Is your room treated correctly with acoustic traps? If you haven't damped first reflection points, you won't be hearing what your speakers sound like, NO MATTER WHAT SPEAKER YOU CHOOSE. As for Thiels/Vandersteens, audition each in your home before you buy. And get a couple of ASC "Frescoes" before you do that...
VANDERSTEENS vs. THIELS
Dear audiophiles, I'm getting ready to buy some new speakers after 25 years of using AR10pi's. I've narrowed my choices to Vandersteen's 2Ce, Thiels 2.3, magneplanar 1.6. Please give me your thoughts on reliability, accuracy, other comments. I will power them with Onkyo m-504 amp (150w/ch) and use rega phono and cartridge,some CD's on a Denon 370. Thanking you in advance hififile, (aka: Bennett).