Vandersteen 2C vs. Klipsch Cornwall

"Descriptions like 'open and airy' will be gone from your vocabulary. The band will be in your living room."

- Jaybo, that's pretty interesting; this whole thing almost seems not just counter-intuitive, but counter to everything I've trained myself to believe about hifi; kind of like switching from being a democrat to a republican or vice versa :)

In hifi, with electrostats the open and airy sound (a long with great 3D imaging and lots of definition and detail) has been one of the sounds I've enjoyed the most. Having said that, when I go to hear live music I never hear open and airy. In fact, expecially with rock n roll, when I go to hear live music I look around at the amps and speakers and neither the gear or the sound seems much like my system or any good hifi system I've heard. So, your comment that the band will be your room might just be a good realization.

" "- on a different note, do you have any preference between a 300B, 2A3, 45, or EL34, or other amp design with Klipsch's?"

Yes, I do, but I will not go into that. "

- Come on Veridian, don't hold anything back - your insight has been excellent - tells us about your thinking on the amp designs. Thx

Well, it Viridian with three "i"s, and actually it would tell you more about my choice of music than anything. I'll leave it at that.

I think that most competently designed amps will get you there. I do notice that you left out EL84/6BQ5 from your list, and this is one of the best tubes on planet earth and cheap to boot. It works well in push-pull as in the Music Reference RM-10 as well as single ended as in the Zen amps. Don't discount this excellent tube. The 6L6 or 807 is an excellent tube as well. Just because it shows up in guitar amps doesn't mean that it is not extremely linear when used in the correct circuit. High efficiency speakers make these, and many other, tubes viable. We're all here to have fun.

Which generation of 2C do you own? 2c (c.1978), 2ci (c.1987), 2Ce (c.1995), 2Ce Signature (c.2000), 2Ce Signature II (current model). There have been vast improvements in the 30 years plus of production. And within model types there are constant revisions. If you have an earlier model, you owe it to yourself to audition a current model to see if the improvements will satisfy your needs. If greater bass extension and better dynamic range are what you are after, a 2WQ (a pair is even better)will certainly make a big difference.

Hi Viridian, sorry about the mis-spelling above and thanks again for your help/info.