Vandersteen 2xx - 100,000 units?

My equipment is much like OROS. I have the 2CE Sig II's. I use a Line Magnetic 216i integrated tube amp. I have also used a Parasound A21 with these speakers. Both sound fine with Vandersteen.

My short story....
Once I left the military I had decided to treat myself to a decent modest stereo upgrade. I went out with demo music at as many brick and mortar audio stores within a 60mile radius of my home as I could find. I wanted to LISTEN to many speakers before buying a pair. I listened to speakers made by KEF, Infinity, Klipsch, Magnepan, Paradigm, B&W, Focal, PSB, Rega, Totem and a few others. In the $3K price range I found the 2CE Sig II's to sound the best. Actually the Magnepan 1.7 was very close and sounded as good or better with some jazz and vocal music, but the bass was slightly better with the Vandersteen. Speakers are often a matter of taste, but for me the 2CE Sig II was just a great value for the money. They sound best with space around them.

I have since bought Maggie MMGs for a second system.

Funny as so many Vandy dealers also sell Maggies. Both are totally different sounds that are similar.  Many reviewers (as well as we owners) feel that Vandy, for a 'box' speaker sound like a point source. That's what Richard has been able to do and why his speakers are and have been soooooo special over the years.  He hasn't had one dud in anything he's brought to market.  His new amps are crazy good.  Best amps I"ve ever heard, but that's because  they are made for his 7's (or any of this that need a high pass amp).  I hope he does the trickle down on that amp for the Quatro and 5's!  His new 9 subs I bet will become the best powered subs on the market for the cost pretty soon too.  It's just what he does.  It's why he's always mentioned when talking about manufacturers who give you more than you expect and then support the heck out of the product.

I have never heard of a Vandersteen 9 sub. Where did you hear about it?

I ended up buying a demo pair of Vandersteen 1ci. The list price in Canada is $2,300. They were selling for $1350 and threw in the stands. I paid the asking price as it was within my budget and I felt the Vandersteen's were worth the money. Low-balling and walking away with nothing was a worse outcome than getting them for that price.

I wish the dealer had told me they only use banana plugs. When I go home I found my spades needed to be replaced. I bought some bananas from a local  dealer who put them on for me.

A three feet high speaker is bigger than I realized!

I was worried my Prima Luna Prologue 1 wouldn't have enough power. Well was I mistaken. I don't listen at really loud levels and I initially found myself turning down the volume to get the right long-term listening level.

I really like the speakers so far. Low key though, I don't have that hit-the-ball-out-the-park feeling. Nice bass, sound is tight all around

Glad you like the speakers.  That's a special speaker for the price.  Richard won't ever make a monitor.  More than a few reasons, but you need bass to feel music and get that emotion. I had gone the monitor route in the past and was never fully happy until I got full or near full range speakers.  Many Vandy dealers will sell the Prima Luna amps.  Vandy's all go great with tube gear as well as zero feedback SS gear.  They really aren't difficult to drive.  The thing is that all his speakers seem to get much better with any upgrades within your system and I love that. Some speakers just sound similar regardless of what you feed them.  

As for the 9 subs, Richard was working on coming out with a new speaker.  It would have been a mega 100k speaker.  He just couldn't get it to sound coherent and point source which has always been and continues to be his goal.  The result however is the 9 sub's.  They will be sold in pairs and will use an external 7 series high pass crossover.  That frees up your amp from 100k up.  With out having to worry about the bass to reproduce, your amps will be very happy and most probably sound better.  It's the same type of subs he currently sells, but the cabinet is in the shape of the 7's and it's the auto paint like the 7's.  They will go for around 15k if I recall correctly.  It's not really cost effective for those with Quatro's and most probably 5 CT's due to the overall cost of the speaker.  I you take 30k for 5's and add 15, you are nearly at the cost of a new pair of 7's (money is a bit different when folks play in this level  and NO I'm not one who can ever play at this level, but I can still love what I get to audition, lol).  Just like all of his subs, the best part is that you an dial in the sound to the room you are in.  I've not heard the prototype's, but I'm sure I will soon enough.  I already love the bass in the 7's.  Tight, articulate...all the superlatives can be used in describing what I heard a couple of weeks ago while auditioning the 7 mk2's, but the word that really comes to mind is the word REAL.  Everyone I spoke with who heard the system that day said the same thing.  Richards new amps had a lot to do with it all also I'm sure.  

Hope that answers questions on the 9's. :)