Vandersteen 5a Carbons

Bruce, that's why they make all these models....we all hear differently. I know the whole Paradigm line very very well. That's one reason I own a pair, lol. For me, the Treo's ate the S8's (v3) lunch. I have heard the Tributes too and liked them very much, but for me they aren't the Treo's or Quatro's. I will say that they were in my top three speakers to purchase when I was ready to make a purchase.

I have heard a lot of room correction, including the DEQX. I have found that one to be one of, if not the best, however I like the Lyndorf one also. They rebadge it in the states under the Mac label. I have a similar program in Amarra that I'm going to fiddle with soon I think.

In the end, it's still all about starting with a good room and then purchasing a system and not components. I was open to anything on the market and I was an audio free agent (I had no dealer) so I shopped about 45 different dealers in my travels to figure out what I liked best.

When I looked as my favorite lines of speakers most were phase and time correct. The speakers I thought I was going to like the best, I didn't (I have owned a few lines since 69, and thought that I would start with those brands, however overtime I realized that I like other lines the stores carried better.

I found most speakers goosed a db or 2 in the top end and I can't sit and listen to them for hours. To me that's not 'open' or 'detailed', it's just annoying. Again, that's me. That's one reason I liked the S8's too. I also listened for the speakers that show the differences of a cable when you switch them out. Hopefully you didn't take my comments as badmouthing the Paradigms.

Bruce, the other thing that just came to mind is how a speaker is auditioned in a show room. I take control of the remote as many dealers will personally like one speaker over another. It's often about markups and money. It should be to an extent, however I have had dealers goose the volume a spec during a song etc.. to 'show how dynamic they sound'....we know that's not right, but I've been in very high end boutiques and caught them doing it.

That's why listening and educating yourself is so important. You can tell by many folks posts if they do that, however we all know that too many just buy on what some of us say and they don't use their own ears or don't trust their ears. I say, just go listen and if you don't hear a difference in a product, then it's not for you. Just because it sounds different, doesn't mean it sounds right.

Ctsooner, I will have to find my way to Johnny R's shop. He is an ARC dealer and knows more Vandies than Richard (sic). As I said above, I suspect that I didn't hear the Treos at their best.

Other speakers on my radar screen are Magico S-5s. They are phase coherent but not time coherent. That's where the DEQX does its thing.

And even with the best Vandies, they may be perfectly time coherent, but they will sound like crap in a crummy room.

Will need to talk to Johnny R.

Just had retinal surgery. This exercise will have to wait for a bit. Also, my next tweak may be upgrading my ARC Ref 150 to the SE. It's a process.

Bruce, you can fix much of that room pretty easily and inexpensively. A few plants, some wall hangings of the right material and some diffusing in the rear. Do you have walls or ceiling that vibrates with various modes?

I spoke with a friend who also uses and likes DEQX. I think that's what the Lyndorf/Mac uses and if so, I was impressed with it. Johnny had the 5aCT's running on the Ref 75's and it was about the best I've ever heard them. It was during Richards last visit and I stayed after everyone left. They ROCKED. I have no idea what what going on, but the room was on fire. We just wanted to stay and listen to everything he had recorded, but they had to go eat. That's the day I said that I had to get the Quatro's. Some felt the 5's were sounding better than the 7's, but NO WAY. That's when I realized that so many don't fully get what they are listening to. The 7's were even more dynamic, but ONLY when the producer wanted them to be. I really feel that many folks just aren't aware of how great sound sounds. Not sure if that comes out right, but you just listened to the 7's, the 5's and even the Treo's and stopped thinking about what you were hearing. That's when it becomes great sound.
Good luck with your recovery. Let me know via PM or email when you head over to AC and I'll see if I can drive down from CT.

Thanks CT. I generally recall that AC's listening rooms are pretty carefully set up. My listening room/basement is disaster.

Yea, John doesn't spend a lot of money and I think he even plugs things straight into the wall for the most part. Hardly even pushed special ac cables. He uses things that you find in a regular room for the most part. I promise you that if anyone can make your room sound better without breaking the bank it's Johnny. I have been into so many high end stores in the last two years and very few are set up well. I don't understand it either. Most of the rooms seem dead which is strange because a hotter system usually sells even though it will give many fatigue over the long haul. Kind of like folks buying the brightest tv at Best Buy.