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Vandersteen 3A Signature in a small room?

Do you think that Vandersteen 3A Signature can perform in a 15 sq. meter room hooked up with McIntosh 6900? Are they a good match? Due to family and financial reasons I recently downgraded from McIntosh 46/402 combo back to 6900 which is still a great amp and the one that can keep me happy for years and also decided to try and built a system in my small (15 sq.m) room once again based on McIntosh 301 SACD/CD player and 6900 integrated. My Sonus Fabers stay in the living room with MHT100 for HT purposes. As for the small room I thought about changing the strategy with speakers - instead of trying monitors I'm looking for floorstanders now - either vintage with 12 inch woofer or modern ones like Vandersteen 3A Signature (which impressed me a lot at the dealer's). The main question is how would Vandies perform in a small room like that? I'm sure that model 2 can play good there but 3A Signature offers a serious leap in sound quality based on what I heard. Can they perform well with only 30-40 cm between them and the back wall? The other question is - how do they mate with 6900? Knowing the rather laid back character of Vandies I'm a bit afraid that 6900 will not make 'em sing...
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antonkk
pmotz
409 posts
 
The 3A signatures can work in a small room, but you won't be getting all they are capable of. My room is 13' by 14' (though the room is actually a little bigger because of a half wall) and they work well. I have them about 30" from the rear wall and 42" from the side wall so they can breath a little. If they are much closer to the walls they will lose the openess. I did have a problem with lumpy bass, but I solved that with a single 2Wq subwoofer (sounds counterintuitive but it worked!). As much as I like the speakers something smaller may be a better match but there are so many options I'm sticking with this for now. As for the amp I can't offer any advice since I don't know the McIntosh sound. I use an Audio Research amp and preamp to very good result.
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tdaudio
201 posts
 
The vandys must be out from the wall and you must be far enough for the drivers to blend (8-9 feet) you need flexability here. If this places you close to the back wall expriment with moving the seating position back and forth to get the best balance.

I used Thiel 3.6s and Dunlavy SC4As in a 14x16 foot room with good results and I think I could have used 3As in there as well.

Terry
texas42
98 posts
 
Hey, personally I like the sound of (most) big speakers in a small room as it gives you a huge sense of scale (I have a pair of Khorns in a small room and all my audiophile friends can attest they sound incredible, even at very low volumes). Now, while the Vandy's don't have the same efficiency as the KHorns, they still have great clarity and coherence (both time and phase) so I would try it. Best of luck!
samhar
1,048 posts
 
I think you might be happier with the 2ce Sig mk ll in a room that size. I had the 3A sigs in a 14' x 22' x 9' room and they could have used a little bigger room, a few friends felt the 2CeSig mkll might have been a better fit in my space. I'm not positive but i think the 2ce mk ll has the same components ( tweeter and mid) as the Quatro's and sounds more like them and the 3A Sig's are more like the 5's. Personally if I had it to do again I'd get the 2ce mk ll and two 2Wq subs!!!!
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