Vandersteen 7 mark ll or big Kef blades


I am considering a pair of one  of these.  Anybody have any suggestions , comments, recommendations?
digitaljoseph
lets start with the basic...

the spatial info  ( what there is horizontal and vertical ) is already encoded in the source. 

the waveform is complex and includes both fundaments, harmonics and the time and phase information in the waveform.. IF you have not spent anytime in a studio, page thru your album LP gatefold covers and look for microphones, ten -15’ off the ground...Rudy Van Gelder of BlueNote fame, famous for this....or look at symphnony recording microphone placement, especially well done stuff with less than DG 30 microphone stuff.....

so to properly reproduce this complex waveform we need to simulate a point source wave launch, would be good IF we do that at ear height, unless you want different arrival times...which is audible. The more drivers ya add the more different arrival times ya get
a coincident driver solves part of this problem and introduces other wavelaunch issues like bouncing HF off a lower frequency moving surface....ponder that as you invest in cabinets and footers that dont move....

The Vandersteen setup and engineering depend on an accurate measure of listening ear height, most other speakers will benefit IF you know this dimension.

they are not just a good choice. I would not hesitate to put Quattro CT up against any KEF product and there would be MORE $$$$$ left over for electronics, etc

listen to any number of great recordings w spatial info encoded...Live in Paris is one such IMO......does Diana Krall really need to be another 2’ taller..

Keep selling the reflections OFF a big tall box....

your admiration Troy for the brands you carry is understandable, you have a Vandersteen dealer a few miles from you. The world thinks they are more than a good choice. Your competitive urges cloud your thinking....Let’s meet on neutral ground, say in Munich where we can listen to both..my guess is Helmut Brinkmann will get great sound there with his 7’s

and yes for some people the KEF are a great choice.
Let's keep in mind it's your choice how to configure the speakers and your listening position.

For traditional TMW layouts (twitter, mid, woofer), the desirable range is usually between the twitter and midirange drivers. You should experiment if you haven't.


Myself and a speaker designer I really admire have both discovered that sometimes we may design for on-tweeter axis listening, but the best sounds are below.


Only your ears can tell.

Best,
E
..just as an aside.....VPI's Harry W has KEF's in house as his evaluative system.
Speakers are like ice cream. So many flavors to pick from and ya know something.. they ALL taste good. I never get the same flavor twice in a row and really can’t tell you which one is best. Additionally, as pointed out by a couple posters the OP, if serious about buying, should make the time to have a listen to as many speakers as he can. I committed that effort for speakers at the mere $3500 price point.