As a long time owner of the Quatro's they are among the most accurate/bang for the buck speakers out there with their powered bass modules/damping controls and 11 band EQ. Concerning the external X-overs, one just needs to know the input impedance of the amplifier to get a pretty close rolloff that will work in most situations. For those perfectionists, the multimeter and frequency discs are required. As to issues I've encountered, I've had to replace one midrange driver due to a "buzzing" issue at certain frequencies, mainly female vocals and now the other speaker has developed the same issue. The other inconvenience is that the output leads on the external X-over are very short and with my Pass Labs Aleph 3 amp, present a challenge to connecting them to the inputs. I had to get Female to Female RCA couplers to extend the connections to allow the modules to be dressed well clear of the back of the amp and placed on a solid surface(rack shelf). Other than those issues, they are one of the best speakers I currently own and will certainly trounce the Trios but care must be taken in their setup to achieve their full potential.
Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT
I am considering buying a pair of used Vandersteen Quatro Wood CTs. I have a few questions. Are the Hi-Pass filters easy to set up? It looks like you need a volt meter to set them up. In addition, if you want to change amps you have set them up again. I'm also, considering new Treo CTs. Is the jump up to the Quatros significant enough to deal with the Hi Pass filters? I may have to pay someone to set them up. I checked HIFI Shark for used prices and they are in the range of 7500 to 13K. New Treos list for 11K.