"I haven't heard the Vandy 3A Sigs., but I had the 2Ce Sigs. and they are no match for the VRjr, which trounce all over the Vandys"
But you "have not heard the 3A Sigs", so how will they "tounce over the Vandys"? Are you saying they will trounce the 2Ce Sigs? If so, your comparing a $1500/pr speaker to a $4000/pr speaker. As I have not heard the 2Ce's, (I bought a pair of 3A Sigs in November - after I had listened to the VR 4jr and the 3A Sig - which by a wide margin, I prefered the 3A Sig) can't comment on a comparision, but I'd be hard pressed to believe "trounce" is a word that would fit here.
"if you like your music on the warm, laid back side of reality, the 3As might be for you. I find Vandersteens to be non-offensive and easy to listen but hardly transparent or resolving"
To me, this is far from an accurate statement. Ozzy has an amazing system, but I find my 3A sig/Rouge 99 Mag/Rega P5/SimAudio Equionox/Parasound 2205 set up to be very transparent and resolving. Music is conveyed in an emotional manner, very very realistic! |
I DID listen to the VR4 Jr and Aggaffer's "dealer buddy" Vandersteens, and was able to easily draw my own conclusion on the two - I bought the Vandersteen's! The Vandersteen's are simply a more musical speaker, allowing me to focus on the music not the speakers.
The VR4jr were very nice, but so were the Totem's we spent some time with. In both cases, I was hard pressed to hear huge differences between these and the Paradigms I was looking to replace (grant it the Paradigms were not in the same room/listening session. Having lived with them for 10 years I knew what they sounded like).
I also was not overly impressed by the build quality on the VR4 Jr. One, they are to short and thin (to my eyes/taste), and two, the high gloss finish although pretty, seemed to mask some lower production value that the cabinets displayed.
Now most seem to think the 3A Sigs are fuggly, but I love the look, and so does my wife (she expressed no horror as the dealer "rolled them" into the family room, and actually to the dealer she liked them immediately! |
Audio girl - thanks. Your conclusion on the Vandersteen's seems to be the one I most often read. The 3ASig's won't knock you out right away, but over time (not so much break in), the "dynamic, tranparent, focused, and alive" qualities really are present. Because of this, and I know I hear these in my system, I purchased the Vandy's!
David |
"I had Vandersteen's and they are easily beaten for the dollar these days imho" -- and your a VPMS dealer, nice!
At $3500 the 3A Sigs compete and hold up very nicely to the competion. To each his own, I listened to the VMPS, the 4Jr, the Dali Helecon 400, the Joseph Audio RM25 and each was plesent and had their strong points. Musically, however, none bested the 3A Sigs. With all the others, the speakers never disappeared, leaving just the music like the Vandy's did. All were set up in very good environments, with equipment that probably betters mine. |
"I stand by my recommendation that the VMPS soundly thrash Vandersteen's especially for what this person is wanting. It's no contest"
Well then I must be an idiot then cause what I hear and FEEL from the 3A Sigs, especially listening to jazz and acoustic music (a very large portion of my listening time)is nothing short of amazing! I'm not alone in this regard though, as many of my friends and even my wife are drawn in by the Vandersteen's.
"That said the Vandersteens can do well on some music at low levels but omit so much of the music as to be useful only for quartets and background music imo"
What a load of horse pucky! Omit what, they don't omit anything. Look at the graphs, listen to them. What possibly are they omitting. I must simply be an idiot and not know what I'm supposed to hear then. What confuses me though are the "chills" I get when say Eva Cassidy is singing Autumn Leaves off Songbird, or Ray Brown's Solar Energy has me glued to my chair for over an hour, or Amiee Mann's Lost in Space, or Jerry Garcia/David Grisman' Shady Road, or any jazz record from the Three Blind Mice label.........
Vandersteen's are alot like Volkswagon's (I drive two of them), the Oakland Raiders (my passion since age 7), the Grateful Dead (been a "Head" since age 15 - and the live Dead music through the Vandersteen's is great, great, stuff), and my new Apple Ibook - you either love them or hate them. With all of the above, there is a very passionate group who love them, and an equally passionate group who hate em! |
Buy Vandersteen if you want to sit back and listen to music
So true! |
"Dseid,
Just watch your back with your "buddy" dealer. He may sell you a line or maybe he already has. Maybe he wanted to dump the Vandersteens on you and was lying about it. It sounds like he does that with his other customers, so he's probably doing it with you. Where is he at. I'll make sure to avoid him/her"
My original text warrants some correction based on your interpretation. I meant to state I know Agaffers dealer buddy (Agaffer had posted just after me), and his place is where i listened to the VR 4Jr. and his Vandersteen 5A's (not to compare though, just for fun). This dealer did NOT try and steer me either way, and was not even a dealer for the 3A Sigs.
What he was is a great guy who instead of "steering" me to the VR 4JR - which he did sell, set me up with a Vandersteen dealer he knew the same afternnon for a listening session.
So no, he did not "want to dump the Vandersteens on you and was lying about it. It sounds like he does that with his other customers, so he's probably doing it with you", but instead lost a sale on a product he carried so that I would make a purchase I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH!! Is this not the BEST kind of dealer? Would you like his number now?? |
"They are not as dynamic as many other speakers and will not convey a live performance as well to me".
Fair enough as you added "to me". While I disagree, especially when you add "The Vandersteen's will not play loud without compressing", we are all entitled to our likes/dislikes. I know that I've played my 3A Sig's very loud with nothing but a big smile on my face! I heard nothing "compressed" at all.
"All the Maggie, Quad, Martin Logan, ESL, Soundlab and VMPS owners will agree" - and I'd bet "all" 5A owners, and a lot of 3A Sig (with subs added to keep cost comparable) would not agree, and not cause they don't like these others/planers - its cause they love their Vandersteens! |
Opalchip is dead on accurate with his comments. On jazz and acoustic music, the 3A Sigs absolutly shine. In fact there was no comparision agaist the vr4jr - they just did not impress me at all. |
"One thing that always strikes me about Vandersteen 3's and 2's is how you must be right in the middle of the sweet spot for them to sound good. Move just a few feet and they loose something. Well not just something, but they loose everything"
In my experience, nothing could be farther from the truth. My 3A Sigs sound "right" wherever I'm sitting, and from the "sweet spot", just icing on the cake.
As I've invested a lot of $$ in my sytem, I will say I listen from the sweet spot a lot though.
Tvad is correct to. He has made up his mind on the jr's and I'm sure he will be very happy with his purchase. |
