Vandersteen fans..need your input (TREO CT)

the OP needs a nightime solution when the family is asleep

not outplay AC/DC

I have the Treo CTs fed by VTL's IT-85 integrated amp. My listening room is about 12' x 15' with no room treatment beyond a rug on the floor and curtains over the sliding-glass door. I sometimes feel I'm not hearing as much bass as I should. For instance, the 1st movement of Schubert's Symphony #8 ("Unfinished") begins with the basses (or maybe basses and cellos) playing alone, and it was very striking when I heard the Chicago Symphony play it here in San Diego a few months ago. 

So I went home and listened to the same piece on a CD (Bernstein, NY Phil) and yes, the bass at a comfortable listening volume seemed muted compared to the effect in the concert hall.

Vandersteen's website (or maybe the manual for the speakers) recommends Ray Brown's "Soular Energy" album as a good test for bass response. (Brown is a jazz bassist, playing here with piano and drums.) So I put it on just now and indeed, the bass seems more prominent at a slightly-above-normal volume level—in other words, turning up the volume seems to increase bass levels disproportionately more.

But I wouldn't swear to it. It occurs to me that conductors, musicians and recording engineers all make choices about which instruments to feature more prominently, and these may or may not agree with our expectations. Having spent hours trying to eliminate wow and flutter in my turntable that was actually (I think) in the tape the record was mastered from, I've learned that hearing is a complex sense. It's really easy, for me at least, to be persuaded I'm hearing or not hearing something I expected to hear.

"I've learned that hearing is a complex sense." 
I've recently learned (YouTube?) that there are something like a hundred nerves coming from your brain to your ears and one going from your ears to your brain (!). This means that your hearing is not a passive function but is "shaped" by your current situation/needs. When you are auditioning speakers, your mind tries to "predict" how you will respond to the speakers in your home situation. Also, your mind tries to compare the new speakers to your current ones. Lots of stuff going on simultaneously. 

John Rutan from Audio Connection is right.   I don't have little rugs to put in front of my Vandersteen 5A's, but used heavy coats from my time in New Jersey (now live in Scottsdale, Arizona).  The difference with/without coats is remarkable.....much cleaner sound.  I might buy rugs, or just keep the coats there as an homage to New Jersey...but there will be something there.

@stringreen, Nice! Don’t you miss Jersey?  I throw down some large beach towels and as expected they do make a difference.  Wifey is ok with the temporary rugs, will head over to Ikea and pick up a few area rugs.  I’m thinking shag. :)