What amp next for Vandersteens?

If you are wanting a more refined sound, consider a SMc modified McCormack amp. Every so often they appear on Audiogon for sale or you can purchase a used amp and have it modified to suit your sonic preferences. Steve McCormack and Kris Jeter at SmC have really refined their modifications and their modified beauties sound fantastic with Vandersteens!

my dad runs a Aesthetix Atlas on his Quats and it sounds fantastic with AR Ref3 pre.

I have the 2Ci, on their original "T" shaped metal stands. I drive them with other vintage, Harman Kardon 17s pre-amp and 16As amp. I am very pleased. I do classical and jazz. I can even do the Telarc LP of the 1812 with the cannons, and feel them, plus hear the small tinkles of a triangle in another part. I assume what you have is similar to my speakers. The H-K amp is biased further in to class A than many - I don't know if that makes a difference. I run them through the original Monster cable - the big round one the diameter of a garden hose. However, I also have heavy duty jumpers at the banana jacks, so not bi-amped.

>Most owners of Vandersteen speakers have either Ayre, or Audio Research

As do I as it was recommended by Richard himself.

I drove my 2ci speakers with a Classe Ten amp and Audible Illusions Modulus 3 tube preamp.  Using Audioquest cables it was a match made in Heaven and kept me happy for 10