Integrated for Vandersteen 2ce sigII

I owned the 2CE Sigs for several years and for the most part ran
seperates........large Pass and PS Audio amps as my room was fairly large, but one of the last amps I had was the Audio Research VSI60 and it really made the 2s sing.......I've also heard that Music Reference's seperate tube amps have wonderful synergy w/ the 2s in particular.....

I would also consider Hegel and Parasound's new integrated amp.....at the shows they have been pretty terrific, both brands.......

There's also an exciting review in Sphile this month on an 80w integrated from Unico that I would guess would be a great fit for those speakers....

Good Luck

I don't think it's really a matter of tube or ss shining on a given
speaker including the Vandys.......
It's a matter of the integrateds intrinsic personality and musicality....
and that these days can be achieved with SS or tube.......in fact over the past 10 years, tubes have moved toward sounding more solid state and solid state has aspired to musicality that previously was tube amplifier's domain........in the end, you just want something that has enough current to let the speaker sing without strain and you want an amp that will get out of the way of the music.......there are so many choices, but going with something other's have had great luck with is a great start.......For me, if I still had 2CE's, I'd still have them paired with the VSI60....which I feel is one of the greatest products ARC ever put out.....It's the best I ever heard the Vandys........but I think Hegel and Parasound would do very nicely.....I've never heard Hegel sound bad at a show, and I heard the Parasound at a dealer paired with Spendor towers and it really defined for me how great a 2500 buck integrated could sound......very musical and punchy........Having said all that, Vandersteens love tubes,
and the ARC VSI series would of course get very high marks in pride of ownership compared to the solid state ones mentioned......

That part is actually the fun of buying new equipment......
If you went and bought a pair of 2CE's and there
was a sticker on them that said "compatible with these two integrateds"
that would take the fun out of it........
You can't screw it up as long because ultimately it's just different
flavors of ice cream.........you just need to find the one that the
2CE's mate well with and that you like the taste of......

There is one on USAudiomart w/ 300 hours on it and absolutely mint.....

I think a fair price would be about 2300-2600

Considering it takes care of amp and preamp, you could do no better!

Thanks

You'll end up w/ a Dedicated anyway, because all the internal ones are afterthoughts regardless of manufacturer........they will NOT make you happy so why pay for them.........?
I'd recommend looking at the IFI phono stage, a used PS Audio GCPH, Lehmann Cube, or Rega Aria

I've heard and owned Rogue.  I've heard and owned ARC
integrated (VSI60)
I could not disagree with jafant more if I tried......

From 5 years back, here were my 2CE Signature I's w/ the ARC VSI60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVnFhnkrLTk

I haven't heard Belles, but probably great stuff, but the VSI60 is extremely musical and holds great resale value because of it's following, so if you can't hear one, just buy used and make sure you buy it right so you can get all your money back should you decide to try something else.....

As much as I love Vandersteen, I think the Ryan Audio loudspeakers out of California are the most musical non-planar speakers I've ever heard......I believe the 610s would give the 2s all they want and could be had probably around 1600 or so....I'm thinking of getting a pair from a dealer friend of mine for my home study......

These 610s were being driven by a fairly basic Musical Fidelity integrated....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe6WznxBdjQ

My daughter was 6 when I owned that amp......ARC sells a tube cage for it, as do most tube amp manufacturers.......you're right tho....the Vandersteens will sound good with SS, but not all SS......you can't just swap the Belles for instance with Denon or Marantz or Sony.....

As far as a dealer being close, the whole "I gotta go audition it first" has sort of gone out the window with the decline in brick and mortars......that's why I suggest purchasing pre-owned, or get a relationship with a few far away dealers that don't mind shipping you a demo........listening to it at some dealer, with speakers that may not be what you end up with is a waste of time in my opinion......and you're basically gonna have a Belles dealer close or you're not.....

I bought my VSI60 without hearing it, as I have many components.....I've ended up selling a few, but only a few.........I do have a relationship with an ARC dealer, and I have a local dealer who carries Rogue, which would be another one to consider......The Cronus Magnum is less expensive than ARC, features a phono section, and has 30W more per channel using the same KT120 tube.....I don't know if it offers a cage or not, but I know for sure the ARC is available with a tube cage....

Like I say, if I was doing it over again, the Vandersteens would not be considered......I feel the Ryan speakers, even the 610 are far more musical overall........and I have heard them with the Rogue Cronus Magnum.....

At 2495 list for the Cronus and 1995 list for the Ryans not including stands, I would probably end up paying around 3400 for both........
remarkably better than a new Belles or VSI/SIG II's and you pick up phono as well as almost double the wpc....

Johnny,

I posted the following previously in the thread......when you, a Belles
dealer chimed in on the Aria:
(((((I haven’t heard Belles, but probably great stuff)))))

My post per your reference had nothing to do with the two amps and everything to do with speakers that I owned for 15 years.......that the OP is considering.....

The Ryans obliterate the 2CEIISigs and it’s really not even a close contest...that's my opinion.......whether a Vandy dealer agrees with me or not.......

Johnny,

If you had any geniune experience with VPI as a VPI dealer, you wouldn't
have made such a ridiculous comment as above......

Here's what VPI themselves say about that turntable:

• Noise rejection allowing the “Classic Turntable” to sit on a wood shelf near four 15″ subwoofers and having virtually no feedback.

You're a VPI dealer?

Pretty sure that table has no issue sitting near a 2CESIG

I can give you VPI's phone number and address in case you'd like to schedule some dealer training........

......also, not everyone has a perfect listening room, where they can put gear wherever they would like.........    Thank goodness the video you're referencing was from 6 years ago......I now have my turntable feet away from my Magnepan 3.7s.......but thanks for the tip....

Ya know, I've actually bought a few items from you in the past......You should get a dealer friend of yours to give you some advice on not flaming potential, or maybe even present customers who really haven't said anything bad at all about your product offering.......

You're next retort won't be responded to, so make it a good one.......OK?