Von Schweikert VR-44 MK2 Active

We are proud to announce the most significant change to the VR-4 platform in over a decade. Although the VR-4 was one of the most highly regarded and trend-setting designs from it's introduction in the 1980’s and was recognized by AudiophileReview.com as one of the Top 25 Best Speakers of All Time, we found room for improvement in several key areas. Resolution, transparency, and room adaptation were the focus of our R&D program over the past few years, leading to a new cabinet resonance-control design. Our new Triple-Wall Laminate process utilizes three different types of materials bonded together, all of which resonate at different frequencies and “Q” levels, effectively eliminating the cabinet as a source of coloration. No need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to buy an aluminum-bodied speaker system, as our Triple-Wall design is superior at only a fraction of the price!
As high resolution digital music files redefine the level of clarity now available to the audiophile, we found it necessary to update our transducers to provide a far higher level of detail, transparency, and presence. As any good engineer knows, a speaker diaphragm must be extremely light and rigid if signal accuracy is desired. It is difficult to imagine that a cone needs to stop and start 2,000 cycles per second to reproduce a female vocalist’s voice when she hits a high note! However, since many types of rigid cones made from ceramic or metal materials have a tendency to ring and sound harsh in the upper midrange, it is imperative that the cone have high internal damping to eliminate that ringing.

For this reason, our European engineering partners have helped us design a complete transducer set that is matched to each other in transient response speed and low distortion, using a highly damped cone with linear frequency response. Our new cone technology is based on laminating different types of materials to provide stiffness without the penalty of ringing. The 6” full-range driver cone is made of composites of cellulose acetate pulp, acrylic plastic, and carbon fiber, while the tweeter is a similar organic material with a soft plastic coating. To provide extreme rigidity, our new 8.8” woofers are formulated from ceramic-coated alloys of magnesium and aluminum, which is then damped with a layer of electrostatically applied oxide powder.

Since the twin 8.8” woofers are crossed over to the full-range driver at 100Hz, the woofers are not audible as a separate source of sound; the full-range mid drivers are dominant. To ensure that the drive units sound coherent, we have selected crossover points far below and above the midrange frequencies, at 100Hz and 4kHz. All crossover parts are world-class, such as our Mundorf resistors and capacitors, Delphi Aerospace wiring, and WBT posts. The cabinet baffle tilts backwards for Time Alignment and we have taken special attention with the phase alignment of the new driver array. The image focus and 3-D layering has to be heard to be believed! To enable this model to work with any amp, in any room, we have provided an optional powered sub-woofer system that can enable a small tube amp with only 20-watts to drive the VR-44 as if the amplifier has 200 watts. You will hear Dynamics!

SPECIFICATIONS

FREQ RESP: 16Hz – 40kHz (-6dB) 22Hz – 30kHz (-3dB)
SENSITIVITY: 90dB
IMPEDANCE: 4ohms (8ohms Aktive)
REC. POWER: 20-200watts (Aktive) 100-500watts (Passive)
SIZE: 41″ x 13″ x 27
WEIGHT: 165lbs

AKTIVE VERSION:
300-watt r.m.s. (600 watts peak) amplifier built in, to drive the twin 8.8” woofers from 16Hz to 100Hz.

Volume level is provided for adjustment for any room or listening taste.