Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Vandersteen Audio 3A Speakers by Scott Campbell

I recently purchased a pair of used Vandy 3A's in mint condition (from a dealer in New Jersey). Hence, the speakers were well broken in when I received them. My previous speakers were a pair of Vandersteen 2Ci's, so it was interesting to listen to the differences between these two stable mates.

Before I talk about the sound quality of the 3A's, a few words about my listening room. My wife and I live in a small, older home. Our audio/home theater system is in our living room, which has a suspended wood floor above a 3-foot-high excavated area beneath the whole first floor. Hence, deep bass tends to be amplified, even "boomy" at times. Further, the room is relatively small, which makes good speaker placement problematic. Our primary listening position is on a Lazy Boy love seat, about 10 feet from the speakers. My wife has drawn the line at using Sound Traps or Sonex panels in the living room, so the room remains "untreated".

My initial impression of the 3A's is that they are much more transparent than the 2Ci's, with cleaner highs and a much more focused mid-range. Deep bass is also more extended and a bit tighter (although I would not describe the 3A's bass as tight - it is simply full without sounding slow). The overall sonic presentation is very well integrated from top-to-bottom, with good to very good imaging (given the limitations of my listening room). The 3A's also seem, to my ear, to be more effortless in their presentation than the 2Ci's. To use a rather hackneyed audiophile cliche, I felt as if several "veils" had been removed between me and the speakers. Reproduction of the higher frequencies is nearly equivalent to that of electrostatics, without the sometimes "plastic" quality (like my old Acoustats I once owned).

Timbral accuracy is much better with the 3A's than the 2Ci's. I listen to a lot of small group music, both jazz and classical, so this is an important aspect of speaker performance to me. The 3A's also do an excellent job in reproducing full symphony orchestra and large-scale movie tracks. One of my favorite "demo" albums is Amanda McBroom's recording titled "Dreaming" - the Vandy 3A's do an absolutely stunning job of reproducing her voice and all of the orchestral nuances. I also own a number of the Sheffield Labs LP's, and the big band sound on the Lincoln Mayorga "Distinguished Colleagues" series sounds like it is in the room with you. Ditto on the D-to-D albums of Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour ("Sugar Loaf Express" on JVC).

Any negatives? Yes, a few. At times, the deep bass feels a bit bloaty and congested, but this may be due more to my listening room than any inherent flaw in the speakers. The speakers are also somewhat more sensitive to proper placement than I anticipated. The owner's manual has a very comprehensive section on setup, and thoroughly explains how to determine the correct amount of speaker tilt-back to achieve proper phase coherency (Vandy's use first-order crossovers, so maintaining phase/time coherency is important).

As with all of Richard Vandersteen's speakers, the emphasis is on value and listenability. The inexpensive grill cloth, rather than expensive cabinetry, allows him to invest the manufacturing costs in top-quality drivers and crossover components, thereby providing excellent value for the dollar. The 3A's, like the Model 2's, will not "WOW" you with "spectacular" sound, as some high-end speakers are wont to do. Instead, the 3A's sound like music, which is the most important quality for me in sound reproduction.

The bottom line: would I recommend the 3A's to other audiophiles? Absolutely, and without hesitation, PROVIDED you are more interested in well-integrated, highly musical sound. Vandersteen speakers are sometimes described as "warm" - I simply find them right. At their full retail price of $2800 (which includes the SoundAnchors stands), the 3A's are a fine buy. If you can find a top-notch pair of used 3A's, however, for around $1800, they are a steal.

REVIEW: Vandersteen Audio 3A Speakers Review by Scott Campbell at Audio Asylum