@gdnrbob That’s very interesting regarding the CT vs. non-CT Treos — I always kinda wondered about that. Sounds like a used pair of original Treos could be quite the bargain.
For Vandersteen owners & lovers: Which other brands do you like?
If you didn’t own Vandersteens, what would you own instead and why? Or, if you switched to another brand what did you choose?
First, let me say that I am a Vandersteen owner for 20+ years, now on my 2nd pair of the 2CE, the Signature III. I have owned other brands, and heard many others and even liked some. 😀 I don’t change gear frequently once I settle on something. Lazy & frugal = me.
I am on the verge of being on the verge of getting the Vandy Treo CT. I have auditioned them at length. I have also heard the Quatro CT and if budget allowed (including upgrading my front end) I would get them for sure. I’m not a fanboy—there is a reason why Vandersteen has sold something like 100K pairs of the 2CE. They sound very good and all of their models are a real bargain/value in their category, imo.
I have heard and liked, for different reasons, Maggies, Magicos, Harbeths, Focals, Linkwitz-Riley, and other brands. Others that I have not heard intrigue me too. I keep circling back to Vandys—maybe it’s what I have known the longest. I have flirted with the Larsen 8 or 9, which is a totally different design (AbSound has reviewed them well), and also the MBL 120 and 126 (omnidirectionals).
I know I could be happy for life with Vandersteens (Treo, Quatro, or dreaming—the Kento or 7). I am interested in detailed opinions of alternatives in the $10K range though. Thanks!
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I have had 1B's, 3 models of 2's, Treo CT's and Quatro CT's. I have since moved on to DeVore O/93's. Zero bad to say about the Vandy's. Wonderful sound for decades for me. The CT upgrade was a big one. Finally, I walked into the man cave and looked at my system and realized it was time to turn it over. I went from 300 wpc monoblock based to a 25 watt tube Luxman and DeVore system. It is a hobby (for me at least). Both systems are very satisfying. The current one fits the music I am listening to very well. |
longbowbbsI have read very good things about the DeVores—congratulations! I love the idea of a high sensitivity >93db speaker (the Stenheim Alumine is another one that caught my eye), and pairing them with something like a Linear Tube Audio integrated amp or what you have. Something like that would be fun for a simpler 2nd system, were I that fortunate. PD
Sounds like fun!
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Top tip for the Vandy lovers with external subs (2WQ or Sub3), I recently upgraded my M5-HP filters to M5-HP TEF filters. This is the same high pass filter circuit and capacitors used in RV’s M7-HP filters in a more modest enclosure. The difference is SIGNIFICANT. The bass is so much tighter and punchier (traits often at odds with each other). The mids are more airy and expressive. Accuracy of all musical details notched up a level. I use them with 3A Sigs with two 2Wq subs. Highly recommended and a modest investment compared to the sonic returns. RE: VLR-CTs. I used these in my room with a Sub3 at AXPONA this year. I received many positive comments about the sound in my room from attendees that spent days listening to systems 10x to 25x the cost of my room equipment. They like backwall so placement is friendly. They are great by themselves in a small room. Add a sub and they continue to perform in medium to medium-large sized rooms. At AXPONA, I was asked repeatedly if the sub was “on” or “connected”. This wasn’t due to limited low frequency representation, rather, how seamlessly the VLR-CTs and Sub3 worked together. |
@raindog911 are you moving your older (non TEF) crossovers on? |
another vote for the teflon high pass filters ;-) I call them the Kento filters but they are as @raindog911 pointed out a great low cost upgrade. I run them on my Treo CT / sub3 system, the 7 high pass amps in my reference system have a built in high pass. Enjoy the music ! |
Dang it, I should have bought a set when they came up for sale a year of two ago. In any case, I am in the process of literally reinstalling the Treo’s. I found some inexpensive granite Surface Plates on Amazon. So, I will start from the beginning and set them up using the Vandersteen manual. (I need to call John Rutan to order the Vandy pucks and felt, but things have to be running for T’day). Wish me luck... @patrickdowns , thanks for the kind words. As you know, the price was very, very good, and the seller is a really nice guy. All I can say is to do what I did, keep searching HifiShark daily. Bob |
Ah JIm - I see my problem now, the exponent on “my low cost” differs.
I am assuming that those amps are balanced them, as the HPFs appear to be balanced/XLR. And I am looking to use some balanced amps to replace the single ended tube amp/amp(s)… Was it Bryson or Belles that builds in the XO ? |
@tomic601 I too called them mKento-hp filters but Vandersteen’s website currently calls them M5-HP TEF filters. I went with the website nomenclature in case someone was motivated to look into them further. My ***-HP TEF XLR filters have the Audioquest Fire pigtail on them which is great since I have 27’ Fire XLR interconnects between my pre amp and the filters. |
@holmz try contacting me via www.perfectvinylforever.com |
Was not a fan of the fabric vandersteens and in that era used the audio physic Virgo and an upgrade to the avanti 2 demo became available. Might still be using that combo for a move that had my listening room on carpet covered slab. Spectral electronics did not have subwoofer out and using mit spectral wire twice was not feasible. At the time to replace the avanti s, only the model 7 had the goods in their box designs, and went with Martin logan Montis. After another move. The montis became part of a home theater, and were half of themselves driven by a Yamaha receiver even in the pure mode. As the model 7 tech has come to the 5 and Quattro models heard briefly while in Atlanta considered them for a new audio system. Well no where in Florida to listen. Love at first song with Fyne 702. recently went to sun coast about vinyl degritter, and the 702 was in the reference room. That room has had MAGICO, Karma, Goya, b and w 800 series reference and never heard better music than they Fynes. The Vandy 7 are my lotto or unknown relative inheritance soeaker, otherwise check out the Fynes |
Vandy high pass filters implement DBS and a few other tricks w caps and components in an adjustable filter as your system changes. They are available SE or XLR. The 5 and 7 amps with built in HP filters are XLR only. Yes Ayre, Aesthetix and others can implement a High Pass in the input stage or typically require more surgery to an integrated… however don’t count on the advantages of DBS…. @raindog911 ;-) Fire is mighty fine wire. ;-) sounds like we have a LOT in common Best to you Jim |
Despite being 30-40 years old, the 2w sub shows what using quality components can do-provide problem-free performance. The 2 wq offers Q adjustment, but the Sub 3 really allows you to dial in the sub to reflect the room interaction. There are other sub manufacturers out there, but Vandersteen subs have shown they will work for decades without issue. Hence, a very cost effective choice. bob
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tomic601😂 |
I’m a fan of the Vandersteen sound as well. I like them with ARC or Ayre amps. I spent years with B&W culminating in the 801 Matrix series 3, then on to Genesis 500 and ProAc Response floorstanders, then auditioned Vandy Treos and Quattros but by the time I was ready to buy my dealer had retired and I ended up with Audio Physic Avantera+ from the one remaining dealer in my area. I don’t know if there’s a detectable pattern in my listening preferences from this journey but I’ve always thought I am a fan of what used to be called “the British sound.” I also have always loved Ayre equipment with all of my speakers. |
I haven’t owned Vandersteens to-date but at this point am planning to get either Quatros or Kentos into my primary system, hopefully in the not-distant future. My primary system has had Vivid B1s for a few years now, and they’re friggin’ amazing IMO. I’m only (likely) switching to the Vandersteens for their powered, contourable subwoofers that are essentially full-range (my Vivids don’t go down quite as far and don’t have the bass equalization factor), plus my liking for the Vandersteens’ time/phase coherence (am especially excited to get them for my classical music listening, which is about 40% of my total, predominantly orchestral works). Both lines of speakers (at least the better Vandersteens) use pistonic drivers and offer what I regard as exceptionally balanced and spacious sound with great timbral accuracy. The Vivids are exceptionally dynamic, the comparable Vandersteens a bit less so. Some years back, Peter Roth at Soundstage Ultra did a wonderful comparison of the house sounds of the two speaker lines. Tradeoffs! |
I hope you get the Vandy's. I doubt you'll be disappointed.-Though I have no experience with Vivid speakers, but if you have listened to Vandy's and liked them, then I am sure it will be an upgrade. Yes, the equalized bass is pretty sweet. I own the Treo's with Sub 3's and couldn't be happier. I was going to start a new thread on the Vandy VLR's, but saw your post first and wanted to comment. Bob |
@aubullience there are a few pistonic cones. And Purifi has a slick surround which does not change effective area as the cone moves in and out… as well as a more linear motor I have not seen distortion measurements that I recall for Vivids nor any recent Vandys, but a high distortion could possibly come across as dynamic… I’m Not sure… I am also unsure what exactly what makes timbral accuracy. The Vandy time domain accuracy is stunning, but the FR on the older speakers was not ruler smooth. One cannot clean up time domain easily with a DSP… but FR is pretty easy. I suspect that the time domain is more important for my ears…? I am also looking at the Quatros and Kentos… but the old 2C are still pretty nice. kind of first world problems to have. Since the thread is about what other speakers… I am not sure how many are using the Purifi motors, and most that are seem to be on LR2 or LR4 crossovers (XO). i have been thinking about a DEQX active XO, as they are coming out soon. I am not sure there is a lot better on that front. but as they say, there are a hundred ways to skin a cat.
as the advocate of devil… one could maybe add the Vandy sub to the Vivids if their XO alignment was amenable to it? Are they 1st order XOs? 101 cats now… or was that Dalmatians? |