New Speakers for $2000

With all due respect to Rlg_audio and Stereophile, IMHO, while balanced gear certainly has it's advantages, it's not a prerequisite for successful integration of an enjoyable system utilizing the extraordinary value leader Vandersteen 2's. Furthermore, despite what you might have read in Stereophile, I firmly believe that one of the strong suits of the Vandersteen's is their soundstage. I will say that an appropriate room and proper placement and listening position needs more than typical care. I've heard these speakers many times over a long time, in many different rooms with lots of different gear. Improperly set up, or placed in an inappropriate room they will disappoint. In a proper room, appropriately placed they are capable of proving themselves to be perhaps the best value in all of high end audio.

Rlg_audio, Gee, I really don't want to pick a fight with you :-), but again I feel the need to comment on your last post. I basically share your preference, I don't think the Maggies are nearly that bad, in fact I think though quite different, they're quite good, though I think you really have to move up the line to something like the 3 series to really compete with the Vandy 2's, albeit for more money. IMHO, the highs of the Vandy's and the Maggies both veer from neutrality, but in different directions. I'm not at all surprised that a Vandy enthusiast might find the Maggies bright, but a Maggie fan might find the Vandy's dull. IME, the Maggies can offer a different, and perhaps better soundstage than the Vandy's, but the imaging might be better with the Vandy's. The Maggies might be quicker in mids. The Vandy's can offer better if somewhat ripe bass. The Maggies are probably even more room/placement sensitive. It's really a matter of taste.