Thought Id jump in since there is no end in forum discussions on the Vandersteen 2 series. I think my favorite is the 2CE Sig I (came out around 2000). They have the rugged Scanspeak midrange with a regular magnet that doesn’t have the tendency to demagnetize over time like alnicos such as the one used in the Sig II midrange. That open back transmission thing Vandersteen talks about in the literature doesn’t make sense to me. If it is so desirable, why not use it in the woofer and tweeter? The Sig I is also voiced warmer and flatter than the Sig II which sounds lean to my ears; doesn’t have enough lower midrange. Even John Atkinson pointed that out in his measurements. About the 2Ci v 2CE low end: Yes it is true that bass is tighter and leaner (flatter too) on the 2CE and later models with its bigger box volume extending and lowering the Q of the system compared with earlier versions that had a slight bass bump which some folks prefer. I happen to prefer the tighter and more immediate sound of the new models, especially the Sig I.
