Von Schweikert Audio VR-4jr Speaker System User Manual


 
Von Schweikert Audio
930 Armorlite Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069
Ph (760)410-1650 Fax (760)410-1655
E-mail:albertvonn@aol.com
World Class Reference Speaker Systems for Music and Film
~ Website:www.vonschweikert.com
3
BREAK-IN
The VRs use proprietary drivers custom made for this system. Raw drivers are broken in
for roughly 200 hours at considerable volume to reach suspension behavior’s “steady
state” prior to actual loudspeaker development. By contrast, production units receive 12
to 24 hours of break-in. Since the fluidity and dynamic range of the speaker depends on
free movement, you may notice a slight “brightness” or mechanical “heaviness” to the
sound for the first 20 hours. The sound engineered into the VRs will take approximately
300-400 hours to achieve, so we recommend that you not make critical judgement of
their sound until break-in is accomplished. Break-in is best done by playing loud music
or a break-in disc for several days straight. If noise is a problem, place the speakers face
to face, with one speaker system wired out of phase. Quilts may be placed over the
speakers to reduce the radiated sound. This trick will cancel a lot of the sound that may
disturb others. However, please make sure that you are not driving the amplifier
into clipping or distorting the speaker— it is difficult to hear distortion when quilts
are used. Adjust the volume in advance!
Note that it may take several months or longer to break the speakers in if only
quiet music is played at background levels.
Classical music played quietly does not contain enough bass or dynamics (in most cases)
to do a proper job, so we suggest using a CD player on repeat, using a loud rock album
or break-in CD as the source. Please make sure that the amplifier does not go into
clipping, though, as the heat generated may damage the drivers over a period of time.
(Clipping sounds like buzzing or harshness). If the sound is “clean”, however, you can
put 200 watts of music power into the VR-4's over a long period of time without any
damage.
INITIAL SETUP
Please do not install the spikes until the proper placement has been determined. You will
be moving the speakers several times in order to listen to different aspects of the
optimization, and the spikes will only make the movement more difficult. Since the
spikes tighten the bass dramatically, and also increase the image focus, do not worry
unduly about these two parameters until later in the setup process. Without the spikes,
the bass may be too “thick” and the image will not be as tightly focused, but these
effects will be eliminated after break-in, correct placement, and use of the spikes.
Also, turn off the rear ambience drivers by rotating their volume controls counter-
clockwise until the setup is complete. Please refer to the section regarding the REAR
AMBIENCE DRIVER.