I copied this from the Vandersteen site . Notice " Ultra-Long-Throw"
IMO, that is what you are experiencing, an ultra long throw of the
woofer
Your opinion in this case is not actually correct. :)
The phrase "ultra-long-throw" or "long throw" have no specific meaning, but are understood to mean that the driver MAY travel further without distortion than conventional drivers of the same size. Typically, larger drivers have longer throws. This is specified by manufacturers as Xmax, and is usually in millimeters. So you'd read it something like this:
Xmax : 10mm (the distance the driver can travel from rest is 10mm before distortion sets in).
That doesn't mean they flap back and forth more than any other driver of the same size and output. The symptoms from the OP are definitely being caused by excess, and inaudible, bass in the signal which could probably be replicated by jumping on the floor. :)
You don't need an "ultra-long-throw" woofer to flap back and forth, just too much rumble in a ported enclosure.