VMPS Subwoofers--Opinions

My experience with VMPS was many years ago and in a friends system. The bass was extremely bloated, non-distinct and muddy. Low frequency notes had poor definition with noticeable ringing. While it might have worked well for an HT based system, they sounded BAD for music. All the typical "fixes" such as speaker placement, cable changes, etc... were addressed with no success. If all your looking for is low frequency rumble at high volume levels, ANY large sub WILL give you that. For anything that sounds remotely musical, i would look at something else unless VMPS has made MAJOR changes to their design. Sean >

i have a pair of the vmps larger subs, crossed over w/a deluxe version of marchand's xm9 active x-over, and the sound is *anything* but that described by sean. i wouldn't trade my current sub set-up straight across for any pair of velodyne, rel, muse, or sunfire subs, which are all the rage, even if only *one* of those costs more than my vmps-based system, which includes the marchand, & a pair of bridged adcom gfa555's, & except for the sunfires, they *do* cost more. i *might* consider the kinergetics research's now-discontued top-model subs (sw-8000?), or a pair of the bag-ends' top-model, w/their best electronic box, but i'd wanna give a careful audition 1st. (and come into some funny-money!)

in short, this is the most musically natural bass response i've heard in a stereo system. the only time i ever heard anything its equal was a pair of the infinity irs-lll's i heard a long time ago - ya know, the ones w/the separate woofer-towers - six 12" drivers per side, servo-statically driven.... the top end of that system was a mite better than the top end of my current system, btw... ;~)

as for home-theatre, well... i don't watch movies, & i see mebbe an hour total, of tv a week.

ymmv, doug

Yeah don't listen to Sean. I use to own one and they are quite good for the price if set up properly and have some good power behind them. Although I wouldn't knock REL at all either and those are already powered and may be easier to adjust and integrate than the VMPS.

Let your own ears be the judge. Like i said when i made the statements the first time, this was a long time ago. It is possible that VMPS has made design changes. Then again, i just spoke to an electronics manufacturer last week that is familiar with the current versions of these speakers and they said the same things about them that i did. I also know of others that currently have their "Large" subwoofer and came to the same conclusions that i arrived at years ago. Like anything else in audio, this is system and personal taste dependent. YOU be the judge in your system. I was simply passing along my personal experiences that seemed to be supported by others that i've recently talked to. Sean >

i agree w/sean - let your ears be the judge. i am not knocking rel or the other powered subs out there, i yust think they are not cost effective - it's more expensive to get accurate, undistorted, deep bass out of a smaller box than it is to do it as vmps does. it's true that it's hard to fit a pair of vmps' larger subs into many decors.

as far as integration, i believe that having a hi-quality, flexible x-over is the key to using passive subs. the marchand is both. i also believe it's far better than the electronics built-in to most powered subs. and, you have your choice of amplification.

the marchand's flexibility has allowed me to successfully use thiel 3.5's & meret re's w/my subs, as well as audition proac tablette signatures, totem arro's, & even some nht super-ones. i'm looking forward to my brother-in-law bringing over his proac 2.5's to try.

as far as a mfr having negative things to say about vmps, i have spoken w/several over the past few months, and they all had nothing but good things to say about 'em - melos, cary, newform research, rogue audio... also, a couple dealers (who don't carry vmps) had positive comments about 'em.

again, these are my opinions only - ymmv.

doug