Rocket RS 750 vs VMPS RM40's for H.T. (1 Viewer)

[Ken Lopata]

I realize we have a big difference in price. Total Rocket package is $2,200, VMPS package is approx. $5,500.

I've read all the glowing reviews on the H.D. forum about the VMPS speakers. The RM40 not only won the best speaker but overall best product at 2002 CES. I've read one review where the customer decided to stick with his nOhr speakers for H.T. over his RM40 setup. He is using his RM40's for music only.

On HTF & AVS everyone raves about the new Rocket RS750 setup from Onix. One recent review compares them to speakers he has heard, costing 5-10 times as much and he rates the RS750's as good or better. One reviewer compared them in depth to the Paradigm Ref 100's and picked the RS 750's. Are they this good, and would they be better then a RM40 setup for 90% H.T. For the price I could use 5 RS 750's in a 6.1 setup and still have money left over..

Price is not the major concern. I just want the best sounding H.T. (within reason).

I now have a Def Tech setup and do like their big sound. My H.T./family room is 18x23. The height & dispersion problems of the RM40's for H.T. is a drawback.

Has anyone heard the Rocket RS750's and RM40's? That would be a great comparison. Thanks for your thoughts.

I want to buy something.

Thanks

 

[Walt N]

To begin comparing to the RM40's you'd need a pair of Rocket 750's + at least one WHOMPING subwoofer.
I've never heard the RM40's so that's as far as I can go with this. I'm sure they're spectacular. I find the Rockets rather spectacular as well, particularly when used in conjunction with my two WHOMPING SVS subs. I don't know of anyone who has A/B'ed them together in the same room so I don't know how much objective info you'll get on this, but I'm sure some opinions will be forthcoming.

 

[Ken Lopata]

I have one of the most powerful WHOMPING subs know to man. A Stryke DUAL HE15 300 pound monster. This is powered by a Crown K2 amp a eq'd by a Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro

I don't really need the low end power of the RM40. Mid range on up is the most important. I wonder how 5 RS750's in a 6.1 setup would work.

Thanks,

Ken

 

[Walt N]

Why indeed that is a WHOMPING sub. Since you don't need the low end of the RM40's how about the VMPS 626R's? Just a thought. I don't know where Littleton is but there are folks with Rockets in Colorado. Check out Audioenvy.com where you can register for an audition and see if there's someone nearby. There are also people in Colorado with VMPS speakers. Check out harmonicdiscord.com and you'll find them. (Look for Tyson.)

Good luck.

BTW, five 750's and the RSC-200 (Bigfoot) center in a 6.1 setup would sound amazing. I'm quite sure of that.

 

[Ken Lopata]

Tyson has offered to allo me to come over and listen. He is actually the person that decided against using the RM40's in his H.T., he likes his nOhr's better. Wayne (Bolder Cables) has offered a listen to his 626r's. I would think the 626r's would even have a worse vertical dispersion probles sine there is only 1 ribbon vs 4 lined up vertically for the RM40's.

Thanks

 

[Joe Wilmore]

Remember that the RM40's take a ton of setup time as well. Some of the people who have them on HD, have mentioned as much as 3 months to get everything setup properly. I would recommend the EFE technologies speakers. You can check the reviews at audio review. They have never received anything less that a 5 star rating. I talked to a VMPS dealer in Los Angeles, and realized I did not want to spend that much time tweaking the speakers.

 

[Walt N]

Good call, Joe. Another fine candidate. Ed Frias is a great guy who absolutely knows his stuff when it comes to speakers.
[email protected]

 

[Ken Lopata]

Thanks for the replies. I've heard the setup can be a pain. I don't really feel like taking out and putting in putty. If this was for a dedicated 2 channel setup I'd want to get the last 10% out of any speaker. The overall height of the RM40's is also a problem. I have beautiful bookcases behind my 61" RPTV and soon to be 100" FP. I don't know if i want 66" speakers in front.

Does EFE Speakers have a website.
Thanks

 

[Joe Wilmore]

No website, but you can call him @ 760-741-6525. He can e-mail you all of the specs on his speakers, as well as pictures.

 

[SkiingNinja]

Hmmm, I would be willing to bring a pair of RS750s over to Tysons place if he is willing to host it. Too bad he lives in an apartment :frowning: Maybe he can bring the RM40s over to my subterranean sound room (and spend the three months setting them up hehe).
Ken, you live not far from me. If we can't get the Rockets over to Tysons, at least you can come by here and check out the 750s for yourself for HT and music.
E-mail me @ [email protected] to work out the details...
Regards,
Sean

 

[John A. Casler]

Joe wrote:

I talked to a VMPS dealer in Los Angeles, and realized I did not want to spend that much time tweaking the speakers.

Hi Joe, Hope the person you talked with here was not me although, I am VMPS in LA.

I have never told anyone that they have to spend a lot of time "setting them up" for HT.

For HT is is rather simple. Place them, remove a pea sized bit of putty (they come over damped) and if they sound OK you're fine.

Now if you are an audiophile "then" you can spend some time if you are in search of the "absolute sound" because the finer adjustments will take you closer.

One has to remember that "other speakers" have virtually "no" adjustability.

Ken,

As far as your question, there is no substitute for listening. Even if you listen under less than ideal conditions, many times you can still hear if the speaker meets at least some of you criteria.

As much as we explain ourselves here on the forum, we still cannot listen with the ears of another through their biases.

You also have no idea where an opinion comes from. If someone has just moved up to VMPS or Rockets from a pair of Cerwin Vega (No flames please) then how can you interpret their accolades.

If someone is a snobby audiophile (what???) and wouldn't be caught dead in anything less than a focal tweetered system what does that tell you?

Rooms, tastes, biases, software, components, speaker integration, even "looks" of a speaker can make it sound a certain way to you.

I carry over 30 lines of speakers, from "junk" to extreme "high end". I might suggest that if you are worried about limited dispersion (not really a problem in my bias book, but actually a requirement) Listen to other speakers.

For 90% HT look seriously at M&K, JBL Synthesis, Klipsch, SLS, and a great many DIY options. Obviously the Rockets would also be in there, but even they have SPL limitations in Larger rooms (but that is only pertinant for those who listen very loud in large rooms.

I might even suggest that not all VMPS are ribbons. The QSO626SE is a HT performer that will knock your lamps out. The Tower II 20th Anniversaty Edition has a planar midrange and will supposedly play to 115db (I have not measured). It RULES!!

Get four Tower IIs and a QSO626SE center and with your subs, you can go up against any system around (except the RM40) and have not a single regret.

And in addition, the above system, is most of the way to an "audiophile system" to boot (it just isn't the ribbons)

But with your SUBS, you need some "SPEAKER HEAT" If a speaker can't put out a big sound, it will be overwhelmed.

M&K 150s, JBL HT series, Klipsch or even SLS could do the job.

Me, I want it all, and my RM40 TRTs are due to arrive in about a week. I wouldn't have anything else.

RM40s, mated to a LRC, Tower II/dipole sides, 626/dipole rear and two Larger Subs in front and an Earthquake SuperNova 15" sub in the rear.

Audiophile music...Unbeleivable HT. (IMHO)

You need to get some ear time in on some of the above.

Have fun.

John

 

[Ken Lopata]

I need to listen. John is right. I didn't realize how close AV is - 30 minutes away. Tyson with his RM40s is only 10 minutes away from AV. Wayne from Bolder Cables is on 5 minutes from my house. We need to get these speakers together.

I have no doubt the RM 40s are everything that's written about them. They were picked not just the best speaker, but best overall product at 2002 CES. Price did not matter.

We have movie nights where 6-8 people are watching movies. We have 2 recliners in the sweet spot, one double recliner love seat next to those, and the same double recliner at a 90 degree angle to the individual recliners. This room is also a family room. This is why I'm concerned with the sweetspot of the RM 40s.

I need to listen.

Thanks.