ULTRA 9's Set Up For Review(The Absolute Sound)

Leif S

Industry Expert
Feb 13, 2015
768
167
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California
www.vonschweikert.com
I just got home from a wonderful trip setting up the ULTRA 9 speakers at a reviewers house. The review will be published by The Absolute Sound Magazine and reviewed by Greg Weaver. Also being reviewed is is the VAC 450I IQ. I had a great time!
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That must’ve been a lot of work, Leif! It looks like you did a great job!

What are the white boxes on either side of the VAC amplifier?

What speakers did Greg have prior to your arrival?
 
That must’ve been a lot of work, Leif! It looks like you did a great job!

What are the white boxes on either side of the VAC amplifier?

What speakers did Greg have prior to your arrival?
Greg has VR-55 's and the amps are Constellation Inspiration stereo's that he runs in a vertical biamp configuration. Greg will be upgrading to ULTRA 55's
 
Wow, sitting on the Constellation amp which is sited on a Grand Prix stand...is a great idea if you want to break the stand...they are not designed for that kind of weight!
We were very careful and didn't really put our weight on the amps
 
Nice space heater btwn the spkrs LOL.
 
Those look like Taurus Monos. I hope Greg tries the Ultras with them too. The Taurus' are great with the S5 Mk2 of a client's.
 
Greg has VR-55 's and the amps are Constellation Inspiration stereo's that he runs in a vertical biamp configuration. Greg will be upgrading to ULTRA 55's
What will the Ultra 55s look like (and sound like), compared to the VR-55 Aktives?
 
Nice space heater btwn the spkrs LOL.
The thing actually isn't bad at all. I thought it would be way worse when I saw it for the first time at RMAF but it runs pretty cool compared to some of the SS amps I've had
 
Those look like Taurus Monos. I hope Greg tries the Ultras with them too. The Taurus' are great with the S5 Mk2 of a client's.
Inspiration brother. Which are no slouches by any means lol. They punch way above their price IMO
 
Inspiration brother. Which are no slouches by any means lol. They punch way above their price IMO
I think I'm going to sell my Centaur and Virgo 2 and get the Inspiration monos and pre for more budget oriented systems to show
 
That must’ve been a lot of work, Leif! It looks like you did a great job!

What are the white boxes on either side of the VAC amplifier?

What speakers did Greg have prior to your arrival?

Well, the "silver" boxes on the Grand Prix Audio amp stands, sitting on Critical Mass Systems CenterStage2 footers are Constellation Audio Inspiration 1.0 stereo amps that drive my Von Schweikert Audio VR-55 Aktives in a vertical biamp configuration...
 
Wow, sitting on the Constellation amp which is sited on a Grand Prix stand...is a great idea if you want to break the stand...they are not designed for that kind of weight!

Actually, according to Alvin Lloyd, designer of the GPA stands, the stand itself will support as much as 10 times more than the amps weigh. The issue is getting Sorbothane dampers that can provide the proper isolation, not the mass load on the aluminum and carbon fiber.
 
Actually, according to Alvin Lloyd, designer of the GPA stands, the stand itself will support as much as 10 times more than the amps weigh. The issue is getting Sorbothane dampers that can provide the proper isolation, not the mass load on the aluminum and carbon fiber.
Actually if you read the instructions that come with the stands, there is a very specific warning NOT to let the stand have any lateral movement at all under load. Therefore, if someone were to sit on the amp/stand and move slightly at all, good chance you severely damage the stand. As I stated, they are not designed for that kind of weight or action. How do I know...LOL. Friends with broken carbon fiber skeletons, but hey...go ahead use them as a seat.;)
 
So, here is what it is looking like today...and, it is sounding EVEN BETTER... I can't wait until the whole system has settled....
 

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