|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
76.212.138.198
In Reply to: Vandersteen question. posted by Lesley H. on April 28, 2007 at 08:05:16:
based on owning a few pairs years ago but hearing various models up to the present.1. If you audition the 2CE Sig II and like them otherwise except for bass extension, you could buy them and later add (a) subwoofer(s). If bass is not a problem for your music, you're home. Richard certainly makes improvements over time so a current 2 could be better than a five-plus year old 3.
2. Some users report success in small rooms (Pax Atver) but I believe a larger room will always be better. In my experience, Vandys need to be placed well out from the front and side walls. Once located properly, they can disappear and present a wonderful soundstage illusion.
3. The most common rip on Vandys seems to be their "veiling". Again setup is critical, including vertical alignment. I've also found them to be revealing and the quality of the input cannot be ignored. Finally, many other speakers seem to me to offer an unusual brightness. Anyone who prefers these could call the Vandys veiled in comparison. Try comparing a natural recording to live music and decide for yourself.
Follow Ups:
"Once located properly, they can disappear and present a wonderful soundstage illusion."I absolutely agree. In those regards these $2K speakers are as good or better than everything else I've heard. I think these feats have alot to do with how musical they are.
People who say Vandies are warm, veiled, or rolled-off are comparing them to many (most?) of the modern speakers out there that are on the bright side. For many people, "brightness" equates with high resolution, detailed, lively sound. I find it very off-putting. I find Vandies very neutral, neither bright nor warm, and at least as detailed as any speaker in their class. A recent complaint in a magazine review of the Quatros is that perhaps they were too detailed, whatever that means. Except for the 5As, I have never heard a speaker that conveys a greater sense of clarity and transparency along with neutral, natural tonal balance than the 5s I now own.Joe
One of the things I love about the Vandy line is that I can listen for hours with no fatigue. So many speakers are great sounding, but after a couple of hours make you want to turn down the volume or off completly. I'm sure many other speakers can offer the same overall balanced sound, soundstage imaging, but probably not at the same price. I also find that they are very tolerant to room variations and placement.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: