Von Schweikert DB99 or Vandersteen 5A ??

Thanks everyone for the responses - they are very helpful. I wonder if the DB-99 is a compromise between the performance of the Parsifal in the mids and upper ranges, and the 5a in the bass? I'm also wondering whether the DB-99 is more susceptible to line noise - I have a tubed CDP and a tube amp (no preamp but if I added one I was thinking of a tubed preamp). I do have 2 dedicated lines but I've had to roll some tubes to reduce tube hiss.
As for bass, I'd rather have a tight 35 Hz than a sloppy 20 - how does the Parsifal sound down to its dropoff point? Maybe I'd better find a pair of Verity and VSA to audition somewhere.
Another question for the experienced: will my large room mitigate any tendency of the DB99 to sound forward (my term)? It sounds like the consensus is that the DB99 is a lively speaker - "lively" sounds appealing, "forward" not so appealing.
Thanks for keeping the thread alive.

The DB99 does not sound forward at all to my ears. I really don't think that should be a major worry.

That said, as you and others have indicated, your own ears will be the final judge. Auditioning the speakers in question is the best way to find out.

---Dave

Samcclark-

Dynamic and alive instead of "lively" and there is no consensus which I am aware of that the 99's are forward. Any moderate to large sized room will be fine for the 99's IMO. It's about placement, as any speaker is. Find the right placement and the 99's will disapear- provided they are fed good gear up stream.

BTW -

No "tight vs. dry" jokes please. In retrospect, maybe a less than ideal choice of words. :<{

Have fun shopping!

Marty.

P.S. If you're expanding your options beyond the 5A and the DB99 as originally posted - there are other interesting choices in the price range. Although space limitations precluded Soundlab in my listeninig room, I thought they presented another apealling "flavor" vs. the Vandy and Parsifal.

Sam,

To clarify my comments on the Parsifal's bass:

On most music, you will probably find it absolutely satisfying down to the lowest registers. However, certain recordings will reveal the shortcomings of the underdamped Verity approach versus the powered, highly damped Vandy bass system. Specifically, you may want to listen to these speakers with African pop music featuring tuned drums. (Peter Gabriel's Last Tempation of Christ Soundtrack features descending drum patterns at the conclusion of several tracks.) The difference will be obvious. Also, any well recorded kick drum will probably highlight the Vandy's advantage, albeit less dramatically.

I personally would recommend auditioning the speakers with this material (or other similarly revealing music) before spending this kind of money.

On balance, I still prefer the Parsifal. They sing with one voice - one that is tremendously satisfying from the mid-bass up, and a bit less satisfying below that ...but ONLY when you have chosen music that shows off these specific shortcomings. For my listening habits, that is a pretty rare event.

Incidentally, you may prefer the Verity mid bass sound on some material - the speaker imparts just a touch of mid bass warmth that can be addictive on small jazz combos and other small scale acoustic music. While Vandy's also have a reputation for warmth, I found that the 5As sound a bit "dry" in this region (by comparison to either the Parsifals or, for that matter, any of the passive Vandersteen speakers). One man's "warm" is another's "euphonic", just as one man's "tight" is another's "dry".

If this description troubles you, absolutely AUDITION FIRST!

good luck,

Marty