Magnepan 1.6 OR Vandersteen 2CE

After auditioning both the Maggie 1.6QR and Vandie 2CE Sig fairly extensively I recommend neither. It's too hard a choice, so buy both. If that isn't possible then it comes down to the trade-offs. Comparatively speaking, the Maggies have a better overall sound, but the sweet spot is very focused, they're picky about room setup and they're bass extension is limited. The Vandies have more bass (and would be easier to mate with a sub) and are better at filling a room with sound, but they are somewhat more laid back. There was no info on the rest of your system, room or musical taste. These do matter, so remember to take them into consideration.

You can't go wrong with either, for different reasons.

I have had Maggies and auditioned both these speakers. Try to audition the 1.6s in your home. BTW, I don't think the Maggies are that hard to position, and their sweet spot is wider than many audiophile faves. They are actually fairly easy to move around. The 1.6s have that eerie Maggie openness & cohererence and do the disappearing act better than any speaker at their price-point. It sounds like the musicians are in your room, and the sense of scale is impressive. The bass and dynamics are somewhat room dependent. In my HUGE listening room, the bass was not enough. The Vandies were very pleasing throughout the frequency range, though not as magical as the 1.6s, and they displayed better bass. They were also a bit overpowered by my room. One requirement with the Maggies, be sure you have sufficient power. They are forgiving, but all planars need "juice" to let them sing. In a small to medium size room, I would probably go for the Maggies, especially for acoustic jazz and classical (my own musical preferences). I find the Vandies just a tad too laid back for me in some orchestral pieces. Ultimately, these are both great $$ for sound speakers. Happy listening.

.......I've GOTTA have the bass so I went with the 2ces several years ago-- also auditioned MGs. I'm up to Vand. 3As now and lusting after their 5s. Cheers. Craig.