VAF or Equinox

[Rudi]

Hi all
Need an adviceon 5 speaker set.
My budget $3500-$5000 for speakers.
VAF DC-X/7/6 - $3400 (timber finish, unassembled)
Equinox (Aphelion - front, Periphelion - rear, Zenith - centre) - $4900.
Is the difference in a quality worth $1500?
A/V receiver Denon 3803 or NAD T762 (T773- maybe).
Any advice or suggestions?
Thanks

[Robby]

"Rudi" <karapetian.rouben@protech.com.au> wrote in message
news:ce4ca827.0312041829.48d38527@posting.google.c om...
> Hi all
> Need an adviceon 5 speaker set.
> My budget $3500-$5000 for speakers.
> VAF DC-X/7/6 - $3400 (timber finish, unassembled)
> Equinox (Aphelion - front, Periphelion - rear, Zenith - centre) - $4900.
> Is the difference in a quality worth $1500?
> A/V receiver Denon 3803 or NAD T762 (T773- maybe).
> Any advice or suggestions?
> Thanks

Rudi, I have the VAF set up you mention along with the VAF LFE-07 Subwoofer
and I drive them with a Marantz SR-18 (5*140W) and I am really happy.
I have had this set up for a couple of years and several of my friends have
gone the same way.
The main comment I hear is, "Price for performance they are unbeatable".
After sale service with VAF is exceptionable, the management and staff
certainly know their product.
I may certainly be biased, with good reason I believe, but I can assure you
that when I update I will go with VAF gear.
I'm very interested in the 'Signature' range, bloody terrific, Robby.

[kaanage]

"Rudi" <karapetian.rouben@protech.com.au> wrote in message
news:ce4ca827.0312041829.48d38527@posting.google.c om...
> Hi all
> Need an adviceon 5 speaker set.
> My budget $3500-$5000 for speakers.
> VAF DC-X/7/6 - $3400 (timber finish, unassembled)
> Equinox (Aphelion - front, Periphelion - rear, Zenith - centre) - $4900.
> Is the difference in a quality worth $1500?
> A/V receiver Denon 3803 or NAD T762 (T773- maybe).
> Any advice or suggestions?
> Thanks

Hi Rudi,

I have heard most of the Equinox range (including all those you mentioned),
the VAF DC-X and the VAF I-66. IMO, the Equinox stuff is more in line
(sonically) with the VAF Signature than the DC stuff.

I compared the Solstice directly with the I-66 and found them VERY similar
(almost indistinguishable) over most of the frequency range with the most
detectable difference being the bass where the I-66 was leaner than the
Solstice but extended deeper. Given the difference in cabinet sizes and
driver sizes, the bass difference is not surprising but the comparable
quality of the sound (in imaging and refinement) was surprising given that
that I-66 costs 3 times what the Solstice does (and that is with the I-66s
unassembled). Having heard the Aphelion vs the Solstice, I would think that
the Aphelion ($2250, delivered) would be directly comparable to the I-66
($4000, unassembled, undelivered).

I listened the the DC-X against the Peraphelion and the DC-X is more dynamic
(louder at the same amplifier setting) but the Peraphelion is miles ahead in
every other aspect (except perhaps power handling). The Peraphelion sounds
almost identical to the Aphelion except for being less dynamic and extending
a little less in bass. The DC-X has a noticably harsh upper midrange, as
others here have posted, and additionally, this band is noticably emphasized
compared to the other frequencies so it has a VERY distinctive sound - it is
very much an "in your face" speaker and this gives the impression of great
detail and imaging but comparison with other high speakers with a more
normal (ie flat) frequency response show this to be illusory. I wouldn't say
that the DC-X is "bloody awful" as a friend told me, but having heard one, I
do think it is "bloody ordinary" and only decent value at best.

Rick is a friend of mine but I do think his stuff is excellent value to the
point of being underpriced. If you can stretch the budget to suit, I'd
definitely go with the Equinox rig (and you can use an Eclipse or Solstice
as a center to make the package a little cheaper).

Additionally, I don't think the DC series style suits timber veneering -
they are designed for the sock as a covering.

Greg Kaan.

[Belial]

On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 15:25:17 +0000, kaanage wrote:



> I compared the Solstice directly with the I-66 and found them VERY similar
> (almost indistinguishable) over most of the frequency range with the most
> detectable difference being the bass where the I-66 was leaner than the
> Solstice but extended deeper. Given the difference in cabinet sizes and
> driver sizes, the bass difference is not surprising but the comparable
> quality of the sound (in imaging and refinement) was surprising given that
> that I-66 costs 3 times what the Solstice does (and that is with the I-66s
> unassembled).

Am I reading that right? You're saying that the Solstice has more bass
than the I-66??? The I-66 is a floor stander rated 20-21k, Soltice
is a 45-24k bookshelf. Surely you meant that the other way round....

Ben

- coming of age during the plague of Regan and Bush
watching capitalism gun down democracy
it had a funny effect on me, I guess

Ani DiFranco

[D. Advocate]

Belial <me@privacy.net> wrote in message news:<pan.2003.12.07.01.44.01.739292@privacy.net>...
> On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 15:25:17 +0000, kaanage wrote:
> > I compared the Solstice directly with the I-66 and found them VERY similar
> > (almost indistinguishable) over most of the frequency range with the most
> > detectable difference being the bass where the I-66 was leaner than the
> > Solstice but extended deeper. Given the difference in cabinet sizes and
> > driver sizes, the bass difference is not surprising but the comparable
> > quality of the sound (in imaging and refinement) was surprising given that
> > that I-66 costs 3 times what the Solstice does (and that is with the I-66s
> > unassembled).
>
> Am I reading that right? You're saying that the Solstice has more bass
> than the I-66??? The I-66 is a floor stander rated 20-21k, Soltice
> is a 45-24k bookshelf. Surely you meant that the other way round....
>
> Ben

He said the bigger I-66 had a leaner but more extended bass response.
This sort of thing is entirely possible with speakers due to cabinet
tuning - especially with ported speakers, which both of these are.
Driver differences may also play a part.

It's very difficult (impossible?) to get more extension out of a
smaller cabinet/driver combination without equalisation but it is easy
to get a midbass bloom at the expense of earlier rolloff and more
group delay in that region (the amount of bloom, rolloff and group
delay plus other characteristics is all interrelated and depends on
the driver, cabinet size and porting).