Are the Von Schweikert VR-4JRs really all that?

I've had the Jrs for about 8 months now. I've tried them in many configurations and in two different rooms. It has been a long time comming, but I can finally say I think they sound pretty great. It was not until I got my upstream gear right that they sounded good.

Personally I think they need some power to come alive. The 400 watt Parasound Halos seem to not be overkill in any way. It was when I added the Ayre K1x preamp that things changed dramatically. I think this just happens to be a great match on the Jrs.

If the DK is known to be great with the JRs then I'd go for it, if not, I'd say there is a very good chance it might not thrill you. I've hear mine with a lot of different combinations and most of them sucked.

They are also a serious pain to break in, so don't be surprised if you don't like them at all for 400 or so hours.

One of the best things about these speakers to me is that they sound great off axis. You don't have to have your head perfectly fixed in the center to hear them sound super. Everyone can sit on the couch and hear good sound.

The Shanling 200C direct into the Halo JC-1 is a great match for the 4JRs. The problem with the Halos though is that they're big and they run hot. Broke the deal for me in my smallish room, so out the Halos went, but that didn't mean that life in the sauna wasn't audio heaven.

The temptation, of course, is always there to keep looking--I've done that with every single component I've ever owned. But at some point, you've got to become confident in the homework and research you've done and pull the switch. I used to own the VR-4 Jrs. before I went upsscale in the VSA line, and IMHO, after listening to VSA's much pricier offerings, I'm still convinced that they remain the best value in the company's line and, perhaps, the best value in all of audio. They do things that no 4k speaker has any right to do. The soundstaging and dynamics put a few much more expensive speakers to shame. Let's look at this way: If you don't like them, you can sell them pretty easily on Audiogon. People are lining up to snap these babies up used.

I have them and love em. I auditioned quite a few speakers in that price range and knew the first time I heard them that they were for me. The in home demo nailed it. The folks at VSA (Kevin and Albert) are great to deal with as well.

I sold my Jr's on here about a month ago. I sold them for a few reasons:

1. Though the bass was deep and very present, the transmission line arrangement has less slam than I hoped on rock and some jazz.

2. The rear ambience tweeter drove me nuts. With it turned off the speakers sound very warm and musical but lack life and air. With it turned up to around 4 the speakers opened up, but also could be gratingly bright on some material which then made me go turn it down. Too fiddly for me as I am by nature a tweaker like most people on here.

3. For $4000 speakers they are extremely revealing, and in demos at CES they sounded best with high $$ tube electronics from VAC. If your electronics or cables are in any way non-synergistic you will have some work to do.

4. The soundstage though good in most respects could collapse at higher volumes, and the rear tweeter could push it too far back of plane for my taste depending on setting. There is a very fine line for this between good depth and listening from down a tunnel.

Do not take my comments to mean I do not like the speakers, I have heard them sound amazing in some systems and rooms, and for $4000 they are hard to beat. In my room and system unfortunately our relationship was short. I replaced them with speakers that sell for roughly twice as much used, and for around $2750-$3000 used there probably isn't much that will beat them unless you can find a pair of Dunlavys, but these also are ruthlessly revealing and need top shelf components and LOTS of space.

On a side note I listened to the VR-4SR at CES this year and I think these may fit my tastes better, more slam and less brightness and a bit more forward perspective from what I could tell, however they are twice as much $$ as the juniors so not as good of value.

As always your results may vary, and if you pick them up used and don't care for them they should be easy to resell as they are very popular right now.