Vandersteen help needed

I went through the same type of thing with my 1Cs, which I bought new in 2000.  I improved everything in front of them, did some room treatments, and added a pair of 2Wq subwoofers.  I even added the MHP-5 battery biased crossovers for them.  My complaints were somewhat different than yours.  I was missing a degree of detail, and at higher volumes, the sound got congested and pinched-sounding.  The spacial presentation was good, but I just could not listen very long without suffering from listening fatigue.  I got to a point where I felt I had taken the 1Cs as far as they could go.  So, after living with them for nine years (in a full 5 channel Vandersteen audio/video system), I replaced all the speakers except for the subs, which I still own, and will never let go of.  I wish I could be more optimistic, but, like another poster said, Vandersteens are not for everyone.  The Model 7 is one of the best speakers I have heard, but in my more pedestrian price range, there are other choices that appeal more to me than the lower-priced Vandys.  YMMV, of course.

John Rutan was kind enough to pay me a visit in my home yesterday. I think we had a very productive and fun troubleshooting session that yielded some very noticeable and dramatic positive results. We tried several different things. Each had its own incremental positive benefit that contributed to the overall net result.

 

Here is a brief rundown of things we tried and liked:

 

• A few days ago, as someone suggested, I moved the speakers a little closer together and toed them in slightly more. This helped the midrange present much better. We tried a few other room positions yesterday, but ultimately John and I agreed they sounded best where I originally had them.

• John worked his magic with a level laser and accurately adjusted the Vandys for correct level, toe, and tilt-back.

• The couch that was snugged up against the back wall was moved 11” out. This helped clean up the low end issues a ton.

• We tried a few different power options. Right now the amp is plugged directly into the bottom wall outlet and the DAC and CD player into the unfiltered jacks of a Furman strip. I really didn’t notice much if any difference with different power configurations but perhaps my ears are not finely tuned in enough yet.

• One of the more dramatic improvements came from upgrading the speaker cables and interconnects. I had the Audioquest Rocket 33s and another Audioquest product for the interconnects. I’m not sure what the new ones are. Perhaps John could chime in on that but the difference was huge. I couldn’t believe what a difference the right cables make.

 

Ultimately, I think we got things pretty darn close to the way John’s 1ci speakers sound at his store. It was tremendously helpful to have a second pair of ears confirming the issues I was experiencing. Having someone with John’s skill level and experience with setting these speakers up was an invaluable asset.  I am very pleased with how my system sounds right now. Although, truth be told, now that most of the original issues have been addressed, I’m kind of hankering to hear how a 2wq sub would sound!

 

Thanks to all that contributed to this thread. I enjoyed reading each of your responses and varying opinions. Special thanks to John for spending his Sunday afternoon with me. I can hear the vocals again and my snare is cracking!!!!

@bondmanp What speakers did you end up with after you sold your 1c's?

Please do share the exact cables that worked for you, when you figure that out.  Thanks, and congrats!

So there you have it, AudioTroy. The dealer was going to, and did respond to the customer's issues. Even though you took your "pot shot" at him. Maybe you should go over to AC and let John Rutan teach you a few things. We certainly would be all  the better for it. John is a class act. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this as most people in these threads already know this. Audionoobie. Yes, try a 2Wq Vandy sub (or 2) in your system with the 1c"s. I have done this recently with my Treos, with excellent results. The hookup with the sub that Richard Vandersteen uses is somewhat different from most, but his method creates the best seamless blend of main speakers and sub(s).  The sound  opens up with more air and space around instruments and vocals making  the soundstage more solid with more bloom. Happy listening!