Foir the last 9 yeras I have owned and enjoyed what was the last version made of the 2CE's. Recently, when upgrading my system with the Musical fidelity A5 CD, I decided to upgrade to the 2CE signatures. Went to my dealer and also listened to the 3Asig, but decided that the extra bass was not my taste, and purchased the 2CE signatures. When I got them home, I was struck by what , in comaprison to the 2CE , sounded to me like a too bright and harsh top end. Also, With my old 2CE's I sort of floated in the middle of the music. With the signatures I feel sort of batted about by the music. (I am so glad I did not trade in the old 2 CE's as the wife suggested ("what are you going to do with ALL those speakers?") - The sigs certainly are different to my ears after all the years I spent with the CE's. I am ambivalent- Richard V. obviosuly thinks the sigs represent his concept of the sound I have loved, yet I still havent warmed up to them. Break in? I am not sure it applies as much to the top end as the bass end re: loosining up cones. Besides, if RV matched and voiced them, why would I want them to "change" Have the latest signatures been optimized to appeal to the HT crowd, a departure from the time when the older 2CE reigned?
I am ambivalent about which set is going to stay with my 2 channel system- I may just decide to keep the old CE's with my CDP and set the sigs up in the TV room.