Believe it or not, the best I've heard Vandersteen 2s (and I've heard them a lot) was with a 35 watt Music Reference RM10 at John Rutan's Audio Connection, when he and I were hanging out with one of his salesmen one afternoon several years ago.
That was simply one of those few and fleeting magical moments we all experience in audiophilia. Nothing was lacking. Even the low end, which was incredibly fast (normally, one the Vandersteen's real weak points), and possessed true snap. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I close my eyes and can hear it all over again - Dick Dale's surf guitar has never sounded finer to me.
Also heard the speakers with a pair of Quicksilver monos when I was last there in November, and though good, didn't come anywhere close to the aforementioned experience.
That was simply one of those few and fleeting magical moments we all experience in audiophilia. Nothing was lacking. Even the low end, which was incredibly fast (normally, one the Vandersteen's real weak points), and possessed true snap. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I close my eyes and can hear it all over again - Dick Dale's surf guitar has never sounded finer to me.
Also heard the speakers with a pair of Quicksilver monos when I was last there in November, and though good, didn't come anywhere close to the aforementioned experience.