Vandersteen 3A Sig vs. Von Schweikert VR4 Jr.

you need to try a speaker with a much bigger woofer...vanderstein's woofers are not capable of reproducing realistic concert levels of any type of music. be wary of a dealer that says you can only play certain types of music with certain speakers. the electrical components are just inferior. try a pair of jbl 4430 or 4435 they will reproduce any type of music at any type of sound level with extremly low distoration. the key is setting them up correctly in a good size room and they will image like a mini monitor without the restrictions of audiophile speakers. i am not trashing the vand, they are alright but you do get what you pay for, and with those components, you cant play very loud music esp rock and/or classical.

I love to read the responses about Von Schweikert going out of business. Its hilarious. Every time someone brings it up I think to myself, "who are these people and where do they get their information?". Every time I mention that when his factory was flooded out in the Northeast, he moved to California and has been happy ever since, the poster either makes a joke out of it, or ignores it. Von Schweikert is an honest and reputable man. I have spoken to him personally on the phone and he stands behind his speakers. He recently changed his models to stay competitive and will be around a long time. I don't believe the question was, "should I buy this speaker because I think the company will stay in business?". Stay on topic and don't waste everyone's time with your personal opinions about a manufacturer. CBMAN asked a legitimate question about comparing speakers. My thoughts? My VR-4JRs are great with rock and roll: authoritative bass, highs that are forgiving of overly bright pop albums, but then I like them for everything. Mostly I listen to Jazz, Classical, and acoustic players, with Eagles, Santana, Clapton and the rest thrown in. Good luck in your search.

I have the Vandersteen's and very much like the VR4-Jr's. In your opinion, what are the Vandy's missing? Although I don't listen to that much rock anymore, I don't think that I find them lacking in any regard. Check your setup, placement, tilt back. These are really fine speakers in my opinion for not a lot of money and, unlike what people like to say about them, they are not particularly forgiving. Of course, they are not hyper-detailed, but nor are they dull, lifefless or lacking in jump factor. If you are experiencing any of this, I would suggest looking at placement within your room, followed by associated cables and electronics. These speakers can be made to sing, but it does take careful setup.

As I said, I do like the VR4's. Great dynamics, great soundstaging and excellent bass from a small speaker. Although I'd love to have a pair of VR-4's, I don't think that I would sell my Vandersteen's. It would be wonderful to have both.

Tell us what you dislike about the Vandersteen's with rock music and tell us about your room, cables and electronics.

"just recently bought a pair of Vand 3's. With some music they sound great. However, for Rock 'N' Roll they appear to be missing something. I was told by the local dealer it was because the Rock 'N' Roll music was recorded"

Isn't all music "recorded"?

One thing Vandy speakers are lacking is gross distortion and they can sometimes be underpowered, the 3s do like/need power to be driven at their best.