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Vandersteen updates and amplifiers

Seeking experience and advice. I have the Vandersteen Quatro Wood (non-CT) and have enjoyed them on a large variety of music for the past 7 years or so. I have been able to hear changes with improvements in upstream gear and tweaks. I use a Pass Labs XP-27 phono - XP-22 Pre and the good ol XA 30.5 to power the Quatro. Balanced M5 boxes.  

Two things recently elevated the performance of the Vandersteen's in my room. First was the addition of Isoacoustic Gaia I footers. I was pretty skeptical about using these as Vandersteen designs to couple the speakers to the floor. These footers are supposed to decouple. But I felt is was worth trying because the speakers are positioned on a suspended wooden floor above a storage area in my house. I had to use the more expensive Gaia I because the 110 lb Quatro has to be supported with just 3 footers. Also, I had to buy 8 not 6 footers. It was not difficult to maintain the appropriate tilt angle by adjusting the footers. Be aware that the rear spike threads are different than the front. After many weeks of use, I think they are a significant improvement. The quality of the imaging and the tonal richness of the midrange expanded to my ears. More palpable presence in the room, better separation of instruments so that you can hear into the recording better. The bass quality changed almost like adjusting the Q. The bass may be a little less high impact and certainly less is transmitted into the floor, but overall bass better integrated into the music.

The second change was the addition of an HRS S platform under the Pass XA 30.5. This is the only component of the system that is near the speakers and in the high acoustic energy zone. Improvements in detail and clarity were not subtle. Very impressed!

So, fellow audiogoners, what might be the next steps for me if I choose to stick with the Vandersteen sound. I hear good things about Vandersteen M5 HPA mono's. This would eliminate the M5 boxes and the Pass XA 30.5. For the same price I could probably trade in the XA 30.5 for a more powerful .8 series amp.  Anyone with experience want to share? I would also consider updating to the Quatro CT if that would be a similar jump in performance. The Quatro seems to be the right size for my medium/large room. 
128x128karl_desch
gdnrbob
4,460 posts
 
@karl_desch ,
I would opt for a higher power Atma amp for the Vandies.
The M60 would probably work, but I think the MA-1 would be a better choice. I would PM Ralph Karsten (Atmasphere here on Agon) and get his opinion. His phone number is on his website, and he does pick up (or his assistants).
For SS amps, if not Vandersteen, then Ayre would be 1st on the list.
Frankly, anything with zero feedback seems to make Vandy's sing.
Bob
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,037 posts
 
I have the Vandy 7 amps w my 7’s and a fantastic Music Reference RM-9 with my Treo... you really should hear the M5 power amp
the Ayre VXR/Twenty or MXR is a super amp w Vandy as are both Aesthetix and VTL
rpeluso
1,086 posts
 
Maybe a little off-base, but I am running my Vandy 5As with a Music Reference RM9 SE, with a Music Reference pre.  I love this combo.  
karl_desch's avatar
karl_desch OP
445 posts
 
I had a great time listening to the T1.5s driven by Atma-sphere Novacrons a couple nights ago at Classic Audio Loudspeakers. Man those things are huge!  The sound was just totally effortless at all frequencies.  Never listened to a stereo that gets piano and upright bass so right.  Very alive sound. I think this was mainly the field coil speaker but I’m sure the Atma-sphere amps were also a major contributor.

Today I will audition the M5-HPA at Ultra fidelis in Milwaukee.  
audioquest4life
774 posts
 
@karl_desch 

I want to share with you my experiences when I was looking for my next speaker. I was also there (Classic Audio Loudspeakers) on the 27th. Your right, the T1.5s are superb in bass, piano, and voicing. The stereo imaging is absolutely incredible as well. My T1.5s get delivered next Friday. Prior to me deciding on the t1.5a, I owned B&W 800s, auditioned Legacy Aeris, Klipschorn, Avant-Garde Duo’s, Spatial Audio X5s, Magnepan 3.6 and 20s, Klipsch Jubilees with custom DSP crossovers, B&W 800 series diamond, and many more that I forget. 

At the end of the day, your selection is obviously based on your listening tastes and synergy with your equipment. 

My selection criteria was for a speaker that had better efficiency, more dynamics at lower volume, and better and more robust bass. My 800s provided me with great voicing and piano, but it was when I wanted to play louder that the power inefficiency’s shined. Naturally, many speakers out there can be dynamic either as a horn, DSP and powered bass, or a hybrid. I love the efficiency of horns, but felt that the ones I listened to lacked something organic sounding that I had with the B&W 800s I owned. The powered bass in the Legacies and the Duos seem to give me the heft in the lower bass regions, except they both use DSP controlled bass power amplification. I have a pretty much an all analog signal path from vinyl through all tube phono and preamp, and large 300 watt mono tube amps from McIntosh. When I heard the t1.5 at CAF, I was floored by the sheer quality in the music and how easily bass and vocals were presented. I was sold on the spot after having heard all of what I mentioned above. I knew this was what I was looking for as soon as I heard them. After listening to them at Classic Audio this past weekend, it only made me more anxious in waiting for mine to be delivered. I have been looking and researching my next upgrade for the last two years, so take your time and happy listening. You will know what is right for you as soon as you hear it. 
Ciao,

Audioquestlife
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