Get a record player. I'm sure you will disagree, but vinyl can be a much more rewarding listening experience, regardless of speakers or system. I have no problem with digital and have owned a 10K+ CD player, so I'm fully aware of what digital can do. Nevertheless, IMO, analog is just more musically satisfying. So that's it.
Speakers or.....
I am considering upgrading my front speakers.
Background:
Here are some details of my current system:
Pre-Amp: Marantz AV7005
Amp: Rotel 1095
Front Speakers: Vandersteen 2Ce, purchased new in 1994
Center Channel: Vandersteen VCC-5, purchased new in 2012
Rear Speakers: Vandersteen 1B, purchased used in 2002
Subwoofer: Vandersteen V2W, purchased new in 2012
Universal Player: OPPO BDP-93
Synology NAS stores lossless ripped CD audio and home photos
TV: Samsung plasma 64" PLND8000 or something like that :)
Speaker Cables: Canare 12AWG bi-wire to the fronts and center, the rear goes through the wall with cheap Home Depot Cable.
Interconnect: transparent basic RCA for the fronts, blue jeans RCA cable for the center and rears.
Oppo to Marantz connect is HDMI.
the system is in the family room, which is fairly large and open to the adjacent kitchen, with valuted ceilings and large windows.
The family watches movies here and TV here, and I want the system to be fun for family movies (it is!), and great for dialog (it is, though there is a hint of boominess to male voices). The center channel is in a cabinet, and sticking out a few inches (which was recommended by Richard Vandersteen's son (Nathan, I think?).)
I also listed to music here with the TV off at night when it is otherwise quiet in the house. To me, the music sounds good to very good, most normal people (non audiophiles :) comment that it is really great (like "wow, that sounds so clear"). I listen to music off of the Synology drive which is on the network, it is decoded in the Marantz Av7005. The "transport" of lossless digital audio should be perfect, as it is over a computer network (hard CAT 6 ethernet) that doesn't downsample or lose packets, etc). I also listen to music off of the internet (spotify), which is 44KHz, 16b audio, and I control it via iphone or ipad over AirPlay (which the Marantz supports). Even that sounds very good.
Question:
I am thinking about upgrading the fronts to the latest Vandersteen 2Ce Sig ii which now has the midrange from the 5's and I think the tweeter from the 3's.
I went to my local hifi audio shop and auditioned a used 1 year old pair (which did not have the 5 midrange) and while I was there I also compared it to the Maggie 1.7s. Of course the dealer had completely different front end equipment than I do, so it's a little hard to judge, but the new vandersteens certainly sounded better than the ones I have (though it did not seem like a big jump). I liked the sound of the 1.7s. Here are impression of comparing the 2ce sig ii to the 1.7s:
1. When sitting in the sweet spot the 1.7's have a bigger soundstage, especially vertically, and seemed more involving.
2. The 1.7's sounded a lot faster and somewhat more detailed than the 2Ces, but had significantly less bass.
3. I listened to the 1.7s first, and then the 2ces. My initial feeling when the 2Ces came on first was that I liked the 1.7's more. After the 2Ces were on for a while, though, I started to really enjoy them.
4. The speaker placement in my house would not be where the dealer had them in the room, they would be wider apart, farther back and closer to the side and back wall. At my request we redid the audition with the speakers in that position, and then the maggies lost all of the great soundstage they had. The vandersteens sounded about the same as they did in the more optimal position, but a little more distant or thin. They were still a couple of feet from the back and sides not too close. (At my house I sit 14 feet away from the speakers, and they are about 12-13 feet apart, and about 3 feet from the back and 2 feet from the sides).
5. The 1.7s are tall and would not work aesthetically in our house (its hard enough to defend the vandersteen look - but they are much shorter :)
6. If I switched to the 1.7s, I would have to probably buy a new maggie center channel to match the sonic signature of the 1.7s, and I really love the VCC-5 center.
Anyway, I'm trying do decide whether to upgrade to the vandersteens or do something else. It would cost me about $2000 after selling my old ones and upgrading to the new ones, and its really hard to know how big an improvement it would really be for music listening.
I started wondering whether the money would better go to a different component, like upgradingt the rotel 1095 to a theta dreadnaught ii or iii (that would cost more like $3K used, I thin). I have never heard that amp, but the reviews are amazing. Also, I am wondering if something would pair better with the vandersteens or whether rotel is a good complement. The music sounds good, clear, nice bass, etc, but I keep thinking it could somehow be better (bigger soundstage, more depth in the soundstage, more involving, etc).
Any adivce would be appreciated.
Background:
Here are some details of my current system:
Pre-Amp: Marantz AV7005
Amp: Rotel 1095
Front Speakers: Vandersteen 2Ce, purchased new in 1994
Center Channel: Vandersteen VCC-5, purchased new in 2012
Rear Speakers: Vandersteen 1B, purchased used in 2002
Subwoofer: Vandersteen V2W, purchased new in 2012
Universal Player: OPPO BDP-93
Synology NAS stores lossless ripped CD audio and home photos
TV: Samsung plasma 64" PLND8000 or something like that :)
Speaker Cables: Canare 12AWG bi-wire to the fronts and center, the rear goes through the wall with cheap Home Depot Cable.
Interconnect: transparent basic RCA for the fronts, blue jeans RCA cable for the center and rears.
Oppo to Marantz connect is HDMI.
the system is in the family room, which is fairly large and open to the adjacent kitchen, with valuted ceilings and large windows.
The family watches movies here and TV here, and I want the system to be fun for family movies (it is!), and great for dialog (it is, though there is a hint of boominess to male voices). The center channel is in a cabinet, and sticking out a few inches (which was recommended by Richard Vandersteen's son (Nathan, I think?).)
I also listed to music here with the TV off at night when it is otherwise quiet in the house. To me, the music sounds good to very good, most normal people (non audiophiles :) comment that it is really great (like "wow, that sounds so clear"). I listen to music off of the Synology drive which is on the network, it is decoded in the Marantz Av7005. The "transport" of lossless digital audio should be perfect, as it is over a computer network (hard CAT 6 ethernet) that doesn't downsample or lose packets, etc). I also listen to music off of the internet (spotify), which is 44KHz, 16b audio, and I control it via iphone or ipad over AirPlay (which the Marantz supports). Even that sounds very good.
Question:
I am thinking about upgrading the fronts to the latest Vandersteen 2Ce Sig ii which now has the midrange from the 5's and I think the tweeter from the 3's.
I went to my local hifi audio shop and auditioned a used 1 year old pair (which did not have the 5 midrange) and while I was there I also compared it to the Maggie 1.7s. Of course the dealer had completely different front end equipment than I do, so it's a little hard to judge, but the new vandersteens certainly sounded better than the ones I have (though it did not seem like a big jump). I liked the sound of the 1.7s. Here are impression of comparing the 2ce sig ii to the 1.7s:
1. When sitting in the sweet spot the 1.7's have a bigger soundstage, especially vertically, and seemed more involving.
2. The 1.7's sounded a lot faster and somewhat more detailed than the 2Ces, but had significantly less bass.
3. I listened to the 1.7s first, and then the 2ces. My initial feeling when the 2Ces came on first was that I liked the 1.7's more. After the 2Ces were on for a while, though, I started to really enjoy them.
4. The speaker placement in my house would not be where the dealer had them in the room, they would be wider apart, farther back and closer to the side and back wall. At my request we redid the audition with the speakers in that position, and then the maggies lost all of the great soundstage they had. The vandersteens sounded about the same as they did in the more optimal position, but a little more distant or thin. They were still a couple of feet from the back and sides not too close. (At my house I sit 14 feet away from the speakers, and they are about 12-13 feet apart, and about 3 feet from the back and 2 feet from the sides).
5. The 1.7s are tall and would not work aesthetically in our house (its hard enough to defend the vandersteen look - but they are much shorter :)
6. If I switched to the 1.7s, I would have to probably buy a new maggie center channel to match the sonic signature of the 1.7s, and I really love the VCC-5 center.
Anyway, I'm trying do decide whether to upgrade to the vandersteens or do something else. It would cost me about $2000 after selling my old ones and upgrading to the new ones, and its really hard to know how big an improvement it would really be for music listening.
I started wondering whether the money would better go to a different component, like upgradingt the rotel 1095 to a theta dreadnaught ii or iii (that would cost more like $3K used, I thin). I have never heard that amp, but the reviews are amazing. Also, I am wondering if something would pair better with the vandersteens or whether rotel is a good complement. The music sounds good, clear, nice bass, etc, but I keep thinking it could somehow be better (bigger soundstage, more depth in the soundstage, more involving, etc).
Any adivce would be appreciated.
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- 14 posts total
- 14 posts total