Why the switch from Kharma/Tenor to DarTZeel/VSA

Gladstone, I agree - that is exactly what I told my friend yesterday who asked this same question. If Albert can make a speaker like the VR-4 sound that good, it is frightening what he might be able to do with an all out assault like the 11s.

I have never heard a VS speaker I didn't enjoy. And, you're right it doesn't HAVE to sound better if it's more expensive, but why and the heck would anyone want to spend more and not expect the sound to be better.

My only MINOR concern with Mike's post is that it seemed a little unfair to say "I heard the $120,000 VR-11s, and in my book they were better than the $36,000 Midi Grands" - (as that is what they did retail for when Mike bought them).

I certainly have NO problem with Mike buying a speaker he is happy with - but the original post was asking why people were switching from Kharmas to VSs - so I thought one should be fair and at least look at that price differential in order to ascribe the proper weight to the response.

Nuf said, I'm done.

To each his own and enjoy the music most of all!

Great thread! Although every piece of equipment mentioned (including the Buick Regal!) is way out of my league(well maybe not the Buick) I have to say that If you can afford it...by all means knock your selves silly and compare as much as you can to get the best sound to your ears..at this level it all sounds great.albiet it must be partnered very carefully with the correct ancillary's to do them justice.But.. I have to love how Fmpnd so accurately stated it..Does it REALLY matter, if it's our money and it tickels our ears in the end! Maybe when my allimony is done and paid I can find one or two of you guys and invite myself over for a listen..I know it would be a treat! :) Ken

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I went with the Von Schweikert VR-9s because I didn't think my Midi Exquisites conveyed the dynamics of rock music--the genre I listen to most frequently--to my satisfaction. In that respect I agree with Gladstone's assessment of the Midi Exquisites; they sound beautiful but a little lifeless and dynamically lacking. I've owned, and own, several Von Schweikert products, and I've been mightily impressed with all of them. If the VR-9 is indeed comparable to the VR-11--and I don't have any reason to doubt that it is--I should find what I didn't in the Kharmas. As for the Dartzeels, they're the only solid state amp I've heard that stands toe to toe with the world's VERY BEST tube amps. I've been wanting to go solid state for years, but haven't heard a SS amp that I've been truly satisfied with in EVERY parameter . . . until now. Of course, it's not for everyone and your mileage may vary.

Yes, I suppose you're right there, too, Frank, I wasn't thinking about it that closely. I should add that the Dynavector remains everything you said it was.
But I do hope you get a chance to hear the vr's. While the jrs, as I indicated, lacked the refinement of the Kharmas at the NY show, I did think they were more satisfying in almost every other way--and the Kharmas, of course, are much more expensive.
Now, if you'd only see the light, and get a pair of Magnepans...!

By way, Frank, I've actually ordered two pairs of the Vr, Jrs.