Vandersteen 2CE Signature Speakers

I'm not Johnny.  I owned the best MIT speaker cable and interconnects made with their 350 cable (interconnects) and their 770 speaker cable.  I got the AQ adn never looked back.  I have had so many name and off name cables in teh system and none have been as neutral as the AQ stuff.  If you are going to use a cable/wire to 'tune' your system, I personally feel that you have the wrong gear.   Using Nordost to lift the highs of a dull amp, still starts with a DULL AMP, lol.  This is just system matching, but for my money nothing touches the AQ cables for sheer neutrality.  JMHO

Yeah, I think that's the same concept over in the analog section where I was asking if it could be possible to go from MM to MC on the cheap by buying over-achievers in their respective price groups. The consensus was that it doesn't really make sense to go MC unless you first make sure that all the other supporting gear/electronics is top notch, if you don't there isn't much benefit and could actually sound worse. I will likely save up for the Vandy subs as my first order of business then let the wallet heal and for bit then buy a pre-amp after that at some point (or upgrade to the 2ce sig IIs). 

Makes the most sense to me.  I personally upgrade the speakers first.  Then the source and then the amps.  Cords and cables are always last.  That's just me. I purchase the best speakers I can afford.  

+1 for building the system around the loudspeakers.

Work the speakers, setup setup setup !!!!!!!
and the room w modest treatments and then cables.

i actually own a shotgun bi-wire set of the Canare and have used them with Apogee Stage , Cornwalls, Vandersteen 1ci
they are pretty good, especially for the $$$
i am using AQ spades and bananas

slightly bettered by a non DBS now ancient set of AQ shotgun biwire Type 6

The idea that a speaker plays jazz and rock well, but not classical is crazy. The requirements for a loudspeaker for all music is the same: "play it as accurately as possible with as little damage as possible for the money".

I don’t fully agree, because what we want from each are different emotions. I have very (objectively) neutral speakers, which I feel are a little light in the bass for R&R, but perfect for Jazz, Choral, Orchestral and movies (latter with a sub). Listening to R&R, I may turn up the bass. :) Also, at low volumes, they lack detail, so loudness helps. Some speakers may be heavier in the bass, or more U shaped responses making them more suitable.

Still, to the OP’s point, actually that sounds more like electronics. As another mentioned, do think about room treatment. Contact GIK Acoustics for advice and high value products.
Best,
E