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R-Series ยท Centre Channel Loudspeaker
R4
Centre Channel Loudspeaker
The voice of the R-Series.
Description
Design philosophy
The centre channel carries sixty percent of what you hear.
In a cinema system, the centre channel reproduces the majority of programme material โ dialogue, centred vocal performances, and the acoustic anchor of the soundstage. The R4 is designed to be worthy of the R-Series system it anchors.
A dedicated 3-way architecture with a sealed midrange chamber, dual 5โณ dedicated Papyrus midrange drivers, and the same waveguide-loaded beryllium tweeter used throughout the R-Series. The R4 reproduces dialogue and vocal content with the same beryllium precision and Papyrus warmth as the R1, R2, or R3 facing the listener โ because it uses the same driver materials, the same crossover design discipline, and the same acoustic philosophy. The front soundstage of an R-Series system is tonally consistent from left to centre to right. That consistency is the R4's primary purpose.
A dedicated 3-way architecture with a sealed midrange chamber, dual 5โณ dedicated Papyrus midrange drivers, and the same waveguide-loaded beryllium tweeter used throughout the R-Series. The R4 reproduces dialogue and vocal content with the same beryllium precision and Papyrus warmth as the R1, R2, or R3 facing the listener โ because it uses the same driver materials, the same crossover design discipline, and the same acoustic philosophy. The front soundstage of an R-Series system is tonally consistent from left to centre to right. That consistency is the R4's primary purpose.
Transducer platform
Five drivers. Beryllium and Papyrus. System coherence.
The R4 uses five transducers from the SATORI reference driver family โ all chosen for material coherence with the R-Series front channels. A waveguide-loaded beryllium dome tweeter shared with the R1, R2, and R3. Two dedicated 5โณ Egyptian Papyrus cone midrange drivers in a sealed chamber. Two 6ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone woofers flanking the midrange array. The same beryllium tweeter character above the crossover. The same Papyrus warmth below it. One material philosophy, consistently applied across every R-Series channel.
Tweeter โ beryllium dome, waveguide-loaded Shared across R-Series
29mm beryllium dome โ waveguide-loaded
The identical tweeter used in the R1, R2, and R3 โ centred on the R4 baffle for symmetrical horizontal dispersion. The waveguide's controlled directivity ensures that the R4's high-frequency character is precisely matched to the R-Series front channels flanking it. A listener hears one continuous tonal signature across the front soundstage โ not three separately voiced speakers with a tonal discontinuity at the centre. Beryllium dome extending flat to 40 kHz. 170mm solid aluminum waveguide. Dual copper caps at 0.02 mH voice coil inductance.
Midrange โ dual dedicated Papyrus cone, sealed chamber Dedicated midrange drivers
2ร 5โณ Egyptian Papyrus cone โ dedicated midrange
Two dedicated 5โณ Egyptian Papyrus cone midrange drivers โ purpose-built for the midrange operating range, with a low-damping rubber surround, Egyptian Papyrus cone material, and a neodymium motor optimised for the vocal and upper-midrange band. The Papyrus cone provides high internal damping and the natural tonal warmth that defines the R-Series midrange character โ the same material as the midrange drivers in the R3, in a 5โณ format suited to the centre channel's horizontal architecture.
Both drivers operate within a sealed midrange chamber, fully isolated from the woofer enclosure. The dual configuration is managed by crossing both drivers below the frequency at which their horizontal spacing introduces interference โ at which point the combined output behaves as a single coherent radiating source with double the cone area, increased sensitivity, and halved excursion demand on each driver individually.
Woofers โ dual Egyptian Papyrus cone, bass-reflex Flanking configuration
2ร 6ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone midwoofer
Two 6ยฝโณ Egyptian Papyrus cone midwoofers โ the same driver family as the R1 and R2 โ flanking the midrange array in a symmetrical horizontal layout. Operating below ~450 Hz in a bass-reflex enclosure, they provide the low-frequency foundation that allows the dedicated midrange drivers to focus entirely on the vocal and upper-midrange band. The Papyrus cone material carries the same tonal warmth through the bass register as through the midrange โ the R4's bass is tonally continuous with its midrange, as it is throughout the R-Series.
Beryllium
Beryllium above the crossover point. Egyptian Papyrus throughout the rest โ in the dedicated midrange chamber and in the bass enclosure. The R4 carries the same material philosophy as the R3: one beryllium tweeter, Papyrus through every frequency below it. In a complete R-Series cinema system, the listener hears one consistent material character from the front left/right pair through the centre channel. The acoustic transition across the front soundstage is invisible. That is the purpose of the R4.
Signal integration
The crossover is where the speaker is truly designed.
The R4 crossover is a 3-way network managing two transition boundaries โ woofer pair to midrange pair at ~450 Hz, and midrange pair to beryllium tweeter at ~2,800 Hz. The dual midrange driver configuration is managed by crossing both drivers below the frequency at which their horizontal spacing would introduce interference into the listening area โ above the bass crossover point and below this threshold, the dual midrange array operates as a single coherent source.
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 transition regions. Resonance suppression networks at each driver's mechanical limit keep those modes out of the listening position. Phase-aligned integration across both crossover boundaries. The assembly uses premium polypropylene film capacitors and air-core inductors, matched as a stereo pair to better than 1% tolerance. Housed in a sealed crossover chamber within the cabinet.
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 transition regions. Resonance suppression networks at each driver's mechanical limit keep those modes out of the listening position. Phase-aligned integration across both crossover boundaries. The assembly uses premium polypropylene film capacitors and air-core inductors, matched as a stereo pair to better than 1% tolerance. Housed in a sealed crossover chamber within the cabinet.
Cabinet design
Precision has a geometry.
The R4 cabinet is V&Y's own design โ a horizontal enclosure built around the acoustic requirements of a 3-way centre channel with separate midrange and bass volumes. The sealed midrange chamber is fully isolated from the woofer enclosure. Three acoustic environments within one cabinet, with no acoustic leakage between them.
Acoustic architecture
Sealed midrange chamber
The dual Papyrus midrange drivers operate in a sealed chamber completely isolated from the woofer enclosure. The Papyrus midrange character operates within a controlled acoustic environment โ the midrange hears only the crossover network and the room. The low-frequency coloration that afflicts midrange performance in non-isolated horizontal centre channel designs is absent.
Bass loading
Side-firing reflex alignment, 36 Hz
Side-firing bass reflex port, tuned to 36 Hz. On a centre channel positioned below a screen or on a rack shelf, the side-firing orientation keeps turbulence noise away from reflective surfaces directly below the cabinet โ preserving bass clarity at the listening position. The dual Papyrus woofers in this alignment provide low-frequency extension with the same tonal warmth as the midrange above them.
Surface
Multi-stage hand-applied finish
Same finishing standard as every V&Y model. Flat-sanded between coats, inspected under raking light, cleared only when it meets our written surface specification. The R4 is designed to be placed below a screen alongside the R-Series front channels โ its finish is held to the same standard as the speakers flanking it. Available in all five V&Y finishes.
Technical specifications
Measured. Specified. Stated without qualification.
Acoustic Performance
Physical
System pairing note.
The R4 is designed as part of the R-Series system โ matched to the R1, R2, or R3 in tonal character through shared beryllium tweeter, shared Papyrus material family, and consistent crossover design discipline. Processor bass management should cross the R4 at 80 Hz or below when used with a subwoofer, allowing the dedicated midrange chamber to operate within its optimal band. Our team can advise on processor settings for specific room configurations.
System context
The acoustic centre of the R-Series system.
The R4 anchors the front soundstage of an R-Series cinema system. Placed below a screen or in a rack position, it handles the dialogue and centred programme content that defines the cinema experience โ with the beryllium tweeter's extended resolution and the Papyrus midrange's natural warmth applied to every word spoken on screen.
The shared beryllium tweeter and Papyrus material family with the R1, R2, and R3 means that sounds crossing the front soundstage โ from left speaker through centre to right โ do so without tonal discontinuity. For full R-Series deployment: R1, R2, or R3 front left/right, R4 centre, R5 surrounds, C-Series or D-Series subwoofer. One material. One voice. Throughout.
The shared beryllium tweeter and Papyrus material family with the R1, R2, and R3 means that sounds crossing the front soundstage โ from left speaker through centre to right โ do so without tonal discontinuity. For full R-Series deployment: R1, R2, or R3 front left/right, R4 centre, R5 surrounds, C-Series or D-Series subwoofer. One material. One voice. Throughout.
Ownership
Built for decades. Backed without conditions.
Home trial
60 days in your room
Evaluate the R4 in your system, with your processor, with your programme material. If after 60 days it does not complete the front soundstage you have built, contact us and we arrange collection. No restocking fee. No conditions.
Warranty
Ten years. Transferable.
Full parts and labour coverage for ten years from purchase. Transferable on private resale. We build loudspeakers intended to last a generation.
Support
Direct to the engineers
Concierge support for setup, processor configuration, bass management settings, and system integration. No call centres. No support tickets.
Direct to customer
No intermediaries. Ever.
V&Y sells exclusively direct. 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.
Available in all five V&Y finishes โ select the finish that matches your R-Series front channels. The R4 is part of one system and should look like one.
Custom RAL colours available on request for orders of two pairs or more. Lead time 8โ10 weeks. Contact us to discuss.
The X-Series
A complete acoustic platform. A distinct voice.
The R4 is one component of a complete system architecture. Every R-Series model shares the same beryllium tweeter character, the same Papyrus material warmth, and the same acoustic identity. The R4 does not add a centre channel to an R-Series system. It completes one.
Shipping & Delivery