Endeavor SE Impressions & Recommendations

[qwaszxxx]

Hi all - I'm currently looking to replace my Magico A3 with something that has a bit more soul. Love the Magicos for movies and TV, dislike them for music.

I've had the pleasure of listening to the epic Ultra 11s at an audio show a number of years ago, and as much as I'd like to make such a purchase, that's obviously out of reach. But something in the price range of the Endeavor SEs would be very much in my price range, and since I loved the sound signature of the Ultra 11s so much, I wondered how much of that sound really trickles down to the Endeavors.

Now I realize the obvious answer here is that I should just go listen to them and find out, but these things are hard to come across, even for those of us in California. I will be making the trek out to AXPONA this year and am hoping they're there. But I would be curious to hear if anyone on this forum has them, or as has listed to them. I'd be grateful for any impressions you might have and how they compare to other speakers you may have auditioned. I'm particularly curious about their ability to go into the deeper registers, as they're not large speakers themselves. The other speaker I'm considering are the Sasha DAWs, which I know can absolutely play big and loud.

As for my gear and space, I am very space-constrained (in terms of places for amplifiers) so I run a Devialet 440, not a classic VSA-matched amp, I know. The room is a quite large a-frame living/kitchen/dining area.

Thanks for your input!

 

[steve williams]

Hi all - I'm currently looking to replace my Magico A3 with something that has a bit more soul. Love the Magicos for movies and TV, dislike them for music.

I've had the pleasure of listening to the epic Ultra 11s at an audio show a number of years ago, and as much as I'd like to make such a purchase, that's obviously out of reach. But something in the price range of the Endeavor SEs would be very much in my price range, and since I loved the sound signature of the Ultra 11s so much, I wondered how much of that sound really trickles down to the Endeavors.

Now I realize the obvious answer here is that I should just go listen to them and find out, but these things are hard to come across, even for those of us in California. I will be making the trek out to AXPONA this year and am hoping they're there. But I would be curious to hear if anyone on this forum has them, or as has listed to them. I'd be grateful for any impressions you might have and how they compare to other speakers you may have auditioned. I'm particularly curious about their ability to go into the deeper registers, as they're not large speakers themselves. The other speaker I'm considering are the Sasha DAWs, which I know can absolutely play big and loud.

As for my gear and space, I am very space-constrained (in terms of places for amplifiers) so I run a Devialet 440, not a classic VSA-matched amp, I know. The room is a quite large a-frame living/kitchen/dining area.

Thanks for your input!

I've heard both. In fact I initially heard the Endeavor 3 and Endeavor 5 at Lief Swanson's house (Leif is the designer at VSA and was designing his own line called endeavor which merged with VSA. And of course Damon Von Schweikert heads the company. Both Damon and Leif are very good friends of mine. I have heard the Ultra 11 as it became a finished product at the VSA factory and subsequently at many audio shows. Both speakers are fabulous. But here's the killer. The Endeavor for the money is a steal. The Endeavor SE takes it a notch further.

Leif and Damon know speakers but I keep telling them that the Endeavor IMO is underpriced for the sound it produces.

 

[Bobbi]

I would agree with Steves comments.

Recently I heard the ESE and im gobsmacked at what it manages to pull off.
The beryllium tweeter manages to produce pristine highs without the typical harshness associated with beryllium tweeters. Ive listened to TAD and Magico speakers with beryllium tweeters extensively and this tweeter is much, much more realistic.
The sound coming from these speakers is much larger than the size of these speakers would make you think it can produce.
It sounds real and is one of the best speakers ive heard at any price point.

 

[Johnnygohard]

I purchased a set of ese's which replaced my focal sopra 3's, I havnt slept in 3days and I still can't work out how VS can build a speaker that can portrait music like them.
Truly mind boggling sound

 

[Holli82]

The Endeavor lineup punches above their weight classes. The VSA DNA is all there.

 

[Leif S]

I would agree with Steves comments.

Recently I heard the ESE and im gobsmacked at what it manages to pull off.
The beryllium tweeter manages to produce pristine highs without the typical harshness associated with beryllium tweeters. Ive listened to TAD and Magico speakers with beryllium tweeters extensively and this tweeter is much, much more realistic.
The sound coming from these speakers is much larger than the size of these speakers would make you think it can produce.
It sounds real and is one of the best speakers ive heard at any price point.

Thank you! That means a lot us.

 

[Leif S]

Hi all - I'm currently looking to replace my Magico A3 with something that has a bit more soul. Love the Magicos for movies and TV, dislike them for music.

I've had the pleasure of listening to the epic Ultra 11s at an audio show a number of years ago, and as much as I'd like to make such a purchase, that's obviously out of reach. But something in the price range of the Endeavor SEs would be very much in my price range, and since I loved the sound signature of the Ultra 11s so much, I wondered how much of that sound really trickles down to the Endeavors.

Now I realize the obvious answer here is that I should just go listen to them and find out, but these things are hard to come across, even for those of us in California. I will be making the trek out to AXPONA this year and am hoping they're there. But I would be curious to hear if anyone on this forum has them, or as has listed to them. I'd be grateful for any impressions you might have and how they compare to other speakers you may have auditioned. I'm particularly curious about their ability to go into the deeper registers, as they're not large speakers themselves. The other speaker I'm considering are the Sasha DAWs, which I know can absolutely play big and loud.

As for my gear and space, I am very space-constrained (in terms of places for amplifiers) so I run a Devialet 440, not a classic VSA-matched amp, I know. The room is a quite large a-frame living/kitchen/dining area.

Thanks for your input!

Did we see you at Axpona? We met a few people from whatsbest and wondering if you were able to listen to the ESE?

 

[Johnnygohard]

I purchased a set of ese's which replaced my focal sopra 3's, I havnt slept in 3days and I still can't work out how VS can build a speaker that can portrait music like them.
Truly mind boggling sound

The run in period is a ride in itself! Amazing from the start but they just keep giving
still impresses myself and others ,, and im only about half way , ,,,,

 

[tony22]

@qwaszxxx, sorry my reply is late, but I can only chime in with what everyone has said so far. During almost 30 years of listening to pure musical bliss in my house, with my previous speakers, I could find nothing in other speakers that made me consider a change. And that’s having listened to all of the big and small names in price ranges up into $30-40K. (Sure, I have heard things that impressed me - at considerably higher cost!) But VSA always kept drawing my interest, IMO they have a way of combining music and “audiophile” performance without sacrifice to either. After a couple of years of being teased about the E SEs by Leif, when I heard them I knew they were far and away better than anything I heard at that price (or much higher, for that matter) - and I’d finally heard something in my price bracket that would make me even think about replacing my previous. And… I did.

If you liked the Ultra 11, you should be super pleased with the E SE.

 

[pevan]

(an older thread, hope this is still relevant). E-SE can fill the room, loud and yet clear and with the impact. Actually regardless of the volume, the presentation will remain the same. They are not trying to "please you" in a sense of coloring the sound, E-SE sound natural, like at real life experience (of course, it depends on the recording and the mix). E-SE will make you not switch off and go to bad. I have many loong days with music .... and I am thankfull for this experience.
On the other note: I have not hear speaker I would wish to replace with. And that is good and bad in the same time