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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.
128x128ctsooner
nrenter's avatar
nrenter
766 posts
 
I posted the following on another forum (in a conversation about the Quatros). For those who primarily hang out on the 'gon, I'll repost here:

Another tip (before you finalize your impressions)...this is particularly relevant given the integrated subs in the Quatros...

Download the test tone tracks from http://realtraps.com/test-cd.htm and burn them to a CD. Walk through the tones (in one Hz increments, starting at 10 Hz) and listen for things in your room that resonate. You'll be surprised about what is rattling when you play music: windows, bookshelves, pictures on walls, knick-knacks, etc. That wooden trunk you see in my photo is particularly noisy - between the solid wood construction, the ratios of hight / width / length, the weight of the lid, and that damn metal latch, it sings like a fat lady. Small sticky-back felt pads will become your new best friend (and the cheapest tweak you'll ever do to your system). If you didn't use powered subs before your installed your Quatros, this exercise is well worth the 30 minutes invested.

ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
Funny you posted this as I have done the same type of thing.  I always go through and know what's going to vibrate and I try to move it around.

Lot's of good listening lately. I need to post thoughts when I have a chance.  I've been getting lost in my listening and not posting as much.  That's a great thing, lol.  I do need to upgrade cables finally. I can hear the differences as I"ve put different ones in and out of the system.  I really really need to get a new Audioquest USB Diamond cable.  Nothing less will be as warm and detailed.  I also think I may be wanting to move from the Niagara balanced interconnect up to a  Wild Blue Yonder if I can afford it. I think the differences will be very very noticeable.  Time to start saving as I can't afford to do that now. I surely don't NEED to, I WANT to, because these are THAT revealing.  Crazy as I didn't expect this to be THAT big an upgrade from the Treo, but it really is.  The Treo was exceptional and for the price, to my ears, is as good a value buy as you can get under 15k, but going up to the Quatro's, it's another league I"m playing in now.  I never expected to get this type of sound in my home due to cost, but if I was doing it all over again, I'd go with Quatro's and build a system around them.  You can start with good, but not the top components and you will max those out.  Then you can upgrade one by one as you can afford it and it's like getting an even better and better system.  That's why a great speaker should do for you.  Back to listening .
gdnrbob
4,459 posts
 
@ctsooner 
Are the speakers still in the same room that I saw when I bought the Treo's?
If so, you mentioned that they are now closer to the walls. Correct?
What about the staircase? Do they block that or are they out from the walls enough to not be an issue.
Regarding the Ayre, you said it was configured to allow your not using the Vandy crossovers. How did they do that?
Bob

ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
Bob, same room. Yes, they are close to the corners and I'm building a portable wall for the staircase that's next to it.  I will be making that soon, but I have a temp deal there now.  I'm sure that it's not the best sound wise, but once I get the perm solution in there, it will be fine. I'm going to probably use the green glue to bond two 3/4" drywall pieces together and dress it up with nice wood surrounding the edges.  As long as I can do it and not have it vibrate I can make it work.  I'm liking the larger soundstage we like that it's not way in the room.

Ayre installed the crossover in the AX5/20 for me Bob.  No outside box or pigtails.   I can have them take it out when I go to sell it or sell it with the Quatro's if I ever upgrade.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,484 posts
 
I have 5A's in a wood called Kowazinga.....whenever I get guests in the house they exclaim how beautiful those things are...   I had a furniture refinisher in the house for some scratches on the coffee table, who couldn't resist taking closer look with admiration.
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