What do you think of Vandersteen 5a's?

I think they are one of the finest speakers available that are not some obscene amount of money. I would caution on buying them used--dealer set up is key since the bass equalizer needs to be dialed into the room. You MAY be able to get it right but I'm not sure you will get the most out of these speakers if not properly set up.

Can they really make two different people feel that differently?

In one word, yes.

That shouldn't come as any surprise. You can pick any speaker on the face of the earth that has a respectable following and find those who simply don't understand what the fuss is about. A quick summary of the situation might be this:

1. No speaker is perfect. All have different strengths and weaknesses. This applies to the very expensive models, too.

2. Different people listen for different things. You might be impressed by dynamic range while someone else feels that comes off as too forward. Another person swoons over a speaker's ability to throw a razor sharp image yet his friend finds that razor sharp image unrealistic. Yet another person is struck by the incredibly smooth and neutral midrange while a fellow listener finds that smooth neutrality "dull" and leaden sounding. Examples like these could continue endlessly.

My take on Vandersteens is they are very good and I could happily live with them. They are a smooth speaker with lots of good points and no great flaws. That said, they've never quite had the magic for me they do for some others. I've got a pair of Spendors that do the trick for me right now.

However, you're going to have to be the judge on this subject. If you can get them at a good price and you know the pair in question is in good shape, it is a reasonable plan to just buy them for the sake of an audition. If you get a fair deal, they shouldn't be too hard to resell if they are not your cup of tea.

Hi, I live in Denver, too. It is well worth it to drive to Ft. Collins and hear the Vandies at Audio Alternative. Rick is a good, knowledgeable dealer and can set up the Vandies with Ayre for you to hear. I heard the Quatros recently there and was mightily impressed. Say hi for me...Tom

I would offer that you shouldn't use a dealer for a demo if you've already decided to buy used (which is fine and a
good idea). It's simply not fair to the dealer.

I bought my Ayre equipment from Rick in Ft. Collins (he had a trade in for sale) so I am familiar with him. He's a nice guy as you said Tom. He doesn't have any 5a's and would only therefore be an option for new. Either way he doesn't have any 5a's to listen to. I'm sure he could arrange a demo but as Narrod aptly pointed out that's not fair. I try to stay away from new because for one your money can go a lot farther used (usually close to 2x), and secondly when I get the bug to try something else I can basically swap out for little or no loss.