Vandersteen Quatro CT

I carried both Thiel and Vandersteen when Thiel was still Thiel.  I was a dealer, sort of retired now but going to do some low key stuff with existing customers.  I love the new Vandy stuff.  Does everything I love about my 5A's but there's an immediacy, albeit subtle, that is addictive.  For the person who asked why Jim Thiel didn't train someone, you would have had to have known Jim.  He even programmed the CNC routers in production.  He was a friend and I've spent many hours with him watching him design and develop and realizing I will always be a speaker designer wannabe.  Same with Richard Vandersteen.  All speakers are compromises of sorts but Jim's latest design before he passed and Richard's current stuff does the coherent phase stuff beautifully but addresses some of the compromises very well.  Best to all.

Thanks for the post. Are you of the Atlanta variety?  I agree with you about Richard. I only met Jim Thiel a couple of times, but he was a special cat that's for sure.  You nailed the Vandy's to a tee.  Some on the boards are tied into their speakers and won't give a serious listen to others and that's cool.  I still audition every speaker I have a chance to and that includes those I don't usually like.  I wasn't a Vandersteen fan until Rutan forced me to give them a listen. I went to his shop all the way from CT to buy new Proacs as Richard from Proac told me to go there. once there I was captivated that Vandersteen's could sound so awesome.  Blown away for sure.  Thanks.

Jim Thiel was the best.  I met him once and knew he was a perfectionist.  I do wish he would have passed on his knowledge to someone who could have carried on his legacy.  However, as hifiguys stated, that wasn't Jim.  Vandersteen is excellent as is ProAc, as are my Tannoys.  Yes, Senor Rutan is one of the best as well.  When/if I can afford a second system, it will consist of Vandies.  I really want the Vandy 1ci with a tube integrated, i.e. Line Magnetic.  Regards........

The more I read this thread, the more motivated I am in selling my Treo's.  First decent offer that comes, the Treo's will go to a good home and the Quatro's are on order! lol.  Glad Richard is getting the second generation ready to take over the business.  He's already branched out into amps a bit and let's see where that takes him.  I don't feel he will ever try and compete with the electronic companies, but he does have his vision of powered speakers being the best as you pair them with the speakers so you take out the variables.  the problem with American's is that for some reason we don't like powered speakers.  Too many want to play, trade and upgrade.  Personally, if Richard were to make a powered Quatro, I'd get that and sell off my Ayre AX-5/Twenty, lol.  In a NY minute I'd do that as the amp would be the perfect match for the speaker.  To me that makes sense, to the market, not so much I guess.