Just got ruined by a pair of Treo CTs


So, went down to my local hi-fi shop today and they just so happened to have a pair of Treos with the carbon tweeters on display. He put on a Donald Fagen record and my jaw dropped, the top end was just...blissful... just perfect. Hard to describe.
Immediately afterward I heard the magnepan 3.7. while sounding great, the Treos sounded substantially better IMO.
Ok..so was planning to get a brand new pair of model 2s at some point, now I'm not so sure. The Treos CTs cost $8500. Oh dear...
bstatmeister
tomic601
It's possible to get close to 90% of the the best out there for 90% less money, more or less, but anywhere close to that figure is amazing when you consider the stratospheric prices a lot of this audio gear costs.  My goal was to discover an amp and speakers whose quality and performance was out of all proportion to its cost. I think what I have meets that criteria. Other brands offer great bang for the buck I'm sure, but the Belles/Vandersteen combination made me forget the equipment and get lost in the music, so there you go.

No doubt that if you remove - from view - the gloss and the glitter and the massive build quality by hiding behind a screen, many people would be pleasantly surprised by the sound quality. More money doesn't mean better sound, but some people just have to have that designer label to stare at to validate the worth of their system.... and themselves. 
@2chfreak  +1   John Rutan is everything people say on A'gon.  He has a comprehensive knowledge of both gear and tunes.  He know how to set up a system to maximize its abilities and is an absolute straight talker.  No BS from him.👍
@rwwear 

  • i would suggest a look at recent show photos of Vandersteens ( Munich for example ) which should give your friend some idea about a starting point.
  • i use a Leica disto and a laser level to setup speakers, both tools under a hundred $ total
  • use blue tape on listening chair and or wall behind chair.
  • tweeters should not be aimed right at ears
  • check tilt also after careful measurement of both ear height and distance to speaker, verofy correct number of washers...
  • i am available for a telephone call to run thru setup...
  • zero toe in rare.....