I should have addressed this in my first response. It has to do with Roscoeiii's comments above. I have absolutely no idea how anyone could come up with that description. I'm not trying to be rude or find fault but I don't know anyone that knows Vandersteen speakers that would share such an opinion. I personally think that its a rumour that someone started and everyone else just ran with it for some reason. To get them to sound like that you would have a hard time if you tried to do it on purpose. If anything, its just the opposite. Actually, they are transparent and neutral to a fault. Its entirely possible you may find them too revealing and detailed. There's a reason these speakers get paired with Ayre so often (myself included). Ayre is considered to be capable of resolution that very few other brands can come close to. To get the most out of them, the last speaker you would want to use is something that fits the above description.
Again, I'm not looking to offend anyone. Roscoeiii does state that he heard them briefly in less than ideal settings. I have to believe, that is the basis for his response. Otherwise, though, I would encourage a demo before you buy. No matter what I think, you still need to see if you like them yourself. Also, there are detailed setup instructions in the manual. You have to follow them for best results. Its not difficult, but it may take an hour or more to get them positioned properly and the back tilt set.
Again, I'm not looking to offend anyone. Roscoeiii does state that he heard them briefly in less than ideal settings. I have to believe, that is the basis for his response. Otherwise, though, I would encourage a demo before you buy. No matter what I think, you still need to see if you like them yourself. Also, there are detailed setup instructions in the manual. You have to follow them for best results. Its not difficult, but it may take an hour or more to get them positioned properly and the back tilt set.