Broken hearted...magnepan and vandersteen

To each his own.. I guess

Look, if you’re going to compare a Magnepan, compare the 20.7 to the Quattro. That will be more of a horse race. Still cheaper than the Quattro but within $1K of each other I believe. I liked the Quattro ALOT and came very close to buying them in an exotic wood (I purchased Thiels from the same dealer 12 years ago also in a custom wood). I was auditioning numerous other speakers including Magicos and Von Schweikert at higher price points. The thing about Magnepans is that I really do feel like you have to have a fairly deep room so that you can bring them 5-6’ out from the front wall to really get them to sing. I have them 6’ out from my front wall and I’m having diffusion panels built to hang all across that front wall. The larger the room up to say 25 x 35, the better the 20.7’s will sound. If you haven’t heard the 20.7’s they do BASS in a way that speakers farther down the line simply can’t do: powerful deep and accurate. It requires alot from your powerful high current power amp to get them there but they are astonishing top to bottom when properly set up with the right electronics. For classical music, their soundstaging is unsurpassed in my opinion.  That is with the possible exception of the big Sound Labs (I’ve had smaller Sound Labs so I’m guessing that the top end of that line would also be astonishingly coherent and quick top to bottom and quite likely even better.

Hi, I have owned Vandy 3A Sig's (my first nice speakers) and then B&W 802N.  Recently I shopped for new speakers for a new house.  I was super excited to audition the Vandy Quatros, and my lady friend LOVED the look of the Quatros and the idea of no subs (she liked the way they sounded before she even had heard them!).  We travelled to a VA dealer who acted like they were a no brainer at list price to order today.  Well, we were both unimpressed.  Bass not as good as good subs and just plain didn't like the sound. It was through good equipment by a dealer who knew how to instal and set them up (lots of tape marks on the floor).
Our search continued, listening to Kef Ref 3's and 5's, Focal's and  Sonus Faber.  We loved the ProAc K6's, but settled on a used pair of Revel Studio 2's.  Love them.  Yes, fairly inefficient, but smooth and balanced and you love them more and more as you listen.  I use a pair of REL Carbon Limited Subs and they improved not only the bass but imaging and overall sound as well.  Plus, no fancy crossovers or additional equipments as in the Quatro's. I still have my N802's in my basement system and still enjoy them, but not as much as the Revel's. 

I've owned Revel Studio 2's and the Quatros wipe the floor with them....
IMO

Hi Stewart0722,  where are you located?
It would be fun to listen to each others systems...
I'm in Maryland.