Anyone a Vandersteen fan?

mantis
mantis Posts: 17,194
edited April 2012 in 2 Channel Audio
Did a really good sounding 2 channel system today .

Bryston 60 Intergraded
Cardos cables
Cambridge DAC Magic
Apple TV
Wadia Ipod Dock
SAT (Direct TV)
Vandersteen 1c's
Vandersteen Sub

System sounded so real and lifelike .I was really impressed. Here's a few cool pic's of the system. He is getting a custom built cabinet to integrate into his decor. This is a temp setup for now. Speakers are pretty dialed in and sound amazing. If the speakers where not so 70's looking I would seriously consider them next. Damn good.
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Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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Comments

  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,081
    edited March 2012
    Those speakers may look 70's, but better than many of today type offerings. Nice rig!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited March 2012
    I've done a few really nice systems with them and they shock the hell out of me every time. Maybe Bose would lend me some of their speaker props I could hide them inside....LOL . If I brought them home , my wife would have them at the curb along with me same minute.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited March 2012
    mantis wrote: »
    I've done a few really nice systems with them and they shock the hell out of me every time. Maybe Bose would lend me some of their speaker props I could hide them inside....LOL . If I brought them home , my wife would have them at the curb along with me same minute.

    Holy crap that is a sick looking house. The vandy's look great. I've never heard the 1C's but now I'm interested in them.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,647
    edited March 2012
    The house is incredible...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,499
    edited March 2012
    Put me down as one. My bud Norm had a pair once upon a time. My friend Rob is actually selling a pair of nice 1C's.

    Nice place!
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited March 2012
    I've had a couple pair come through.....not the last word in any one department but they do everything well.

    Nice looking pad.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • devani
    devani Posts: 1,497
    edited March 2012
    that's a great looking house....love it....
    Video: LG 55LN5100/Samsung LNT4065F
    Receiver: HK AVR445
    Source: OPPO BDP-93
    HT: POLK SPEAKERS RTi6, FXi3, CSi5, VTF-3 MK2
    2Ch system: MC2105, AR-XA, AR-2A, AR9, BX-300, OPPO BDP-83
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited March 2012
    Out of curiosity how would you guys compare the sound of these to something like the LSi 15's.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • bobsauto49
    bobsauto49 Posts: 973
    edited March 2012
    Got my ear on a pair at a local hi-fi shop! They sounded Great,and i actually love the old school look! However, Mantis' wife and my wife must have rode the same bus:wink:
    "Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
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  • Timothy Smith
    Timothy Smith Posts: 764
    edited March 2012
    I owned both Model 1's and Model 2's.

    Both very musical. Someone somewhere said something to the effect of: "Musicians buy Vandy's, not necessarily audiophiles".

    I always thought they looked "modern", not "old school". That must mean I'm really OLD school.
    Norh ACA-2B tube pre, Sumo Andromeda SS amp. Magneplanar MMG speakers, M&K MX1250 Subwoofer, Pro-Ject RM1.3 Genie TT with Sumiko Pearl MM cart., Keces DAC, Cambridge Audio Azur 640c CD player
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,042
    edited March 2012
    I like my 2CE's but I wish they could be placed better(in corners) as they are very sensitive to placement. They sounded better in the sellers home than they do in mine, but still a nice sound to them esp for the price.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited March 2012
    EndersShadow wrote: »
    Out of curiosity how would you guys compare the sound of these to something like the LSi 15's.
    I never did a side by side shootout but I owned the Lsi 15's and Installed them many times with many different amps and receivers. I think the Vandersteen's would outperform them in all areas. I don't think the 15's would really challenge them anywhere.

    I gott agree with the Musician's comment , they are very accurate and clear. You can really hear the Cymbols , string squeaks , Drum stick hits , Breath , and bass snap very clear. Absolutely musical and sinfully ugly IMO all in the same breath. We have a few pairs on our show room floor and I turn my nose up at them as I hate the way they look. We also have a few Magnepans and I really don't listen to them as they are even worse looking But Sound quality wise both brands are hard to beat. They are remarkable for the money vs performance .

    I'm also warming up to Bryston the more I listen , the more speakers I run with them , the more I want one or 3. Such power and effortless sound it's amazing how much head room they have even at the 60 level. It's badass and destroys our Cambridge gear but also costs more but you get more so that kinda works out.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited March 2012
    mantis wrote: »
    I never did a side by side shootout but I owned the Lsi 15's and Installed them many times with many different amps and receivers. I think the Vandersteen's would outperform them in all areas. I don't think the 15's would really challenge them anywhere.

    I gott agree with the Musician's comment , they are very accurate and clear. You can really hear the Cymbols , string squeaks , Drum stick hits , Breath , and bass snap very clear. Absolutely musical and sinfully ugly IMO all in the same breath. We have a few pairs on our show room floor and I turn my nose up at them as I hate the way they look. We also have a few Magnepans and I really don't listen to them as they are even worse looking But Sound quality wise both brands are hard to beat. They are remarkable for the money vs performance .

    I'm also warming up to Bryston the more I listen , the more speakers I run with them , the more I want one or 3. Such power and effortless sound it's amazing how much head room they have even at the 60 level. It's badass and destroys our Cambridge gear but also costs more but you get more so that kinda works out.

    Yeah the Vandy's would be upstairs in my office powered by a HK3490 as I already know the WAF factor would make them go there. Maggies (MMG's ONLY due to size) have the WAF factor but aren't great for HT since they require some decent spacing which I dont have, but they would work well for 2 channel when I get a house (years down the road) paired with a sub of course. I have personally found that it doesnt matter how high you go in the Maggie lineup you still need a sub if you want visceral bass. The bigger ones have bass that fills the room but it doesnt punch you in the gut.

    I personally dont mind the look of the Vandy's and they would be a step up for sure from the Monitor 60's currently there. Placement may be an issue as they would be pretty close to my LCD computer monitor and I know they are unshielded but I wouldnt really know till I got them. Am I correct in that they require some sort of toe in or are they like the SDA's in that you dont want toe in?
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited March 2012
    You have to toe them in to your seating position. Maggies are very picky with placement, mess them up and they sound like crap. Set them up correctly and magic happens.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • PN28
    PN28 Posts: 5
    edited March 2012
    Great looking setup! The 1c's left such a good impression at the showroom, that after deciding to purchase a pair of Magnepan MG12's over the 1c at the time, I came back a year later to purchase them.
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,042
    edited March 2012
    Not only does the oner manual suggest toe in but there is specific instruction on how to set up the back leg of the stands for correct allignment with the listening position. I have one of the Vandys within 3' of my lcd tv and no problem.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • ohskigod
    ohskigod Posts: 6,502
    edited March 2012
    I'll echo Troy's sentiments. from a technical standpoint not the best speaker I had, yet the one I miss the most.....even now
    Living Room 2 Channel -
    Schiit SYS Passive Pre. Jolida CD player. Songbird streamer. California Audio Labs Sigma II DAC, DIY 300as1/a1 Ice modules Class D amp. LSi15 with MM842 woofer upgrade, Nordost Blue Heaven and Unity interconnects.

    Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
    Prometheus Ref. TVC passive pre, SAE A-205 Amp, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E50 DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Von Schweikert VR3.5 speakers.

    Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Mac Mini, Aiyma A07 Max (BridgedX2), Totem Mites
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited March 2012
    Thats a very clean and tidy install once again Dan.... good work budd
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited March 2012
    I have always had big respect for Vandersteen, and have on a number of occasions consider buying them.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
    edited April 2012
    great looking house. I have never heard Vandys but were always very interested in them because they always got good reviews.The one huge draw back are the socks ,once something happens to them it's all over you just can't go w/o grill covers.I did see on c/l a pair of 2cs w/ a ton of cat scratch fever on both of them so I passed.
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited April 2012
    I have had the 2ce sig, and the 3A. I could never get them to sound right in my living room. My room is dead acoustically. In my Den however with hard wood floors, they sounded great. The Tyler reference monitor actually replaced the 2ce sig in my house.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited April 2012
    When I first got to know the publisher of ToneAudio, he urged me to invest in a used pair of the 2C's. From top top bottom they offered up the most resolution per budget $$ with average amplifier.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
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  • nhhiep
    nhhiep Posts: 877
    edited April 2012
    wow, that sub looks exactly like Deftech Supercube. just in different color
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  • DollarDave
    DollarDave Posts: 2,575
    edited April 2012
    Well, I picked up some 2C's last night and am listending to some Dire Straits on them. NOT BAD, AT ALL! They are really easy to listen to. Bigger than I expected, but the foot print is still only about the size of a pair of CRS+'s.

    They have a nice, punchy low-end and vocals are crystal clear. They drive a little harder than my old LS-90's - actaully, come to think of it, their tonal quality reminds me of the 90's.
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,640
    edited April 2012
    i owned some light tan colored vanders. they were ugly..i sold them after a year. what a mistake i made. i still want some. its kinda funny looking back at what weve had n wish we hadnt got rid of them. wish i had a warehouse for all of them. great post. thanks for sharing
    ..
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited April 2012
    boston1450 wrote: »
    i owned some light tan colored vanders. they were ugly..i sold them after a year. what a mistake i made. i still want some. its kinda funny looking back at what weve had n wish we hadnt got rid of them. wish i had a warehouse for all of them. great post. thanks for sharing
    It's funny how you bring up warehouse. If I came into money I would build a warehouse with sound rooms in it for over the years.
    I would start with my original home theater of Dolby surround and go threw the years of improvement. Each room would have a full working system , software , seating etc. I'd also build some of my favorite theaters from years past . I would keep this going and maybe turn it into a museum for people who want to learn about the history of surround sound and home theater. It's a little dream of mine.
    In this museum , I would have certain gear in rotating lighted up glass cases for people to look at. Posters from the years etc.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,151
    edited April 2012
    mantis wrote: »
    It's funny how you bring up warehouse. If I came into money I would build a warehouse with sound rooms in it for over the years.
    I would start with my original home theater of Dolby surround and go threw the years of improvement. Each room would have a full working system , software , seating etc. I'd also build some of my favorite theaters from years past . I would keep this going and maybe turn it into a museum for people who want to learn about the history of surround sound and home theater. It's a little dream of mine.
    In this museum , I would have certain gear in rotating lighted up glass cases for people to look at. Posters from the years etc.

    If you can afford an assistant, I'd love to help out in that museum. I've lived in one here for 15 years, and have owned quite a bit of that vintage - pretty new systems.

    Dream job for me for sure!!
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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