Hello Audiophiles,

If you’ve seen our VR-33 ads in Stereophile and The Absolute Sound and hoped that VSA would someday release a smaller version at a more affordable price, we would like to introduce you to our new VR-22. Although similar in appearance to the highly reviewed and best-selling VR-33, the VR-22 is slightly smaller, less imposing, and is priced at $2,895 which includes shipping in the Continental USA. Naturally, our 90-Day in home trial is part of the deal, along with various finishes at the standard price.

In the grand tradition created by our original VR-4 more than twenty years ago and recently emulated by our VR-33 speaker system,the new VR-22 follows this grand tradition of extreme-performance tempered by the importance of value. In these times, who is really interested in paying $20,000 for a two-way speaker system? Especially when you can get superior sound for less than $3,000/pair if you choose VR-22! By ‘superior sound’ we are referring to a higher level of dynamic range and deeper bass extension, with similar levels of transparency and 3-D image recreation. Most two-way high performance speaker systems use 6 or 7″ woofers, while our V-22 uses the most advanced 8″ woofer ever developed.

To create a sound as magnificent as the VR-22, we had to make it ourselves, here in our factory in California. Please do not confuse the VR-22 with inexpensive merchandise built offshore by unskilled labor; the VR-22 is hand-built in the USA using top-quality drivers from Scanspeak of Denmark and the finest European crossover parts. Internal wiring is lab-grade Delphi Aerospace Single Crystal copper with optional bi-wire version at slight additional cost. As the cabinet build quality is an important factor in transparent sound, we have ‘over-engineered’ the VR-22′s cabinet, using HDF instead of the more common MDF, along with far more honey-comb internal bracing than the industry standard. Our cabinet is as solid as a brick….

As many reviewers have stated over the years, a high-performance two-way speaker system is vastly superior to the majority of 3-way systems, no matter the cost. This fact is due to the difficulty of matching three different drive units with a very complex crossover network; often, the results are incoherent sound wherein the drivers sound separated. The VR-22 utilizes a matched pair of high-tech 8” woofers and 1” tweeters; we co-designed these drivers with a famed European transducer engineer to be used as a coherent system from their genesis. Seven different new technologies were used in the development!

First of all, the two drivers had to be developed as a ‘system’ so that they will have matching transient response speed, matching timbre, and neutral sound quality. Second of all, these drivers had to have an extremely wide bandwidth to enable a successful overlap at the midpoint of the ranges, so that neither driver would be driven into non-linear operation during high volume application. The materials chosen for this ‘Holy Grail’ of design attributes turned out to be a fabric manufactured with glass fiber nanotube filaments, an unusual but extremely high-tech solution to all of our desired targets in the realm of timbre matching, low distortion, and extreme transparency. Glass fiber nanotube filaments, when woven into a fabric using carbon fiber/resin bonding agents, have the desired properties that we sought: a very high Youngs Modulus (ratio of stiffness to weight), a total lack of bending wave distortion, and very high internal damping (due to the weave of the filaments) which prevents unwanted wave transmission through the cone/dome materials. When mechanical waves generated by the voice coil movement travels through the cone or dome, these standing waves result in unwanted ‘stored energy’ which interferes with the next note’s arrival; to eliminate this modulation and the resulting ‘veil’ (which sounds like a blur or fog being added to the music), some type of cone/dome damping is necessary. Although it is possible to add the requisite damping on the surface of the cone or dome, this technique adds unwanted mass; other methods to reduce standing wave energy, such as using soft plastic cones (like polypropylene) results in bending wave distortion, which also adds the unwanted ‘veil’ of sonic fog. The nanotube cone turned out to be the best of all possible worlds, but is rare, expensive, and difficult to manufacture. However, all of us engineers at Von Schweikert feel that nothing less than an ‘all out assault’ on the state of the art was necessary if we did not want to offer another ‘me too’ product!

We have loaded the 8” glass-fiber nanotube woofer into our famous quasi-transmission line to extend the bass response down to 30Hz with impact, clarity, and almost unbelievable depth of field. As this driver has incredibly fast transient response due to the extremely low moving mass and high magnetic flux density, the midrange frequency band is reproduced with breath-taking realism. A new type of motor system designed with FEA (finite element analysis) reduces magnetic distortion by a factor of ten, while also increasing the transient response speed by a factor of ten (according to the Chief Engineer at Scanspeak). It is these factors, along with the exotic cone material, that enables the midrange frequency band to be highly transparent. If the VR-22 reminds you of the clarity you have experienced with planar systems, we would not be surprised. In fact, that is why we helped develop it!

The key to the coherence of this system is the design of the tweeter, which behaves as a small midrange transducer. While being able to respond down to 485Hz is an amazing feat, the “air” and detail of this tweeter at 40kHz will absolutely amaze you. The VR-22′s proprietary tweeter uses Scanspeak’s “wide surround” design with transmission line rear chamber, enabling the 485Hz free air resonance and extremely high power capacity. As this driver uses the same Pat. Pend. low distortion motor as the 8” unit, along with a new dome material and proprietary damping technique, the perceived sonic quality is extremely neutral, vivid, and distortionless.

Both drivers are blended imperceptibly with our fabled Global Axis Integration Network, which is our Patent Pending technology that uses a minimum of crossover parts in series with the drivers, while phase correction, impedance control, and level matching is accomplished with shunt circuits outside the signal path. As this crossover offers very steep slopes combined with Phase Coherent behavior, the off-axis response is quite amazing and enables listeners anywhere in the room to enjoy full-bodied stereophonic sound quality. Instead of generating “beams” of sound like a flashlight, our crossover system and driver integration enables a “bubble” of sound to be heard throughout the room. This has the effect of simulating the proper reproduction of the recording microphone as well as matching the sound wave radiation pattern of almost every acoustic music instrument. You will be asking yourself: is this live music or is it VR-22?

Specifications

PRICE: $2,895/pair, delivered (C.O.N.U.S. only). Ninety Day in-home trial, sold factory direct.
SYSTEM TYPE: Two way dynamic system with 8” woofer and 1” tweeter.
BASS LOADING: Quasi-transmission line using 4 chambers with tuned port.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30Hz to 40kHz, +/- 3dB. (1dB tolerance in the midband).
IMPEDANCE: 8 ohms nominal, dropping to a low of 5 ohms at 30Hz tuning frequency.
SENSITIVITY: 90dB @ 1watt/1 meter. Can be placed against the wall to save space.
SIZE: 40” tall x 16” wide x 10” deep. Weight is 86 lbs per side, 106 lbs in shipping crate.
RECOMMENDED POWER: 10 watts for low level listening, up to 200 watts music power.
AVAILABLE FINISHES: Black or beige fabric wrap, with large variety of end caps available.
WARRANTY: Five years parts and labor, not including abuse. Transferable to 2nd owner.

Von Schweikert Audio
Telephone: (951) 682-0706
Email: [email protected]

Source: Albert Von Schweikert