Vanderteen 5A's versus Wilson WattPuppy 7's

Did you listen to any other speakers in the same room so you could get a feel for the sonic characteristics of the room. If you know what the roomsounds like it is easier to get a feel for how the speakers sound.

Which one of the auditioning system more closely resembles your own?

Just a couple of questions to consider.

I'd buy the Wilson Watt/Puppies if it were me.

they were dedicated rooms. the room with the wp 7's was a bigger room. i talked with a few people i knew that attended he2003 and they were impressed with the 5a's at he2003, so the room couldn't be all that bad. btw, i also liked the wp sofia speakers that were in a smaller room that the wp 7's, for half the price.

My favorite audio dealer in the Los Angeles area happens to be both a Vandersteen and a Wilson dealer. I have listened to both the 5As and the Wilson 7's in the same room with the same electronics. I have heard them both using all Jadis electronics, all Hovland, and a mixture of a Hovland preamp with several other amp manufacturers that he reps.
I really like the Wilson Watt/Puppy 7's. It is the first Watt Puppy that I could live with. It is very easy to listen to which makes it very different from the Wilson speakers of the past which I could only listen to for a short time. Somehow, though, every time I listened to the Watt Puppies I felt like I wanted them to do something more, and yet I don't know what it is. Every time I listened to the 5As I just sat back and enjoyed the music and never thought about what speaker I was listening to.
In the long run, I think that the Vandersteen lineup is just more friendly to the music and my ears.
In regards to the Joseph Pearls or the Revels. Maybe the Pearls but, the Revel Salons, pleeze. Only for HT.

My choice came down to either the Wilson Sophias or the Vandys. What ultimately made the choice for me was to play some music I find very emotional to listen to. The Wilsons gave me chillbumps, the Vandys made me weep. I bought the Vandersteens.

I preferred the precision of seeing into the music and the amazing soundstage that WP7's present versus the muddy "emotional" (I had a drink already) Vandy's. The crossover to the sub in the vandy was a hometheater experience for me.. and was impossible to get to match with the midrange.. it cut into bass guitar and upgright bass notes.. plus the dealers I've heard the Vandys like to crank up the bass and then the speakers to show you how loud (It felt like a hometheater demo or a high school parking lot).

If the rest of you system is up to snuff then Wilson's can take it to the next level.

If everything upstream isn't, then buy the Vandersteens and spend the money upgrading your front end, otherwise you will be disappointed with the Wilson's.

Or buy the Sophia's and upgrade your upstream components.

I bought "Fly Yellow" WP7's because I could also buy them in something other than boring Black Laquer or dark wood grain (unless they were Avalons in the Burl wood!!!!)