2. amps-preamps
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opinion on electronics for Vandy 2Ce Sig

I recently sold some JM Labs and a reciever to move into some Vandys and...

Early this week I auditioned the Vandersteen 2Ce Sig. They will be mine, oh yes, they WILL be mine.
Shortly after Christmas, I will purchase a pair (here on audiogon probably) I need some opinions on electronics.

Budget = ~$1500
I need a pre and amp both. I can probably go a little higher, but lower the cost, the sooner I am listening.

Volume: Once in a while, I like to listen LOUD! I suspect that 100wpc won't be enough...perhaps I am wrong. Anyway, I DON'T want to run out of headroom.

Room: Strange...living room with 20ft vaulted ceilings, very oddly shaped and also open to the rest of the condo, but three steps down (sunken).

Music: I listen to everything, but I really like the double bass of bluegrass music, Knopfler's guitar, keys and horns of Steely Dan and Alison Krauss + Union Station's beautiful harmonies. When I auditioned the Vandys, I thought that the highs needed some more extention....dare I say a little more brightness. I don't want to loose that midbass though. The audition equip. was PS Audio CDP, Anthem pre/amp combo (not sure the model).

I will almost certianly buy used here on Audiogon.

Here are some brands I am considering in no particular order, and would like comments + suggestions: NOTE: I haven't heard ANY of this stuff, and since I am going to buy used, I won't have the ability to audition before I buy...it's going to come down to performance/price.

McCormack
Conrad Johnson
Musical Fidelity
Bryston
Classe
Aragon
Ayre
Rogue Audio

I am also not allergic to tubes, but my wife says she doesn't want 'test tube experiments' in the living room. It seems any tube gear would have to have a case, much to my dismay.

Any and all opinions are welcome, but please don't suggest other speakers. I sat in the audition chair for two hours with a big smile on my face, so they are definitely it as far as speakers go.

Thanks,
Z
zstokes
fishwater
178 posts
 
I had Vandies with a DNA1 & CJ PV10. I will highly recommend the 2CE's with a DNA-1 but I'd skip the CJ & get an Audible Illusions pre-amp instead. This should yield a very musical system. One thing I will warn against though with the Vandies is you must be able to place properly or they will not live up to their potential. I fought with them for a year before finaly giving up for a smaller pair of monitors due to my room set up.
toomuchstuff
20 posts
 
Kimber 8TC speaker wire is to me THE wire for Vandersteen's to fix the "behind the curtain" sound. Lifts the top while keeping the mid nice and tightnig the bottom. Just a sug.
kt_88
242 posts
 
Zstokes,

All the preamps you mentioned do not expose the tubes. So I geuss I'm confused..... You seem decided on a SS amp. So you won't have a problem with the wife.
zstokes OP
124 posts
 
Thanks for the advice folks!

Kt 88,

Right now, it looks like a tube pre and a SS amp. But,
after looking around a bit, I wouldn't be against something like Rogue M-120 Monoblocks...tubes, but you can't see them. I've never heard them, so I don't know if they would fit the setup or not. She also doesn't like the look of McIntosh stuff. The compromises we make...

The only tube-exposed amp my wife has given the stamp of approval of are the new VAC PHI series (I was daydreaming online recently, and she caught me.) Unfortunately, they are about $14/monoblock. A little out of budget for me

Hope that makes sense.
Z
mikesinger
572 posts
 
would suggest pse studio v's mono blocks ( you can confirm this with richard vandersteen).

they were one of the original solid state designs he voiced the speaker with.

fully balanced design that is very neutral / transparent/and dynamic. what you put in them is what you get out - they go for $500 to $600 used.

if you can try to find the silver signiture's - they go for $800 tp $900. the only - solid state amps that i have found better than these is the classe cam mono blocks ($4.5K pair new vs. pse's $3k new)

for a pre, i think it is okay to go with with tubes. you really need to get them somewhere in the line. you can get 80% of the tube sound with a tube or a hybrid pre with out the tube hassle.

remote ( remote is REALLY Nice, i would consider it mandatory)

audio research ls-2b mkII ( fully balanced with remote)they go for $1000 to $1100 used. truly wonderful pre and very reliable. they only require 1 tube. if you want non remote- they can be had for $700 to $850. this is a great match with the vandies and pse's.

bat 3vki - balanced and with remote- a little warmer than the arc ls-2bmkii. they go for $900 to $1100 depending on options and age. if you can strech a little more- the 5vki non remote is $1250 to $1350. with the price of the pse's that will be about $1800. the bat has more tubes, but a very musical and dependable design.

another non remote pre is the audible illusions l-1.
they are extremly reliable and can be had for $600 to $700 used.

hope that helps !!

mike
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