Vandersteen 2CE Signature II: Is it worth the price of $2700? Why are so many for sale?
I have seen several ads on both AG and Ebay for a "variety" of Vandersteen 2CE's
Question: Is:the "latest version:"of the model worth its $2700 price tag considering the evolution of this design over the last 10 to 12 years
Vandersteen's website shares a few paragraphs about the upgrades made; but, has their really been notable or marked improvements in sound quality and overall performance?.
The amount of 2CE's for sale regardless of what version seems unusual,and even cautionary for buyers looking at a used pair ( taking into consideration age and condition)
Lastly, does this model compete with the performance of other speakers in its price range??
From what I've read regarding Vandersteens is that to get the full potential out of them they must be bi-wired. No jumpers. No internal bi-wire cables. Two runs of cables from the amplifier. That increases cost. Doesn't say you have to do it but from what I'm told the difference in sound is significant
They also require a certain size spade to fit so if you already have a set of speaker cables you either must have them reterminated, use adaptors or bare wire.
I'm considering auditioning the Treo CT but having to take into consideration the above is definitely a barrier to me doing so
Been running the Vandersteen 2 Ce Sig II for 5 years with a tube pre and power amp, they sound FANTASTIC in my 200 sq/ft room. Highly recommended for the "budget" audio enthusiast. Placement is important for proper bass response, plus, run 'em on the stands/spikes in a carpeted room..
Actually in speaking with Richard, time and phase correct speakers should never be used with spikes/stands that move at all (ie polymers and rubber). He even makes special spike shoes that have a special felt on the bottom for speakers that are on solid surfaces like hard floors or granite (I use granite on my Quatro CT's).
If you love the sound with the rubber pad that's cool and how you like your ice cream, but I'd typically tell someone who's trying to set them up the way they are designed to try that first. Can always try the rubber pads and see which flavor of the rainbow they like.
Just another thought. All good and love seeing how others set them up.
I own two pair of 2CE (black / tan) and have had the tan ones in dry storage for a bit waiting for the right person to gift them to. They’re the kind of speakers that sound so good that non audiophiles will sit down and suddenly start paying attention and asking questions.
I truly don’t think you get that type of visceral response from non time/phase aligned speakers. It’s just special. If OP gets a pair, make sure to get the matching stands. Pro-Tip: Buy a large “dash pad” off Amazon and cut it into pieces, sandwich the thin rubber pad between the stand and bottom of the speaker, then screw them on.
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO WISHED ME WELL; I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS
DON'T FALL WHEN YOU ARE 60 YEARS PLUS. MY OPTIONS AT THS POINT.IS 1) TO KEEP THE SHOULDER IMMOBILIZED TO REST IT IN THE HOPE IT WILL HEAL 2) NEXT, IS SHOULDER REPLACEMENT SURGERY WHICH LASTS 3 HOURS, AND REQUIRES 6 MONTHS IN A SLING WITH A 4 TO 6 MONTH RECOVERY ANY SURGERY HAS ITS RISKS SO I AM GOING TO HANG IN AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS
SJ, good luck wiht recovery. Totally sucks. I have heard the small Maggie on many occasions and if set up properly, they rock. Just very good speakers. The small KEF's just need to be uses with very good electronics to sound their best in my humble opinion. if you have the right gear, they could also do the trick nicely. Great recommendations by Tomic as usual.
DO YOU GET SOME KIND OF SADISTIC PLEASURE TAUNTING MEMBERS? . SHOULD IT REALLY MATTER TO YOU HOW MANY THREADS I SUBMIT SEARCHING FOR A SPEAKER UPGRADE?? I DID NOT KNOW YOU HAD BEEN ROYALLY APPOINTED BY AUDIOGON AS THE GATEKEEPER OF THREADS.
IF YOU THINK SENDING LINKS OF SPEAKERS THAT ARE OVERWEIGHT AND OVERPRICED, I DON'T FIND IT HELPFUL OR HUMOROUS .....GROW UP
I WANT TO THANK ALL MEMBERS WHO RESPONDED WITH SUCH GENEROUS COMMENTS AND ADVICE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I FELL AND BROKE MY SHOULDER TWO WEEKS AGO SO I MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER A SMALLER AND LIGHTER SPEAKER NOW, I CAN ONLY PUSH A LOAF OF BREAD FROM TE COUNTER TO THE TOASTER.
HOWEVER, I AM GOING TO LAUNCH A NEW THREAD ABOUT A SPEAKER CALLED THE LARSEN 6.2 AND HOPE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR PERFORMANCE THE REVIEWS I HAVE SEEN HAVE BEEN GENERALLY VERY GOOD.
Tonic likes chasing the cat when it’s let out of the bag. If you ask anyone of us who own the bassEQ, I would bet that 100% would tel you how worth it it is. I’m really looking forward to hearing it with a pair of Quatros lol.
Cool Cats out the bag now my guess is IF you want one of the old ones you get on the phone and call dealers hope they have your wood, etc.... orgerwise wait a few months as many owners will upgrade.....
((((Just so we are clear, the same basic drivers and design are the same as before, but the real difference is with the adjustable EQ, correct?)))
NO 325-watt Bridged Power Amp with Regulated Switching Power Supply Its a big difference over 2WQ
11-Band Room EQ for Perfect Bass in Virtually Any Room
3 x 8” Cast-Aluminum Basket Much improved quality and stiffer composition /rigidity then 2Wqs,
Cellulose-Fiber Woofer Cones with Ultra Long-Throw Motor Assembly (((does that mean there will be a discount on the remaining stock?))) No The 2Wq is now Discontinued as in RIP The Sub 3 SUB THREE the least expensive path to Vandersteen room EQ was the Quatro Wood CT at $14,600/pr. Vandersteen's legendary powered-bass with room EQ is now more accessible than ever! Best, JohnnyR AudioConnection
@bstat, As Johnny pointed out, owners of the 2WQ are probably going to upgrade when the Sub 3 comes out, so, as I said, there will probably be a few 2wq's for sale in the near future. I would not expect Vandersteen to discount existing stock. And, if I were him, I would just sell existing stock before offering the Sub 3. @mvlopez, Good question. Though I am thinking there should not be a change. The EQ is more of a 'fine tuning' of the signal. And, the 5 and 7 speakers use the same crossover, I believe. B
@audioconnection Thanks for the update on the new sub! Just so we are clear, the same basic drivers and design are the same as before, but the real difference is with the adjustable EQ, correct?
You mention that the 2wq is now discontinued, does that mean there will be discount on the remaining stock? or is remaining stock going to be converted to sub 3s? Just trying to gauge on how hard it will be to get a new 2wq sometime over the next 4-5 months.
Vandersteen Powered Bass with Room EQ Just Got Affordable! The SUB THREE approaches ... the 2Wq is now Discontinued The venerable 2Wq, in continuous production since the 1980s and arguably the most popular high-end subwoofer of all time, is finally giving way. The 2Wq is now officially discontinued, and it's time to get ready to meet its amazing new replacement, the SUB THREE. The SUB THREE will be available to customers in June of 2018 and is available for dealer order NOW. SRP is $2,490 each. There are a LOT of 2W and 2wq owners who are going to want to hear all about this tremendous new upgrade opportunity!The SUB THREE employs Vandersteen's signature powered-bass technique, which places a passive high-pass filter at the input of the main amplifier. This method makes the SUB THREE a great addition to speaker systems of any brand, compact or floor standing, and is crucial to achieving the "unbeatable powered bass" performance fans and reviewers alike have lauded in Vandersteen's powered-bass systems for decades. "High-passing" the main amplifier is the only way to get flat frequency response at the crossover point between the main speakers and the powered subwoofer, and also improves midrange and treble performance dramatically. When the main amplifier is relieved of deep bass duty, intermodulation distortion is reduced and the midrange and treble take flight and float freely in the room. This is the most musically righteous way of integrating a subwoofer into a speaker system, period.The SUB THREE also incorporates one of Vandersteen's most innovative and enduring technologies- 11-band room EQ for perfect bass in virtually any room. This technology originated with Vandersteen's Model 5, and today is employed in the flagship Model Seven Mk II ($62k/pr.) and reference SUB NINE powered subwoofers ($18,900/pr.). Over time this crucial technology has been employed in Vandersteen's Model 5A and Model 5A Carbon ($31,300/pr.), but prior to the SUB THREE the least expensive path to Vandersteen room EQ was the Quatro Wood CT at $14,600/pr. Vandersteen's legendary powered-bass with room EQ is now more accessible than ever!
SUB THREE Specs 325-watt Bridged Power Amp with Regulated Switching Power Supply11-Band Room EQ for Perfect Bass in Virtually Any Room 3 x 8” Cast-Aluminum Basket Cellulose-Fiber Woofer Cones with Ultra Long-Throw Motor AssemblyPrice: $2490 ea.About Vandersteen AudioVandersteen Audio designs and manufactures time- and phase-correct loudspeakers and superb electronics. Every Vandersteen loudspeaker is designed to be as true and accurate to the signal received from the amplifier as possible, but with unsurpassed natural musicality and “Dimensional Purity.” All Vandersteen products are proudly designed and manufactured in the USA, in Hanford, CA. Contact:Audio Connection 615 Bloomfield AveVerona NJ 07044 973239 1799www.audioconnect.com JohnnyR
@bstatmeister, I believe it has a built in equalizer so it will be much like the 5's and 7's. John Rutan would have the specifics. I also suspect it will have a higher price tag. I would wait, when it comes out, I'll bet prices come down on the 2wq. B
@gdnrbob What information do you have on the new Vandy sub? My next piece of audio gear will likely be a 2wq, so if they have something better on the way I may hold up. Thanks!
Vande are a great way to go. Just don't overpay. Also, stay away, far away from the 2ci's not in the same league sound dead just muffled highs so warm they are hot! Bought a pair mint w factory stands locally for $400 unloaded them to a h/t guy who had 1c's after one month. Early 2ce's are fine.
Where do you find such a good deal on 2CEs? What would be a reasonable price for a used pair of the latest iteration?
I've had the older ET's in the house for long periods of time and loved them. I heard them vs the original Vandersteen Quatro adn felt it wasn't even close. For the price back then, it shouldn't have been close, but the ET is a very good value. It's just a hard sell for dealers for many reasons.
If you can find a retailer selling both Vandersteen and Eminent Technology, compare the 2C's with the ET LFT-8b ($2499/pr retail), as I did. A pair of Watt/Puppies were also included in the comparison. If you have room for a "small" planar (5' tall, 13" wide), the ET is an outrageous bargain. VPI's Harry Weisfeld recently proclaimed it to have the best midrange he has ever heard out of any loudspeaker, regardless of price. I wouldn't go that far (the original Quad is still unmatched!), but it's damn good. Unlike the Quads, the LFT-8b plays pretty loud, and likes tube amps (an 8 ohm load, the magnetic-planar panel itself 11 ohms). Ralph Karsten says he has some Atma-Sphere customers very happy pairing his M-60 amps with the ET's. One of the best kept secrets in Hi-Fi.
As far as I know, Music Direct sells at retail unless it’s an open box or demo. There are a couple of more dealers like MD out there. Just can’t recall their names at this moment. No offense at all to your experience in Cleveland, I’m sure it went well for you and that’s all that matters! However, based on my brief experience with the dealer, it doesn’t take much for him to feel “slighted”.
I totally agree with ctsooner. Besides, this affords a great opportunity for potential customers to get introduced to Vandersteen’s models from 3A down.
Not knocking RV for his choice to sell on Music Direct. It seems it might be a pain for a dealer to show a pair of 3a Sigs and later have the customer buy online because he can get it a slightly lower price??!! I would add I might never listened to a tube amp if not for the dealer. My Line Magnetic amp and 2CE Sig II are a match for beautiful music and he is the one that mated them for a long listening session. I almost never buy products online, last one was a gamble that did work out. I am a fan of good honest dealers. I also would not have heard equipment from the likes of Audio Note, Devore, Leben, ARC, Well Tempered, Line Magnetic, Shindo and many other brands.
I totally agree with Tomic. There just aren't a ton of audio stores around anymore. They only sell the less expensive models. I would still drive 3 hours to a dealer if there was one around (I have one about 2hours away). I doubt that they have taken much away from a dealer to be honest.
i have had a conversation w RV about Music Direct..here is my recollection....
i believe they only offer up to 3a-signature, so setup IF follow the hyper detailed manual is not difficult...and may not require deler physical visit help to get the most out of the speaker....yes this is a trade off maybe....
( although i would add hard won dealer knowlege is hard to beat )
Music Direct is a large operation that can reach many many markets totally unserved by a brick and morter dealer with financial muscle to have a return policy ( on $4.5 K pair speakers ) and stocking a wide variety of colors, finish, etc....
i think it was a prudent, well thought out deliberation on his part, by no means perfect but probably necessary in the evolutionary market for hi-fi.....
Yeah that seems likely since he has not chimed in. What a shame that people will do that. Vandersteen has, what seems, a very good reputation. The only thing I had heard negative was from my local dealer in Cleveland who felt slighted in a big way, because Richard decided to sell his lower line speakers on Music Direct (online) thus really showing some disrespect to the dealer experience and customer service he had provided for many years. BTW I bought my 2ce Sig II speakers from him and he really helped me find the right speaker. I know I would not have gotten any auditioning time or great help if not for him if I bought online.
Oh, guys, I just realized that the OP is @sunnyjim was a Vandy dealer and lost the line. He has an AX to GRIND, so I guess he goes on sites like this and bashes them. What a tool!
@cbucki , That is the beauty of the Vandersteen subs. You use the M5-HP crossover or get the fixed value crossovers. These are connected to the speaker outputs of your amp and allow the subs to work seamlessly with your speakers and relieve the amp from having to reproduce the low frequencies which are the most demanding. When in doubt, call or message audioconnection, Johnny Rutan. He can give you the best advice on everything Vandersteen. B
@gdnrbob, totally agree. I’ve also benefited from his advice...when I listened that is. Bought a few things from him as well. Will again. He’s one of the good guys for sure.
Enjoying your Bifrost MB you sold me. Take care, David
@carmenc , Don't beat up Johnny. He is willing to offer free advice. I say this as someone who has benefited from his advice, yet never bought anything from him. He won't try to sell me anything I don't want nor pressure me to buy something I do. I only wish I had the funds to buy new. He would be my first choice. B
@ctsooner , good one indeed. Agreed, Senor Rutan has a passion for this hobby that transcends his bottom line sales even. Very rare in this day and age. I don’t mind if other dealers contribute as long as it’s clear they’re dealers and not just popping in to sell something....like Sunny. He’s about as much of a Vandersteen dealer as I am.
How have you been? PM me when you can. Someone we know is too shy to contact you. Take care, David
Agreed, but tell that to Audio Doctor in NJ, lol...sorry, couldn’t resist. I agree though. Dealers need to disclose and also not sell. Nice of Rutan to offer to help even though he isn’t selling the guy anything.
Kharp, call Johnny and get those things set up correctly before letting them go. You will lose money if you have to resell and if you liked them in teh store, they should actually sound as good or better in your home. Did you use your own electronics in the store or something else?
Kharp Call me at Audio Connection in NJ and I will help you sort it out Mentored here with RVs simple magic moves for many years made them work successfully even in a 9 x 12 room ......... Cheers, JohnnyR
If you're ever in the Louisville, KY area I have a pair for sale locally, cheap. I loved them in the store, however, I didn't do proper research and realized when I got them home that my room was not conducive to proper placement, and, was never able to get them to perform anywhere near as close as in the store.
@cbucki , If it were me, I would get a 2wq sub or two and keep the 1ci's. You'll get performance almost as good as a 3a sig. Vandy is coming out with a new sub soon, so prices for 2w's should come down even more. Once again, look for as current a serial number as possible- B
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
