Vandersteen 2CE Signature III — video review on YouTube by Steve Guttenberg (1/15/2023)

After much tweaking I have integrated my Vandersteen 2CE Sig II's with a pair of Rythmik F12G-SE. The Vandersteen's were good before the subs, but now the sound went to 11. As they say in Spinal Tap "this one goes to 11"....

2psyop

NICE! I've wondered about doing that.👍

After much tweaking I have integrated my Vandersteen 2CE Sig II's with a pair of Rythmik F12G-SE. The Vandersteen's were good before the subs, but now the sound went to 11. As they say in Spinal Tap "this one goes to 11"....

+1

well integrated subs will afford a step change in sonic performance of many systems, even with purported high performance full range speakers...

I have always liked the sound of Vandersteen. I had seen many people sell their 2CE speakers only to regret it later and buy another pair. They are well designed and sound great within the parameters of that kind of budget. Richard never intended this model to compete with other well established and more expensive brands and models, including his own. I had listened to about 7-10 speakers around that price and settled on them. I just couldn’t let them go after years of pleasureable listening, so I opted to play with adding stereo subwoofers. What could it hurt? Now these speakers are revitalized! They are not without faults because if you don’t give them enough room or don’t place and tilt them according to the manual and your room, you will not really hear what quality sound they can give. I have had times where the upper highs have been harsh. Mostly it was the room reflections and dampening. If I had to rate these speakers from 1-10, they would get a 9.5.

2psyop, I can't say that "Richard never intended this model to compete with other well established and more expensive brands".  But some of his successful dealers did.  Back in the 1980s both Optimal Enchantment in LA and Havens and Hardesty in Orange County frequently demoed the current Model 2 with top of the line Audio Research electronics.  Some people questioned if that made sense, until they heard those systems.

Of course that was long ago now.  But Optimal Enchantment remains open, still selling both brands.