Vandersteen Treo vs 3A Sig as upgrade

I had Vandy 3A's for a number of years.Then bought new 3A Sigs which I've had for five years now.I've heard the Treos twice at two different dealers, set up properly at both with reference level electronics at both.My opinion mirrors yours.I definately felt the Treos were hotter / brighter on top. Bass not in the same ball park as the 3A's.Don't seem to have that signature Vandersteen family sound.Cost alot more money than the 3's but in my opinion,aren't a better speaker at all.I'd like to see Vandersteen incorporate a good ribbon tweeter into their designs and drop the metel dome. I'd like to also see a 3A Signature Wood version. Maybe some day.

I compared both speakers in my room using an Aesthetix Atlas, ARC REF 3 and a Grace M905 DAC using a Macmini running Pure Music. I am assuming you listened to the non CT version of the Treo in my comments. (I did find the CT version a little bright in later listening to that speaker in a dealership compared to the non CT version after both were set up properly.)
I did not find the Treo any brighter than the 3a Sig overall. The Treo has a little lighter balance which accounts for it sounding a little more open. The 3A Sig definitely has a better bottom and a bigger sound. I didn't come to the same conclusion about the Treo midrange. I thought the 3A Sig sounded every bit as smooth and refined, just not quite as open.
The 3a Sig has undergone some changes in the last year or so with the addition of the same midrange as the Treo (woven mid) and uses the same tweeter. The bass was tightened up also. The newer 3a Sigs do not sound the same as the previous model.
I ultimately bought the 3A Sig for it's better bass and bigger sound. I can live without the some what better attributes of the Treo being slightly more open.
Lastly, it has been my experience that dealers do not set the speakers up properly for demo. If they don't measure your ear height and sitting distance, there is NO way they are set up correctly. Vandersteen's certainly are not a sit and listen speaker!

Wlutke ... I listened to a pair of Treos several years ago. The speakers were driven by an ARC VS-115 amp. IMO, even though the Treos were presumably set up properly, I was underwhelmed by their performance. I compared the Treos to a pair of Paradigm Tributes. IMO, the Tributes were considerably better sounding.

You might say that my reactions about the Treo were unfavorable. Well take what I just wrote with a grain of salt. About 9 months ago, I bought a DEQX PreMATE. It made a big deal difference in sound performance because it tamed my speakers and room.

So ... what I am saying is that even if your dealer followed Vandersteen's set up instructions to a tee, if his room was crummy, the Treo demo might not have done the speakers justice.

In my case, I suspect that my initial reactions might have been colored by poor room conditions. At this point, I'll never know for sure.

Just sayin'.

"Lastly, it has been my experience that dealers do not set the speakers up properly for demo. If they don't measure your ear height and sitting distance, there is NO way they are set up correctly."

The exception being the dealer the OP just insulted that's not his local dealer, and won't be making any money off him. Pat him on the back and tell him what he wants to hear.

I just recently purchased a pair of Vandy Treo CT's and in the process of breaking them in. I have about 100 hours on them. Right out of the box with no break in and less than proper set up, they did sound a little hard and harsh in the upper mids. But as I've been getting them broke in and with proper set-up from Richard Vandersteen the sound has improved significantly. Back tilt and toe-in seem to be extremely important to these speakers. With the correct placement and tilt, along with more break in time they are improving each day. I found these speakers not very forgiving toward mediocre recordings. If the recording has a significant amount of upper midrange hash you will hear it with the Treos. These speakers will not hide or sugar coat a poor recording. When the record is of good quality and lacks some of the over processing used now a days, I get some of the best sound I ever heard from my system. I have listened to 3A sigs, but did not like their lack of midrange resolution and dynamics. In fairness to the 3A's, this was a few years back and may not be current production. For reference, I'm using a Rogue Pharaoh integrated hybrid amp. Cambridge 851-C cd player, Well-Tempered Labs Amadeus Mk. II turntable, Soundsmith cartridge. Using MIT speaker cable for now, but my dealer says I should get these out of my system as soon as possible. Room is 15 1/2 feet long, 11 1/2 feet wide, vaulted ceiling with a balance of absorbing and reflecting surfaces. Hope this might be of some help to the OP. Cheers!