Vandersteen Quatro CT

It's all good as I wait.  Makes me appreciate them more and it's been a good time for me traveling. I have been able to audition a ton of gear as I go and all it does is remind me that for this price range the Vandersteen's are giving me the best value and sound.  I go in realizing that there are other great speakers out there, but I've been really disappointed in most brands for various reasons.  

I like the direction Wilson is going with son in charge, but even with that silk tweeter, their drivers just don't get the job done for me.  You can hear the break up in the bass.  The sound to me is distorted, but the dealers are all trained the same way by pointing out how open and dynamic they are.  I've purchased systems from a few of these Wilson dealers over the years and know and like them.  I think they are still using paper cones for the bass and if so, you can't just dip them in goo and say they won't break up, plus that adds weight that throws them off. The other thing about paper cones is that they absorb water and sound different ever day.  Folks don't believe me, but it's true.  If you listen closely and have the right system, you can hear a small difference in sound daily as they will dry out or absorb water from the air constantly.  That's just fact and can't be avoided.  

Again, not a knock, just an observation. 

All is good and they will get here when they get here, lol.  :)

@nycjlee   Rather than listing numerous discs, the one that will get the job done in every way of appreciating break-in and is just great, fun jazz is Clark Terry's "Portraits" on Chesky.  It may be the best overall recording I own as the music is revelatory and the recording flawless.  Images occupy a huge soundstage.  Clark's trumpet images to the right of the right speaker on some cuts.  He engages in fun scatting on some songs.  The cymbals....you can hear Lewis Nash work his way around the kit and detect the different diameters of the various cymbals.  The smaller the cymbal the more numerous are the higher frequency overtones and vice versa. The big deal is the "brassiness" of the cymbals.  It sounds as close to hearing live as I've experienced in a  recording. The dynamic swell of the music breathes life into it.  You will not lose on this disc.  I will promise that.  You will notice that it's almost impossible not to react physically to the sway of the music as it grows from cut to cut.

Warning - A couple of times Terry taps the mike and you'll hear(feel) a thump.  Your system is fine you are just hearing what's on the disc. Leaving artifacts like that in the final production enhances the sense of being in the room live with the performers.

I have had the CD for some time and it is great.  If you want all this extraordinary recording can offer, get the SACD.  It Will be your demo. disc as well as something you pop in the player when you don't know what you want to listen to ... a true treasure!

Uh oh!  Forget buying the SACD from Chesky or Amazon.  Import CDs has it on eBay for $17.59 shipping included.

can you get the download in high rez anywhere?

Thanks for the suggestion! 

@ctsooner  Don't know about the high rez.  I am a silver disc and licorice pizza user.