Initial impressions of my new Vandersteen Quatro's in Audi Havana Black


I will post pics when I get more time on them.  I had them delivered and set up by Johnny Rutan of Audio Connections.  He moved them out to the corners of the room and close up against the back wall. I love the look as does my wife.  I also LOVE the HUGE soundstage these things can now throw.  NO SUCK OUT either.  I was shocked at that aspect. I was scared to death when he started them in the corner of the room. I have a very difficult room for bass as it's an open floor plan. I lose a lot of bass on the right channel as it's by a stair case.  I'm putting up a temp wall by the railing.  I am using a screen right now, but I need treatment of some sort still. 

That said, it only has about 30 hours or so and it's already starting to sweeten up.  I'm hearing so many things that I haven't heard in the room before.  I'm hearing bass passages that hasn't been there before.  On one passage of a  Bela Fleck song, the room just moved.  The thing is that I've heard so many of these songs on Wilson's and Magico's and B&W"s and Focals, Paradigms, Legacy's and so many other speakers, but the tonality of the Vandersteen bass is just special.  It's so accurate. What so many don't know is that the way he designed the bass amp, you still have the same sound as YOUR main amp.  Not sure how he does it, but he does.  You don't hear the difference. 


I think that the reason some don't get the Vandersteen's at first listen is because it's not like other speakers.  We aren't used to hearing a speaker that isn't 'hifi' sounding.  Its very organic. To me, it's like analog vs digital.  Both can sound GREAT, but digital is still digital and that's why vinyl and reel to reel are still going strong after all of these years.  Kind of reminds me of a plasma TV vs the LCD TV's when I went to purchase mine.  I was originally taken by the brightest TV's in the showroom, but I keep going back and watching all the Plasma's in the darker room that Magnolia was showing them in.  I wanted the Pioneer, but could only afford the Panasonic's. I have two of them and love them.  People actually ask me why their TV doesn't look as good.  I first ask if they had it calibrated professionally.  The answer is always no and then tell them it's a plasma.  

Set up isn't fun for me, so Johnny does it for me.  I'm digging my new set up and will write more later, but i am Jonesing to go up to the loft to listen some more.  I'm really loving the organic sounds of my system right now.  All genres too which is just awesome.  Not taking any digs at others systems, just loving mine.  We all hear differently and I get that.
ctsooner
Tom, you are going to be stunned based on my listening as well as many friends who have upgraded to his amp.  IT's a SICK piece of gear.  I only hope that someday maybe we will see a smaller version for the other speakers, lol.  A guy can wish can't he?  Ha...

Cable do make a big difference.  I'm astonished at this, but they must be neutral with such a revealing speaker.  I don't understand those who match them with cables that run hot (many do).  Most companies don't use silver properly and they sound hot on top, but if you work it properly like AQ has learned as has Cardas, then you have a warmer cable than all copper.  That's the reality.

As for fuses, you can open up your amp and install an equal value fuse and you'll be fine. It will change the bass a bit, but honestly, for FREE you can use the pots on the back of your speaker's amp.  It's an EQ and it's made to be user friendly.  No offense to the fuse guys, but just play with your pots a bit if you want to change the bass eq on your speakers.  It's not even hard if you read up, use the Vandertones disc that came with said speakers and then use a meter.  Much easier to do with a friend helping, but it's not hard like some want to make it out to be.  PLUS it's FREE...

I love that word in audio, lol......Also, listen closely to any changes like that as they change the sound and sometimes it's not for the best in the long run.  I know of a few amp makers who purposely DON'T use the special fuses when they easily could.  Heck Richard uses tech from the Niagara power deals, HRS for vibration control and the built in DBS from AQ in his top designs.  That's a huge part of what separates his designs from others.  He aligns himself with the top designers of problem areas of an amp or speaker and then uses them to correct problems that others have in their designs.  It's what sets him apart from others and keeps Vandersteen on top of affordable great sound in all price ranges.  That's not easy and now you can customize your finish to whatever you want from wood to exotic car finishes and all the paint colors are the same price I believe.  :)
Ct.... There is a one meter pair of Audioquest WBY interconnects XLR, on Audiogon right now for $1550.
I had a pair of Vandy 1Bs years ago and sent them back for a speaker cloth redo (cat damage). I called when they got there and asked if they could "upgrade" them to 1Cs or whatever, and they put Richard on the phone who proceeded to lecture me on how insane I was to even mention an upgrade as the new version had upgraded every damn thing (except the look…grill cloth was the same). Hilarious, lesson learned, and man…I really liked the 1Bs but sold 'em as the cats could not be trusted to not destroy them again.