What do you think of Vandersteen 5a's?

Unless you view buying and selling big speakers as a trivial event, you really should listen to the 5A speakers. The Vandersteen speakers I've heard sound to me as though they are behind an acoustic veil. I auditioned an Ayer C-5xe CD/SACD player at a dealer who used fine Ayer electronics with a pair of 5A speakers, but the audition was too colored by speakers that seemed to hide the detail I was looking for. I have since heard the C-5xe with other speakers and understand what the raves are about.

I would not find selling, packing, and shipping a pair of large speakers an experience I want to add to my life.

db

When I have heard them, and it has always been at the dealer here in Houston, they have been simply sublime. I am a Magnepan guy, and I still love them!! I must repeat the condidtions though, the room and electronics where they are set up is close to perfect, and the guys in the store know how to get the most out of them, but I think they are about the finest speakers I have ever heard. I actually like them better than the Maggie 20.1's.

If you are interested in a speaker that reproduces the signal as faithfully as possible, without collorations or emphasis, and has incredibly accurate harmonic rendering and complete transparancy, I believe the 5A is just about the best there is.

The engineering in this speaker takes into account a flat response, stable impedance level, time and phase accuracy, superior drivers and crossovers, highly rigid cabinets, and the ability to adjust the subs to match the room. The test data confirms this speaker is as accurate as possible with today's technology.

I purchased them because they made instruments and voices sound more real than anything I have ever heard before. I have played the trombone and piano all my life and when I heard such a combo on the 5As I was just astounded at the realism.

My advice is to listen for yourself and don't be misled by speaker reproduction artifacts that appear to add interest but are not present in the source and will become wearysome over time.

The 5A is a world class speaker at what in this hobby is a real world price, my father owns the Wood Quatro Vandersteens and has decided to not go to the 5A as he is planty happy with his choice. However, we auditioned them at both shows, dealers, and private owners and these speakers are just amazing and makes one start to wonder exactly why a speaker needs or should cost 2, 3 or more times the price. I have heard them as close as 2 feet from back wall and as far as 8ft from wall and never was disapointed most likely in no small part due to the 11 band bass EQ adjustment, that along with the Phase and time coherence, minimum baffle interaction, superior cross over network and other key features along with powered woofers that allow your own amp to work to its best potential all combine to a crazy good speaker that I can only hope one day I may own, Richard Vandersteen both on phone and in person is a no B.S. representative of his company and has a wealth of knowledge combined with an honesty not always found in audio. best of luck in your search, what a high class delima you have on your hands!