Vandersteen VLR Speaker Review

[MZKM]

Where are you seeing that? I see $1,850 which is what I wrote in the review.

It is $1815, there is an upgraded CT model for $3291 (CT stands for carbon tweeter). Their own site has impulse/waterfall/impedance data for that model; they even as point out that at 0 time the waterfall plot is the frequency response, yet it‘s terrible too:

 

[Rick Sykora]

It looks like a regular ol' cloth grille though? The effect should be basically nonexistent.

Not sure, but Vandersteen has a clue about diffraction. Notably, if you looked at many of his other designs, he has taken steps to reduce diffraction. Have no dog in this fight but am always interested in knowing whether a design is based on sound science or marketing hype.

 

[tvih]

Not sure, but Vandersteen has a clue about diffraction. Notably, if you looked at the many of his other designs, he has taken steps to reduce diffraction. Have no dog in this fight but am always interested in knowing whether a design is based on sound science or marketing hype.

The variations seem quite extreme for just diffraction. I suppose the grille might have more "structure" to it than usual, but in that case I imagine amirm would've known to measure with it in place? Ah well. No dog in it for me either, but who knows what's going on. amirm's previous Vandersteen review, the VCC-5, resulted in a headless panther rating too despite at least the FR being more sensible than this.

 

[uwotm8]

It is $1815, there is an upgraded CT model for $3291 (CT stands for carbon tweeter)

CT is $5750 on product page

 

[MZKM]

CT is $5750 on product page

Are you in Canada? Because this is for me in the US:

 

[uwotm8]

the rule that price means almost nothing in how a speaker performs

You need some really bad, comfy bad speakers to prove this point but if we ignore some obvious exotic niche/boutique models and focus on competent brand speakes price suddently becomes much important. These poordersteens are just not representative $3-5k speaker, they are rather exclusion. So If I wanted to compare my DIY speakers and- as example - prove that they perform on $5k speaker level then I'd compare them to Revels, Dynaudios, Focals and KEFs. No to flawed exotics like these or, say, Zu Audio.

P.S. That box with that Seas coax for $2k is already enough for me just to ignore these - I mean even by first look it's a "no chance". Without any reviews.

 

[uwotm8]

Are you in Canada?

ЯUSSIA! Not joking.
International price maybe (or they build export versions better, more musicality, warmth, richness and transparency etc)

 

[fordiebianco]

Now I really want my SoundArtists measured. They cost less than half though.

 

[dtaylo1066]

I have had Vendersteen 1B speakers since the 1980s. I have never really liked them. I much prefer my DIY SEAS two-way monitors.

 

[Dialectic]

I have had Vendersteen 1B speakers since the 1980s. I have never really liked them. I much prefer my DIY SEAS two-way monitors.

That's a long time to keep speakers you don't like!

 

[Toni Mas]

Imo this loudspeaker has been designed as a wall speaker and it definitely needs a back wall to boost the lower part of the spectrum and compensate the even but too flat pir response, as well as poor sensitivity. On axis response is weird, as a result of shallow slopes of the xover and woofer beaming, but after all the on axis is not necessarily the most relevant one and btw overall frequency responses average quite good (listening window, reflections, pir...). Btw, and because of the smooth overall response, I do not think that applying precise EQ to flatten the on axis response will do any good, because most of the problems on axis are acoustical ones ( beaming and lobbing effects), and obviously any EQ apllied with make the good and even PIR response worse.

 

[gr-e]

The simple fact of the woofer being “on” the baffle instead of flush is an almost immediate sign that the response will be jagged. Even moreso with the frame being cut to fit on the sides

The woofer frame is not on the baffle, it's actually raised above it. I'm pretty sure it's designed to be flush with the grille on.

 

[3125b]

Thanks but no thanks, I’ll get a pair of KEF R3 and a Hypex amp for that kind of money.

Coaxials might not be that trivial to design, but even the very cheapest Elac easily beat these things at a fraction of the price.

 

[Toni Mas]

Thanks but no thanks, I’ll get a pair of KEF R3 and a Hypex amp for that kind of money.

Coaxials might not be that trivial to design, but even the very cheapest Elac easily beat these things at a fraction of the price.

Obviously the price is nonsense, whatever the performance

 

[Kuppenbender]

ЯUSSIA! Not joking.
International price maybe (or they build export versions better, more musicality, warmth, richness and transparency etc)

So….
an export ban on everything except overpriced, poorly designed hi-fi speakers, which, to add insult to injury, are priced even higher. Devious!

 

[DSJR]

The woofer frame is not on the baffle, it's actually raised above it. I'm pretty sure it's designed to be flush with the grille on.

That may well be the case if the grille fret is especially shaped to do just that.

Thing is, many markets love to display their speakers with naked front baffles regardless, as they (often wrongly) believe the sound is better without them. One or two mags measure the response with and without grilles and in properly designed speakers, the speaker usually has a smoother hf with grilles on.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Occasionally, we need an accurate measurement of a speaker like this Vandersteen model to drive home the rule that price means almost nothing in how a speaker performs.

I don't know how often I've read in a review in the slicks how something that rates highly here is merely "good for the money", and it's remarkable how every time I walk into one of those High End Audio emporiums (and I've been doing it for 45 years), the very first question asked of me is "how much are you willing to spend?"

Much of the high end audio establishment incessantly pushes the idea that there exists a linear relationship between sound quality and price paid. Blame TAS in general, and the late Harry Pearson in particular for creating this Veblenesque delusion that you can only get the best by buying something that costs as much as high rise waterfront condo.

While the very best remains very expensive (think Kii 3 with BXTs), it is nowhere near the cost of a Wilson Chronosonic complete with complementary overpriced electronics. And when the slicks pinp the idea that those million dollar systems are better, they are simply lying to their readers.

 

[Koeitje]

Looks like their website was designed by their loudspeaker designer, and this loudspeaker designed by the webdesigner.

 

[DanTheMan]

Looking at pictures from their website, it does seem that the grill is likely integral to the design as it does have round overs. I wonder if the grill cloth is placed over a solid wood frame. I guess only @amirm can answer this. If so, I think that’s actually clever. My ADAM ARTist 5 have grills that magnetically attach to a smooth baffle. They definitely measure better with the grill off.

 

[tvih]

Looking at pictures from their website, it does seem that the grill is likely integral to the design as it does have round overs. I wonder if the grill cloth is placed over a solid wood frame. I guess only @amirm can answer this. If so, I think that’s actually clever. My ADAM ARTist 5 have grills that magnetically attach to a smooth baffle. They definitely measure better with the grill off.

Yeah, I tried to find pictures of the inside of the VLR grille, but couldn't. Could indeed be a bit like my Paradigm Phantom V2s, with the difference that you can't even remove the grille from the V2s and the drivers are sunken in quite a bit compared to the wood frame.