Von Schweikert Audio VR-5 manual Wiring

CARPETED FLOORS: Install the spikes after break in – this is easily accomplished with two people, one tipping the speaker back while the other installs the spikes. Be careful not to let the M/T unit fall off the woofer module! If one person installs the spikes, remove the M/T modules before attempting to install the spikes. Make sure that you level the speakers so they don’t rock, and use the locking nuts to make sure the spikes won’t vibrate loose. You will be amazed at the improvement to both the bass response and the image focus after installation of the spikes.

WIRING

The VR-5 system was designed to accept bi-wire speaker cables, so you will find two pairs of binding posts on the back of each speaker system: one pair on the woofer module and another pair on the midrange/tweeter module. See below for information on what bi-wiring can do for you.

SINGLE CABLE:

Connect the speaker cable to the binding posts on the upper midrange/tweeter unit, then connect a “jumper” wire to deliver the signal downwards to the woofer module. You can have a jumper wire constructed from the same type and brand of speaker cable that you are using, contact the manufacturer of the cable. If this is not an option, then use a piece of high quality speaker cable to connect the binding posts together, using the bare wire ends inserted into holes in the side posts of the binding posts. If you wish, you can solder banana plugs onto the jumper wires for a cleaner fit.

NOTE: we recommend using this only as a temporary solution, as we designed the speakers expressly for bi-wiring. DO NOT connect the main speaker cable to the woofer module, as you will be able to hear a loss of clarity in the midrange and treble frequencies due to extra connections in the signal path and the effects of the jumper wire.

BI-WIRING: This is the recommended wiring mode and VSA now offers speaker cables designed expressly for bi-wiring our speaker systems. Please email for information and prices.

THEORY OF BI-WIRING:

Using two separate pairs of speaker wires to deliver the signal to the woofer and midrange/tweeter modules will result in superior image depth, cleaner upper midrange/treble, and a larger sound stage. These benefits are due to the isolation of the powerful bass signals from the more delicate treble frequencies as the signal travels up the speaker cables. Since there is generally ten times more voltage present in the bass signal, the generation of a magnetic field in the positive and negative conductors will interfere with the more delicate treble signals. This magnetic modulation is easy to hear on a high resolution speaker like the VR-5 Anniversary but may not be as audible on lesser speakers. Using two separate conduction paths will enable the bass frequencies to be separated from the treble frequencies due to the high impedance “seen” by the signals due to the internal crossover networks. In other words, since there is a “high impedance” (to low frequencies) in the midrange/tweeter crossover, bass frequencies WILL NOT travel from the amplifier up to the midrange/tweeter unit, even though both speaker cables are connected to the same binding posts on the amplifier! The opposite effect occurs in the woofer cables, where no midrange/tweeter frequencies will travel due to the high impedance “seen” as the result of the woofer crossover. Crossover filters work due to the reactances supplied by the inductors and capacitors; inductors generate a “high impedance” to midrange/treble frequencies

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