Cured? I doubt it. Sure is nice to prolong the financial agony every now and then though isn't it?
Paul |
I bought a pair of beethoven's v3 with a Krell KAV300il and an amazing thing happened! I quit shopping! Music comes out of my system! It's been 2 years and i'm still diggin it, Could I be"gasp"cured. |
I own the now discontinued Beethoven. I just listened to the new Beethoven Grand and yes, it has more bass. I don't think that makes it better--just louder. The bass does not sound richer, more realistic, or have more resonance when listening to string bass or low cello notes. If you like rock, I can understand the preference. I wonder if the specs when released will show a lower frequency response or a flatter one or both. They have redesigned all the drivers except the tweeter, which the salesman claimed was tweaked even more. They added one more woofer and have only one mid now.
I will return to listen again in a couple of months just to be sure the floor models are completely broken in, but as for now, the mid and upper range didn't wow me. The local dealer thinks overall, the new model is a 10 to 15% improvement over the old one.
I do like them. I am not saying they are not excellent speakers. I just don't think they are way better. However, they are a bargain at the present cost, and a price increase, because of the weak dollar, is probably sooner rather than later. I would have bought them but my first listening with my favorite CDs just wasn't convincing enough.
I hope everyone who owns the older model will go audition them with their favorite music and post their opinion. |
I just sold my old Beethoven. I made the mistake to listen to the new Beethoven Grand. The new model is just wat better in every way! Beethoven Grand has been ordered, and I'm just waiting for them to arrive. Extremely good speakers. |
I had a listen to the new Beethovens through some Macintosh gear a couple of weeks ago. I was suitably impressed. Excellent dynamics and decent enough low bass. I am wondering now what the Mahlers would be like.
Paul |
If yoy want to see the grand beethoven speakers just go onto goggles search engine and type in 2004 ces vienna click onto that site pictures galore! |
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the new beethoven grand
http://www.vassagohifi.com/pictures/640x480/hi_newbeet9.jpg |
With 35 years of expeience you should realize how silly the word 'crush' is. You did NOT make a simple statement about how you find the D25's better then the Strauss. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that statement. You came out with an outrageous exaggeration, without any description. I have three teenage sons, and that's how they talk. ' My new video game slaughters my old one.' 'This cd crushes their last cd.' Statements like that lead me to beleive that you were a novice, because that's how I hear novices talk (the new Nordost cable kills the Cardas). No description of sound, no objective regarding pluses' and minuses', differences, personal musical tastes, etc.
FWIW, I'm not saying that the Strauss are the best speakers out there. I've heard better. I never even said they were better than your D25's, I haven't heard the D25's. However,I would never make a statement like the Strauss crush the Bose though, because as my experience grows, so does my ability to place thoughts into words.
I'm glad your happy riding your bike, it obviously has re-kindled your youth. If you don't like hifi equipment, that's fine also.
Regards,
John
Never mind, I just read another post where evidently BAT VK1000's will 'tear apart' Krell amps. Looks like I have to adapt. My VPI turntable will obliterate the Linn tables! There, I'm getting the hang of it. |
Wow I didn't realize that my Proac's out performing my Strauss's was Juvenile. Of course maybe what's juvenile is making my simple statement of opinion into a personal attack. Maybe I should consult the audiophile verbage guidelines next time so that I don't use any language that you find juvenile. Maybe making a simple statement that I find the D25's better than the Strauss, and then raging on me personally is what's juvenile. FWIW I got the Strauss's new from Sumiko, so they weren't damaged. I've been doing audio both as a hobby and for a living for more than 35 years. I've learned how to set up speakers from some of the best in the business, so I doubt that was it. I thought that it was a given that all of this audiophile BS is basically just an opinion based on room , equipment, listener preference. Guess I was wrong. Since you like your Strauss's so much I guess that the D25's couldn't possibly sound better to me. Here's a little story about Audiophille nervosa.. I few years back I had gotten to the point where I had a lot of $$ tied up in my system: VPI TNT, Graham arm, VDH Grasshopper, Levinson electronics, Aerial's, all Transparent reference, Theta dac, etc, etc.. All told upwards of $60K in gear. So as many audiophiles do I had all of my lp's and cd's lined up for an afternoons listening session. Get the wife and kids out of the house sit back for a relaxing afternoons listening session. About a hour or so into it I realized what a beautiful day it was out side, how I was ALONE, and how as much money I tied up in my system, and how it really didn't sound like real music being played in a real place. The next day I went out and bought a new BMW MOTORCYCLE,and downsized the gear. Rekindeled the passion from my youth for riding and haven't looked back. Now I have a little system, and a couple of real nice bikes 03 BMW K1200RS, 02 MV Augusta F4, and the best part is I have a bunch of good friends that I see regularly. I spend much of my free time riding beautiful roads, ever carve the twisties on Skyline Drive through the Shendoa Valley on a perfect spring day, while some great tunes are playing through your Shure E5's feed from an Ipod? It just deosn't get any better.. Of course I could be sitting at home pretending to live while farting around with my hifi..... Nah |
I just sold my Strauss's and got Proac D25.. So far with only about 20 hours on them and even with new speaker cables the Proac's crush the Vienna's.. LOL. I still get a good chuckle out of replys like this. My new Brand X crushes my old Brand Y. Hehe. How about 'this new amp smokes that amp'. Great stuff. It's fun having people make mountains out of molehills. It's fine that you're happy with your new speakers, we all like to feel our purchases are valid. C'mon though, let's be realistic. If your new Proac's CRUSH the Strauss, you obviously had: A) A damaged pair of the Strauss. B) No idea how to set the Strauss up in your room. C) Both of the above. Now I'm not saying it's not possible for you to not like your new Proac's better, but using the word 'crush' is so juvenile. It really insults the intelligence of the reader. FWIW, I have a pair of Strauss, and a couple of audiophile friends who love my Strauss. One owns a pair of Dynaudio 3.4's the other currently owns a pair or Von Schweikert VR-4 Jr's. They would gladly trade. I've also owned and or auditioned speakers from Soliloquy, Silverline, Dynaudio, JMLabs, Buggtussel, Canton, Mirage, Meadowlark, Proacs, Von Schweikert's, and Legacy, to name a few. I've been in this hobby for 30 years, long enough to know that in this league, no one 'crushes' another one unless there is damage or a setup malfunction. So in essence, it's fine that you prefer the sound of Proacs. In your system, with your tastes in music, they may be the best choice. There is no need to be so juvenile about it though. (My dad can kick your dad's butt), yeah, right. Cheers, John |
I just sold my Strauss's and got Proac D25.. So far with only about 20 hours on them and even with new speaker cables the Proac's crush the Vienna's.. |
I just sold my beethoven and approaching the avantgarde uno..i hope i am making the right decision.i love the way the beethoven sing,but since i am still in my trial and error stage..i need to try the uno,cuz i heard so many good thing about it..if for some reason the uno wont click with my ear,i ll definitely go back to the beethoven. |
I have emailed Sumiko about the availability of the Beethoven Concert Grand and they responded that they are available in the US for $4500 plus 500 more for Rosewood. You can expect that the the availability is limited in this early stage of release.
Gwoodall |
Which Dynaudio? One friend of mine has the Audience 82's another friend has a pair of Contour 3.4's. Very nice speakers.
John |
Jmcgrogan2
I agree. They sound like crap with B+K amps and monster cable. I had the sales guy from Tweeter at my house and could not belive how the Beethovens sounded setup correctly. I almost bought the last pair of Stauss they had,but then switch over to Dynaudio. |
Flemke, that's just as well, since Tweeter did such a dis-service to VA with such poor demo conditions. |
Tweeter no longer sells the VA line. |
Available in Europe only, like the 'Signatures' versions I guess? I wish Sumiko would import the whole line. |
i think these available in europe only.. |
I think he even said these are prototypes. Funny, in South Africa we get things much later than the rest of the world but not this case. The owner is from Vienna so I think he must have some intimate contacts at VA.
MSRP is around 2000 Euro each (converted), around 4000 euro a pair. |
What is the MSRP? Funny, there is nothing in the Sumiko or Vienna Acoustics website about them. What dealer? Most VA dealers that I've met use receivers for demos (Tweeter). It must be nice to have a legitimate high end dealer carrying the VA line. |
