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Need advice on amp to drive Vandersteen 2Cs

Gurus,

I need some advice from you pros. Currently I have Vandersteen 2C driven by Denon POA 2400 (200 x 2)which is fed by a B&K MC 101 Preamp. I listen to mostly vinyl.

I'm in a dilemma whether this is the best I can do for Vandersteens or I can make them sing better. I like my current set-up but thinking to better it. I have been watching the DK Design VS-1 MKII integrateds go for about a grand.

I'm split between going for an integrated vs upgrading my amp and/or preamp.

Any suggestions?
livin_262002
exocet954
98 posts
 
I owned the 2C and drove them with a upgraded stereo 70 with an ARC-6B preamp. Great combo in the right room. I'll never forget listening to the 2C at Music by Design, (now gone)in northern California with an ARC SP-10 preamp and ARC D-115 amp. Wonderful combo. Lot's of choices.
Audible Illusions 3 A,B preamps with Quicksilver amps mid mono's and Silver 60's sound great!! Belles and McCormack solid state amps are really good as well. But, to my ears the 2C sounds best with tubes.
eagleman6722
217 posts
 
I had the 2CE sigs and since upgraded to the 3aSigs. I had a McCormack DNA1 but, it was bested by a TAD60 and now a couple of TAD 125s. Not true that the vandys are not a good rock speaker. That's about all I listen to. They are very non fatiuging and can pack a nice punch with the right electronics.
wig's avatar
wig
1,270 posts
 

My 2 Ce Sig II were originally mated with a Rogue Cronus
and upgraded RCA Clear Tops with outstanding result if
you have a medium sized room but I upgraded to the Belles
150A Ref and it's stunning!

Wig
siliab
362 posts
 
The truly amazing thing about 2Cs of any vintage is that they can perform completely satisfactorily with budget electronics but can take full advantage of any improvement you make upstream. I have had Vandersteens of one sort or another in my stable for most of the past 27 years and I must agree with Exocet that they sound best to my ears with tubes. They sound great with Rogue, VTL and ARC integrateds and hallucinogenically brilliant with the heavy hitting ARC, VTL and Jadis monster amps. Of course, few will pair speakers of such modest cost with such electronics but the combos are nothing if not awesome. The 2Cs can truly take you as far as you would like to go.
livin_262002 OP
187 posts
 
I appreciate all the input. Looks like there's a consensus that the 2C's will sound very good with tubes. I have no experience with tubes (none at all). Based on Siliab's recommendations, I did some research on tube integrateds, I like the specification of Rogue Tempest. The only drawback I feel is absence of phono stage. Any other recommendations on integrated with good phono stages( I know most amps come with MM phono stage only, since I use a MM cartridge on my Rega P2 I'm ok with it)

Thank You
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