5A Vandersteen

also, get the 7 high pass IF you want to improve them..and get hyper nitpicky about setup w Leica disto and making sure floors level, running Vandertones late late at hight when noise floor is hyper low.....

have fun

enjoy the music


Jim

From RV:

The 5 series was discontinued because they would have to go to $45,000 a pair and that is too close to the Model Seven in price. The Model 5 series is very labor intensive and by using some existing tooling we are building the new Kento Carbon based on the Quatro structure with significant embellishments for apx $38,000.

Always nice to hear from the manufacturer.
As to the op's near affordable, for whom, most can't put that much down for a home or will buy 3 cars for that amount. 
I think that's one of the problems with audio, it's becoming a hobby of exclusion due to crazy prices.

I think my 5As were ~$19K when I bought them, the most I have ever paid for a piece of stereo equipment, then and now.  

Didn’t they make 5A carbon too would think that is best of 5a and quattro ct..