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Model: | VS - 150 |
Category: | Speakers |
Suggested Retail Price: | $599.00 pr |
Description: | 15 Inch 3 Way 101 db Efficient 4 Ohm Kick Ass Speaker |
Manufacturer URL: | Cerwin-Vega |
Review by ka7niq on March 17, 2012 at 18:13:45 IP Address: 24.26.79.130 | Add Your Review for the VS - 150 |
Over nearly 30 years in high end audio, I have made several friends whose ears I trust. I was told about these sleepers from the older Cerwin Vega lineup. I just laughed, but my friends persisted in their demands that I try and hear a pair. I found a used minty pair of VS 150's on Craigslist for 150.00, so I thought WTF ?
Ok, many big Cerwin Vega's play really loud, and are well known for their kick ass bass. But High End, they are not.
Many are really hard sounding and foreward, and some are just plain bad.
But guess what ? The Cerwin Vega VS 150 is a real Sleeper.
Cerwin Vega gave their old flagship it's own midrange driver. It is used ONLY in the VS 150.
OK , the VS 150 does not image like a B&W Matrix 801, nor does it have the transparency of Big Magnepans or Electrostats. But guess what, these big ugly bastards are Musical !
Cerwin Vega got the midrange right on these, and you can listen to them all day long w/o fatigue.
They have sort of a "Wurlitzer Sound". That means warm and musical. The tweeters are simply no match for the B&W Matrix 801 tweeter (What is ?") and have no where near the speed of the Magnepan MG 3 ribbon tweeters.
But they do ok with a minimum of tizz, and their errors are ones of ommission vs Commission. They blur detail just a bit, but are not offensive in any way.
The Cerwin Vega VS 150 woofer is a heroic die cast paper cone, and the midrange is made out of paper too. This means all the sounds are coming from ONE type of driver material, and this makes a difference.
The crossover is seamless.
One big mistake people make with Cerwin Vagas is not remembering they are a 4 ohm load. They require a high current amp to sound best, even though they are 101 db efficient. My Cerwin Vega VS 150's sound just average with a receiver at lower volume levels. But, with my high current amps hooked up, they really show what they are capable of.
I am not just talking the ability to play loud guys. I am talking the ability to play really loud, and sound great doing it.
FEW speakers can even begin to Rock like these can.
Let me put it this way, I have several pairs of high end speakers, but my non audiophile friends like these the best.
If you like Rock played like it is supposed to be played, few speakers can touch the Cerwin Vega VS 150.
And, when you are not listening to the Scorpions or Judas Priest, they flat sound good on Jazz or female vocals.
There is a Cerwin Vega Forum dedicated to nothing but Cerwin Vega Speakers.
It is widely accepted on that that the VS 150 has the best midrange of any Cerwin Vega Speaker ever made.
These speakers can still be found for under 250.00 a pair. Some may need a re foam, but that's no big deal since Cerwin Vega still makes the right refoam kits for these.
Even stock, these speakers will come into your home and take it over, unless you are a crazy audiophile like me with 11 other pairs of high end speakers.
There are some easy to do mods you can do to make these sound even better, but you will not be disappointed using them just the way they came.
Hold out for the VS 150 ONLY, do not think other similar looking big Cerwin Vega's with 15 inch woofers are "just as good" because they are not.
The Cerwin Vega VS 150 was Cerwin Vega's crowning achievement. It was the Flagship of the older VS Line.
In closing this review, if you have been looking for a speaker that will rock like no other, and sounds good doing that, as well as playing all other music, that sounds good watching TV and Movies, you may have just found it.
Feed it with a real amp, and enjoy!
Product Weakness: | Needs high current amp, a little boxy, slow tweeter, Ugly and Big, |
Product Strengths: | Nice Midrange, male and female vocals, fast, deep, and room shaking bass, high efficiency and power handling, decent imaging, fatigue free, warm and romantic midrange. |
Amplifier: | Parasound |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Parasound and Tube Preamp |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | CD |
Speakers: | B&W Matrix 801 |
Cables/Interconnects: | Monster |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | All Kinds |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 24 x 20 x 8 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | le/de |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 1 year |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | none |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Your System (if other than home audition): | None |
How do the Cerwin Vega AT-15's compare to the VS-150's?
20 years ago, who had a small pair in the barracks. He was one floor up and at the end of the hallway with his door closed. When I entered after knocking several times with the intent of having him turn the volume down, he still couldn't hear me even-though I was two feet behind him.
They go loud, but not in a way I'd call musical.
Agreed, there are some Cerwin Vega's that play loud, and very little else.
The VS 150's are very musical, I think you would be surprised if you heard a pair.
I had a pair of CV U351's HED (high energy design)3 way model which I purchased in 1982 no idea how they stack up against similar 15" models but all in all they weren't terrible but could sound somewhat bright at times. Probably a combination of being underdriven and in too small of a room. Both woofers needed to be refoamed and gave them away approx 8 years ago just to get the behemouths out of the house.
Behemouth. Expressive.
Cheers
Bill
I have never heard that particular model. But most Cerwin Vega Speakers I have heard were bright, or very midrange forward sounding. Some, with the dual midrange drivers I just couldn't stand for long. But nearly all big Cerwin Vega Speakers have heroic bass impact, and most will flat shake a room to pieces.
This is because Cerwin Vega gives all it's larger speakers very rugged and efficient cast frame drivers in properly tuned good size cabinets.
If you like bass impact, and the ability to play bass for hours at levels that will destroy lesser speakers, Cerwin Vega Speakers are hard to beat for that.
It is the REST of most Cerwin Vega's I have been unable to live with.
I am able to live with the Cerwin Vega VS 150 because it gives you the bass, efficiency, and power handling that Cerwin Vega has always been known for, and a decent to good midrange.
The tweeter could have been better, but it is not harsh and peaky.
thanks for the review of these over-looked gems. if anyone has tried the VS-150s or similar CVs wtih tube amps, please post your impressions.
-andre d
I have heard of people using some kind of impedance transforming device called a zero autoformer I think ?
It makes the amp THINK it is seeing an 8 or 16 ohm load vs the 4 ohm Cerwin Vega load.
Those mids are also used in the RE38 and the DX9's Actually the ones to own are the RE38. They have the tweeters from the AT-15 but with the 6 1/2" mid you have.
Upon your advice, backed up by my friends on the Cerwin Vega Fans Forum, I found a mint pair of Cerwin Vega RE 38's here in Tampa for 250.00!
I just got them home this evening. I did not hook them up here, but will in the morning, if I can ever get to sleep, LOL
It is 4.15 am, and I am so excited that I can't sleep.
I listened to the RE 38's briefly before I bought them, and I can hear the better AT Series Tweeter in them.
My friends on the Cerwin Vega Forum insist that the AT Series Tweeter in the RE 38 is a really good tweeter.
The VS 150 tweeter is just "OK". I will compare the 2 speakers this week, and report back on what I hear.
Wow, TYVM, I will keep my eyes out for a pair of the RE 38's.
ka7niq,
How would you compare them overall to your Klipsch Epic CF-4. I bought the CF-4s on your recommendation, and I really love them.
Well, if you run the Klipsch CF 4 in a passive bi amp with 2 seperate amps so you can dial down the CF 4 tweeters, it would be more a personal decision. The Cerwin Vega VS 150's are more efficient, and have better deep bass. But the ability to dial the CF 4's in for your room by reducing the tweeter horns level might make them better, overall.
LOL, you will never find a Klipsch CF 4 for under 250.00, like you can find a pair of Cerwin Vega VS 150's for.
I had VS-120s up agains HPM100s and JBL L88s, the 120s were far better than the others.
I had the 120s at my daughters collage house driven by an Ashly FTX1501 to the max with 25 kids dancing like crazy to the hippidy hooppidy boom boom.
I just sold then for the 125 I paid becaus I got too much stuff and the Klipsch Cornwalls took over thier spot in the vintage room.
The biggest con is the foam rot.
Scott
Scott, Cerwin Vega get's no "Love", and it is a darn shame. OK, some stuff they made was pure shit, but they had their moments.
A friend has VS 120's, and is looking for a pair of VS 150's.
If u ever see a pair of VS 150's, and have a spot for them, grab them.
They were the flagship of the old VS line. I think you will like them even more then the smaller VS 120's.
Yeah, I keep an eye out but no luck yet. Problem is they're getting old now will need refoaming soon.
I've had other CV15s in the past and found the 12s had a sharper hit but don't go as deep.
I also find they benefit from proper placement. Most guys shoved them in the corner which acounted for boomy bass.
How do they fare in comparison to the Sony speakers that you raved about last year?
Cheers
Bill
Totally different speakers Bill
The tweeter in the Sony sounds like it has more top end extension, and the Sony has a much more laid back presentation, more "audiophile like".
The Cerwin Vega VS 150's are more "Live Music" like, if that makes any sense ?
The Sony's image a little better, more depth, but also a smaller overall sound. The Sony's go to pieces when you crank them, the VS 150's keep sounding better and better it seems the louder they get.
Thanks, K. I get the picture. I guess I will like the CV better.
Regards
Bill
I have been discussing Cerwin Vegas with a few friends lately and your
review is very timely. I am one of those Hard Rock guys who loves bass
and slam. I recently bought my first Adcom amp(GFA-5400) and I really
like how it sounds feeding my vintage Electro-Voice Interface 3s.
I have never owned a set of Cerwin Vegas but I have heard several
models over the years and never liked them that much since I always
thought the top end was too bright and rough sounding. But a friend of
mine keeps telling me that I should try a set of them and has
suggested some older models.
How do you think your Cerwin Vegas will stack up against my EVs?
Thanks in advance,
Bill
I have owned the following Electro Voice speakers. Interface C and Interface D, and currently own 2 pairs of Electro Voice Sentry III's.
The Cerwin Vega VS 150 is scary close in performance to the Sentry 3's.
The EV Interface D's are one of my very favorite speakers of all time.
The Cerwin Vega VS 150 is NOT the equal of an Electro Voice Interface D in any way, except efficiency. It has been a long long time since I have heard an Interface 3, but I can confidently say this. A pair of Cerwin Vega VS 150's can often be picked up for under 250.00
They kick ass, and sound so good doing it, that I consider them "cheap thrills". Maybe in the midrange the Interface 3 might equal the Cerwin Vega VS 150 ? But that will be where it stops and ends. The little Interface 3 will be helpless against the Cerwin Vega VS 150 monsters from California.
The larger VS 150 has more cone area, higher efficiency, and will just plain Rock much better.
But be careful !
The Cerwin Vega VS 150 is no sissy speaker, and it's powerful bass can easily overwhelm a room that is too small, especially if used with an amp of low current, that has poor control of the huge woofer.
If you do decide to "splurge" and fork over 250.00 for a pair, treat the VS 150's like the high efficiency audiophile speakers that they are.
Give them the best high current amplification you can afford.
If you like to Rock, and you like it loud, but you also want it to sound good too, I know of no other speaker at anywhere near the price that is even fit to be in the same room as a VS 150.
I would never describe the model 3 as little. The model 3 has an 8 inch
woofer and a 12 inch passive radiator. And they are just a bit smaller
than the CV model you describe.Your review has definitely peaked my interest in Cerwin Vegas. I have
been reading some reviews of the their latest models. I wonder how
they would stack up again some of the older models such as the
one you reviewed? Sadly, no one seems to carry their speakers in a
store anymore , so auditioning them without buying them seems to
be pretty much impossible.
Edits: 03/20/12 03/20/12
Below is a link to the Interface 3 specs, it is a large bookshelf speaker, only 14 by 23 inches. The VS 150 Cerwin Vega is huge by comparison.
The whole EV Interface series were highly musical speakers, and the Electro Voice Interface D is one of my favorite speakers that I have ever owned.
I owned the newer Cerwin Vega CLSC 215's, and even attempted crossover mods to them to get them to sound like I wanted.
They never quite did it for me, but they weren't terrible. Just not good enough to stay here.
Their sound was no where close to the sound of the VS 150, although they do have a little better tweeter then the VS 150.
The Cerwin Vega AT 15 has the best tweeter of the vintage Cerwin Vega's, but it has dual midranges, and a slight "shouty" quality in the midrange.
The Cerwin Vega VS 150 has a nice smooth midrange.
The newer Cerwin Vega's use a plastic waveguide, and I could hear it's sound on the newer Cerwin Vega CLSC 215's I owned.
I think you would be well advised to hold out for a pair of Cerwin Vega VS 150's. There were zillions of these made, and if you use Search Tempest, you can search every Craigslist in the USA if you wish.
Here is a link to the Cerwin Vega Forum, if you want to read more about what others think of the Cerwin Vega VS 150's.
I found this Forum after my audiophile friends told me about the Cerwin Vega VS 150's.
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