Audible diffferences between Vandy 2w & 2wq

Hello Swampwalker, I second Sdcampbell's recommendation. I recently purchased two 2Wq's to go with my 3.5R Maggies. It is no small difference.

I have owned the Maggies for almost 4 years and know their character very well. When I took home a demo 2Wq I really wasn't expecting much, but after a short listening period I was sold. The speakers opened up and took on a whole new life. The music flows much more naturally and is locked in from top to bottom. I ordered two of them the next day. Acoustic bass is now so beautifully rendered I can't stop listening.

Because they integrate so smoothly with planars, I can only imagine what a perfect match they would be with any Vandersteen system.

Like Sdcampbell, I also purchased the balanced crossovers that are in the Vandy 5's. You should seriously consider them. They are a better design and higher quality than the stock crossovers. They also are variable so if you ever change amps, you won't have to purchase new crossovers.

Go with the 2Wq instead of the 2W. To be able to adjust the Q (even just a little) is a great advantage. If you go with the 2W you will probably be asking yourself what your system would sound like if you could only adjust the Q. That would be frustrating.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck and good listening.

Sdzink-I have been thinking about getting a 2Wq to go with my Maggie 1.6's. I have been thinking about only getting one. What do you feel the difference is between one a two subs running with the Maggies. By the way my room is 14X25. Thanks in advance.

OK, so lets say I go with the 2WQ. Next question is which comes first, upgrade mains to 3Asig or add sub?

Good question, Swampwalker. I have owned the Vandy 2Ci, 2Ce, 3A, and now the 3A Signature (and, as noted above, added a pair of 2Wq's recently). I think the 3A Signature is a MUCH better speaker than the Vandy "2" series speakers -- infact, I think the 3A Signature is one of the finest speakers I have ever heard selling for less than $5-6k. While the 2Wq sub(s) will certainly improve the quality of your 2Ci's, remember that the 2Ci is now a 13-year-old design and that Vandersteen has continued to make improvements since this model came out. My strong recommendation is to make a major upgrade decision and buy the 3A Signature speakers, which contain the same tweeter, mid-range, and crossover components as the Model 5. Then, at a later date, add the 2Wq subs (a stereo pair is the way to go). I think most of the other owners of Vandy 3A Sig's will also recommend you upgrade your main speakers before adding the subs. (You might drop a note to Garfish and ask for his recommendation -- he has owned the Vandy 3A Sigs, which he recently sold to upgrade to the Vandy Model 5. He also has a McCormack DNA2 power amp, and can thus give you some first-hand advice on the issue of power.)

The other upgrade you should be thinking if you opt to buy the Vandy 3A Sig's is to buy a larger amp, maybe even before you add the subs. Both the 3A Sig's and the 2Wq subs will derive substantial benefit from a high-quality amp in the 200-250 wpc range. The 3A Sigs are very transparent, accurate, dynamic, and have excellent soundstaging, so they really benefit from being paired with a good amp. (Your McCormack amp is a good one, but you might want to move to one of the more powerful models. I am currently using a Bryston 4B-ST to drive my 3A Sig's, but any similar quality amp should be a good pairing.) Whatever you choose to do next, good listening! -- Scott