I love Vandersteens. Still have the Model 4's (mid-'80s model) that I had set up in previous house. That was a high point in my audio life.
No room in new house for that system, so it has all been desktop audio for past 10+ years (before then it was computer speakers, and the less said about that, the better).
There are advantages to this smaller, near-field world: mainly that if I get curious about another pair of speakers (of anything), I can get it and swap into system (storing the other unit for time being). For example, my mains are now the very good ATC SCM Pro 12s (best 2 way I ever heard, almost too big for desktop). I just purchased a considerably less expensive pair of speakers, the Wharfedale Diamond 225s, because so many people say such nice things about its sound. I'll try them, and that doesn't work, either store them for a rainy day, or sell.
I do miss that big living room system, though.
No room in new house for that system, so it has all been desktop audio for past 10+ years (before then it was computer speakers, and the less said about that, the better).
There are advantages to this smaller, near-field world: mainly that if I get curious about another pair of speakers (of anything), I can get it and swap into system (storing the other unit for time being). For example, my mains are now the very good ATC SCM Pro 12s (best 2 way I ever heard, almost too big for desktop). I just purchased a considerably less expensive pair of speakers, the Wharfedale Diamond 225s, because so many people say such nice things about its sound. I'll try them, and that doesn't work, either store them for a rainy day, or sell.
I do miss that big living room system, though.