Von Schweikert Audio VR-11 XTC

[Σπύρος Μπλάτσιος]

Von Schweikert Audio is proud to announce that a new breakthrough in speaker design, the VR-11 XTC, will be shown at the largest CES venue in Las Vegas, the Chateaux Ballroom at the San Remo Hotel, (T.H.E. Show), January 8-11, 2004.

In the design stage for 4 years, the VR-11 XTC model ($100,000 to $165,000) will define the state-of-the-art for many years to come. Featuring on-board Active Room Correction and a bandwidth of 10 Hz to 100,000 Hz, the VR-11 can produce a three-dimensional sound stage undistinguishable from live music. To demonstrate this feat, a live musical group, The Misty River Band, will be playing through the system Thursday through Sunday, Jan 8-11, at the Chateaux Ballroom, San Remo Hotel, site of THE Show, daily from 5:00 to 6:00pm.

In the November 2003 issue of The Absolute Sound magazine, the all-acoustic Misty River (www.mistyriverband.com) was given kudos for great sound and performance, prompting Albert Von Schweikert to hire them for the upcoming VR-11 XTC demo.

As the VR-11 XTC uses all-new technology to develop a realistic sound-field, using a live band as the source was a "natural," according to Kevin Malmgren, VP Engineering, designer of the VR-11 enclosure system.

The 7.5 ft tall tower utilizes 4-15" subwoofers, 8-9" midbass, 4-7" midrange, 4-1.5" Dual Ring Radiators, and 4-5" ribbon super-tweeters. Output level is 137 dB at only 0,7% distortion, enabling a dynamic range approaching a live orchestra. Dr. Royce Joyner, patron of Serial #001, is a regular concert-goer and insisted on purchasing "the best speaker in the world, cost-no-object."

To realize Dr. Joyner's dream, Albert Von Schweikert and the unique VSA design team lead by Kevin Malmgren, tested every available drive unit in the world to determine the final system parameters. The lucky purchaser can choose between passive analog crossovers or active digital crossovers, permitting phase coherent Time Alignment and "perfect" impulse and step response. Although the VR-11 XTC has enough bass power to shake an entire house, an active on-board Room Correction Unit designed by Rives Audio will ensure total accuracy in any environment. To enable the listener to choose his own frequency balance in the low to high treble ranges, military-spec mercury switches controlling a metal film resistor ladder is provided. Frequency response between 2 kHz and 100,000 kHz can be adjusted over a +/- 3dB range with the zero-distortion level controls.

The VR-11 XTC is 7.5 feet tall and weighs 900 lbs per side, but has a slender appearance. Many exotic wood finishes are standard, as is the built-in subwoofer amplification and electronic crossover.