VANDERSTEENS vs. THIELS

Either pair of speakers would be a great choice; however, after owning two generations of models 2's and now the proud owner of the 3A Signatures, I prefer the sound of the Vandersteens over thiels. They are so musical and right, you can listen to them for hours on end without fatigue. The are detailed in a natural way that makes other speakers sound like, well, speakers. Being a former musician, I know what musical instruments sound like, and Vandersteen has got it right. The are not designed to WOW you in a stereo store like most will, they simply do one thing very well; repoduce music faithfully. Live with them, and you'll never live without them. Try them and you'll see why their repeat customer base is the highest in the industry. I'm not a salesman, just an educated long-time audiophile who's listened to hundreds of different pieces of equipment. The 2CE Signatures are fantastic and the 3A Signatures are undervalued by about $5,000.00. Buy Vandersteens and enjoy listening to music!

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...

I have lived with the Vandersteen 10 years from 1988-1998 and I loved them until I moved and I could never get them to sound right in my new room. I have heard the Thiels and they are certainly less forgiving than the Vandy's.Great detail 3-D imaging. The Steens reproduce music accurately but really don't provide all the detail that the Thiels reveal. Another excellent speaker in this price range that in my estimation is a MUST audition is the NHT 2.5i. These speakers will reveal what is on the recording and with excellent electronics is a competitor with any of the 3 on your list. I currently own these speakers (2 years now) and I am absolutely thrilled with their sound. They are accurate, they have excellent base response and most importantly for me is that they are balanced across the board as are the Vandy's. I hate to through you this curve but add them to the list otherwise if you want to stick with your 3 choices I would go with the VANDERSTEEN. I ultimately picked the Vandy's over Magnapan 2.6 speakers after long deliberation and was never sorry for the choice.

Bennett As stated above in some of the other responses there is no substitution to listening in your own room with your current electronics. If that is not possible, try to bring your electronics to the stores where you can then audition in a familiar system. Good luck and enjoy the journey!

Sounds like you are getting more advice than any one man should to confuse you even more. Save a little more money and buy a used pair of Thiel 3.6 (2300 or less). These will definitely beat all the ones you were considering. So will the Legacy classics, the Martin Logan SL3/REquests ..... sorry.