Vandersteen 2CE Signature III — video review on YouTube by Steve Guttenberg (1/15/2023)

I would not call Vandersteen’s bright or forward. At all.

With the 2CE III, it has more to do with incorporating the more refined drivers of his more expensive models (Treo & Quatro). Something Richard has done since the advent of the Treo. The same was true with my Vandy 2CE II’s, which I still have, but Treo’s are now the main speakers for 2 channel listening.

Yes, Richard does personally voice his speakers, but not only by ear. From the web site:

Vandersteen does not rely on listening alone to make claims of sonic excellence. Vandersteen Audio is the first loudspeaker manufacturer to use the Gen-Rad 2512 Fast Fourier Transform Computer Analyzer in research and development and remains a leader for interfacing complex loudspeaker parameters and performance computer analysis with practical design and engineering.

Yeah, I wouldn’t call a Vandersteen speaker “bright”. Street smart and savvy? Maybe. Never bright. But what do I know? I’m a Vandersteen fanboy, too. 

Whether or not you think Vandersteen models are getting brighter will depend on how far you go back with the company.  I bought my first pair in 1996 and my last pair in 2014, my 4th, and they were voiced differently to my ears. I always suspected it was finally a reaction to the reviews. 

my 3a sigs are from 2007, definitely a smooth top end, slightly rolled -- made alot of popular cd’s -- and powerful but not so subtle solid state power amps -- sound listenable

of course, there is enough resolution there that when you hook up some fine, tippity top flight power amps they certainly sound great, but treble still a little recessed, coupled lots of mid/midbass warmth... like how real music sounds in at the symphony!

IMHO, the older models were rolled off, the more recent iterations more neutral.