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Vandersteen 3A Signature in a small room?

Do you think that Vandersteen 3A Signature can perform in a 15 sq. meter room hooked up with McIntosh 6900? Are they a good match? Due to family and financial reasons I recently downgraded from McIntosh 46/402 combo back to 6900 which is still a great amp and the one that can keep me happy for years and also decided to try and built a system in my small (15 sq.m) room once again based on McIntosh 301 SACD/CD player and 6900 integrated. My Sonus Fabers stay in the living room with MHT100 for HT purposes. As for the small room I thought about changing the strategy with speakers - instead of trying monitors I'm looking for floorstanders now - either vintage with 12 inch woofer or modern ones like Vandersteen 3A Signature (which impressed me a lot at the dealer's). The main question is how would Vandies perform in a small room like that? I'm sure that model 2 can play good there but 3A Signature offers a serious leap in sound quality based on what I heard. Can they perform well with only 30-40 cm between them and the back wall? The other question is - how do they mate with 6900? Knowing the rather laid back character of Vandies I'm a bit afraid that 6900 will not make 'em sing...
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antonkk
texas42
98 posts
 
Hey, personally I like the sound of (most) big speakers in a small room as it gives you a huge sense of scale (I have a pair of Khorns in a small room and all my audiophile friends can attest they sound incredible, even at very low volumes). Now, while the Vandy's don't have the same efficiency as the KHorns, they still have great clarity and coherence (both time and phase) so I would try it. Best of luck!
samhar
1,048 posts
 
I think you might be happier with the 2ce Sig mk ll in a room that size. I had the 3A sigs in a 14' x 22' x 9' room and they could have used a little bigger room, a few friends felt the 2CeSig mkll might have been a better fit in my space. I'm not positive but i think the 2ce mk ll has the same components ( tweeter and mid) as the Quatro's and sounds more like them and the 3A Sig's are more like the 5's. Personally if I had it to do again I'd get the 2ce mk ll and two 2Wq subs!!!!
unsound
7,336 posts
 
In my experience the Vandy's are very room/placement sensitive. Tread carefully.
dre_j
159 posts
 
I'm posting this for clarification only:

This is a quote from Richard Vandersteen about the drivers in the 2Ce Signature II as posted on the Vandersteen Website 12/23/2006.

Sorry for the all CAPS but that is how it was posted.

THE NEW 2Ce SIGNATURE II DOES HAVE THE TWEETER AND THE MID-RANGE OF THE 3A SIG'S. THIS AND DOZENS OF OTHER CHANGES INCLUDING STRUCTURAL PUSH THE PERFORMANCE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE 3'S. THE MODEL 3'S ARE LARGER AND HAVE MORE ADVANCED DRIVERS IN THE BASS SO THE MID BASS AND BASS ARE STILL SUPERIOR BUT THE GAP IS CLOSED AT THE HIGHER FREQUENCIES. I SUGGEST WHEN YOUR DEALER GET A PAIR AN AUDITION. I WILL SAY IT HAS TURNED AN OLD CLASSIC INTO ONE INCREDIBLE SPEAKER.

Hope this helps,
Dre
samhar
1,048 posts
 
An owner speaks.
08-04-08: Bigtee
I owned the Vandersteen 2CE Sig II's for a month or so. I was forced to sell them due to grandkids and pressure from my wife to cut down on the hobby some and build a play room where my second system was.
I have owned the 2CE's, 2CE Sigs, 2CE Sig II, 3A Sigs and the Quatro's.
The sound of the definitely unbroken in pair of Sig. II's is a definite departure from the 2CE Sigs. IMO, they are cleaner with a bigger sweet spot. For a Vandersteen, they almost sound lean! The bass is quicker and the mids more defined. However, they have lost some of the warmth of the other Vandersteen's. There is a big enough departure that I would not call the difference "Incremental." My pair were a "30th anniversary edition." What that means, I don't know.
Compared to my last pair of 3A Sigs, the mids and highs are close but the bottom of the 3's is more robust as they should be. The 3's also sounded "Bigger." Vandersteen has done upgrades to the 3A Sigs and I was told they don't sound the same as my older pair now. I can't speak to that.
The Quatro's (non wood)are the better of the ones mentioned above but sound more in line with the 2CE II's. The mids are better defined and the treble sounds more extended and open.
The bass is a good bit better (all the adjustments help here.)
I would find a dealer and listen to the 2CE Sig.II's before I made a decision. They are a big enough departure to warrant that.
Bigtee (Threads | Answers)
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