Hello Marcus. Thank you so much for your kind words. My passion and enthusiasm for this remarkable product are driven by its level of overall accomplishment in regard to their ability to render the compelling authenticity of the recorded event and the passion that enables them to foster in the listener. See my full response to the post from "hector alvarez" below.

Hello Bob. How very kind of you to say... Thank you so much for taking the time to explore the channel!

Hello Joe. Thanks for your observations. Albert was one of the most underappreciated and unrecognized geniuses of our industry. And you are also correct in that where Damon and Leif have taken his dreams would make him proud beyond compare.

Thank you, Lee. While it is true that Albert is no longer with us, his spirit and legacy will live on and flourish in the body of the work being continued by Leif and Damon.

An incredible innovator Albert possessed extreme talent.

I love hearing stories like this! Do you know the brand and model number? Can you share photos? Thanks!

@@theaudioanalyst I di have some pictures but not sure where or how to post them.

@@jdsstegman You can send them to my email address... greg@theaudioanalyst.com! Thanks.

Thanks, Bill. I'm SO glad you found the time to swing by to be the first listener to hear them. I'm anxious to see how much more they settle (when you arrived they had only been out of the crates for about 24 hours), and get a little more running time on them!

Hello Gino, and thanks... I jumped on the Cisco Music LP release of "Aja" (CLP-1006, #687 www.discogs.com/Steely-Dan-Aja/release/1377969 ) when it was released back in 2007. I have an original 1977 ABC, two of the German ABCs, as well as the MFSL half speed LP and Gold CD, and a few other pressings. But the Cisco LP sounds FABULOUS, and is in fact, the most immediate, focused, extended, and tasty version I've ever heard of that release. The shirt was from the 2003 tour!

@@theaudioanalyst Very cool!I just played it this afternoon,the SHM version,it is a great sounding album,wish i could hear it on your system,love your system!

Hello Anthony. Thanks for writing and sharing that you have come to live with the Legacy Focus SE. Honestly, I have loved the Legacy Whisper (now the Whisper XDS) and the Focus (now the Focus SE) since their introduction. I'm just not at all sold on or comfortable with the models that use the Legacy Wavelet Processor, their "advanced" speaker & room resonance correction system with a high-end DAC/Preamplifier. I'd take the Focus SE over the Aeris every time... Just me, I guess...

@@theaudioanalyst I agree wit hall you said! I am wand was not sold on the external x over room correction system they offer either. I have heard "others" say it is really an improvement as it helps correct things within the time domain and accurately launches cones etc. In science I can see how it would improve things but honestly was too much for my taste as they just raised my Legacy Se I got new from them to 13k now. I know for some that is not much in this hobby but for me it is a ton. I was given an offer directly from Owner for new pair I could absolutely not refuse and anybody alive would not either. It was right at the beginning of the Pandemic shut downs too. Only stipulation was the speakers had to be in a standard finish and I chose walnut. Honestly, They look as nice as their premium finishes but after we listen to speakers and that is most important. If I could not have gotten these New Focus SE FULL RANGE speakers not sure what I would have done. Maybe used market for something with actual low end and imaging etc. Then there were a few other possibilities like Magnepan with a Sub or even Martin Logan in their low mid leveel with a good sub, or even Tekton or salk. The range is quite small believe it or not for a speaker that can say they measure down to 20hz or under +/- 2db. Very Hard. If I could have swung it I would have went with the ventured into having Legacy build me a passive Aeris which I heard is stunning when properly amped. I even thought about the Polk Legend 800s that are just introduced not long ago. There is some nice things said about them and their use of SDA can and does work excellent when placed properly but two things bothered me. One they are just ugly looking! The second is the SDA can be very picky I have read from several write ups. This is not hearing them myself though so it is a guess. I just did not want to mess with a speaker that can not handle most or all I can throw at it. Legacy offered me a price little more than the Polk 800s and just was meant to be and the rest is history! Love your channel btw! I got to mention too. The folks at Legacy literally bent over backward to make me happy. Not only that, they painstakingly sonically match and null each set of speakers they sell and the owner Bill Duddelston himself does this. They even take artistic care to make sure the wood patterns etc are an exact match from one speaker to another. The packaging and shipping was outstanding! Each speaker carefully packed and even wrapped in velvet protection socks etc. I love when a company actually CARES about what they do!

LOL... Well, the U9s are a significant step up from the ESEs, but the ESEs are staggeringly good at their price. There is NO QUESTION that the have the same sonic DNA as the ULTRAs... They are amazing for their price...

Hello JLDR57... Thanks for the kind words on the channel and its contents. I hope you enjoy your time here! As to my beautiful VR-55s, they got traded in on the U9s, and have gone to a new, happy home!

Hello Suhail... Thank you so much!

Thank you... It is my original tour shirt from the August 28, 1993 show at the "Merriweather Post Pavilion" in Columbia, MD! I also have a tour shirt from the July 17, 1996 show at what was the "Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater," now "The Pavilion At Star Lake," which I wore in Episode 15!

Hello Hector. While I clearly am appreciative of these loudspeakers abilities to recreate the musical event in my space (who would opt into such a product at this luxury price point if they did not), I hope that you understand that my passion for them is based upon, and justified by, the level of overall accomplishment in regard to their ability to render the compelling authenticity of the recorded event and the passion that enables them to foster in the listener. I hope it is just as clear, that while I've heard most everything out there, in this price range and above, save the newest Wilson WAMM Chronosoinic Master, and XVX, everything else I've heard from Wilson over the decades would lead me to believe that I would still prefer the Von Schweikert Audio ULTRA 9 (and in the right room, the ULTRA 11). To conclude, at this point in time, I have heard no other loudspeaker, at or above their lofty price point, with as truthful a musical voice... That is why I bit the bullet and committed to owning my own set.

Greg- Your detail analysis comes across loud and clear! I currently own a pair of Focal Stella Utopia EM pair of loudspeakers (D’Agostino Momemtum 400, HD P/A and Phono) , which have been fantastic for me specially with their ability to adjust to a just about any room within reason. As i look forward to perhaps making changes in my system i would certainly put the Ultra 9 on my short list... Interesting comments on the Wilson (several models) speakers as many folks have suggested those to me. Upon auditioning those at shows, dealer etc, I haven’t seen the dramatic improvement i would expect for the price range. Anyways....great review and i do appreciate your very detailed explanations and breakdowns. Oh ....I would love to to try Audionet as well......enjoy! Hector

Hello Sven. I had a pair of jrs for a while too... As to the staticy noise that variable resistor makes when you move the wiper, you can try a number of things. First, with no audio playing run the dial full range of motion, left to the stop, then back right to the stop, and do it about 30 or 40 times... This can often "clean" the travel and help reduce that noise. And, you can buy electronic contact cleaner to spray -- VERY CAUTIOUSLY -- into the body of the pot. Then do the full range of motion thing... Finally, you can write to Leif or Damon and see what they have to say about replacing it... But, believe me, I'd USE that ambiance retrieval system. It is a MAJOR contributor to creating the VSA magic... Oh, here is a link to my review of the VR-4 jr... ;-) www.positive-feedback.com/Issue17/vr4jr.htm

@@theaudioanalyst Thanks! I have done that before but not 30 - 40 times... but that helpt and now I hear that it sound even better with this tweeters or without! I have a Primare 35.2 amplifer (biwiring) to these and it works real well! I bought a type of "soft" feets that is made after how much weight the speakers have and that in fact was good in my room... I don´t belived in that at first but I must say that this was a good thing! As a DAC i have a Topping D90 that I also like... So sad that the Von Schweikert no longer sell in my country (Sweden) but buy many of our Von Konigsegg and please send us some of these speakers! :)

Hello Kerry, yes, I have... Both at shows and at designer Leif Swanson's listening room... It is truly amazing how MUCH of the ULTRA DNA they afford. Oh sure, there is less - less extension at both extremes, less resolution, and less dynamic scaling ability, but tonally, they do a very good job of sharing that sound... They are a remarkable speaker for the money.

Hello, Brian. Thank you so much. My wife, who has about as much interest in this gear as she does in going to the moon, actually went out of her way to state that she likes the the color and the look! ;-)

Well then, now you know you’re into something. My wife usually twitches a bit more when I play an audiophile record. My modest system doesn’t turn heads but it sounds great for the price. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

Hello Boris...thanks for writing... I would ask you to look at my review of the ULTRA 9s to, perhaps, get a sense of just why the super tweeter/s (front and back) is/are useful and to see just how bloody versatile and complete the subwoofer room integration system is... www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/von-schweikert-audio-ultra-9-loudspeaker/ And, I would very much urge you to find the opportunity to hear one of the ULTRAs at a show before you make any final decisions about them. They simply are the most authentic speakers I've yet to hear. Thanks again for writing! Stay safe.

@@theaudioanalyst Greg thanks really great description👍👏👍, do you know why from three separate cabinets that in my opinion contribute to good vibration isolation between units t, m, b at vr6 and two at vr9 t-m, b came to one at 9 ultra. Have you ever talked about this with Albert and what is your opinion on this matter.

​@@borisjelenc1217 Hello Boris.... Yes, we discussed it and I cover that in my review... They took lessons learned from the astonishing, one-off VR-111XS, and redeveloped the ENTIER VSA lineup. See the review (with details) here - www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/von-schweikert-audio-ultra-9-loudspeaker/ And see images of the AMAZING VR-111XS in this photo essay - www.monoandstereo.com/2016/12/von-schweikert-vr-111xs-ultra-line.html PS - Here is a shot of Damon Von Schweikert standing between them - www.theaudioanalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/VR-111XS-damon-web.jpg

No, they don't sound "ok," you dolt. They are state-of-the-art transducers...the sound as authentic to live music as any reproduction system you are likely to hear...

@@theaudioanalyst Hi Greg. I appreciate your Frank-ness. I was being jocular and facetious naturally. I have heard Von S speakers before and know they sound spectacular, but it would be helpful if you used Peter Breuninger's cutting-edge review style and posted a video of your speakers playing some Dead Can Dance so I can evaluate the sound via my Boses transducers which are part of my current reference system but I also have some Paradigms in my garage which I can deploy after fixing the woofers which are busted. What do you think?