VANDERSTEEN 2ce signatures?

I've owned two pairs of model 2's and currently own a pair of 3A Sigs. As impartial as I can be, you won't find any speakers that are as well balanced as these for the price. Many others costing much more are not as good. Not the sexiest looking but boy do they sound good!!!! A no brainer if ever there was. I recommend a high current solid state amp with at least 100 wpc. Their balance is fuller sounding than most and a tube amp is not necessary to acheive smooth results. Buy Vandersteens and you'll be hard pressed to buy another brand ever again. All you'll want to do is upgrade within the same line. If you love music, not the HI FI geek of the month club, you've found you speakers. Endulge and Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be really careful with this line of speakers. Avoid any electronics or cables touted as being "smooth". With Vandys a couple of smooth components becomes "blah". They work somewhat better in small, live rooms. I had a pair for several years and hated them the whole time. Tried every amp, preamp and cable known to mankind in an attempt to breathe life into them in a 16 by 26 room.

I agree with the above comments. I have listened to the 2 series and the 3 series in good and bad rooms. I agree they need live rooms and high ceilings--otherwise they sound bland. In the right room with the right electronics--I too think they sound better with SS--they can be very good. Like most things in this industry they have their strengths and weaknesses. These are dynamic speakers that do like to be driven at fairly loud volumes (not concert levels necessarily--but they don't "wake-up" until you get to reasonable volume level). They are best suited for jazz and rock, but do very well on classical symphonies as well. If you like quieter, female vocals, piano solos, chamber music, at quieter listening levels--these are probably not the best speakers for you. If you like big band jazz, rock, and a full orchestra or symphony at reasonably high listening levels I find these speakers to be excellent in their price range.

The posts by Abstract7, Elgordo and Steve440 clearly point to the widely varing opinions that exist in our hobby! I come down on the same side of the fence as Steve440. Vandersteen represents a GREAT value, you will be hard pressed to exceed their preformance at twice the price at each price point in the Vandie line. Regarding amplification I have always used solid state with my vandies (started with 2CE's, currently 3A Signitures), but Richard Vandersteen uses and demos his speakers with Audio Research tube amps. Check with the guys at Audio Connection for some tube alternatives (VTL and ConradJohnson come to mind)

You will find Vandies to be revealing of upstream equipment, they will not grab you as a Thiel or B&W might, but you will find the long term listenablity to be unbeatable, Vandies make MUSIC.