I just hear the V2 at a nearby dealer. I called ahead of time, and they were kind enough to set up a system, not unlike mine, for a lengthy audition. I asked that they locate the speakers on the long wall so as to approximate the distance/orientation of my room. They also hooked up an SME Model 10/A table (which I use), Dynavector cart, Nagra phono, SS 100W Spectral amp and preamp and MIT cables.
My friend and I were left alone in the room for a couple of hours with five of my reference LPs and one CD. This was simply the best audition I've heard in a dealer's showroom. I had heard plenty of well-regarded speakers(Wilson Alexandria and Sophia, SF Elipsa, JBL K2, Harbeth, Magico Mini, B&W), but for whatever reasons, they usually left me unmoved. This time was different. Whether it was room setup, system matching, or something else, the V2 in this system was truely involving. I simply could not bring myself to lift the stylus out of the groove until the LP was finished.
I started with the 45rpm reissue of Brown/Ellington "This One's for Blanton". Right scale, superb detail and incredible impact. During Beethoven's Violin Concerto, I got a real sense of the space in Boston Symphony Hall. Massed strings sounded as though there were actually many separate and distinct violins playing together. The layers of musicians and depth was very good. For the first time, reproduced classical music sounded believable to me. I also listened to some female voice that put the singer in the room with us.
I could go on, and maybe I just had'nt heard a really good demo before, but these speakers are definately worth considering if one is in the market for a $15-20K set of speakers. I want to listen to a few other speakers in this range, but these really did sound great. It was an experience I will not soon forget.
