Holy Cow. My Vandersteen Treo's sound like new..


speakers. I love the Treo's. I want the Quatro CT's. I just plugged in my Ayre AX-5 Twenty (the dealer burned it in for me) and HOLY COW.....I've never heard an integrated do what this amp can do. It woke up the Treo's and they really didn't need to be awaken. The bass is SOLID....Tuneful...you can hear each and ever note just as solid and in space as any other part of the spectrum. The soundstage and imaging is huge on the cuts that are produced that way and small and intimate on those that are supposed to be. I loved the AX5 before it was sent back to upgrade to the Twenty, but THIS IS SICK.... It's a totallly new amp. I will share more as I get the time, but I'm in shock as to what my system now looks like. Thanks Johnny Rutan at Audio Connection for forcing me to audition the Vandersteens even though I didn't want to. I'm willing to sell my Treo's now as I want the Quatro's....This is like crack......;)
ctsooner
There is no comparison needed because the CT tweeter is in another world. The older Quatro will have an advantage in the bass but from 80Hz on up the Treo CT will smoke the old Quatro Wood. Moving up to the Quatro CT of course would be a new ball game.
Best, JohnnyR
Vandersteen Dealer
Thanks Johnny. The CT upgrades to me are not subtle. The Treo that I am now going to sell is incredible but I have to have the Quattro CT as its in a different league. I have more experience with the 5 CT and 7's than I do the Quattro but have loved the sound of the wood quattros since they came out. That's why I went with the Treo. I can live with these for a very long time but I am able to make the upgrade so for me it makes sense. Someone will get a good deal on the Treo,s that's for sure lol. Have heard all Vandys excel with Ayre, AR, Aesthetix, Rogue! Quicksilver and the list goes on. Rare that a speaker can sound great with nearly anything thrown its way. You can always hear the differences in components. Much of that is probably lack of smearing
Agree with Mikirob, Vandersteen's prices are getting a little out of reach for real people. I bought my 5As back when they were around $18,000 and felt like that was plenty to spend on a speaker but a bargain for what was then the company flagship. When the 7s came out my dream was to someday upgrade in that direction but that was at $45,000. Now at the soon to be $62,000 for the 7 mk2 I think that dream has died. Luckily, the 5As are as good now as they ever were and that'll have to do I'm afraid. First world problems, you know how it is.
Yes even their original speakers are awesome. They upgrade to make money and to give a better speaker. It's what the higher end market is dictating. They still have their 1-3 series, but they realized years ago that the true market to make money is in the 10k and above as those folks are still spending. Basic economics and we've seen most of the companies go this route. As long as trickle down is in effect, all segments of the market win out. For that I'm happy. Personally, the new Quattro is less than the 5A and sounds better from at least 50hz up. To me, THAT's the bargain of his line and why I'm selling my Treo's.