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
Love all the woods. I build furniture for fun and have worked with many cool figured woods. If I had done the wood Quatro’s, I would have asked Richard’s veneer guy if I could just send him a flinch of the wood that I wanted. I have a great veneer guy (the one he uses is as good as it gets btw) so I could have chosen the most figured, quilted type. I also thought about asking if the could do a carbon fiber look for the Quatro’s. I wonder if folks would want to have painted cabinets and show off a bit of the carbon fiber that the 7’s are made of?

I do love the fact that for an uncharge, you can chose any auto paint on the market. I know a dealer who’s next 7’s will be in Ferrari Red with a matching amp. Very cool if you ask me, but I love the Havana Black.

Interesting on the WEL as I spoke with someone yesterday who said he may send me a pair to see if I like it or not. I need a new USB cable first and foremost. I LOVE the Diamond. I do wish I had the TotalDac cable to try out with the Diamond though. That would be an interesting listen. I’ve heard the TotalDac cable in the past and LOVED it. So far, those have been my two favorite cables.  

I was told the WEL cables will be the most revealing you can get, but with gobs of warmth.  Interesting that they weren't for you.  Maybe the Wild or WBY would be best.
I can attest to ctsooner's woodworking ability. He knows his stuff.
@ctsooner 
I would definitely wait on cable upgrades and let you cables do their magic. As Tomic posted, sometimes you can get too much of a good thing.
Bob
Thanks for the kind words on my woodworking Bob.  As you know I only took it up about 6 years ago.  Just fun stuff.  

I'm waiting on cables, but MUST get an AQ Diamond USB as soon as possibly as I am not getting the most out of my server. Not even close.

As for too much of a good thing, not with the Quatro/Ayre system I have going Bob.  The more I get, the better it's sounding.  
I'm using a AQ Carbon USB cable. Is the Diamond USB a huge leap forward???
In my system it's a huge leap. Warmer more organic and much more detail. There is a reason for the price difference imho. That said the Carbon is one of the top cables to me in its range and higher. I'd take it any day over some of the 500 plus USB cables. Jmho