with the KR SETs with similar power to the ML3 (35wpc). In Chicago, Myles and Peter thought the 100s sounded great with the mids and highs SET driven as long as they weren't pushed too hard. An indication that even with the midbass augmented there is already a lack of headroom. My recommendation of this combo would have that huge caveat. I could only recommend this to anybody who listens to uncomplicated programme material and listens with peaks in the low 80s. I've not heard them together so this level may go up or down and also depend on the amount of boundary reinforcement might be available in any given room. Still, seems a waste given the individual capabilities. Lambos on supermarket parking lots.

The Mk2 family of VSA speakers are very transparent, articulate and organic to the point of being very demanding of upstream sources and electricals. The ML3s have the purity of alpine water. Too bad the present physics doesn't allow hem to be presented together.

Sorry Ash, this is the best I can do at this point unless someone actually orders a set from me against my recommendations.

Jack

I'll keep you posted Ash. My Elite is arriving the end of the month and I'm just waiting for the go signal to have the TD Ti, Air Force 2s and D7i S DACs picked up in Tokyo by my forwarder. I would say the TD COI is at the same level of enjoyment as my XV-1t and Atlas. Believe it or not, I've been enjoying these three so much that I still have my Gold Finger S and my Transfiguration Proteus in their respective boxes. I have a feeling the TD Ti will also be at this level.

The thing with this present line up is that they are all so good that you would never hear me say that one is better than the other in ultimate terms. These are like my children. I love them all I bet the Ti will be yet another different but equally lovable new kid in the house. As for the others in the line up that came before, I think of them as the ones that have gone off to college and now forget to call home. LOL.