Posted by wlutke [ 132.239.195.39 ] on February 18, 2005 at 11:08:44:
A lot has gone on lately in my garage. Last Sunday was spent completing the Bottlehead Paramours (SET monoblocks), an eleven hour marathon. Then Tuesday adding the C4S active load mods. Wednesday saw some tube rolling. Last night it was replacing the KSN tweeters with Waynes new Vifa. I've had the Studio 2's for three months now, hooked up to an 80's Kenwood reciever I picked up down the street at a garage sale for $10 along with a Teac multi disc player for another $10, and a Thorens TT with Ortofon 540 MKII cart robbed from our living room system. That's a lot to digest but I think I have a pretty good handle on the classic Studio's sound. Since I can't easily go back and forth comparing the new and old, and 24 hours isn't enough time to really get to know the vifa's, I'll give my first impressions here only.
From the first note two things really jumped out at me. The music was much warmer. The music was less involving (more on this later.) I had hoped the lower sensitivity of the Vifa would bring up the bass and it did a very good job. I let my breath out on that one, with a big smile! After about a half hour and some messing with the volume control, the SETs began to kick in. These new tweeters are dynamite - once the volume control is off the Muzac setting. The classic 2's always seem to me to be alive and riveting at low levels where they sing. The new 2's sound flat there - maybe they just need to break in? But twist the knob to a moderate level and bye-bye KSN! I heard big improvements in imaging and soundstage, where instruments began to take on substance. The midrange hole was much less noticable, bringing out background like violins, vocals and piano in a smoother, fuller and more distinct manner. Cymbals were much smoother too. The presentation as a whole was more refined and unstrained. I think I'm going to like these new Vifa's a lot. But on a purely emotional level I'm going to miss the classic 2 sound. There is a certain immediacy that lets you into the music's soul where the Vifa doesn't quite reach (yet?.)
A note just for Paramour owners:
I built the Paramours without the CS4, then added it later. The CS4 mod eliminated the hum and tightened things up at the expense of that warmth so many of us enjoy. This new tweeter (subjectively) brings back that warmth in full measure!
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