Vienna Acoustics sounded terrible at Magnolia


I went to check them out, with all the reserve I have when it comes to big box stores, the fact that you can buy VA speakers with their no-interest financing is fairly attractive. I found something quite rare in these stores, a sales-guy who liked and understood sound and music, and he was very helpful.
I listened to the Mozart's in the show room and it was nothing short of appalling. Are those sources that bad? I came back home and looked at the reviews and something must be amiss. The bass was completely disjointed, like a $100 subwoofer with the driver loosened from the rim!! I put in my CD of Beethoven's 4th piano concerto with Claudio Arrau at the Concertgebow and stopped it right away, I though it made Beethoven cry in Heaven! The sound had nothing to do with the actual tonality or notes or anything!!
The sources were Yamaha and Denon receivers in tone defeat. I know they are bad, but that bad?? I did notice the positioning made a big difference, but never got them to sound even decent!
Any ideas? Anyone with any experience? VA owners, what is your experience regarding source sensitivity? BTW, my plan would have been for a NAD 372 as amp.
Thanks
roc_doc

Showing 1 response by dodger4

sad to see such a fine sounding speaker brand in the hands of the incompetent and just might not be trained enough personel i say this as there are some fine people in best buy but they should stick to their home theater genre ,,they dont have the quality electronics to audition these with all they have are surround sound receivers which taken in their own environment are ok,,but dont have the ability to have a good speaker brand show what it can do,,,BTW went to an real audio store auditioned a pr of beethoven baby grands powered by marantz sm11s1 amp and what a differnce, wonderful sound i bought the viennas right on the spot..