VR-4jr Upgrades… Also Known As Mods!

Damon Von Schweikert

WBF Technical Expert
Sep 15, 2016
113
234
175
California
www.vonschweikert.com
Many of you who were fortunate enough to purchase and still own the highly successful VR-4jr which sold record numbers between 2004 and 2006 we’re sure are very happy with your speakers. Given the large number sold, it’s impressive to see next to none of them show up on the resale market in the last 16 or so years.

That said, you may be wondering what a new pair of loudspeakers could deliver in performance and yet hesitant to lose the room friendly and highly attractive style of the VR-4jr. If this is you, we’re pleased to announce not one but two sperate upgrades we’re making available to VR-4jr owners that will retain its attractive aesthetics while drastically improving sonic performance in tonality, resolution, bass speed, depth and pitch definition.

Here's a testimonial from a customer who upgraded their VR-4jr to the Endeavor SE Mod…

As you know, my VR4 JR II's were recently upgraded with the "SE modification" and I wanted to tell you that the improvement in the reproduction of what I call "living sound", the reproduction of a recorded event so it is "lifelike" in my home, is immense. The character of the speaker's sound is so much more lifelike with impressive power, dynamics, speed, authority, increased extension on both ends of the frequency spectrum, cleaner midrange and with no audible distortion that I can hear (unless it is in the recording-God rest you John Lennon). I can hear not only the music, the notes and the chords, the arrangements and orchestrations, and the individual instruments whether solo or as part of a larger ensemble, but also the player's technique and the body and resonance of the instruments. The speakers also recreate space: the performance venue if live and what is on the recording as created by the recording and mastering engineers. Imaging has also improved in all aspects and dimensions. It is as if a veil was there between me and the performers and it has been removed. The speakers power handling, accuracy and precision is also greatly improved, yet eminently musical. I understand that the VSA philosophy is to reproduce recorded event to recreate the event as recorded in time and I must say you have achieved your goal in a small speaker enclosure that is still the best-looking speaker VSA has ever made (in my opinion, and more importantly, my wife's!)

In closing, I could write more, but the best summation of the change in sound came from my wife. We were listening to Joe Morello's drum solo in the Dave Brubeck Quartet's Take Five when she exclaimed: "Holy shit, there's a drum kit in the room." I couldn't agree more.


Kurt Meyer

So What’s Involved?

In the case of both “mods,” we completely strip your cabinet of all components; divers, crossover networks, wire, binding posts, damping material, etc. And while using your existing cabinet, we install all new components; MasterBuilt Signature Internal Wire, Kevlar Midranges, Aluminum Woofers, Dual Ring Radiator Silk tweeters or Beryllium Tweeters (depending on mod), associated Crossover Networks and WBT binding posts (depending on mod) as well as upgrade your cabinet damping to our Version 2.0 Aktive Cabinet Vibration Control. We even offer you the option of applying one of our automotive paint finishes should you choose.

Everything about your loudspeaker is new except for your cabinet. By upgrading your existing VR-4jr, you receive all the sonic benefits of either the award-winning Endeavor E-3MkII or the Endeavor Special Edition (ESE) without the expense of cabinets which is the single greatest factor when it comes to pricing. So here’s what we offer…
 

Damon Von Schweikert

WBF Technical Expert
Sep 15, 2016
113
234
175
California
www.vonschweikert.com
The VR-4jr to Endeavor E-3MkII Mod ($5,000 MSRP)

The E-3 MkII is the most advanced and affordable speaker system on the market. It’s said that science cannot define musical expression, with its emotion and passion, but musical expression can define science. Thus, the E-3 MkII was engineered by a team of experts in the art of musical appreciation as well as advanced audio engineering. Easy to drive and all amps are suitable.

VR-4jr E-3 MkII Upgrade in High-Gloss Black
VR-4jr E-3 MkII Upgrade High-Gloss Black.jpg

Featuring advanced speaker components often found in systems many times our price:
  • Anodized aluminum woofer cones, Kevlar midrange, and Dual Ring Radiator treble unit ensure highest level of sonic transparency in its class.
  • Top-class measurements with lowest distortion/coloration in price range.
  • Linkwitz-Riley crossover filters ensure correct phase coherence and timing.

Woofers: Two 175mm anodized aluminum coned woofers. Double-stacked magnets provide fast transient response and great dynamics. Faraday ring-type motor/voice coil, cooled with aluminum phase plugs and vented motors for low distortion

Midrange: 165mm Kevlar coned high performance midrange unit with Faraday ring motor/voice coil, phase plug provides linear response and low distortion. Top-class design & sound.

Midrange Loading: Tapered transmission line for low coloration and high dynamic range

Treble Unit: Dual Ring Radiator, rubberized fabric diaphragms, long throw suspension for low distortion and high dynamic range, Ferro-Fluid magnetic oil in gap for cooling at high volume levels, and large chamber for absorption of rear wave.

Voicing Information: The E-3MkII can be seen to be an extremely accurate monitor-type of system but was carefully voiced to sound like a musical instrument rather than a “sterile” facsimile. The bass range is extremely potent, yet so quick as to not overload your listening room. The depth, image focus and dimensionality are top-class.

Specifications
FREQ RESP: 29Hz - 22KHz
SENSITIVITY: 89dB @ 1w/1m
IMPEDANCE: 4ohms
REC. MIN. POWER: 60 watts
 

Damon Von Schweikert

WBF Technical Expert
Sep 15, 2016
113
234
175
California
www.vonschweikert.com
The VR-4jr to Endeavor SE Mod ($12,000 MSRP)

The winning Endeavor Special Edition or SE is perhaps the most award-winning speaker in its class including 2021 Product of the Year by HIFI Magazine as well as numerous Editor’s Choice and Best Of Awards. This model incorporates the highly refined full-range performance of its bigger brother, the E-5 MkII including our critically acclaimed Beryllium tweeter which is used throughout the VR and ULTRA line of flagship loudspeakers. In addition, the Endeavor SE also incorporates other VSA design elements like our proprietary Rear-Ambient Retrieval System, Bi-Wire inputs with isolated networks and high-quality crossover components.

VR-4jr ESE Upgrade in existing finish
VR-4jr ESE Mod.jpg


The Endeavor Special Edition innovations in audio technology make it the highest performing loudspeaker in its price category. But science alone cannot define musical expression, with its emotion and passion. Thus, the SE was engineered by a team of experts in the art of musical appreciation as well as advanced audio engineering. Easy to drive and all amps are suitable.

Featuring advanced speaker components often found in systems many times our price:
  • Anodized aluminum woofer cones, Kevlar midrange, and damped Beryllium dome tweeter to ensure highest level of sonic transparency possible.
  • REAR AMBIENCE RETRIEVAL DRIVER: To match the transient response and tone quality of the superb front tweeter, we have employed a 75mm ribbon tweeter driven by a Neodymium magnet system for the lowest distortion and widest frequency range we have measured from a 75mm ribbon.
  • Top-class measurements with lowest distortion/coloration in its price range.
  • Linkwitz-Riley crossover filters ensure correct phase coherence and timing.
  • Connections: WBT Next-Gen Gold Bi-Wire binding posts.

Woofers: Two 175mm anodized aluminum coned woofers. Double-stacked magnets provide fast transient response and great dynamics. Faraday ring-type motor/voice coil, cooled with aluminum phase plugs and vented motors for low distortion

Midrange: 165mm Kevlar coned high performance midrange unit with Faraday ring motor/voice coil, phase plug provides linear response and low distortion. Top-class design & sound.

Midrange Loading: Tapered transmission line for low coloration and high dynamic range

Treble Unit: An advanced metal dome tweeter using a Beryllium substrate with ceramic damping layer to eliminate harsh sound quality. Driven by an FEA-designed Neodymium ring magnetic system, the rear wave is absorbed by a specialized rear chamber filled with fiberglass. This new tweeter has the lowest measured distortion of any dome tweeter on the market, cost-no-object.

Voicing Information: The Endeavor Special Edition is a highly accurate reference quality loudspeaker that was carefully voiced to sound like a musical instrument rather than a “sterile” facsimile. The bass range is extremely potent, yet so quick as to not overload your listening room. The depth, image focus and dimensionality are top-class.

Specifications
FREQ RESP: 28Hz - 22KHz
SENSITIVITY: 89dB @ 1w/1m
IMPEDANCE: 4ohms
REC. MIN. POWER: 60 watts
 
The VR-4jr to Endeavor SE Mod ($12,000 MSRP)

The winning Endeavor Special Edition or SE is perhaps the most award-winning speaker in its class including 2021 Product of the Year by HIFI Magazine as well as numerous Editor’s Choice and Best Of Awards. This model incorporates the highly refined full-range performance of its bigger brother, the E-5 MkII including our critically acclaimed Beryllium tweeter which is used throughout the VR and ULTRA line of flagship loudspeakers. In addition, the Endeavor SE also incorporates other VSA design elements like our proprietary Rear-Ambient Retrieval System, Bi-Wire inputs with isolated networks and high-quality crossover components.

VR-4jr ESE Upgrade in existing finish
View attachment 94944


The Endeavor Special Edition innovations in audio technology make it the highest performing loudspeaker in its price category. But science alone cannot define musical expression, with its emotion and passion. Thus, the SE was engineered by a team of experts in the art of musical appreciation as well as advanced audio engineering. Easy to drive and all amps are suitable.

Featuring advanced speaker components often found in systems many times our price:
  • Anodized aluminum woofer cones, Kevlar midrange, and damped Beryllium dome tweeter to ensure highest level of sonic transparency possible.
  • REAR AMBIENCE RETRIEVAL DRIVER: To match the transient response and tone quality of the superb front tweeter, we have employed a 75mm ribbon tweeter driven by a Neodymium magnet system for the lowest distortion and widest frequency range we have measured from a 75mm ribbon.
  • Top-class measurements with lowest distortion/coloration in its price range.
  • Linkwitz-Riley crossover filters ensure correct phase coherence and timing.
  • Connections: WBT Next-Gen Gold Bi-Wire binding posts.

Woofers: Two 175mm anodized aluminum coned woofers. Double-stacked magnets provide fast transient response and great dynamics. Faraday ring-type motor/voice coil, cooled with aluminum phase plugs and vented motors for low distortion

Midrange: 165mm Kevlar coned high performance midrange unit with Faraday ring motor/voice coil, phase plug provides linear response and low distortion. Top-class design & sound.

Midrange Loading: Tapered transmission line for low coloration and high dynamic range

Treble Unit: An advanced metal dome tweeter using a Beryllium substrate with ceramic damping layer to eliminate harsh sound quality. Driven by an FEA-designed Neodymium ring magnetic system, the rear wave is absorbed by a specialized rear chamber filled with fiberglass. This new tweeter has the lowest measured distortion of any dome tweeter on the market, cost-no-object.

Voicing Information: The Endeavor Special Edition is a highly accurate reference quality loudspeaker that was carefully voiced to sound like a musical instrument rather than a “sterile” facsimile. The bass range is extremely potent, yet so quick as to not overload your listening room. The depth, image focus and dimensionality are top-class.

Specifications
FREQ RESP: 28Hz - 22KHz
SENSITIVITY: 89dB @ 1w/1m
IMPEDANCE: 4ohms
REC. MIN. POWER: 60 watts
What do you mean by
  • Linkwitz-Riley crossover filters ensure correct phase coherence and timing.
 

Leif S

Industry Expert
Feb 13, 2015
770
166
180
California
www.vonschweikert.com
What do you mean by
  • Linkwitz-Riley crossover filters ensure correct phase coherence and timing.


I'm pretty sure what he was trying to say vs what his fingers typed were not in sync lol.
Welcome to Damon's audio shorthand. I usually read his post before he post it to the forums but I have been moving all week and missed this one. Sometimes when writing bullet points we simplify to much.

What he was most likely trying to say is that at VSA our crossovers are engineered for correct phase coherence and also time aligned, We use in most cases Linkwitz-Riley in the very beginning of our design before implementing our G.A.I.N. and A.I.R. topologies to complete the circuit. VSA has done this for decades and some of the people here on the forums who have heard or own our speakers know exactly what our speakers do. Stand 1 foot away from our 14 driver ULTRA 11 and all you hear is one driver. Those are Fremer's words not mine, although I do show people all the time.

Thanks for pointing this out. I will get Damon to correct the wording.

All the best
 
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Kurt Meyer

New Member
Jul 20, 2022
1
3
1
66
Many of you who were fortunate enough to purchase and still own the highly successful VR-4jr which sold record numbers between 2004 and 2006 we’re sure are very happy with your speakers. Given the large number sold, it’s impressive to see next to none of them show up on the resale market in the last 16 or so years.

That said, you may be wondering what a new pair of loudspeakers could deliver in performance and yet hesitant to lose the room friendly and highly attractive style of the VR-4jr. If this is you, we’re pleased to announce not one but two sperate upgrades we’re making available to VR-4jr owners that will retain its attractive aesthetics while drastically improving sonic performance in tonality, resolution, bass speed, depth and pitch definition.

Here's a testimonial from a customer who upgraded their VR-4jr to the Endeavor SE Mod…

As you know, my VR4 JR II's were recently upgraded with the "SE modification" and I wanted to tell you that the improvement in the reproduction of what I call "living sound", the reproduction of a recorded event so it is "lifelike" in my home, is immense. The character of the speaker's sound is so much more lifelike with impressive power, dynamics, speed, authority, increased extension on both ends of the frequency spectrum, cleaner midrange and with no audible distortion that I can hear (unless it is in the recording-God rest you John Lennon). I can hear not only the music, the notes and the chords, the arrangements and orchestrations, and the individual instruments whether solo or as part of a larger ensemble, but also the player's technique and the body and resonance of the instruments. The speakers also recreate space: the performance venue if live and what is on the recording as created by the recording and mastering engineers. Imaging has also improved in all aspects and dimensions. It is as if a veil was there between me and the performers and it has been removed. The speakers power handling, accuracy and precision is also greatly improved, yet eminently musical. I understand that the VSA philosophy is to reproduce recorded event to recreate the event as recorded in time and I must say you have achieved your goal in a small speaker enclosure that is still the best-looking speaker VSA has ever made (in my opinion, and more importantly, my wife's!)

In closing, I could write more, but the best summation of the change in sound came from my wife. We were listening to Joe Morello's drum solo in the Dave Brubeck Quartet's Take Five when she exclaimed: "Holy shit, there's a drum kit in the room." I couldn't agree more.


Kurt Meyer

So What’s Involved?

In the case of both “mods,” we completely strip your cabinet of all components; divers, crossover networks, wire, binding posts, damping material, etc. And while using your existing cabinet, we install all new components; MasterBuilt Signature Internal Wire, Kevlar Midranges, Aluminum Woofers, Dual Ring Radiator Silk tweeters or Beryllium Tweeters (depending on mod), associated Crossover Networks and WBT binding posts (depending on mod) as well as upgrade your cabinet damping to our Version 2.0 Aktive Cabinet Vibration Control. We even offer you the option of applying one of our automotive paint finishes should you choose.

Everything about your loudspeaker is new except for your cabinet. By upgrading your existing VR-4jr, you receive all the sonic benefits of either the award-winning Endeavor E-3MkII or the Endeavor Special Edition (ESE) without the expense of cabinets which is the single greatest factor when it comes to pricing. So here’s what we offer…
Damon: In the month I have had the upgraded speakers, they have only gotten better and better. My wife, who does not follow forums and is not an audiophile, is so quotable. The other night she said that the biggest observable difference between the original and the upgraded speakers, in additon to just the overall quality of musical reproduction, was that the upgrade creates "a bubble of sound that envelops you, as if you are attending a live performance." Sound familiar? And I did not coach her and she sure does not read this forum or audio reviews of op ed pieces, so VSA hit its mark.
 

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