Von Schweikert VR2 vs Sonus Faber Grand Piano H

VR2s will be more dynamic, open and neutral with deeper and more well defined bass. The Grand Pianos are not as transparent and have a more laid back sound resulting in less apparent detail but still very musical. They need some power to really open up where the VR2s are rated at 91dB sensitivity. May come down to preference. If only the VR2s looked like the SF!

At that price I second the VR4jrs. Have not heard them yet...but...if they are better than the VR2s it becomes less of a contest.

It's a matter of taste and preference.I own the VR-2's and have heard the Grand Pianos.The Bass performance of the Vr-2 speakers are very special for the price.I believe the Grand Piano H do a better "disappearing" act.If possible I would buy the VR-4 jr's.They are my next move.

Transnova,
It is precisely the disappearing act of the SF GPH what I found pretty incredible. But in the used market, from what I've read, the VR2s are the best bang for the buck between the 2. The VR 4jr are still not in the same price point (used). One can find the SFs for about 2000 and the VR2 for around 1500 or even less. The VR4 jr are still too new, so I'll just let someone else pay the depreciation and wait for its price to come down. If they are comparable to the SF GP, I expect them to be around 2K or less in the next couple of years.

How is the soundstage of the VR2s? Do you use the rear firing tweeter?

Yes I use the rear firing tweeter. My VR2s are about 5 feet from the rear wall (which is treated with 4 panels) and I feel like I can walk into the soundstage. In my opinion it's very effective in the right circumstances and blends well with the front firing drivers.

The soundstage on my CD player is constricted and confined between the speakers. The soundstage and imaging through my VPI Scout is much better. My point is that I feel the VR2s will accurately project what it's being fed. Can't get mine to dissappear though.

One thing I can see from your pics is that the VR2s are too close together. I realize that your options are probably limited, but that is what I found to be true when I had the VR2s. They sounded their best at about 10 ft. apart (measured from the center of the cabinet), but even then I could never get them to completely disappear. As much as I respected all the "audiophile" qualities they had, they also never really moved me, so I "moved" them......on out the door. But aside from that, I still think you need lots of room for them to do the things that they do best.

Oz