New speakers? No thanks.


Last week while chilling with my wife, listening to music, she turns to me and says,” you haven’t bought any new speakers in years.  You should take our tax return and get some”.  Did the planets just line up?  Or was it the two bottles of wine?   Who cares!?!

Ive been totally satisfied with my speakers,Vandersteen Quatros, but wasn’t gonna waste this opportunity to shop. So I hit up a couple of shops in Seattle.  I listened to the new Tannoy Cheviots and DC10a.  I tried some Devore Gibbons.  Listened to Martin Logan’s, Sonus, Living Voice, and Usher.   

None of these sung to me like my old Vandies. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t close. While they all had their attributes, none checked all the boxes.   I know it’s system and room dependent, but you can get a decent idea in showrooms.   

I think I’ll just save my pennies, and try to get my wife wasted enough someday to get some new Quatro CTs.  
bigboltz
Maybe you could try different amps, just for comparison. But even better - get your wife some nice jewelry instead. 
Yeah, I think I would put that wine to use for another reason, heh-heh.....just saying! 

Seriously though, isn’t it nice when you are at a point with the system that you can pass up the need/desire etc. to spend more money, realizing that where you are is certainly good enough? Enjoy!
I can relate. Spent so many years with the same speakers that after a while it was no longer the speakers trying to recreate reality, the speakers had in my mind become reality. So when I went to upgrade speakers I passed on what in hindsight were probably some really superior examples and went with a newer better same brand simply because "that's what speakers are supposed to sound like." Which in fact was not that at all but merely a newer version of what I had become used to.

Then some time later my wife happened to be with me when we heard something completely different yet so much better that on the drive home my wife started asking if we could buy them. Very unusual. Never did that with anything before. Already spent more than I ever thought I would on speakers, these cost a lot more than that, but so amazingly better and with the wife actually wanting them, well what are you gonna do?

Some time after we got the new ones I went to hook up the old ones to sell. With the volume turned down low, really low, and me not even anywhere in front of it still the sound from that speaker I had enjoyed so much was now like an ice pick in my ear. Now, I worry you think I mean it didn't sound as good any more. No. I mean it was like an ice pick in my ear. Painful. Like the guy who bought them, a co-woker, I actually tried to talk him out of them. Offered to help him find actually good sounding speakers. Could not in good conscience .... anyway now he is stuck with them.

Its great you love your Vandersteens. Clearly you are not alone. But neither was I with mine. Just maybe, like in my case, there is a reason your wife suggested getting rid of them.

Maybe take her with you a few times. Audition with some of her favorite music. Why not? It was after all her idea. Just a thought.
Strangely enough I have never heard that question come out of my wife's mouth. She did ask me once "doesn't it sound good enough". I laughed.  
Vandersteen Quattros would (will) be my final speaker; for now I'll just enjoy my Thiel 2.4s.
wander at your peril....no torture...I promise....but you might consider the pair of 5a Carbon at Sunnys in Covina....

my pro bono audio business is called Vintage Crack Audio - like any good drug dealer - the first hit is free !!!!

when does the ice and snow go away ? I am South of the airport


I think I’ll just save my pennies, and try to get my wife wasted enough someday to get some new Quatro CTs.  
Good plan
@tomic601 let’s do it!   I’m a fanboy too!    I don’t know why I was tempted to wander, but I can’t imagine better sound than Vandersteen and AtmaSphere. I’m sure you’ll torture me. 
@bigboltz stop by with or without the wine ( I might keep some around...ha ) and listen to the 7’s .....

I am a fanboy, your Quattro are amazing....

PM me and we will have fun

Jim