The answer to the last question, is yes. I heard the Vivid on the one and Phantom on the AC, side by side when I bought my Raven one. Now clearly they were'nt on the same table, but you could hear the clarity, expanded soundstage etc, the Phantom was bringing. The Vivid is excellent for the money, but it is only a few hundred dollars. There is a review of the one, in one of the online magazines, where the reviewer started with the Vivid and went onto the phantom, have a look at it