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Looking For Advice After Dumb Vandy Purchase

Good evening fellow enthusiasts. Looking for advice after just making a stupid purchasing error. I usually do good research before making any transaction but I fell in love hard and got burned.

Just paid for some used Vandersteen Quatro for a "decent" price but failed to notice the purchase dis not include the crossovers. I live in the boonies so dont have a dealer handy to maybe just make my gear work without the crossovers, and it seems now the cost of new ones are a staggering $1295.00. This was for sure not in my budget as I am needing a couple of other pieces to complete this puzzle. Worse yet...once I take delivery of the Quatros...I wont have a way to even give them the once over sound wise to make sure they sound fine. 

Any advice? I am bummed beyond all get out at this moment. 
troutki50
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,795 posts
 
So I am guessing you bought the Quattro cloth pair off of Audiogon that were advertised with an ARC integrated with modifications to insert the correct value caps to effect the high pass. They were advertised that way for a reason.

the M5 does have bypassed WIMA, DBS battery, and normally AudioQuest fire or better pigtails and DIP switches so it works with just about any amplifier. Pretty sure you can’t diy and save $1,200... must be the new math.

you should be calling Vandersteen and IMO modify the Rogues ( which btw sound fantastic w Quattro ) Richard can tell you what cap he uses in his $55k monoblocks 

lots of super high end gear w WIMA caps bypassed correctly - see Aesthetix, Brinkmann, etc
Vandersteen since 1977 for a reason


tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,795 posts
 
BTW that is a screaming deal on Quattro, learn to set them up correctly and you are light years ahead w 11 bands of analog EQ on each side. pm if you want pro bono help with dialing them in.
jbrrp1
423 posts
 
First, I don't think as a "dumb Vandy purchase", having owned 2C's as my entre to this crazy hobby and later Quatro's.  They are really great speakers.
If you only plan to use one amplifier, then you don't need the configurability that the Vandy crossovers offer, and a DIY mod to the amp input could be very cost effective.  I honestly contemplated doing just that when I owned the Quatro's, mostly so I could optimize the capacitor selection for my system and tastes.
I would think it incumbent upon any good Audiogoner to clearly spell out that the speakers do not come with the customary Vandy crossovers.  If it wasn't positively declared by the Seller, well then, shame on him.  That's less than ethical, in my book.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,795 posts
 

“ I would never use any quality cap as a high-pass that is not biased! There is a reason coupling caps have gone bye bye unless they are biased in the circuit (typical of tube circuits).

 A coupling cap at line level never sees more voltage than the signal provides so the cap never forms properly in order to become transparent. The required high-pass is 100Hz. “

Richard Vandersteen 

 



ebm
9,311 posts
 
Dump out of those turkeys soon.
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