The only thing I didn't like about the 1Bs was the fact that you can't see the drivers and can't tighten them or poke around at all. Plus the cat trampoline issue…besides those admittedly lame (on my part) issues, they were an astonishingly revealing full range speaker system. Back then (20 plus years ago or something) I talked Lyric HIFI in White Plains into giving me a great deal on the pair and along with the Sound Anchor stands they served me well for years, and I have ongoing respect for Vandys from that experience.
Initial impressions of my new Vandersteen Quatro's in Audi Havana Black
I will post pics when I get more time on them. I had them delivered and set up by Johnny Rutan of Audio Connections. He moved them out to the corners of the room and close up against the back wall. I love the look as does my wife. I also LOVE the HUGE soundstage these things can now throw. NO SUCK OUT either. I was shocked at that aspect. I was scared to death when he started them in the corner of the room. I have a very difficult room for bass as it's an open floor plan. I lose a lot of bass on the right channel as it's by a stair case. I'm putting up a temp wall by the railing. I am using a screen right now, but I need treatment of some sort still.
That said, it only has about 30 hours or so and it's already starting to sweeten up. I'm hearing so many things that I haven't heard in the room before. I'm hearing bass passages that hasn't been there before. On one passage of a Bela Fleck song, the room just moved. The thing is that I've heard so many of these songs on Wilson's and Magico's and B&W"s and Focals, Paradigms, Legacy's and so many other speakers, but the tonality of the Vandersteen bass is just special. It's so accurate. What so many don't know is that the way he designed the bass amp, you still have the same sound as YOUR main amp. Not sure how he does it, but he does. You don't hear the difference.
I think that the reason some don't get the Vandersteen's at first listen is because it's not like other speakers. We aren't used to hearing a speaker that isn't 'hifi' sounding. Its very organic. To me, it's like analog vs digital. Both can sound GREAT, but digital is still digital and that's why vinyl and reel to reel are still going strong after all of these years. Kind of reminds me of a plasma TV vs the LCD TV's when I went to purchase mine. I was originally taken by the brightest TV's in the showroom, but I keep going back and watching all the Plasma's in the darker room that Magnolia was showing them in. I wanted the Pioneer, but could only afford the Panasonic's. I have two of them and love them. People actually ask me why their TV doesn't look as good. I first ask if they had it calibrated professionally. The answer is always no and then tell them it's a plasma.
Set up isn't fun for me, so Johnny does it for me. I'm digging my new set up and will write more later, but i am Jonesing to go up to the loft to listen some more. I'm really loving the organic sounds of my system right now. All genres too which is just awesome. Not taking any digs at others systems, just loving mine. We all hear differently and I get that.
That said, it only has about 30 hours or so and it's already starting to sweeten up. I'm hearing so many things that I haven't heard in the room before. I'm hearing bass passages that hasn't been there before. On one passage of a Bela Fleck song, the room just moved. The thing is that I've heard so many of these songs on Wilson's and Magico's and B&W"s and Focals, Paradigms, Legacy's and so many other speakers, but the tonality of the Vandersteen bass is just special. It's so accurate. What so many don't know is that the way he designed the bass amp, you still have the same sound as YOUR main amp. Not sure how he does it, but he does. You don't hear the difference.
I think that the reason some don't get the Vandersteen's at first listen is because it's not like other speakers. We aren't used to hearing a speaker that isn't 'hifi' sounding. Its very organic. To me, it's like analog vs digital. Both can sound GREAT, but digital is still digital and that's why vinyl and reel to reel are still going strong after all of these years. Kind of reminds me of a plasma TV vs the LCD TV's when I went to purchase mine. I was originally taken by the brightest TV's in the showroom, but I keep going back and watching all the Plasma's in the darker room that Magnolia was showing them in. I wanted the Pioneer, but could only afford the Panasonic's. I have two of them and love them. People actually ask me why their TV doesn't look as good. I first ask if they had it calibrated professionally. The answer is always no and then tell them it's a plasma.
Set up isn't fun for me, so Johnny does it for me. I'm digging my new set up and will write more later, but i am Jonesing to go up to the loft to listen some more. I'm really loving the organic sounds of my system right now. All genres too which is just awesome. Not taking any digs at others systems, just loving mine. We all hear differently and I get that.