5A Vandersteen

I also had a much much loved pair of 5a and they are from an admitted “ fan “ a towering achievement. The reality is the cost to manufacture the layered MDF “ head “ and the performance of it did hot keep pace with the superior cabinet and equal drivers in the Quattro, especially the CT. YES you do give up the FABULOUS push pull aluminum sub, still available in the mighty seven. I had a massive room and the 5a were a better pick, but when I moved the Quattro CT would have outperformed it in many ways, so I got lucky and bought a pair of 7.... spoiled yes I know...

but a used pair of five a, set up well are freaking amazing...especially in Rosewood....

also, get the 7 high pass IF you want to improve them..and get hyper nitpicky about setup w Leica disto and making sure floors level, running Vandertones late late at hight when noise floor is hyper low.....

have fun

enjoy the music


Jim

From RV:

The 5 series was discontinued because they would have to go to $45,000 a pair and that is too close to the Model Seven in price. The Model 5 series is very labor intensive and by using some existing tooling we are building the new Kento Carbon based on the Quatro structure with significant embellishments for apx $38,000.

Always nice to hear from the manufacturer.
As to the op's near affordable, for whom, most can't put that much down for a home or will buy 3 cars for that amount. 
I think that's one of the problems with audio, it's becoming a hobby of exclusion due to crazy prices.

I think my 5As were ~$19K when I bought them, the most I have ever paid for a piece of stereo equipment, then and now.