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Vandersteen 2C contour controls +-

So I have recently changed cables between my pre amp (ARC SP4) and amp (ARC VT60) and it made a significant difference: more detail and a better centered soundstage. But I lost quite a bit of punch in the low end. I like the effect of the new cables enough to keep them in.

If I want to use the Vandersteen contour controls to get some of the low end back do I dial it down... or up?

I’m assuming turning the bass contour down will lower the crossover point, effectively getting more from the low end.

Is this correct?



128x128oharchie
gdnrbob
4,444 posts
 
That is great to hear. I bet when you hit 400 hours, things will be even better.
Bob
jetter
3,033 posts
 
Alternatively, perhaps the mid and treble controls are turned up too high in relation to the bass at any given sound level.  Their relative setting to the bass may have changed from the old to the new wires.
oharchie's avatar
oharchie OP
31 posts
 
@jetter 

I've set the contour controls on the speakers at 0 during this time.

I don't use tone controls on the pre amp at all and I'm not inclined to. They are bypassed entirely.
tots
26 posts
 
I have the 2Ci, on their original metal stands (the ones with the T shaped foot). The quote below is taken from
https://www.stereophile.com/content/vandersteen-2c-loudspeaker-measurements
I drive them through other vintage, Harman-Kardon Citation 17s pre-amp and 16As amp, and original Monster cable - the ones the size of a garden hose. So I run tweeter +1 and midrange -1 as suggested below.

"I found a touch of lift in the high treble (tweeter set to +1dB) to be necessary to counteract the speaker's slight lack of off-axis air; this has to be balanced, however, against exaggerating the excess of HF energy above 10kHz. Though this might then be thought to leave the midrange a little depressed, I nevertheless found -1dB on the midrange control to give the optimal balance between the need for sufficient high-midrange energy and not to unduly emphasize the speaker's uneven response in the same region. This will be different for every listening environment and system, however. "
 
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