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Initial impressions of my new Vandersteen Quatro's in Audi Havana Black

I will post pics when I get more time on them.  I had them delivered and set up by Johnny Rutan of Audio Connections.  He moved them out to the corners of the room and close up against the back wall. I love the look as does my wife.  I also LOVE the HUGE soundstage these things can now throw.  NO SUCK OUT either.  I was shocked at that aspect. I was scared to death when he started them in the corner of the room. I have a very difficult room for bass as it's an open floor plan. I lose a lot of bass on the right channel as it's by a stair case.  I'm putting up a temp wall by the railing.  I am using a screen right now, but I need treatment of some sort still. 

That said, it only has about 30 hours or so and it's already starting to sweeten up.  I'm hearing so many things that I haven't heard in the room before.  I'm hearing bass passages that hasn't been there before.  On one passage of a  Bela Fleck song, the room just moved.  The thing is that I've heard so many of these songs on Wilson's and Magico's and B&W"s and Focals, Paradigms, Legacy's and so many other speakers, but the tonality of the Vandersteen bass is just special.  It's so accurate. What so many don't know is that the way he designed the bass amp, you still have the same sound as YOUR main amp.  Not sure how he does it, but he does.  You don't hear the difference. 


I think that the reason some don't get the Vandersteen's at first listen is because it's not like other speakers.  We aren't used to hearing a speaker that isn't 'hifi' sounding.  Its very organic. To me, it's like analog vs digital.  Both can sound GREAT, but digital is still digital and that's why vinyl and reel to reel are still going strong after all of these years.  Kind of reminds me of a plasma TV vs the LCD TV's when I went to purchase mine.  I was originally taken by the brightest TV's in the showroom, but I keep going back and watching all the Plasma's in the darker room that Magnolia was showing them in.  I wanted the Pioneer, but could only afford the Panasonic's. I have two of them and love them.  People actually ask me why their TV doesn't look as good.  I first ask if they had it calibrated professionally.  The answer is always no and then tell them it's a plasma.  

Set up isn't fun for me, so Johnny does it for me.  I'm digging my new set up and will write more later, but i am Jonesing to go up to the loft to listen some more.  I'm really loving the organic sounds of my system right now.  All genres too which is just awesome.  Not taking any digs at others systems, just loving mine.  We all hear differently and I get that.
ctsooner
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,847 posts
 
@ctsooner
The Lyric in White Plains always did right by me. As a matter of fact I purchased 3 pairs of Vandersteens from them.  But that was many moons ago!
ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
Yogi, yes the old owners.  I dealt directly with the store own in Manhattan.  I was in the market for a new DAC and was a real customer. I came down to the city, but didn't call for a special appointment.  They made me feel as though they were doing me a favor just letting me in the store.  Years ago I purchased a couple of system from them along with a Jadis amp/pre.  I hadn't been in there since a divorce in 1999 when I stopped buying new gear.  

I told the owner what I was looking for and what I wanted to listen to (the DCS Rossini and clock).  He took me to the room on the main floor in the back and asked what gear I owned.  I told him an Ayre AX5/20 and an Ayre QX5/20 and Vandersteen Treo's, but I was also going to upgrade to either Quatro's or another speaker in that price range within the next 6 months (I did).  He had me listen to a Wilson, Sim Moon integrated and the DCS pieces.  It had Nordost cabling.  I don't like Wilson as it doesn't have the detail I like and it's not coherent for me.  Darryl has done a better job with the soft tweeter and the sound to me is much improved, but it still lacks detail although it's much much warmer than before.  I fully get what Wilsonites love about their speakers.  I actually understand why anyone likes the gear they own.  It's audio and there are no rights for wrongs.  Just our opinions.

I have never liked Sim Moon gear as for ME, it doesn't convey the warmth, pace and rhythm I love and need.  Again, that's just me.  He completely tore down my love of my own gear and told me how badly Ayre sucks and how he was a dealer and dropped them.  He trashed my gear during the second phase of the sales process (5 steps total no matter what 'guru's' want to call them) which is fact finding (which also builds the relationship).  WOW was I put on the defensive.  I know that many audiophiles don't deep down have the guts to listen to what they love.  I know many depend on being told what is good or bad and he surely is the sales guy who tells folks what to like.  Either way I still had an open mind to the DCS as I was told by good friends how great it is and that I should go listen again.  I have heard the full stack on many occasions and found it to be too dry for MY tastes.  Highly detailed and it does some stuff really well, but it hasn't been for ME.  I was serious about the Rossini/clock though as it seemed like a winner based on reviews and threads I was reading. Again, trying to keep an open mind (I never would have owned the Vandersteen's if I didn't have an open mind as I didn't like what I heard at my dealer in the 90's.  Bruce just never set them up correctly and didn't understand rake angle etc...).  

Well, I listened for a bit, but realized that it wasn't my cup of tea still.  I wanted to hear a few more things they had in the store and I was the only one there at this point (mid afternoon when stores aren't quite as busy as on a weekend).  He ushered me out in a hurry when I told him that the sound in that room wasn't what I loved. I was really nice when saying it and never trashed any of the units or anything.  He was just a total prick the whole time and made me feel like I was wasting his time.  I know some on this board think I'm a shill for Johnny Rutan at Audio Connections, but I'm anything but that. I have said repeatedly that I purchase from many different vendors. I almost always go brick and mortar though as I believe in that business model and in the end, I don't may anymore for the quality of sound that I have than I would if I went mail order or even used at times (although I do buy used too like so many of you guys do).

I will bring up terrible experiences and I know of many others who I'm friends with who can say the same thing about Lyric.  Just old fashion snobs that are in it for the money and not the listener, unless said listener has the bucks in their mind.  Funny thing is that I've made purchases of over 40k for my system SINCE that visit to Lyric and all from different dealers.  Some gear I've had in was returned or resold as I didn't like it once in my system.  He lost potential sales, but he obviously didn't care.  Big name, small heart.  Stupid business model.  OH well...

Loving the Quatro's. So happy I got them.  Just easy to go listen to music.
nycjlee
286 posts
 
I when to the Lyric store in Manhattan to listen to a few speakers two years ago, I was not impressed with them at all.  I guess, they didn't smell the money, when I walked into the store.  Their lost, will never go back to demo or audition anything.    
ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
NYC, YES....that's exactly what it was.  Sorry I wore jeans and a leather jacket into their store, lol.  
gdnrbob
4,495 posts
 
Yes! I got the same treatment from Sound by Singer. If you don't look affluent, then they couldn't give a hoot. That was many years ago, but I still have the bitter taste in my mouth.
Innovative Audio was a much nicer place to visit. They were in Brooklyn.
I don't know if they are still around.
Sad that such places can still be around after all those years.
Bob
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