Home Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

Get real ???

Hello Dooley. You say I should get real. Well, it can't get any more "real" than this:

I was in the market for speakers (as well as most other components). My wife and I were building a new home. My budget for speakers was $16,000. I listened to all the "usual suspects" from $10K up to that price (Thiel, Vandersteen, Martin-Logan, B & W, Sonus Faber, Wilson), as well as 4 other manufacturers in "serious auditions" (Avantgarde, Eggleston, Gershman Acoustics, Revel). Note I heard 15 - 16 more in "casual auditions", including one of your "Indy cars".

Well, after a year and a half, I had decided on Gershman Acoustics. Not just in my head, but through several phone calls with Ofra Gershman, I had come to a "deal". She even sent snapshots of the various finishes for me to select from. She was a pleasure doing business with. This was in January, 2002.

My home wasn't completed until May. In February, I "discovered" VMPS. I had numerous phone conversations with Brian Cheney. I couldn't have been more impressed. When I started asking for information about two of his speakers in that price range, he steered me to the RM40s instead (a third of the cost). This goes against the grain of "Business 101". And it's not like he's having trouble moving RM40s - they are selling like hot cakes.

In the end, I switched from the Opera Sauvage to the RM40s (to mate with KORA amps). It sounds crazy, but after going through 18 months of auditioning, I went with a speaker I couldn't audition, and had never heard down here in Tampa. Of course, after I made my decision, a dealer opened up 4 hours from here - oh well. They sound wonderful.

If you think this is a bunch of bull, go read some of my historical posts on Harmonic Discord. It's all there for the world to see.

I assume you take your stance because you're sure no speaker costing $5,800 (with TRT caps) could possibly compete with $12,000 speakers. After all, there's no free rides, and you get what you pay for, right? However, I also assume you've never heard the RM40s.

It's fine - I understand your position. And without opinions, this board would not be worth coming to.

Well Dooley, is this "real" enough for you??

Kevin


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