Von Schweikert VR-5 Follow-Up: Two Amps Are Better Than One

I got a second Bel Canto EVo amplifier to drive the Von Schweikert VR5s. While the manual states that the amp settles down after 40 hours powered, the two amps immediately sounded better than one. I’d heard two Bel Canto EVo amps, on my system, prior to this for just one day—I’d borrowed one from a friend—and the results were so good that I decided to buy a second one. I figured that whatever speakers I wound up with, more power couldn’t hurt. With the VR5’s in the system, adding the second amplifier fleshed out the bottom and improved the overall musicality.

The first time I used two amps I tried only vertical bi-amping. In this configuration, recommended by Albert Von Schweikert, one amp drives the midrange and treble of both speakers and the other drives the bass of both speakers. More recently I also tried running each amp mono, thereby powering each speaker with one amp. It didn’t sound as good, and only macro dynamics benefited. Overall, the music was too punchy, as if the macro dynamics increased out of proportion to the rest. The leading edge of sounds in both the midrange and treble was too forward, resulting in a harsh sound.[1] The sound wasn’t as sweet nor did it offer up as much inner detail. Subtleties such as the decay of sounds and their textures were glossed over. I switched back to vertical biamping and music became musical again.

I’m still using the Creek volume control instead of a preamp. While this may prohibit ear-bleeding levels on some recordings—though not when using the amps as monoblocks, in which case the system gets louder—such forced restraint is best for the neighbors. I also know that I’m getting a cleaner sound than if I used a preamp. Listening to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon, for instance, I could stand a louder volume but the level was already very loud. The thud of the drums on “Money” was convincingly forceful, while the overall sound was well balanced between treble, midrange, and bass. It sounded spot on! Indeed, the maximum volume on both Floyd and on the Grateful Dead’s Dead Set sounded like the ideal volume. Peaks in volume, which may sometimes miss the gain afforded by an active preamp, had just the right amount of oomph with nary a hint of strain.

By the way, there is a small degree of immediacy lost by going through the Creek Volume control, as well as subtle mid-range harshness not present when running direct to the amp. I ran the signal direct from my digital to analog converter to the two amps, and I heard a louder, easier, more detailed sound. (I don’t just mean louder because there is no way to lower the signal, but louder than the Creek volume control turned all the way up.) Mind you, there is no gain control when running direct to the amps, but some discs play at a good level this way. Many others, however, are intolerably loud. With no gain control this is not a permanent configuration. Still, it’s informative of what the pre-amp or volume control is adding. I’ll probably go back to it for dedicated listening sessions, as the sound was remarkable.

So, what’s wrong with the Von Schweikerts? Given what I know is out there for the price, they’re the best. You must audition them if you’re not going to spring for the VR7s. How do the VR5s fall short of reality or of better speakers? They don’t have the effortless dynamics of real music—at least not with the amps I’m using or with the recordings I tried. Depth and dimensionality are certainly not realistic, though much of this is probably a shortcoming of two-channel reproduction. Similarly, they’re not as transparent as would be required to sound like the real thing. As for their coloration, I can’t sense it yet. For most speakers I can hear it right away. With the VR5s the only coloration I can detect is from my listening room!

And the bass! So tight, so true, through the VR5’s. Among the bass’s greatest strengths is that it’s simply not there when there is no bass content in the signal. The lower midrange is startling free of any lower frequency coloration. This is unusual. But I digress. I was speaking to what other speakers do better. The VR5’s bass doesn’t always have as much weight or authority as I’d like, though adding the second amplifier substantially helped in this regard, bringing these speakers to the best-in-their-class level. Of course, using a speaker with more bass output might overwhelm my listening room. The VR7s, which did sound like they had a weightier bass at the 2000 CES, were in a huge space. Albert clearly stated that, because of their respective bass outputs, the VR5s are for moderately sized rooms while the VR7s are for large and very large rooms.

Be concerned about associated equipment with the VR5s. You don’t want to be using any cheap CD players or preamps or amps. Avoid harsh midranges, such as you’ll get from cheap or good-for-the-money cheap, CD players. You’re going to want to start at about $1,000 for a current model CD player or D-to-A converter. I’m talking about a grand spent on today’s offerings, not a grand for something from a couple of years ago. The Bel Canto DAC1 or the Birdland Audio Odeon-lite DAC, both recently reviewed, would be ideal. The Mac C41 ($2,500) is an excellent place to start for a preamp—or grab a used C38. Consider the Bryston 4B or better for the amplification. Be careful of entry-level high-end amplifiers, which may take the VR5s neutrality and push it to the harsh side. Also, my experience adding a second amplifier–at 120 watts per channel–suggests that you shouldn’t skimp on power, unless your room is considerably smaller than mine; my listening room 13’ wide, 22’ long, and 10’ high.

The bottom line is, if they’re in your price range and if you can feed them well, you must check them out!

[1] Could it be that a separate break-in or warm-up is required after putting the amps into mono mode? Bel Canto, who told me that the EVo distorts less in mono mode, made no mention of this.

DENNIS’s REFERENCE SYSTEM:

XS Technologies Strata 1000 power line conditioner >> Sony DVP-S7700 DVD player >> Monster M1000D digital coaxial cable >> Meridian 568 as a digital to analog converter only >> Creek OBH-10 passive volume control >> Bel Canto EVo 200.2 amplifier >> Tara Air 2 speaker cable >> Mirage M-3si loudspeakers. All of the electronics sit on a Salamander Synergy equipment rack.

Other equipment used:

Meridian 568 surround sound preamplifier McIntosh C38 preamplifier Spendor S1 loudspeakers

Power cables used:

Custom House Power Cord on the 568, Stock cord on the Bel Canto EVo 200.2 amplifier

* See back issues for reviews on the XS Technologies Strata 1000 power line conditioner, Krell KAV-500i integrated amplifier, and the Tara Air 2 speaker cable.

This follow-up extends the original VR-5 review. For the electrical side of bi-amping and system selection, see our amplifier and speaker matching guide.