From Vandersteen 2CE to Devore Gibbons 8 or Focal

Hey Bob........I'm sorry that you're stressing out so much over this. Remember to keep the goal of our hobby in focus, which is to ENJOY THE MUSIC !!! Your Gibbon 8's are wonderful speakers, and it seems as if you have a terrific system. So relax, stay cool, have fun, and enjoy the tunes !! Happy Listening.

NEW UPDATE:

I set up the Paradigm DSP-3100 subwoofer on Friday afternoon. After much tweaking I pretty much have the sound dialed in, but I may tweak just a bit more in the next week or so. I have the subwoofer cutoff frequency set at 60hz and the gain control at a little more than quarter volume. The Subwoofer is set 180 degrees out of phase with the DeVores.

The sound has filled in quite nicely and I have retained the huge soundstage and pinpoint imaging. Overall, I am quite pleased with the setup. I will get around to installing the spikes for the sub this week after I receive my MIT AVT3 audio cable this Wednesday. Right now I am using a cheap Radio Shack cord. Once the new cable is applied and the spikes are put on, I may tweak a little more. I am quite pleased with the sound and I think it will only get better in time.

Stay tuned.

You may have problems integrating a sub like that. You may distort the sound of your speakers doing it. If you blow a driver too soon you will know why. Try the Vandersteen 2Wq sub as thought is given for seamless integration.

How will I distort the sound of my speakers by adding the sub? The speakers aren't connected to the sub and I am running the sub below 60hz and have the sub volume only set a quarter way up. Also, kindly explain how I could blow my speakers? I have been into audio and never blew a speaker.

Bob, I'm looking forward to hear your speakers. I'm also happy I'm not driving 3825 miles round trip from Texas to RI to pick them up.

I bought these from you knowing that if there was one weakness to DeVores (with the possible exception of the Silverbacks) it's that the bass is sometimes less pronounced than the listener likes. Alas, I'm hoping to find some better synergy with one of my systems. The bass that is at times too overpowering (and imprecise) in my main system (Rogue Eighty-Eight Magnum Amp, Manley Shrimp preamp, Rega P3-24 turntable in "pink") with either my Klipsch Cornwalls (yes, "midrange HELL") or Rega R7s (excellent speakers; under-appreciated in the US). I'm hoping the Devore's might be a good match here, but I have think my "option #2" (below) will become their ultimate performance place.

Anyone who knows about DeVores knows that they seem perfect for smaller rooms, and that's the conclusion I expect I might reach also. I've got a pair of Rega RS3's powered by an Ebay special $225 15-watt Chinese "Oumeidanji" 6p3p x 2 tube amp in a smallish carpeted study. I bet this smaller room will be better for the Gibbon Eights. I think the bass will be appreciated more in this smaller environment. The next step may be to upgrade that Chinese tube amp.

In the meantime, I'm in a holding pattern (awaiting delivery) to see where they'll sound best...and I didn't even mention the bedroom and "other living room" stereos yet.