Integrated for Vandersteen 2ce sigII


A quick question. I'm thinking of purchasing the above said speakers and was wondering what everyone's thoughts are about using my Marantz pm8004 or would a different integrated  amp be a better fit. Thanks
wmbode
I don't think it's really a matter of tube or ss shining on a given
speaker including the Vandys.......
It's a matter of the integrateds intrinsic personality and musicality....
and that these days can be achieved with SS or tube.......in fact over the past 10 years, tubes have moved toward sounding more solid state and solid state has aspired to musicality that previously was tube amplifier's domain........in the end, you just want something that has enough current to let the speaker sing without strain and you want an amp that will get out of the way of the music.......there are so many choices, but going with something other's have had great luck with is a great start.......For me, if I still had 2CE's, I'd still have them paired with the VSI60....which I feel is one of the greatest products ARC ever put out.....It's the best I ever heard the Vandys........but I think Hegel and Parasound would do very nicely.....I've never heard Hegel sound bad at a show, and I heard the Parasound at a dealer paired with Spendor towers and it really defined for me how great a 2500 buck integrated could sound......very musical and punchy........Having said all that, Vandersteens love tubes,
and the ARC VSI series would of course get very high marks in pride of ownership compared to the solid state ones mentioned......
Thank you for the reassurance. I get to reading all these forums and reviews I get so paranoid I might make a wrong choice that I find myself constantly going in circles. Kinda takes the fun out of shopping for new equipmnt.lol
That part is actually the fun of buying new equipment......
If you went and bought a pair of 2CE's and there
was a sticker on them that said "compatible with these two integrateds"
that would take the fun out of it........
You can't screw it up as long because ultimately it's just different
flavors of ice cream.........you just need to find the one that the
2CE's mate well with and that you like the taste of......
As far as your Marantz against the Parasound Halo integrated... yeah the Parasound is better but not by much honestly. One of the shops here in town carries both lines so I know both pieces. If you didn't already own the Marantz then sure go for the Parasound. The Parasound is a very nice full featured unit - Swiss Army knife for an integrated amp for sure.

Someone mentioned ARC VSI60; now that would be a nice step up. No comparison between the Halo and a VSI60... ARC here all the way.

Again get the Vandy's first and give your Marantz a try. Get to know the Vandy's first or you'll end up chasing your tail and later wondering how the heck you ended up with a pair of Wilsons wishing you still had your Vandy's. I had a set of 2Ci's  I ran with a vintage B/O receiver for a short stint which sounded stupid good using that receiver. Heard a lot of Vandy's over the years and never heard a set sound bad regardless what was on them.

Wish I kept my set. Mine had the beige socks which I thought looked great on them over the black. Thinking the wood was natural walnut and not the oak. Had the Sound Anchor stands. I'm wiping my tears...