VAF Teases New i66 MKV Signature Series Loudspeaker

Fresh from completing work on the multi-award-winning i93 MKV, the South Australian-based manufacturer has spent the past 12 months redeveloping the i66 — the original Signature Series model first introduced in the late 1990s. In fact, the i66 predates the i93 entirely, with the larger model famously born after an owner asked whether VAF could “throw another woofer on top of the i66 cabinet”.

This time, incremental change was never the brief.

The multi-award-winning i93 MKV, which now sits alongside the new i66 MKV in VAF’s Signature range.

Michael Ziersch, Head of Sales at VAF Research, told StereoNET the goal was to move the i66 away from being perceived as the “little brother” of the i93. Instead of carrying over the magnesium drivers that define the i93 series, VAF deliberately chose a different path, opting for SEAS Nextel-coated paper cone drivers — heavily modified to the company’s own specifications.

The decision is more than cosmetic. According to Ziersch, both the i66 MKV and i93 MKV were designed with exactly the same performance objective in mind, but achieved through different means. Driver selection and crossover topology ultimately shape how each loudspeaker presents music, he explains, with the final preference resting squarely with the listener.

In other words, the i66 MKV is not positioned beneath the i93 MKV in a traditional hierarchy. It sits alongside it offering an alternative interpretation of the same design philosophy rather than a scaled-down version of it.

Nextel, a specialised matte coating applied to both sides of the cone and the roll surround — is intended to damp native resonances and reduce unwanted high-frequency artefacts, contributing to a smoother and more controlled presentation. Handling high frequencies is SEAS’ Crescendo soft dome tweeter, widely regarded as one of the more accomplished textile domes available in premium loudspeaker design.

Cabinet architecture has also been reworked. The lower section of the front baffle has been stepped by approximately 12mm to align the acoustic centres of the woofer and midrange drivers for improved mechanical time alignment — a long-standing VAF priority. Internally, the midrange chamber has been redesigned to eliminate parallel surfaces and reduce standing waves, while a 45-degree chamfer around the midrange section helps manage diffraction and off-axis behaviour.

Attention then turned to what VAF describes as the “heart and soul” of the loudspeaker, the crossover. Multiple topologies were prototyped and evaluated over the 12-month development period, with extensive listening informing the final network. Ziersch characterises the outcome as the product of thousands of hours refining fine detail. A process aimed squarely at long-term musical satisfaction rather than headline specification.

Several different crossover topologies were designed and tested during the 12-month development process, alongside countless hours of listening. What we ended up with is something extraordinary.

Michael Ziersch, Head of Sales, VAF Research

That emphasis on longevity also shapes the i66 MKV’s intended audience. Rather than targeting a specific segment of existing owners or first-time buyers, VAF positions the new model as being for anyone who values accurate, high-fidelity music reproduction and intends to live with their system for decades.

If there is a single defining improvement over the previous i66, Ziersch suggests it is not one component but the cumulative effect of a complete redesign. Beyond the name, general dimensions and driver geometry, very little carries over from the outgoing model. 

VAF claims a frequency response of 35Hz–20kHz ±1.5dB, alongside a near-linear phase response through the critical midband, an ambitious target in passive loudspeaker design. Nominal impedance is rated at 6 ohms, with the load described as near-resistive and amplifier-friendly.

The cumulative result, VAF says, is greater resolution, spatial precision and tonal naturalism than any previous i66 iteration. Early development units, carrying VAF’s customary #100 and #101 serial numbers for pre-production mules, have already been completed.

Production models will be available in a range of locally crafted timber finishes, including Tasmanian Blackwood, American Walnut, Feature Eucalypt and Australian Jarrah, with cabinetry produced by Adelaide-based Pfitzner Furniture.

Taken as a whole, the shift in driver philosophy, crossover reworking and mechanical alignment adjustments point to something more substantial than a routine update. Whether the i66 MKV becomes the Signature Series sweet spot will ultimately come down to individual taste — but it is clear VAF intends it to stand as a fully realised alternative rather than a stepping stone.

Pricing starts at A$19,999 per pair in Black Oak, with Australian metro delivery included. VAF says international distributors are welcome to contact the company directly. A full StereoNET review is already in the works, where we’ll assess how the i66 MKV performs beyond the spec sheet.

For more information visit VAF Research