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Going after Vandersteen 2ci's tomorrow....pretty excited!

tomlinmgt

tomlinmgt

Lunatic Member
I recently put up a thread about my opportunity to acquire Infinity RS 2.5's and asked whether or not they would take me beyond "mid-fi". I got a mixed bag of feedback...some very impressed with them, some a little disappointed. Admittedly, it left me a little uncertain about making the long trip that would be required to go get them. Well, that decision was made for me when a disruption in my schedule prevented me from going after them. But what did develop was a much more local opportunity to acquire some Vandersteen 2ci's (with sound anchor stands). I've never heard a set, but unlike the Infinites I've been hard pressed to find anyone that has any critical words for them. They sound like they could very well be my ticket away from "mid-fi" and on to the next tier of loudspeaker performance. I feel like I'm fixing to be indoctrinated into a 'brotherhood of better sound" of sorts. Perhaps that's a little corny...but seriously, after going through many of the two and three way classics from JBL, KLH, Dynaco, Klipsch, Infinity, DCM, Polk, etc, I think I'm fixing to have a moment of profound discovery. I can't help but be excited.:yippy::yippy:
 
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I am elated for you as well Michael! I am sure you will find the Vandersteen experience well worth your while! It is one of those systems that one should have exposure to like the better Altecs, EV's, JBL, etc to round out your overall experience in audio.

I think it important that anyone who really enjoys audio to listen to the "masters" and their contriutions- Vandersteens certainly are in that group.

Welcome again to the evolution you on on!
DC
 
Nice speakers, I'm sure you will enjoy them. I'll suffer with my Klipsch RF7IIs. No, I won't trade you. :D

cubdog
 
Those are excellent speakers. I bought a used pair for my son two years ago and he loves them. The woofer and midrange surrounds on the 2Ci and the later 2-series speakers are butyl rubber, so you'll never have to worry about refoaming. The Vandersteen Web site offers free downloads of the manuals for all of their current products; if your 2Cis come without the manual, be sure to download the manual for the 2Ce Signature II and follow its recommendations on speaker placement. It takes a bit of work to get Vandersteen speakers placed for best sound, but magic happens once you find that best placement.
 
Good luck! I hope it works out for you. I'm less qualified than most around here when it comes to giving technical reviews, but I am very happy with my model 2c's. The only issue is I can't keep them placed quite right due to the layout of my livingroom. When they are in their sweet spots though, bliss!:music:

In the event yours need a sock replacement, I replaced mine and it was much easier than I anticipated. I put up a thread on the process if you ever need it.
 
powerlight said:
Good luck! I hope it works out for you. I'm less qualified than most around here when it comes to giving technical reviews, but I am very happy with my model 2c's. The only issue is I can't keep them placed quite right due to the layout of my livingroom. When they are in their sweet spots though, bliss!:music:

In the event yours need a sock replacement, I replaced mine and it was much easier than I anticipated. I put up a thread on the process if you ever need it.
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Thanks for the thread...there is a cat in the house that has not been declawed so I fear she'll give in to the irresistable temptation the big socks will present! I plan on keeping them covered when not in use, but man they sure look vulnerable if you have a cat.

Please share what you found to be optimum placement.
 
Picked up the Vandersteens and Sound Anchor stands today. The placement of the speakers for the demo was far from ideal (two feet apart) but showed lots of promise. Got them back to my place and positioned them about two-and-a-half feet from the back wall and three feet from the side walls. With flat EQ I found the bass to be thin, midrange forward and a tad congested, and the top end approaching shrill. Hate to admit it, but I'm not particulary impressed. I'll try swapping out the upstream gear and see what happens. Room treatments probably wouldn't hurt, but I have several sets of speakers that sound better with the same gear and room. I'm not giving up on them. There has to be a reason why they're so highly regarded and I intend to find out.
 
tomlinmgt said:
Picked up the Vandersteens and Sound Anchor stands today. The placement of the speakers for the demo was far from ideal (two feet apart) but showed lots of promise. Got them back to my place and positioned them about two-and-a-half feet from the back wall and three feet from the side walls. With flat EQ I found the bass to be thin, midrange forward and a tad congested, and the top end approaching shrill. Hate to admit it, but I'm not particulary impressed. I'll try swapping out the upstream gear and see what happens. Room treatments probably wouldn't hurt, but I have several sets of speakers that sound better with the same gear and room. I'm not giving up on them. There has to be a reason why they're so highly regarded and I intend to find out.
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Whoaa! What is your upstream gear??
I have had 2Ci's and they produced one of the most natural sound and are well worth owning..Now I used them with some very good tube gear but either way,tube or solid state,they are revealling..They do need a good source and amplification..You will hear improvements every upgrade you make..

If using 'mid-fi' upstream,you will be disappointed..

I have had many good speakers,and Vandersteens I would go back to again.

Let us know what source and amplification you are using,I am sure you will get great advice here

Matt......tubeornotube
 
Onkyo M-504
Onkyo P-306RS Integra
Yamaha 31-band pro EQ (bypassed)
Yamaha CDC-845 CDP (used as transport/digital coax out)
Grant Fidelity Tube DAC 09 (through tube circuit).
Top-shelf Radio Shack audio cables
14g Lanscaping lighting wire
Bi-wired

Admittedly, not audiophile by any measure....but it's produced much more pleasing results with other speakers.

I did space them to about 9' spread and kicked in a little EQ on top and bottom and it improved....but I thought with these I could escape the need for EQ. Even with EQ it's not the most pleasing I have in my collection...and nothing else I have has received unanimously positive rewiews like the Vandersteens.

However, I did find myself liking them more the more I listened to them.:scratch2:
 
tomlinmgt said:
Onkyo M-504
Onkyo P-306RS Integra
Yamaha 31-band pro EQ (bypassed)
Yamaha CDC-845 CDP (used as transport/digital coax out)
Grant Fidelity Tube DAC 09 (through tube circuit).
Top-shelf Radio Shack audio cables
14g Lanscaping lighting wire
Bi-wired

Admittedly, not audiophile by any measure....but it's produced much more pleasing results with other speakers.

I did space them to about 9' spread and kicked in a little EQ on top and bottom and it improved....but I thought with these I could escape the need for EQ. Even with EQ it's not the most pleasing I have in my collection...and nothing else I have has received unanimously positive rewiews like the Vandersteens.

However, I did find myself liking them more the more I listened to them.:scratch2:
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I'd kill for this system... What's the weak point in it? That's a serious question.
 
I wonder if you're used to ported speakers. The Vandersteens do go quite low but not in the same way.

Your system seems to be very very good and should mate well with the Vandies. You could try playing with the high/ low adjustments at the back (I'm guessing 2ci has them since 2ce signature does).

It is a very neutral speaker and if one is used to hearing boosted highs/ lows (not saying you are) then it could sound not that great. Try it with recordings of accoustic instruments, fast drums etc and you will appreciate what it can do.
 
and nothing else I have has received unanimously positive rewiews like the Vandersteens.

However, I did find myself liking them more the more I listened to them.
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you asked a subjective question, and followed subjective responses. These are things one needs to decide for ones self, after auditioning, in this case, the speakers in question. Quality speakers are something one will ostensibly be living with for a good length of time,and deserve due consideration.I would have taken the Infinity speakers over the Vandersteens 100 out of 100 times, but that's just me. Infinity speakers above a certain water mark sound like ass if underpowered, a very common mistake, but damn, do the ones you were considering open up and sing when fed properly.

I've known for a long time that one needs to acclimate ones ears and brain to new speakers before one really hears what they have to offer. This period of adjustment is very often mistaken for various forms of hardware "break in", when it's really a matter of getting used to a new presentation. The Vandersteen are quality speakers, and should provide you with wonderful results, and soon.
 
kneeOhFight said:
I've known for a long time that one needs to acclimate ones ears and brain to new speakers before one really hears what they have to offer. This period of adjustment is very often mistaken for various forms of hardware "break in", when it's really a matter of getting used to a new presentation.
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I have often thought that exact thing. Especially with capacitors in amps and/or speakers and cartridges. I wonder how someone could remember what a cartridge sounded like 100 hours ago.

I'm new to this hobby and have little experience with high end gear, but I do believe from my humble experiences that it takes a little time with a speaker to see what it has to offer vs. what you're used to. In almost every case I think my "upgrade" was a waste of time. Then, after using it after a couple weeks, it becomes apparent. For me it's hard to grasp "overall performance" after a one hour session of A/Bing. I usually have particular things in mind (like soundstage, bass, and/or detail in the highs) that keeps me from seeing the overall performance.
 
I feel I may have experienced, for the first time, a speaker with such refinement and neutrality that my my ears are finding them not "engaging" with these initial listening sessions. My ears are used to JBL L100T3, a set of boutique transmission line 2-ways that are very sensitive and seem colored throughout the frequency range, ElectroVoice Interface C's, Polk Monitor 10's, Infinity RSM, Dynaco 25, KLH 6 and 23...and all usually played with just a touch of EQ boost on top and bottom.

I've also noticed the low sensitivity of the Vandy's as revealed by the VU meters on the Onkyo. Never have I seen any of the speakers mentioned above bump 200W output on the meters at the volume setting(s) that I typically listen at. I can't crank these without exceeding 200W on the VU meters which I'm reluctant to do since the amp is only rated at 165wpc (I think).

But, I won't deny, the more I listen the Vandersteens the more I start to find positive attributes that weren't so apparent at first listen.
 
couple of thoughts here Michael-

Have the speaker been in storage for a while or not been played? Perhaps the caps might have stagnated and you are just reforming them.

Sure enough that you are now eposed to a "new sound" that is in in fact something you are not used to. As you listen you are finding the "way" those speaker were designed to propigate and involve you.

All this maybe a WAG on my part but I am thinking which is ecncouraging to my wife!
DC
 
I owned 2 CE's a while back and to get the most out of them you do need some good SS power. At the time I was using a Rotel Rb-985 which sounded ok but when I moved up to a 200 wpc rotel RB-991 the sound from top to bottom opened up. Also add some lead shot to your Anchor stands it helps tighten up your bass.:music:
 
dc270 said:
Have the speaker been in storage for a while or not been played? Perhaps the caps might have stagnated and you are just reforming them.
DC
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As a matter of fact, Doug, they have been in climate controlled storage for two-and-a-half years. Are we on to something?
 
Treshold said:
I owned 2 CE's a while back and to get the most out of them you do need some good SS power. At the time I was using a Rotel Rb-985 which sounded ok but when I moved up to a 200 wpc rotel RB-991 the sound from top to bottom opened up. Also add some lead shot to your Anchor stands it helps tighten up your bass.:music:
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Yes, I was thinking more power may be in order so I planned for my next step biamping using my freshly recapped and modified Hafler 500 on the LF ciruit and the M-504 on the mid/HF circuit.
 
kneeOhFight said:
you asked a subjective question, and followed subjective responses. These are things one needs to decide for ones self, after auditioning, in this case, the speakers in question. Quality speakers are something one will ostensibly be living with for a good length of time,and deserve due consideration.I would have taken the Infinity speakers over the Vandersteens 100 out of 100 times, but that's just me. Infinity speakers above a certain water mark sound like ass if underpowered, a very common mistake, but damn, do the ones you were considering open up and sing when fed properly.

I've known for a long time that one needs to acclimate ones ears and brain to new speakers before one really hears what they have to offer. This period of adjustment is very often mistaken for various forms of hardware "break in", when it's really a matter of getting used to a new presentation. The Vandersteen are quality speakers, and should provide you with wonderful results, and soon.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree...
 
tomlinmgt said:
As a matter of fact, Doug, they have been in climate controlled storage for two-and-a-half years. Are we on to something?
Click to expand...

It wa just an observation that I have seen before where a speaker sounded "flat"- until after playing for a few day the caps seem to fall back into place and they basiclly "woke up".................could be the situation here with yours.

I like the idea of bi-amping here, bet it holds the most potential for improvement.
DC
 
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