I was always curious about these. Everything about them appealed to me, but it was impossible to accommodate a dipole (or as Mirage said, "bipole") speaker in my then audio space.
I had zero regrets going in the direction of Vandersteen. That sound nailed my preferences to such a degree that I never even thought about other speakers.
I was always curious about these. Everything about them appealed to me, but it was impossible to accommodate a dipole (or as Mirage said, "bipole") speaker in my then audio space.
I had zero regrets going in the direction of Vandersteen. That sound nailed my preferences to such a degree that I never even thought about other speakers.
The M1 being driven by Mark Levinson electronics still stands as the "best" 2 channel system I've heard. It was astonishing that a pair of speakers that large could completely disappear into a room like they did
The M1 being driven by Mark Levinson electronics still stands as the "best" 2 channel system I've heard. It was astonishing that a pair of speakers that large could completely disappear into a room like they did
I was always curious about these. Everything about them appealed to me, but it was impossible to accommodate a dipole (or as Mirage said, "bipole") speaker in my then audio space.
I had zero regrets going in the direction of Vandersteen. That sound nailed my preferences to such a degree that I never even thought about other speakers.
The Vandersteen line of loudspeakers is tremendous: not just unbelievable value for performance but unbelievable performance, period! If I get back to room based stereo listening, it’s Vandersteen 2Ce for me….
The Vandersteen line of loudspeakers is tremendous: not just unbelievable value for performance but unbelievable performance, period! If I get back to room based stereo listening, it’s Vandersteen 2Ce for me….
Richard Vandersteen talked to me at length on several occasions, which frankly surprised me. I had purchased my Vandersteen 4s used (they were shipped to me in NYS from CA in a semi-trailer). I had questions and he was only too happy to answer them. He clearly loved the 4s, even had just revised them w/a new midrange module since they first came out. He offered that mod to me at a very reasonable price, but shipping my 4s back to CA was out of the question.
I remember people taking potshots at him for having 6 dB slopes in all crossovers. He poo-poo'd that and said it was one of the simplest, best ways to ensure in phase and in synch arrival of signals (each driver in those big 4s was set back the precise amount needed to assure time coherence). He said, "Every decision you make as a speaker designer involves tradeoffs. The cost of 6 dB slopes is slightly less absolute dynamic range. Do you think it was a wise tradeoff?" I practically jumped out of my shoes answering "Hell, yes!" The way those giant speakers imaged was a thing of beauty. And if I'd had any more dynamic range than they already were giving me, I'm not sure I would've survived it.
I heard several other models, including the 2C, his biggest seller. The "house sound" was easy to hear. For someone like me whose main genres of music were (still are) classical, choral, singers, and acoustic jazz, Vandersteens were a dream come true. They also banged like crazy when I cranked them (those built-in subs shook all the little stuff on shelves around the 1st floor). I never had it so good before or after that.
Another great thing about Vandys...they love tubes and they love SS. No favorites played there.
The other brand that just destroyed me back then, sound-wise, was KEF. I heard their mid-to-late '80s floorstanders and their legendary reference 2-way, the 103.2s. I now own a vintage pair of 103.2s and adore that sound.
I love headphone audio. Just love it. But there really is something special about speakers. I'm so lucky to have great examples of both...
Being somewhat fresh out of high school, I was suitably blown away. By both sound and price. I just wish I could've heard the M1 driven by the Classé Audio monoblocks they also had in the demo room ("great white north" indeed)
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[From Stereophile: June, 1989.]
Look on streamer.
At least, you don't have to change valves, just adopt another one.
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)
