calling all vandy 5a owners

I own 5's ... be patient ... right now, without tuning, they are just like any other speaker, dependent on the room. The tuning will change that.

Remember, your job right now is to try to find the right placement in the room without the subs operating. Unplug them and try different room positions. Pick the one that gives you the best imaging and mid-bass and up tonality. The dealer will then tune the bass to that position. This procedure is what separates them from other speakers.

But the first step is up to you ... the dealer will not find the correct room position in the short visit he will be there.

Yes, the 200 hour mark was about where my speakers started comming around. Then I tuned the bass and found most of the gains were actually in the mids. I think your dealer will be able extract the most out of these speakers. When they get fully broken in, I think you will be VERY happy

Can you define what you mean by "sound is not that impressive"? What were your expectations versus what you're hearing? What seems to be missing -- or, conversely, what is present that should not be?

The Vandy Model 5's DO need to be tuned to your room, and while the adjustments to the sub-woofer equalizer are not difficult if you have the right tools, your dealer SHOULD have done this as a routine matter following the sale.

After the speakers have been adjusted, please make another post and share your comments.

Jkphoto is right on - you MUST find the proper positioning for your speakers, THEN have the subwoofers tuned to the room by your dealer. Take the spikes off, unplug the subwoofers, then use the "thirds" measurements in the manual to do rough positioning. Move the speakers around and play music you are familiar with until you find the spot in your room where the "magic" occurs. Do not be afraid to move them way out into the room. Do not be afraid to try rotating your room - if the speakers are on the short wall, put them on the long wall, or vice versa.

Eventually you'll find the spot where the speakers sound the best. You'll know it immediately when you hear it. Put the spikes back on, put them in position (mark or write down the positions for future reference) and plug the subs back in. Then have your dealer tune the subwoofers to the room.

It may sound like a lot of work, but it's WORTH IT.

The adjustable subs are nice but in my opinion, the real magic of the 5 is in its mid-range. Do you like how they sound with the subs turned off? If not, either there is something wrong with the placement or they are not good match with your amp or the speaker cable. What cable do you use?

Also, you need more than 200 hours to run the subs in. My 5s, not 5As, took over 6 months, probably close to 6-7 hundred hours.

Don't panic.
Your dealer made the 5's sound the way you liked,or you wouldn't have bought them. Let him have a chance to do the same at your home.
I am a little surprised that he didn't come over and set them up from the beginning. But then I know nothing of any of the circumstances.
Don't worry, that is one damn good speaker, which should make you proud.
Do something that no audiophile has ever done before. Be patient.
Best,

Give another 2,000 hours and you'll get used to it...

I agree wholeheartedly with Rex. Room position is so important. In my case the final 5A position was significantly different from the previous position of my 2CIs. I used shallow baking pans lined with MDF to facilitate sliding the speakers around for discovering the best positioning. It is largely a trial and error process, and well worth the time. There is a magic location where the sound stage really works, and then you can adjust the subs accordingly. Be patient and let the speakers fully break in first. Mine took at least 250 hours and then there was a snap... hard to explain but it happens.

Marakanetz ... you have missed the point.

The thing is there is no "getting used to it" with the Vandersteen 5a's ... anyone can make them sound dark, bright or right in their room.

Other speakers may require 2,000 hours to get used to it, but not these.

thanks guys you are the best.
is there any cd`s you recommend while trying
to properly position the 5a`s
THANKS AGAIN
al