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R-Series ยท Floorstanding Loudspeaker
R3
Floorstanding Loudspeaker
Three chambers. Three materials. One nature.
Description
Design philosophy
Every decision is acoustic.
The R3 is where the R-Series reaches its full expression. A true 3-way design โ not a 2ยฝ-way approximation โ means each driver operates within a dedicated acoustic volume, tuned specifically for its frequency range. The beryllium tweeter operates above ~2,800 Hz, free of the bass and midrange volumes entirely. The dedicated Papyrus midrange driver occupies its own sealed chamber, completely isolated from the woofer enclosure. The dual Papyrus woofers operate in a separate bass-reflex enclosure, tuned to 32 Hz.
Every dimension follows from the acoustic requirements of this specific driver configuration. Every component value in the crossover. Every surface decision. The result is a loudspeaker where beryllium precision and Papyrus warmth are resolved across four drivers, three chambers, and two crossover boundaries โ into one coherent acoustic character. This is the R-Series without compromise.
Every dimension follows from the acoustic requirements of this specific driver configuration. Every component value in the crossover. Every surface decision. The result is a loudspeaker where beryllium precision and Papyrus warmth are resolved across four drivers, three chambers, and two crossover boundaries โ into one coherent acoustic character. This is the R-Series without compromise.
Transducer platform
Beryllium above. Papyrus throughout. Complete separation.
The R3 uses four transducers from the SATORI reference driver family โ all chosen because their material properties demanded the least compromise in designing this system. One waveguide-loaded beryllium dome tweeter. One dedicated 6ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone midrange driver in a sealed chamber. Two 7ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone woofers in a bass-reflex enclosure. Beryllium above the first crossover point. Papyrus below it โ through the midrange and through the bass, without interruption.
Tweeter โ beryllium dome, waveguide-loaded Shared across R-Series
29mm beryllium dome โ waveguide-loaded
The same waveguide-loaded beryllium tweeter as the R1 and R2 โ shared across the entire R-Series to ensure tonal consistency at the high-frequency end from bookshelf to reference floorstander. Beryllium chosen for stiffness-to-density ratio nine times greater than titanium, near-zero internal damping, and flat response to 40 kHz. The 170mm solid aluminum waveguide controls directivity above the ~2,800 Hz crossover point. Dual copper caps hold voice coil inductance to 0.02 mH across the operating band.
Midrange โ dedicated Papyrus cone, sealed chamber Dedicated midrange driver
6ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone โ dedicated midrange
A dedicated midrange driver โ not a midwoofer adapted for midrange duty, but a driver designed specifically for the 400โ2,800 Hz operating range. The Egyptian Papyrus cone uses an inverted low-damping surround and a neodymium motor optimised for the midrange band, with a breakup mode well above the crossover point ensuring pure pistonic motion throughout its working range. High internal damping from the Papyrus material suppresses cone resonance modes without added moving mass, preserving the natural tonal warmth and organic texture that defines the R-Series midrange character.
The driver operates exclusively within its optimised frequency range โ housed in a sealed midrange chamber that is fully isolated from the woofer enclosure. The midrange hears only the crossover network and the room.
Woofers โ dual 7ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone, bass-reflex Dual driver array
2ร 7ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone โ long-excursion bass
Two 7ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone long-excursion woofers operating in parallel in a dedicated bass-reflex enclosure, tuned to 32 Hz. The Papyrus cone material in the woofers carries the same tonal warmth as the midrange โ the bass register of the R3 is tonally continuous with the midrange above it, which is a consequence of using the same material family throughout. The combined cone area of two 7ยฝโณ drivers moves the air volume required for deep, authoritative bass reproduction, with excursion demand distributed across both drivers. Each woofer operates below ~480 Hz exclusively, with no midrange content reaching its cone. Free air resonance of 29 Hz. Long-excursion neodymium motor system. Vented cast aluminum chassis.
TeXtremeยฎ
Beryllium above the first crossover point. Egyptian Papyrus throughout the rest of the frequency range โ in the dedicated midrange chamber and in the bass enclosure. The R3 is the only V&Y loudspeaker where Papyrus operates as both a dedicated midrange material and a dedicated bass material simultaneously. The tonal warmth, natural texture, and organic character of Papyrus are present from 32 Hz to the beryllium crossover point โ three octaves of continuous Papyrus character, anchored by beryllium precision above it. This is what the R-Series sounds like at its full expression.
Signal integration
The crossover is where the speaker is truly designed.
The R3 crossover is a true 3-way network โ four drivers, three operating bands, two crossover boundaries, and the phase relationships between beryllium, Papyrus midrange, and Papyrus bass maintained across the full frequency range. The woofer pair crosses to the dedicated midrange driver at ~480 Hz. The midrange driver crosses to the beryllium tweeter at ~2,800 Hz.
The network is built around the specific properties of the waveguide-loaded beryllium tweeter โ its controlled directivity, impedance curve, and sensitivity all accounted for explicitly. LCR impedance linearisation presents a stable load across both crossover regions. Resonance suppression networks at each driver's mechanical limit keep those modes out of the listening position. Phase-aligned integration across both transition boundaries.
The complete crossover assembly is housed in a sealed chamber at the cabinet base, behind the removable plinth โ separated from both the midrange cavity and the bass enclosure by a slanted divider that suppresses standing wave formation within the crossover cavity. The assembly uses premium polypropylene film capacitors and air-core inductors, matched as a stereo pair to better than 1% tolerance.
The network is built around the specific properties of the waveguide-loaded beryllium tweeter โ its controlled directivity, impedance curve, and sensitivity all accounted for explicitly. LCR impedance linearisation presents a stable load across both crossover regions. Resonance suppression networks at each driver's mechanical limit keep those modes out of the listening position. Phase-aligned integration across both transition boundaries.
The complete crossover assembly is housed in a sealed chamber at the cabinet base, behind the removable plinth โ separated from both the midrange cavity and the bass enclosure by a slanted divider that suppresses standing wave formation within the crossover cavity. The assembly uses premium polypropylene film capacitors and air-core inductors, matched as a stereo pair to better than 1% tolerance.
Cabinet design
Precision has a geometry.
The R3 shares its cabinet design with the X3 โ V&Y's own fully original design, engineered around the acoustic requirements of a true 3-way system with three acoustically separate volumes. The structural engineering of maintaining those three separate volumes under the mechanical load of dual 7ยฝโณ woofers defines every internal dimension, partition angle, and bracing position in the cabinet.
Three chambers
Three acoustic environments. No leakage between them.
A sealed midrange chamber that isolates the Papyrus midrange driver from bass-frequency variations entirely. A separate bass-reflex woofer enclosure tuned independently to 32 Hz. A sealed crossover chamber behind the removable plinth, separated from both acoustic volumes by a slanted internal divider. Three acoustic environments within one cabinet. Each tuned exclusively for the driver it houses.
Baffle
Diffraction-controlled baffle geometry
The faceted baffle profile suppresses high-frequency edge diffraction across the full cabinet height. Driver placement is calculated against the baffle geometry to displace diffraction artefacts outside the critical listening band. The waveguide-loaded beryllium tweeter controls directivity above its crossover point โ the cabinet geometry addresses what the waveguide does not.
Bass loading
Down-firing reflex alignment, 32 Hz
Down-firing bass reflex port, tuned to 32 Hz โ the deepest port tuning in the R-Series. The dual 7ยฝโณ Papyrus woofers extend into the deep bass register with linear output and the same organic tonal warmth as the midrange above them. The down-firing orientation uses floor boundary reinforcement to extend bass loading and keeps turbulence noise away from the primary listening axis.
Structural integrity
33 kg per cabinet. Built to that standard.
High-density natural wood composite construction using 15mm, 18mm, and 25mm panels in different structural zones โ material thickness matched to load and resonance requirements at each position in the cabinet. Non-parallel internal walls suppress standing wave formation within the enclosure. Strategic bracing suppresses panel resonance modes across the full bass operating range. At 33 kg per cabinet, the R3 has the mass its acoustic architecture requires.
Surface
Multi-stage hand-applied finish
Each cabinet passes through a controlled multi-stage coating process โ flat-sanded between coats, inspected under raking light, cleared only when it meets our written surface specification. At this cabinet scale, the finishing process is more demanding. The standard does not change. The natural Papyrus cones create a visual presence that is specific to the R-Series at full floorstanding scale. Available in all five V&Y finishes.
Technical specifications
Measured. Specified. Stated without qualification.
Acoustic Performance
Physical
Amplifier pairing.
At 89 dB sensitivity and 4 ฮฉ nominal impedance, the R3 is the most capable speaker in the R-Series โ and the most revealing. The beryllium tweeter's resolution to 40 kHz and the Papyrus midrange's natural transparency together make the R3 exceptionally sensitive to amplifier quality. A minimum of 100 W into 4 ฮฉ with a damping factor above 100 is recommended. The R3 will reveal the difference between amplifiers in a way that smaller speakers cannot. Our team is available to advise on specific pairings before purchase โ this conversation is worth having before the order is placed.
System context
Stereo. Cinema. No subwoofer required.
The R3 is the R-Series at its complete capability. At 32 Hz extension and 108 dB maximum SPL per pair, it is the only R-Series model that delivers full-range bass reproduction without a subwoofer in most rooms โ and the natural anchor of a reference R-Series cinema system.
In stereo, the R3 produces a soundstage of exceptional scale and depth โ the organic Papyrus midrange warmth and the beryllium tweeter's open extension combine at a volume and dynamic range that smaller speakers cannot approach. Long listening sessions become the natural consequence, not the aspiration. In a cinema system, the R3 anchors the front soundstage with the authority that only a true 3-way reference floorstander provides.
The R3 shares the same beryllium tweeter as every R-Series model โ ensuring that the tonal character of the front channels is precisely matched to the R-Series centre, surrounds, and Atmos speakers throughout the system.
In stereo, the R3 produces a soundstage of exceptional scale and depth โ the organic Papyrus midrange warmth and the beryllium tweeter's open extension combine at a volume and dynamic range that smaller speakers cannot approach. Long listening sessions become the natural consequence, not the aspiration. In a cinema system, the R3 anchors the front soundstage with the authority that only a true 3-way reference floorstander provides.
The R3 shares the same beryllium tweeter as every R-Series model โ ensuring that the tonal character of the front channels is precisely matched to the R-Series centre, surrounds, and Atmos speakers throughout the system.
Ownership
Built for decades. Backed without conditions.
Home trial
60 days in your room
The only meaningful audition is in your own space. The R3 arrives at your door. You listen. If after 60 days it does not belong in that room, contact us and we arrange collection. No restocking fee. No conditions. No questions that require an answer.
Warranty
Ten years. Transferable.
Full parts and labour coverage for ten years from date of purchase. Transferable on private resale โ register the new owner and full coverage continues. We build loudspeakers intended to last a generation. The warranty reflects that intention.
Support
Direct to the engineers
Concierge support connects you directly to the people who designed the R3 โ for setup, amplifier pairing, room placement, and long-term system guidance. The R3 is a speaker that benefits from careful setup. Our team is available for as long as the speaker is in your room. No call centres. No support tickets.
Direct to customer
No intermediaries. Ever.
V&Y sells exclusively direct. No importers, no dealers, no showrooms. The price you see is the price you pay โ worldwide shipping and all applicable duties and taxes included.
Finish options
Five finishes. All hand-applied. All to specification.
Each finish applied in controlled stages across the R3's substantial cabinet surface area โ flat-sanded between coats, inspected under raking light, cleared only when it meets our written surface specification. At this scale, the natural Papyrus cones โ midrange and woofers โ create a visual presence that is specific to the R3. The material character of the speaker is visible before it is heard. Available in all five V&Y finishes.
Custom RAL colours available on request for orders of two pairs or more. Lead time 8โ10 weeks. Contact us to discuss.
The R-Series
A complete acoustic platform. A distinct voice.
The R3 is the reference expression of the R-Series platform. Every model โ from the R1 bookshelf to the R5 surround โ shares the same beryllium tweeter character, the same Papyrus material warmth, the same cabinet design discipline, and the same acoustic identity. The R3 does not represent a different direction from the R1. It represents the same direction, taken as far as it goes.
Shipping & Delivery