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Vandersteen Quattro review in Stereophile

Some of you may recall the rather heated discussion that occured in this forum some months back stimulated from a "Watchdog" piece by Richard Hardesty that made it to these pages where he slammed the Wilson Maxx speakers.
Hardesty has been and still is a very avid supporter of Vandersteen designed speakers.
It was with great interest that I read Michael Fremer's review of the Quattro. It was a very positive review and he did bring up the previous thread that was generated here.
He admitted that maybe Hardesty was right about the sound of the Vandersteen's and declared the Quattro one of, if not the, best bargains in audio speakers. He also admitted that it was better in some ways{which are actually important to me} than the Wilson Maxx( a speaker I personally respect but don't particularly like for the money) and offered up a lot for much less money($44,000 vs $7500 including the required filters.)
It is not my point here to bring all this back up but to say I was glad to see that Fremer and Stereophile do honest reviews and I think he handled the previous disagreement well (after he heard for himself) with what I would consider somewhat of an admission that maybe Hardesty isn't as nuts as he was originally made out to be. I have always thought Fremer wrote excellent reviews and I had a feel for where he was coming from even though I certainly didn't agree with everything he said. I was disappointed how he responded to Hardesty but I'm truly glad to see his appreciation of what Vandersteen can do for a lot less money. Now he needs to review the 5a (or the soon to be released 5a Signature.) I think he would find, when properly set up like all Vandersteen's speakers, a real treasure for the money.
bigtee
bigtee OP
803 posts
 
Not much is actually known at this point. A dealer in NC who seems very up with Vandersteen(long term dealer and knowledgable Vandersteen guru) told me about it. Seems he has come up with some different damping material and possibly a better tweeter. I had actually heard he was coming out with a Model 7 at one point. This however may be what is happening with the Signature version of the 5a instead of a new speaker.
It was my understanding that the intro was later this year at a price of around $21,000. Of course, this was tentative. I'm sure with Vandersteen's reluctance to release a product until he is absolutely sure of it, it could be longer and/or more expensive. I haven't heard if this will be an upgrade to current owners but I feel it will at a price and a trip back to the factory.
keithr
1,304 posts
 
Did he review a Quattro with the wood cabinet ($10,700 i think)?
It sounded excellent at HE2006.

Wilsons and Vandersteens are completely different designs and goals, so i would think to be an apples and oranges comparison.
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drubin
3,265 posts
 
The price difference between the two Quattros shows you how much cabinet contributes to speaker costs and why Vandersteen has always represented such a good value (but not such an attractive speaker).

I would have a hard time putting the non-wood Quattro in my living room. I think the shape and proportions of the Quattro are all wrong aesthetically, but the wood makes it more palatable. How does it affect the sound, I wonder?
tarsando
578 posts
 
"apples and oranges"?....The high-end goal of accurate reproduction of recorded music would seem to be similar.
keithr
1,304 posts
 
Tarsando-- i tend to believe there is no perfect speaker, and designers opt to voice how they see accurate reproduction. the problem is they think different of what "accurate" reproduction is. otherwise Thiels would sound like Vandys.

i've heard Vandys a zillion times, and while i think they are great speakers, they don't have the resolution i hear in other brands. that said Vandys have a natural coherancy that others don't have. pick your poison. ymmv. sounded great at HE2006 in both rooms i heard them.

i'm with Drubin---the sock look just isn't aeshetically pleasing to me and the wood cabinet version woudl be more appealing to me. then again, people think my Sophias look like silver robots, so its a very personal decision!

KeithR
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