Vandersteen 2ci and 2ce

Cool thread
owners weighing in nice
iF you can swing 3a-dig and 2x subs, you are not far away from a pair of 5
no comparison in bass, especially with eq tuning to room - this is why the new sub gets analog 11 band eq
now having said that, there should be a few , probable more than a few of the old sub available for Low $$$$
i had the 3a-sig for many years, pair it with an amp that can control the low end and as some said, near 5 levels of performance 

for those seeking nore info, some of your configuration? Addressed by the Ask Richard section of the website

the aerodynamic midrange thinking could apply to other drivers but the physical configuration issues of magnet size relative to cone / dome diameter largely preclude it

your ear more sensitive in the midrange also

RV has pretty sophisticated Anechoic chamber and FFT tools, he says and the recently expired patent is based on being able to both see and measure and hear the reflected backwave off the larger magnet

I have the 2CE Sig II. You will have to let us know how well you like it down the road. I listened to Klipsch, Polk, Kef, Magnepan, B&W, and many others but settled on the Vandersteen because it sounds right for Jazz, Acoustical music and vocals. I would like to audition the Quattro Wood CT down the road if I ever have that kind of money. I also like the 3.7i by Magnepan, but I think the powered bass in the Vandy would give it more depth.

Thought Id jump in since there is no end in forum discussions on the Vandersteen 2 series. I think my favorite is the 2CE Sig I (came out around 2000). They have the rugged Scanspeak midrange with a regular magnet that doesn’t have the tendency to demagnetize over time like alnicos such as the one used in the Sig II midrange. That open back transmission thing Vandersteen talks about in the literature doesn’t make sense to me. If it is so desirable, why not use it in the woofer and tweeter? The Sig I is also voiced warmer and flatter than the Sig II which sounds lean to my ears; doesn’t have enough lower midrange. Even John Atkinson pointed that out in his measurements. About the 2Ci v 2CE low end: Yes it is true that bass is tighter and leaner (flatter too) on the 2CE and later models with its bigger box volume extending and lowering the Q of the system compared with earlier versions that had a slight bass bump which some folks prefer. I happen to prefer the tighter and more immediate sound of the new models, especially the Sig I.

Thanks for your help. I did purchase a pair of 2CE Signatures, which I thought was out of my league financially. However, I found a good deal on ebay.
I am enjoying them right now.
Thanks again,
Don

Aedv8sc is absolutely correct. The addition of a pair of 2Wq subs with the inserted filters makes a great speaker even better and the subs provide a solid bottom to below 20hz. I use this combination myself currently.

Shoe, try to listen to the 3Asigs with a pair or 2wq subs. Or at least one 2wq sub. If you can swing it in your own system, a pair of these makes the 3Asigs just awsome! The way Vandersteen has them work is that the 2wq takes its signal from the amp with a pair of inline filters suppling the crossover. This remove that frequency from the amps workload. The amps and network in the subs put it back. The resulting sound is deep, powerfull and FAST base. The amps now have less work to do since the inline crossovers remove everything from 180 HZ (if memory serves me) down, which make the 3Asigs sound that much better. Well worth the extra expense. Check out my virtual system to see what they look like.

Thanks Bigtee. I am auditioning a pair of Vandersteen 3A sigs next week.

Shoe, The 3A Sig uses the tweeter and basically the same midrange out of the Model 5 speaker(not 5A) and the associated crossover. RV said that the drivers in the Model 5 are "Cherry picked" and the others go into the 3A sig.
The 2ce Sig uses the same midrange driver as all of the 2 series with the differences in the tweeter stated above.
Sonically, the 3A Sig is much more open and refined than any of the 2 series. It will play louder and produces a bigger soundstage. You get about 90% of the Model 5's sound. It is truly a wonderful speaker.
I have gone from the 2Ci to the 2Ce to the 2Ce Sig and then finally to the 3A Sig. Each has been a marked improvement in overall sound but the jump to the 3A Sig was a leap compared to the others. I'm planning on the 5A's this summer.

One more question to Bigtee, or anyone, maybe you will know this. Just what is the difference betweeen the 3A sig and the 2ce sig.
I can't seem to get any definate anwsers from anyone including the company.
thanks

I have owned both models and noticed mostley that the bass was a little more "loose" with the 2ci than with the 2ce. The 2ci's are also bolted upon stands. The 2ci's are also a very warm and lush sounding speaker, more so than the 2ce's.
You can check and see if the 2ce's have the more modern tweeter by taking a light and shinning it through the grill cover. The more modern tweeter on the CE was a metal dome if memory serves me right.

There was a slight change in the cabinet of the 2Ce vs. the 2Ci. The tweeter was changed from a 3/4" in the 2Ci to a 1" in the 2Ce. However, let me warn you of a small caveat. Some of the tweeters in the earlier 2Ce's are the same ones in the 2Ci. You would have to check with Vandersteen using the serial number of any potential used purchase. I don't remember how far into the production run this went but it did go for a little while.
I would also consider the 2Ce Signature. It uses the tweeter out of the model 3A and a few other enhancements that make it the best sounding of the 2 series.