Audio Physic Virgo Loudspeakers/Naim?

Hi,

Not in the Naim context sadly, but they are very fine speakers but very space demanding (setup the A-P way dictates that the speakers be almost half way into the room and a quarter of the way from either side wall, with the listener sitting hard against the back wall).

I fell in love with these speakers in a lot of ways but couldn't live with the demands they placed on my (then) living room. Easy to drive, they go seriously loud without strain and do several round-earth things better than any speakers I've yet heard. Supporting my suspicion that the flat-earth-ness of a speaker is mainly a factor of what precedes it in the system chain, I think it can do flat-earth - it's certainly as fast as my Petite/Gravitas, and a bit more detailed (as it is over any other speakers I've yet heard) though it's so transparent you may not take to the sound.

Well worth a look, but I suspect my Petite/Gravitas/Mana would represent a better match for Naim and all for £1200...

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Hey Tanx TC

'Me want good beat, food in me belly and money to spend' (Lee Perry?)

Very useful feedback thanks, am just about to go active into IBL's but also have EPOS ES22's. The A P Virgo's captured my imagination for some inexplicable reason and i've no real chance of hearing them in my set up because of the distance involved (unless i choose to lug 135s, pre amp, cd etc), they are 2k 2nd hand so quite risky. I'd sell my 2 prs to help fund them. I get a bit dyslexic about active, would/could u go active into them or the n/g/m trio?

Steve

TC

I jumped the gun there somewhat, on re reading your post it's the room/position that's the overiding factor, reminded me of the advantages of the IBL (and SBL presumably) going hard against the back wall. What about petite/gravitas/mana, do they do that?

S

quote:

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, on re reading your post it's the room/position that's the overiding factor, reminded me of the advantages of the IBL (and SBL presumably) going hard against the back wall. What about petite/gravitas/mana, do they do that?

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Er, yes, the P/G/Mana will go pretty close to the back wall but they're not at their best in that configuration. They like a little space to breath - I reckon the optimal positioning in my room is about 1.5' from the wall and 3'+ from any corner, but it's a reasonable sized room and so a little bass reinforcement isn't such a problem. In a smaller room I think you'd perhaps want 2'. However, Petites on their own work much more closely to the back wall.

Bear in mind that I've never been happy with the sound that people get with speakers right up against the wall - I tend to find it thickens the sound a bit too much for my tastes, but we're all different and obviously a lot of people like that.

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Getting back to the original question, Virgos work quite well with Naim. The later the version, the better they do PRaT. I'm currently using a pair of Virgo IIIs, the current model, and find them a really good speaker from both flat and round earth perspectives.

How well they do the imaging thing depends on free you site them. But you can get really good music even when putting them reasonably close to a back wall. They like at least a meter distance from a side wall, though, because of the side-mounted woofers.

One big advantage: they sound good at low to middling loudness levels, unlike, say, an SBL which to my ears has only ever sounded coherent when played LOUD.

Markus

Thanks Markus, what are you using with your Virgo's, if you don't mind me asking, amps, front end etc?

Steve D

Hi,

is it still an interesting topic?
Coming from Germany Audio Physic is very present.
In 1993 I did a great deal of listening to a wide range of speakers in Berlin. At that time I had Nait 1 with Linn Index.
After Cabasse, BW, TA, Monitor Audio, HGP I came to the Virgo and they were really outstanding compared to the others - of cause for my taste (Classical Music, really listening, my own viola/violin sound as reference.)
Second time I came to the shop the sales person told me that Vladimir Ashgenazy had bought just a pair of Virgos. Still I used my money doing some travelling.
Coming back in 1999 I looked again for speakers and again I was "Trapped" by Audio Physic, now Virgo II. (Against Linn, Dynaudio, Cabasse, the beautifull italian speakers...)
I got them and had them for some time with my Nait 1 which came to its limits listening louder. Upgrading to 102/Hicap/250 did it but going for 52/250 bested this by length.
The remark on sounding good on low level I only can subscribe.
Concerning small rooms - as the Virgos now are my second chain only (I got the Avanti 3 after an experience with DBLs) I had them in a small room (3m to 4m) between cupboard close to the wall just having the bass chassis beeing free of the Cupboard (about 30 cm more into the room) And still the Virgos sound great now with old 42.5/SNAPS/140. After my experience it is not too dificult to place them.

Is there anybody going to share their experience using Audio Physic speakers, like step and spark? Are they very positioning sensitive? Close to wall placement? From reviews, many praise their round-earth qualites like 3D soundstage and image. Do they make PRAT? I have heard AP step with non-naim amp and surprised by its performance in low-level listening and PRAT.

Hi,

I have a small room, but my Virgo’s 2 sound great! Two friends of mine also bought the Virgo’s 2 and everyone I invite at home is very impressed.
I have heard the Spark and Step too, but do not like them as much as my Virgo’s. The Virgo is a full range speaker (without devastating bass) that you can use in small rooms.
The soundstage of the Virgo is unbeatable. It has a fast, open and transparent sound, but also gives the warm voices and saxophones I like.
But watch out: the Virgo 3 is using another tweeter, which is more precise. I found it more clinical and sterile sounding and do not like them, but others may differ.
I ‘ve heard and read about the insane positioning, but this is really not necessary. They are indeed not difficult to place. They are not difficult to drive either: many people are using the Virgo’s with tube amps.
The only downsides: It has a little prominent (colored) midbass (which by the way makes it very listenable) and it has a low WAF.
I don’t know if it will work with Naim, but what I do know: if Naim is good, than you can’t go wrong with them.
I’m not the only one who likes the Virgo:

http://www.audioreview.com/Main%20Speaker/Audio%20Physic/PRD_119073_1594crx.aspx

Excuse me for my bad English.

Renzo

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bighead:
Is there anybody going to share their experience using Audio Physic speakers, like step and spark?Do they make PRAT?QUOTE]

I listened to the new Sparks in Munich in 1999.
They didn't sound natural like the bigger models.
For less I was able to get some used Virgo 2.

Virgo 3 is very different from Virgo 2. But I listened to them in a Show room where they sounded as if they were not driven in. My Avanti took several weeks to sound REALLY good.