Vandersteen 2c vs Thiel CS2

I owned a pair of Vandersteen 2ci speakers for 15 years and a pair of 2ce signature speakers for 7 years.  They are easy to listen to, go pretty deep in the bass compared to others in their price class and sound very good.  I know nothing of Thiel speakers.  Perhaps member jafant will chime in as he is a Theil owner and loves them.  I have no idea which model he has. 

Back in the day when these two speakers were new, the conventional description of the principal difference between the two speakers was that the Vandersteens were darker in overall tonal balance (slightly tilted to the bass regions) and the Thiels were brighter in overall tonal balance (tilted more to the treble).  While I liked them both and heard them both extensively, my preference at the time was the Thiels, and I tried an Aragon 2004 amp with my Thiel CS3s with good success (though I ultimately got a Krell KSA 50 instead).  Both use first order crossovers, and both are well-designed. The Vandersteens sounded good with both an inexpensive Rotel amp and, while a little lush, with Quicksilver monos.

Your room size might matter; generally you should sit at least a few meters away from the Thiels to get optimal blending of their drivers.  The Vandersteens were set up and sounded good in a small room (at Audio Connection, before Johnny R bought the business).

I have not heard the Von Schweikert bookshelves, but if they're like the VR 4s (which I have heard) I don't know if this would be a move forward in sound quality; maybe more a lateral move, IMHO.  The Thiels go down to 40 Hz and drop off quickly after that (which is why I got the CS3 demos instead of the CS2s), so your setup with the sub might go lower.  Is there something about your current setup that you'd like to improve on?

  Greetings from Audio Connection     (( New and now available Model 2Ce Signature III))   I would make sure you definitely hear the latest Vandersteen creation
We just received this rare Announcement.
Vandersteen is Back and with a new Speaker Model. Vandersteen is open and making speakers as you read this. Like many of you, Vandersteen closed for the health and well-being of our employees. Everyone is in good health and happy to be working. We are practicing all the requested measures to ensure the health of every employee remains strong. We are grateful for all your efforts keeping orders coming while remaining patient during this very unusual moment in our over 4-decade history.
As we re-engage, we are pleased to announce that we have a NEW Model 2Ce Signature III.  The Model 2 always sets the sonic standard at this price and this 8th upgrade is no exception. This model maintains the category's iconic status while retaining its Made in the USA standing. This gain incorporates new crossover components and eliminates the very seldom employed contour controls. The result is a more natural and noiseless musical presentation that made the Model 2 famous in 1977.

Now with the stand included At $3279, the price is a net increase of only $100. This new speaker is currently available for immediate order shipping with a 3 to 4 week lead time. We will immediately update our website and send out a subscription newsletter to our opt-in consumers. Our website will also feature a way to identify vintage Model 2's combined with the visual difference of this new model's lack of contour knobs should reduce confusion about new Model 2's vs. used Model 2's 
"With a new and improved circuit board, new higher-quality components, and the elimination of the contour connections, everyone will experience better clarity and reduced noise from this new Model 2. It is good to be back making speakers again and I wish the best for continued health to our customers and our dealers." - Richard Vandersteen.

@rcprince I'm pretty happy with my current setup but when I see a good deal on speakers it's hard to resist. I was thinking of buying both vandersteen and Thiel and comparing them with my von Schweikert speakers. Would keep the winner and sell the other pairs. It's just the excitement of getting new equipment :)