I owned the Vandersteen 3A's for years and they were sweet, warm and musical but with sluggish bass, no matter the amp, of which I tried quite a few. I upgraded them to 3A Sig status (which only the original owner can do) and they're way better. Actually decent with the additional bracing in the cabinet, upgraded crossover and new mid/tweet drivers. I would not, could not own the 3A again. The 3A was reviewed as a major improvement over the 3. I've seen a few 3A's advertised for $800. $500 for a 3 is probably fair market but no big deal.
Original Vandersteen Model 3
I have a chance to acquire an old Vandy 3 pair for $400-500. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet. I have a set of Maggie 1.7 with nice electronics, just looking to add a little spice to my life with a box speaker. Looking for opinions on these speakers as compared to applying the same $400-500 to something else in the used market - floor stander or monitor. Would it be worth my time to follow up on these? Thanks