What do you think of Vandersteen 5a's?


I am considering buying a pair of 5a's to complement my Ayre gear. There does not seem to be a dealer in Denver so I have never heard any type of Vandersteen speaker. I have heard both great things about them, and a few disparaging comments. Funny sometimes the positive remarks speak to the same items the negative remarks complain of (detail, soundstage, dark character, lack of resolution etc). Can they really make two different people feel that differently? Can anyone give me some advice on whether to take this leap?
mmike84

Showing 1 response by zargon

If you are interested in a speaker that reproduces the signal as faithfully as possible, without collorations or emphasis, and has incredibly accurate harmonic rendering and complete transparancy, I believe the 5A is just about the best there is.

The engineering in this speaker takes into account a flat response, stable impedance level, time and phase accuracy, superior drivers and crossovers, highly rigid cabinets, and the ability to adjust the subs to match the room. The test data confirms this speaker is as accurate as possible with today's technology.

I purchased them because they made instruments and voices sound more real than anything I have ever heard before. I have played the trombone and piano all my life and when I heard such a combo on the 5As I was just astounded at the realism.

My advice is to listen for yourself and don't be misled by speaker reproduction artifacts that appear to add interest but are not present in the source and will become wearysome over time.