Not in the same league as what you are auditioning, but I own both Vandersteen 2C (original version) and Magnepan LRS. I much prefer the imaging and overall character of the LRS, but the bass is quite limited compared to the 2C. Of course, the somewhat paltry bass is a known "issue" with the LRS but it doesn't interfere with my enjoyment. Positioning with the LRS is a crux issue. In sum, on the low-end of the price spectrum and (admittedly) comparing an very old set of 2C with a brand new (relatively) set of LRS, I prefer the latter.