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Vienna Acoustics sounded terrible at Magnolia

I went to check them out, with all the reserve I have when it comes to big box stores, the fact that you can buy VA speakers with their no-interest financing is fairly attractive. I found something quite rare in these stores, a sales-guy who liked and understood sound and music, and he was very helpful.
I listened to the Mozart's in the show room and it was nothing short of appalling. Are those sources that bad? I came back home and looked at the reviews and something must be amiss. The bass was completely disjointed, like a $100 subwoofer with the driver loosened from the rim!! I put in my CD of Beethoven's 4th piano concerto with Claudio Arrau at the Concertgebow and stopped it right away, I though it made Beethoven cry in Heaven! The sound had nothing to do with the actual tonality or notes or anything!!
The sources were Yamaha and Denon receivers in tone defeat. I know they are bad, but that bad?? I did notice the positioning made a big difference, but never got them to sound even decent!
Any ideas? Anyone with any experience? VA owners, what is your experience regarding source sensitivity? BTW, my plan would have been for a NAD 372 as amp.
Thanks
roc_doc
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Sadly, the answer is quite simple. . . Magnolia did not place the speakers correctly in the room. When Vienna speakers are not set up properly, the result can be appalling. . . bloated disjointed bass, shouting mid treble. . . as I said, appalling. The importer -- Sumiko -- has designed a set up procedure that they make available to all their dealers. . . but it's up to stores to take up the setup training offer. There is nothing magic about the process. . . just a bit of patience and work. . . and experience with it. I have written a short article on the Sumiko Masters setup on issue 188 of The Absolute Sound. My own Vienna mahlers have been professionally setup by Sumiko and Rod Tomson of Soundings Hifi of Denver (Co)(. . . and they sound divine! G.
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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
Hi,
I have had similar experiences at Magnolia, and even at Definitive Audio. Even at home. I have found it takes (for me, anyway), years to get the most out of any given audio system. Though you'd think an audio store could and would do a better job, they don't seem to, even though their livelihood depends on it.

The Mozart's are a high-quality speaker. I'm sure you will get good sound out of the NAD. If you start with fine speakers, upgrades in the signal path will continually reward you with an improved listening experience.

Best of luck, regards,
Dan
roc_doc OP
55 posts
 
Thank you guys. I figured something was amiss, all the reviewers could not have been that wrong! Regarding the placement, yes, it was a terrible job. I spent most of the time hauling them around the room and trying to dampen the many reflexions and resonances, unsuccessfully. To give you an idea of the kind of job they do, the Haydns were on a bookshelf! (after all, they are "bookshelf speakers", right?!?) The other problem is I am sure the sources and front ends are terrible, and they would not let me bring my own amp in.
On a related note, anyone using these with an NAD set-up? Excessively warm result? Are the NAD components able to tame that wild bass and make it poignant and tight? (incidentally, on the measurements in the Stereophile review they seem to have pretty wild impedance curves).
Cheers and thanks again
zieman
339 posts
 
Going to a retail store should provide a relative experience. You can compare apples to apples, regardless of set-up. Every speaker you put in the same good or bad location in that store is using all the same components, wire, etc... Invaluable IMHO.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Yes, Vienna speakers have uhrn. . . interesting impedance curves. They work best with amps with very high damping factors (above 400)( or they will sound overly warm. For this reason, class D amps work particularly well with Vienna. G.
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