Is this nuts?


Ok, have had Usher 8871 for about 3 years. LOVE the sound, love the looks. For some reason (audiophilia nervosa, of course) am having the urge to try the VSA VR4Jr, having heard so much about it. It is a considerably smaller speaker than the 8871, and the WAF would be assuaged by that.

But, given the price diff in msrp (4K vs 8+K) would I be trading down? I know I can get some on trial but to be honest it takes me more than 2-3 days to audition new stuff. A lot more.

Another speaker that I have considered is the Gallo Ref 3 but the WAF is totally in the hole on that one.

BTW, I owned Maggie 3.6 before the Ushers. Yep, WAF again.
kck
Shaman, I'm glad to hear somebody else has a good woman by their side. My wife just ordered a pair of Stonehenge speakers for our kitchen! ;-)

Cheers,
DB
So happy for you fellas.

Now can we get back to the speakers? OK, forget it. You guys like to talk about stuff you know about, eh, that's why you give marital advice in a speaker forum. I'm done with you shrinks. No doubt you will post here again just to get the last word. Go ahead, I can't cure what you've got.
Dawgbyte,You sound like you have the same kind of lady as myself. My wife is so understanding and very interested and supportive in the thing's that I enjoy and she get's the same right back from me in her passions...What Else?? How could it be any other way?? I could have stonehenge in our living room and It would be cool with her as long as she has her chair in the sweet spot right next to me. She think's The Magnepan 20.1's I bought look and sound awesome I could'nt agree more !! I showed her these posts and we both had some laughs.
KcK, I'm a lucky man. My wife came to the relationship without an agenda. Unlike most women, she had no notion of trying to change me to fit some self made ideal of what she thought I should be. Unlike most women, she doesn't nag or complain and try to micro-manage every moment of my life.

I could buy speakers that looked like the leaning tower of Pisa and she'd be A-Ok with it, as long as I was happy. Why? Because my wife is cool!
Wow you guys is tough fellas. When me grow up me wanna be just like you. Such he-men. I bet you have wimmen chasing you day and night. Poor me stuck with just one, she like me and I like her. Most unfortunate. Maybe I join you happy fellas and get divorced, I hear that real fun.
Dawg
That was good. One day the Wife was running her trap. I told her "I can find another woman the same way that I found you". Once a woman holds intimacy as a bargaining tool, you're through.
Time to reprioritize. Forget focusing on new speakers it's all about upgrading the wife. You can choose from a variety of models and specs. including, blonde, tall, brunette, short, raven, curvey, redhead, slender, auburn and even gray if you're into the older editions. Remind the Mrs. there's plenty of product in the marketplace, some of which is faster, sturdier, newer, and more attractive. Take her on a tour of your house and show her each exit and remind her that she's free to use any door she'd like as long as her bags are fully packed.
KcK
Shaman is right. If you have stand your ground. Use'em or lose 'em(nuts that is!).
OK I will resist for now. Buying and selling speakers is a huge hassle and if one has a livable set then (speaking for myself) it is not worth trading into a 'maybe' situation.

Hey Shaman, hope you're kidding. If not, just restrict yourself to answering the question, ok? But if you ARE a marital counselor it is clear why you are giving free advice, no one would pay for that stuff.
The Gallo Ref 3's are a steal for the price but until Ladies Home Journal does a favorable review on them they are out for me.
I was going to discuss what I think of the Gallo Refs but after Shaman's entry, think I'll go beat my wife instead...
You better get off the computer and look busy I think I hear your wife coming. LOL ...This thread should be titled do you have nuts? Tell her her shoes take up more space in the house then a pair of Soundlab U1's. Women on average live longer than men so find your sak and live!!!!
I've never heard the Usher's, but am very familiar with the VR4jr's. I find it hard to believe you will be wanting for bass and dynamics with the jr's.

At the $8k range, try the VR4 SR's. That would certainly be an upgrade in performance. They are similar to the jr's in appearance so if the wife can accept the jr's she should not have a problem with the SR's.
Except for having Pamela Anderson come and live with you, nothing makes wives madder than loudspeakers which do not meet with their approval. My wife suffered from audio nervosa with several of my selections, so I understand completely.
The VR4jr's are not going to give you what you have, but are acceptable for most people. Note that they have a hashey upper midrange, odd, given the tweeter which is silk.Owners will decry this characterization, but compared to the Maggie's they aren't close to the 3.6. Trying to make her happy, while sating your audio needs, are polar opposites. The relative boxiness of the Usher's versus the Maggies was acceptable to you? If so, maybe this move will work. Keep in mind you'll lose bass, and dynamics.