Whether or not you think Vandersteen models are getting brighter will depend on how far you go back with the company. I bought my first pair in 1996 and my last pair in 2014, my 4th, and they were voiced differently to my ears. I always suspected it was finally a reaction to the reviews.
Vandersteen 2CE Signature III — video review on YouTube by Steve Guttenberg (1/15/2023)
Steve gives them an excellent rating. Nice shout-out to John Rutan at AudioConnection. His reviews are quirky, and I know not everyone is a fan of him but since I own these speakers and love them, I love the review! 😎