OLD Name, NEW Sound: VANDERSTEEN 2Ce Signature III

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

*There’s an Audiophiliac/Steve Guttenberg imposter scamming my viewers, There’s no FREE gifts. DON’T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon)*

[@damaster692]

It's tough to beat magnepans and Matin Logans, but they have some weakness unless u go for the ones with large woofers or integrate your own with a time allign system like the Minidsp Flex8, AudioHolics Messures the Nad M23 as the best amp in the world

[@rockmusicvideoreviewer896]

@@keplermission uh duh

[@socksumi]

@@keplermission True. Vandersteen are not my cup of tea however S.G. has a soft spot for them because 1) he sold them for some years and 2) he worked for a magazine that made a small fortune from prolific Vandesteen advertising over many decades. Any guesses why they got such rave reviews? And... if Steve is being paid for this review of the latest Vandersteen?

[@jeffglassman101]

Thanks for all the great videos. We met at Sereo Exchange 30 years ago. How are you?

[@jackdale9249]

@@socksumi love how he says "I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon)" so you DO ask for $ LOL 🥴

[@williammoses6460]

Forty years ago I had to seriously remodel our house. While I had that line of credit I bought my 2Cs. Rolled them into the mortgage. I’d do it again instantly. Twenty years later I gave that system to a daughter. Ten years later she gave the system to the youngest. Still sound good.

[@ethimself5064]

Kool👍

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Ok boomer

[@williammoses6460]

@@ColocasiaCorm Class of ‘49. I got them in gray so they’d always match my hair.

[@jaysanyal5509]

The “people” aspect of Steve’s videos is one of the big reasons that sets him apart from dry measurement numbers and why I follow him. The shout out to John Ruttan is so cool! I bought a pair of Vandersteen 1Cs from John way back in 1998 which are still my home-theater front speakers. I still remember the dark room with the palm fronds and some fancy glowing tubes hooked up to the speakers playing Willlie Nelson and John’s ringing endorsement “these are better than s** on the beach, man!”. He couldn’t have more right. Thanks for the memory Steve!!

[@noemontalvo2305]

Hi Steve, I have the Vandersteen 2Ce signature for about 20+ years maybe 23 years. To this day I still love them.

[@markellinghaus5925]

I've still got my 2ci speakers that I bought in 1989. They still sound as good as when I bought them. I keep telling myself to upgrade but I never pulled the trigger because I have no complaints.

[@binarybeastie8901]

On my second pair of Vandersteen's from John. Hands down the best most knowledgeable dealer in the area.

[@flint9591]

Thanks for reviewing the 2Ce's. I've loved mine for over 30 years !

[@jtsocal1013]

I own these and love them. When I listen to them I don’t feel like I am listening to a loudspeaker, but rather a very accurate rendering of the music; they just draw you in and make you want to play record after record. The midrange is off the charts. At $3600 a pair you’re not going to find a better speaker.

[@scottyo64]

@@keplermission I find those daily......not

[@stephencosta6814]

I have a question if you could please answer how do they sound word easy, listening music from the 80s that’s all recorded. Well if you know what I mean your answer will really help me. Thank you.

[@paulberkebile5562]

I bought 2A's in 1981 and I still love them! I really appreciated the fact that when I called with a question or problem, Richard answered the phone and was very pleasant and patient!

[@dougghilardi4258]

Hello Steve, I too had Vandersteen 2ce paired with a golden tube audio amplifier. I had a tube preamp all setup for vinyl playback. I could not listen to it in the dark by myself. It was too realistic-soundstage width and depth was very accurate. Beautiful sound though. Surprised this is not a more popular speaker. Met Mr. Vandesteen once. Really nice guy. Hope more people give Vandersteen a listen. Pretty amazing speakers.

[@TONEScott]

On my primary system I run Vandersteen 3A Signatures. They blow people away ALWAYS. I ran 2Ce Signature II's with external sub before and they were fantastic. Glad you brought these into the light

[@georgeschulte5581]

What amp are you using? My Vandy 3's seem a bit dull on my Marantz Sr8400 in Direct mode with 135 watts at 6 Ohms

[@nymarty]

I have Vandersteen 3a Signatures that are new to me but 19 years old. They sound great! John Rutan and his crew at Audio Connection are the best in the audio business.

[@RichardDurishin]

I listened to the 2 CE before I purchased my current speakers. They seemed unbelievably accurate and transparent. They made good recordings sound great but they also revealed the faults in not so good recordings, particularly '80's New Wave (an era with a lot of awesome, but poorly recorded music). But, with a solid state Amp and a good recording - Wow!

[@xilebat]

Like many here, I have direct experience with Vandersteen (had a pair of 2Ce's until I had to move- the ONLY speakers I regret selling). Trust me when I say Steve knows EXACTLY what he's talking about here. Get a pair of Vandy's and you're pretty much done buying speakers for a very, very long time. My current system is Audiophiliac-certified: Parasound Hint 6 and Klipsch RP600Ms. They fit the tiny room they are squeezed into, and provide the low level/late night listening speaker I need these days. Steves's right on the money there, and I'm glad I listened to him. Listen to him on the Vandersteens. I miss mine.

[@Habitual_Liar]

Someone reviewing Vandersteens is nice to see! I have some from the 90s and i will put them up against any modern speaker under 3k. They sound so musical and lush. Not many speakers float an image like Vandersteens. Pure musical enjoyment.

[@scottlowell493]

Nah, under 5K. The 2ce blow away the new sonus faber lumina ($3000/pr).

[@garyhilbolt4363]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Richard Vandersteen in Selinsgrove, Pa. What a fantastic gentleman and innovator. He enlightened myself and many others that day with his knowledge and prowess. His speakers and work deserve far more accolades than he receives.

[@chadwozniak6708]

Susq Univ graduate, here. I totally forgot that there was a high-end audio store in town. I couldn't afford anything in there when I lived in town, so I never went in.

[@PSUMT]

I bought my Vandersteens in Selinsgrove!

[@bebpoe]

Great Review Steve ! I have owned 3 pairs of 2's and 1 pair of Fives . I moved to Fla and started over can't wait to find a pair of 2 sigs ll or lll that is what is now missing in my life ! Old customer of John Rutan he hands down has the best matched equipment & best sound rooms of any Tri-state store !

[@ColinRobertson_LLAP]

I've had my 2CE signatures (1) for about 20 years now and they're still going strong!

[@Felix-xo8po]

Lived with the 2CE Signature 1's for many years. Your description of how they sound is spot on, never had a speaker that showed up any differences in changes you make to the front end as well as they did. They take some effort in setting up once you get it right they are phenomenal for the price. Beating out most speakers costing a hell of a lot more. Replaced them with Cornscala D's, which are kinder to bad recordings, and just like the Cornwall's have the dynamics and the live sound the Vandies lack in compassion. Great review thank you,

[@bombers7878]

2ce Signature 2 owner here. I got mine used for $1500 AUD (~$1000 USD) and still can’t believe the performance. Under-represented in Australia, and a former dealer told me they’re Harbeth-killers.

[@Akstergrind]

Hi Steve, I just want to thank you for some joy you inadvertently brought into my life a little while back. You happened to mention some podcasts you enjoy, one of which was Marc Maron’s excellent WTF. I now listen to it every day, and it never fails to make me laugh and feel better. So thanks, man. Much appreciated!

[@CNile-se9xw]

From the details in this vid, the Vandersteen 2Ce Signature III are definitely my kind of speaker. For the price, tight bass & such precise sound presentation, I'll happily forgo a 15" woofer. As a retiree, listening at low volume in the evening doesn't make sense as my wife often goes to bed early and is a light sleeper. I'm fortunate to be able to enjoy life during reasonable hours.

[@DirectorsGarage]

I have the Vandy 3a Signature-- since the 90s. I love them. Richard even updated the drivers for me a few years ago.

[@dustboy1978]

The first speaker to ever really knock my socks off was a Vandersteen, no idea what model. I went to buy a second-hand SOTA turntable, and to demo it the seller dropped the Sumiko BPS on Brubeck's "Lost Waltz". Dave's piano intro sounded so sweet, but then BANG the band kicked in and my hair stood straight up, swear to god. I could see the whole stage in front of me. I can't afford a new set of Vandersteens but I've been searching for that sound ever since. I hope someday to find a good used pair..

[@stephencosta6814]

I would don’t wait so long save your money and get what you want today because tomorrow may never come. Just a thought that came to me

[@jackdale9249]

heaps of used $400-600 a pair !

[@louisperlman8030]

Excellent review. I spent the 1990’s with a pair of 2ce’s, and heard various Vandersteen’s in the Audio Connections rom at several NYC shows back when there were meaningful shows in NYC. Back then, the speakers had dual banana jack, what a pain. I drove my 2ce’s with a NYAL Moscode Minuet in A preamp and an Aragon 2002 amp. The sound was very different than what Steve described. The speakers were very musical, but not exactly high resolution. Bass went down to 32hz on test cd tracks, but the 2ce’s didn’t exactly rock out. Massed strings were incredible on the RCA Living Stereo reissues though, which arrived just after I upgraded to a Lyra Lydian phono cartridge.

[@artyfhartie2269]

I have some medium size and bookshelf speakers circa 1972. They have a full sound with natural sounding human voice and good punchy bass response. Speakers made in the last 20 years have this clear, precise, sparkling sound with not much bass that you require a subwoofer to give the sound realism. The manufacturers decided for some reason that is what is good because they use measurements from instruments to design them.

[@Revelator2025]

I remember as a young audiophile/enthusiast lusting over the 2ce. Never made the leap and bought a pair but they looked good, they sounded good and made my CD selection (Strunz and Farah, Zappa Yellow Shark etc) sound marvelous. Appreciate the flashback/flashforward…

[@vladimirdorta6692]

Great review of a great speaker. The T-stand is still sold by the also famous Sound Anchors.

[@fumedtwice8921]

Great review steve! There are very few review's on KZbin that feature Vandersteen speakers. I'm on my forth pair with the Treo Ct's. I'm very attached to them but it was helpful to hear how they compaired to the Pure Audio open baffle speakers. The model 2's have been greatly improved over the years. I still have a pair of the original model 2's in my studio and I had a pair of the model 2Ce signature II's in my main system. They are very different speakers. I'm sure the new model is a noticeable improvement over the previous model.

[@jpatrickdowns]

I own these speakers (they replaced a 20+ year old pair of 2CEs-yes, I am a creature of habit). They are a superb value, imo, and do so many things well. If I was to upgrade, it would probably be to the Vandersteen Treo CT (a gorgeous speaker with good WAF-Wife Acceptance Factor), for 3X the price. I DO WANT TREOS!

[@judmcc]

For the last 3+ years, I've done most of my listening on electrostatic headphones. I'm enamored with the clarity of the electostatics that my dynamic speakers don't sound right. In the last 3 years I've upgraded everything except my speakers. The last time I was shopping for speakers, the Vandersteens were under consideration, but I never got the chance to hear them. I'm planning to upgrade my speakers within a few months. I've been considering MartinLogan. From the way you describe the Vandersteens as being nearly like electostatics, I'm putting them at the top of my list.

[@wattsupaz]

I have a pair of 2CE Signature 2. I'm tempted to call Vandersteen to see if there is an upgrade path.. As to Mr. Ruttan, he gave me some good advice to move the speaker to about 13" from the front wall, and that really helped the low end response. I'm really pleased that you took the time to spotlight these classics.

[@dennisheadley4408]

First time I heard them was in 1978 powered by Bryston electronics, and they blew me away. It seems they retailed for around $1100.00. Met Richard at a Phoenix store and he was a really nice person.

[@user-ex9zm7bg3x]

what store?

[@dennisheadley4408]

@@user-ex9zm7bg3x It seems like it was Buzz Jensen's. But back then there were several stores on Indian School and Camelback Road.

[@user-ex9zm7bg3x]

@@dennisheadley4408 Buzz Jensen's Sound Advice! And Jerry's. Esoteric Audio in Scottsdale. Hi-Fi Sales in Mesa. Those were the days!

[@dennisheadley4408]

@@user-ex9zm7bg3x I'm afraid those days are gone. I've bought items in the past from all those stores except Esoteric.

[@user-ex9zm7bg3x]

@@dennisheadley4408 Same here! Once in Esoteric a friend and I heard Wilson subs. We thought the sales guy behind us was breathing on us!

[@anonymohipp9097]

Nice review. Thank you. I'd love to hear your review of the Vandersteen Quatros.

[@jeremiahchamberlin4499]

Me too.

[@gregorypatton360]

Ive always wondered about vandersteen. Thanks Steve

[@iampryso9548]

Well I have an old history with Vandersteens. I bought my first 2s in I believe 1978. That had a solid top rather than open for HF dispersion. Over the next few years I upgraded twice as improved Model 2s were introduced. I bought mine from Stereo Unlimited in San Diego, still a Vandy dealer I believe. But I remember two dealers in the LA area, Audio Enchantment and Havens & Hardesty, who sold Vandersteens along with Audio Research. Both dealers paired much more expensive ARC amps and preamps with the Model 2, saying they were good enough for that match. I heard a demo at Havens & Hardesty once in a very large room. The Model 2 whatever were well away from the front and side walls and driven by ARC electronics it was an immersive and wonderful experience. Unfortunately my room nor budget allowed duplication of that set up. Possibly that conditioned me since a few years later I made a big jump to Duntech Princess speakers. Like Richard, John Dunlavy believed strongly in the importance of time/phase coherency in his designs. My ears seemed to agree with that.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thanks for sharing

[@iampryso9548]

Correction: That was Optimal Enchantment (and I think still is) if anyone cares.

[@jpatrickdowns]

Good review! I own these speakers (they replaced a 20+ year old pair of 2CEs-yes, I am a creature of habit). They are a superb value, imo, and do so many things well. If I was to upgrade, it would probably be to the Vandersteen Treo CT (a gorgeous speaker with good WAF-Wife Acceptance Factor), for 3X the price. They aren't pretty, but I am used to the look. Kudos to the shout-out to John Rutan. SUPER nice, helpful guy. If I lived on the east coast he would be my go-to guy for gear. I don't think these speakers get the love they deserve, because people may dismiss them as an "old" design (so are the BBC style monitors like Harbeth and Graham, and people adore those) but they really are a classic. People who know, know. There is a reason why Richard has sold something like 100K pairs of them. Cheers.

[@mrtunapie6653]

I had a pair of Steen's back in the early 90's. Kept them only a few months and replaced them with Martin Logan. I fell in love with the electrostatic sound, esp in the highs and mids, vocals breathtaking! The Steens bored me to death, but they taught me what "neutral" means.

[@keplermission]

Yeah you know ... all speakers don't work equally well with all amplifiers. It just so happened that your amplifier suited the Martin Logan. The Steens weren't 'neutral' with all amplifiers and you know, you were never taught that, you just assumed that you knew it all. Nope, another day another dollar.

[@billybunter3753]

@@keplermission You know which amplifier he had? What was it so that I don't make the same mistake!

[@keplermission]

@@billybunter3753 Well ... the way you heard his amplifier you know, might not appear the same to you as it does to him because uh ... firstly people lie, and secondly what sounds 'neutral' one time depends on the way a recording is mixed, or broadcast (be careful with on air music, it's often remixed) and if you're using a number of different systems like Miguel Barrio, it's maybe not so easy to remember what system sounded a certain way. The other thing is that one amplifier of a certain model often sounds different from day to day, not only from broadcast air quality but Steve has a video suggesting we hear differently on certain days, and Nelson Pass had concluded in 1980 that there's really nothing so predictable as you're assuming. A brand name is easy to knock, people do it all the time, get a name, make it a bad name etc.

[@mrtunapie6653]

@@billybunter3753 At the time, I was using a Melos tube pre-amp and Lazarus hybrid class A amps (both companies went out of business years ago). Also, keep in mind this was early 90's, so the Steens may sound way different now. There is no need for folks to get defensive just because they werent my cup of tea. They are very well made speakers and very popular. We all have our own tastes.

[@billybunter3753]

@@mrtunapie6653 Thanks for the info mate. Yes my comment was directed to the other fella, I thought how could he possibly know which amplifier you were using. 😀

[@AlexKnightVancouver]

Great seeing these speakers featured. I bought a mint pair of Vandersteen speakers last year but I’ve had a hard time dating them. The serial number seems like it’s a 2CE, but it has banana posts on it (it’s not the signature model). Maybe I should email them.

[@richardwest2088]

Hello Steve, I love your show and I have a pair of the original Vandersteen model 2’s that I still Love.

[@CosmicKnight1]

I was first exposed to the Vanderstein’s in the early ‘80s. Funny, when I decided a few years back to get music back in the house in a serious way, I used 2x the price point -ish to define what “good” would cost. Back in the day below the $1,600+/pair price was all about compromises. The Vanderstien’s were the inflect point in price/performance where the money was about overall good and not compromises. I think the $3,200 to $3,800 price band today is where that inflection occurs but there are some notable outliers in the very inexpensive category today, which great! Overall, things have gotten much better. Thanks, Steve. Always a pleasure.

[@maxhirsch7035]

The fact that these speakers really show off the differences between different amps is a testament to their essential neutrality- and yes the phase-coherent sound and consequential imaging is something really special about this line of speakers. Re. transparency, the pistonic carbon drivers of the higher V models takes this quality even that much further in the mid-range and treble.

[@joewhip9303]

Still using my 3A Signatures I had updated in 1997 phenomenal speaker,

[@petervlaminck2960]

Great shirt today Steve 👌!

[@christopherm6979]

Love my Vandy 2ce sig IIs! I power them with a Bryston 4b3 and ARC ls17se tube preamp. Superb combination. I agree that the obvious flaw is in low level listening.

[@sourdoughhome2571]

Twenty-five years ago (if memory serves), I sold my Vandersteen 2Ci's. I still miss them. I'll have to see if anyone near me carries the 2Ce Signature III's.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

When I was just coming into my own as an audiophile in the late 80s, these were a huge big deal. I never got into them but I think I was looking for a punchier sound (which would make sense because I went with the KEF C80's). I'd love to hear them again.

[@ajn465]

I was a dealer at that time. The C 80s were the best thing Kef was building at the time. Including the whole reference series. Ya did good.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

@@ajn465 I had set aside an entire day, and I listened to a *lot* of stuff, some of it with very long auditions. But when I heard the first few notes from those KEF's I told the salesperson that he could shut the music off. He looked at me like I was about to say they'd sounded terrible, and all I said was, "You accept Master Card, yes?" About as close as a story is ever likely to get to literally being "Shut up and take my money." :D

[@Michael-bj4sz]

I purchased a pair of these and think they’re great. I had to return them because their bass overwhelmed my apartment. So I got the 1ci, a little smaller, and they are perfect for my apartment. I love these speakers!!!

[@Ssection31]

Same here listen to the model 1 an 2 in my attic with a saddel roof. Model 2 is to much model 1 perfect

[@AudioFileZ]

Steve, I really like your videos. You project such a warm and engaging persona that when combined for my love of all things audio I feel as if a trusted friend who has mutual interests is telling me about audio gear. This speaker has a special place in my heart. One of my childhood friends with a similar interest in audio and music purchased this speaker in the late nineties. He bought them from Steve Campbell, a Huntsville, AL Vandersteen dealer who had to order these for my friend. I was, at the time, very into my Emminent Technologies VFT-8 speakers I had moved from The ESS AMT 1B speakers. You could say I was surprised by the Vandersteen 2C's. It was a full-range very affordable large speaker with a clarity that a fan of AMT tweeters and wide-range passive planar mid/high hy-brid speakers could totally live with. These speakers survive yet today though my friend is sadly departed. He sold them to a mutual friend who still has them. The bottom line is these speakers are keepers. They do most things so well that one would have to spend a lot more dough to make incremental gains. As such it was truly of great interest that you visited the latest version of these speakers and found them to be still very high-value and high-resolution loudspeakers. Richard Vandersteen is a genius who has stayed true to his core vision and values. Thank you Steve, your observations are always highly respected by me. My love of audio gear began in the early seventies as a pre-teen. You are a link to that time whose knowledge and experience in audio is a treasure to me.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Wow, thanks!

[@Big-J-8579]

I have enjoyed my Model 1b's since 1990. I stll use them in my work office. My only gripe with the 1s, 2s and 3s is the acoustic cloth. My cats love it.

[@SuperMcgenius]

Hi Steve, After years of DIY speakers , I got a pair of Vandersteen 5a and magnepan 3.5 Both great , but the Maggie’s needed so much upgrade in parts and bracing. To me the the Vandys were like my old Saab turbo , did nothing wrong.

[@williamcampbell3868]

To, @SuperMCgenius: I have been enjoying my Maggie 1.6's for 18 years now. For a while I was considering upgrading to the 3.5's but when I purchased the Myesound stands from Canada the Maggie's were transformed in a big way! I very highly recommend that you purchase the Myesound stands. I think that would be all the modification your Maggie's would need. Trust me on that!!!

[@skippythetubrat]

I just bought a pair of Model 2Ce Signature (series 1) speakers. $725 used. I still can't believe I managed to get such a quality speaker for so little. These are ridiculously good speakers. Thanks for bringing them up in previous videos, Steve. It's because of you that they were on my radar when looking for speakers.

[@NoEgg4u]

Steve, great review. By the way, I met you 3 or so years ago, when I walked into Audio Connection's front door (the one on Bloomfield Avenue), and you were there with two associates. And just as I did not recognize them then, I again forget who they were. I do remember saying that I did not expect to meet a celebrity (meaning you, and felt embarrassed that I inadvertently might have made your two associates feel bad for not recognizing them). You had just hit 100,000 subscribers, and I told you that I was one of them (you thanked me), as we were walking to the listening rooms across the street. My stereo is from Audio Connection. Nick did an amazing job tuning my turntable. Wow! -- what an improvement he made, by expertly dialing in every vector. Samir (well, mostly Samir) did an amazing job setting up everything else in my apartment. Dare I say it -- better than John. I have not been back for 2 or so years. No income = no more audio toys. But I am very happy with what I have, and grateful that I was able to make my purchases when my income permitted. My only regret was finding out how bad the sound quality was for so many recordings. Listening to John's flagship System Nine room (and his other rooms), and to my home stereo, gave me a reality check. I was oblivious to how many songs are compressed, 2D, congested, etc. But the songs that were done right sound killer good -- speakers disappearing, etc. Cheers!

[@stephenplunkett2238]

Thanks Steve for such detailed and articulate reviewing - and also for always keeping an eye on affordability. I live in Ireland where only the British magazines are available and these tend to review mostly VERY expensive equipment, which is most unhelpful for most people. In one magazine this month, 8 of the 12 reviews were for individual components over $25,000 each. Anyway, I must find out if any dealer here is selling Vandersteens!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thanks for watching, and look around for used Vandersteens

[@SuperMcgenius]

Hey Steve, the Vandersteen subs with the eq are great. That could be a fun review, three 8” drivers with hi level inputs. Can give REL some competition.

[@davidbrooker5822]

Thanks Steve! I purchased a pair of the original Model 2's in the early 80's, as part of my first audiophile system, and still own them! Brilliant speakers! Powered them back then with the Kenwood L07m2 mono-blocks and a Hafler pre Amp. A Friend that was a Magnapan enthusiast was blown away by the Vanderstien sound.

[@garysmith8455]

Hey there Steve, you were mentioning your 'cut off' time following Eric Clapton. I thought to myself..........(what about 'One more car, one more rider'). This is a fantastic, captured LIVE performance with top notch players, including the late, great Billy Preston. And I about fell over when I saw it (the LP) right there on the floor of your viewer's system of the day feature! What a coincidence ! The sound quality is OUTSTANDING, in 2ch, OR 5.1 surround. Please don't discount it 🙂.

[@scottcooksey5284]

We're just "Pretending".

[@JHuffPhoto]

Imagine that!! Someone that can actually produce a $3,600 speaker in the USA. Based on your previous statements they could make these in China and sell them for half or less. Glad to see a company being more concerned with the product than the profit margin. Well done Vandersteen.

[@incognitoguitars9999]

Nice job Steve. Always enjoyable

[@masterxyr]

Contagious enthusiasm as always, Steve! Loved the young you back in the day: a 'little' less colourful than today :D the manual is indeed very devoted to detail, and I couldn't help but notice these two passages: "(...) the dielectric in most quality cables takes many hours to fully form. These cables will not reach their full potential until they have been used for several weeks." and "Each brand and model of cable has its own sonic characteristic and contributes to the overall presentation of the music as much as any active component." I have yet to do such testings with 'revealing' speakers so I can't say anything about this, but "as much as any active component" seems like a modicum of a stretch :D

[@spacemissing]

I worked for a guy who bought a pair of 2Cs in the 1990s and loved them. I didn't find myself fully convinced, but they did sound Very good. The subwoofer, though, was superior to any other I've heard to this day.

[@scaryperson27]

I had a pair of vanderstein 2CI speakers. They were very nice. They didn't have much in the way of detail especially in the high frequencies. However, listening to something like David gilmour's on Island, they would rock you to sleep. A very easy speaker to listen to. I remember comparing them to a pair of klipsch s forte 1 speakers that I had. If you had the right room for the 2ci's they did really good. Going from the Klipsch speaker to the vanderstein, and then from the vanderstein back to the Klipsch, it was a very hard adjustment. The Klipsch speakers were very hard to listen to after the vanderstein's. I think it had a lot to do with how careful vanderstein is with the phase relationship between the drivers on his speaker designs. The reason for the cloth covering etc However, if you sat with a Klipsch and we're well acquainted with them, they were more detailed, had a better sense of space etc. It was a very odd psychoacoustic adjustment. It was a very weird experience. I think most people would have liked the Klipsch better as a speaker to own without hearing the other. However the Vandersteins were certainly special. I almost kind of like them better.

[@michellevey9608]

Hi Steve. Back in the early 90's l built my home theater with 2Ce's along with their wall mount rear surrounds and center channel speaker. For a subwoofer l went with Boston Acoustics. Anyway, my Mitsubishi rear projection is gone and l have a bluray player now. The Vandersteins still sound as great as ever! A a purchase l've never regretted.

[@johnnyevans4728]

I love vandersteen speakers, first time I heard tha 3A's changed how I listen to music, I was 12 or 13 at the time, it took many years but I have 3A's today, I have been to the Vandersteen factory in Hanford California, use to live very close...

[@JK-rt2jj]

I’m a bit surprised that the first cable that happens to be terminated with spades is also a good combination with these speakers. Yesterday I set up some second hand speakers in my system and found that they would only work well with some high capacitance speaker cables and often it is the other way around. Keep that in mind folks, it’s not all about the new gear you can buy! Try some different gauges and capacitances cables and interlinks. These are major contributing factors in hifi sound.

[@boblulich7511]

I still use the 2CE's that I purchased in 1992! Still sounds great...of course being 69 the hearing ain't like it was back then!

[@philcallighan6322]

I had the original 2c Vandersteens and have terrific memories of playing a Telarc CD of the 1812 Overture. I believe Jack Renner was the engineer and the recording featured the first digital recording of cannons firing. The room was relatively small and the floor shook when the cannons were heard as well as surprising every listener. I will certainly put these new loudspeakers on my radar. Thanks for the review!

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Telarc 1812 is garbage

[@Unker_Spunkanathan]

Vandersteen isn't hugely popular where I am. I heard a 1B driven by Exposure almost 30 yrs ago and was immediately drawn to the music. Somehow that combi rendition of music was very musical...i wasn't focusing on imaging, soundstage, lows, highs, and all that hifi stuff... Just impressed at how the music came out of those spkrs.

[@truman4956]

Cats love them too…

[@edwardgonczy3170]

When I lived in Sarasota FL I had a primary care physician and a thyroid doctor. Both were audiophiles. One had Large Advents (the A/3 version in vinyl veneer) and the other had Vandersteen's. I have the Advents covered, now I just need to find a pair of Vandersteen's.

[@peterl8594]

Looks amazing but first thing that popped into my head was “cat magnet!”

[@tonybklyn5009]

I found this to be an interesting & informative video. Thank you Steve. I've been a Vandersteen enthusiast since 1980 when I bought my first pair of Vandersteen speakers, the model 1B, from the original owner of the Audio Connection. Right now I'm dealing with John Rutan, the current owner of the Audio Connection. I'm purchasing a pair of 3A Signatures and a Rotel Diamond integrated amplifier. I've owned Rotel equipment for over 30 years and have always been well served. I hope I made a good decision. I would appreciate your thoughts and comments. Thanks.

[@OscarSanchez-tk3hx]

Thanks Steve like always you are the best

[@user-rw9rm8wr2g]

Vantersteen speakers matches very well with Audio Research electronics

[@fredfungalspore]

Hey Steve you had the looks back in the day My wife said you looked like a good looking Rooster.... keep up the good work man from your hifi mates Down Under...😎

[@greghamilton297]

I just ordered a new pair of the sig lll. Thanks Steve!

[@carlos2bass]

Great review! Hope you get to review the Vandersteen new subwoofers.

[@sPi711]

NAD make great amplifiers. I'm rebuilding my old 100 watt NAD 2400 and I will buy another one, the C272 if I can find one. Clean.

[@ScottsLifeOffGrid]

Thank you Steve

[@michaelzoppo534]

Johnny Rutan is a prince.

[@jasontimothywells9895]

Funny you do a video today on them , I bought a pair on eBay 3 days ago and drive to lake Havasu to pick em up , they are a humble 95 percent grading in physical and electrically mechanically condition built in 1985 . I only paid 200.00 for them and only a 1.5 hour each way drive from my home . All I am going to do is spend some time and about 500.00 rebuilding the crossovers with purity fast caps and quality resistors. Now I have 46 pairs of speakers in my home , a man's worth is his children and the quality and amount of audio gear 🤔🤪

[@MAB_Audio_Nut]

I have always really liked the Vandersteen 2CEs I had a pair of the 2CE Signature IIs a few years back. What I found that you somewhat failed to mention is this is a very picky speaker as to setup and equipment. You alluded to it but I found this speaker has to be in the right setup thus the huge detailed manual. Also the sweet spot in very small to get that great sound. This speaker excels with higher end equipment and the right setup and room. What this speaker isn't good at is putting it in a multi purpose room where placement isn't optimal or the room isn't setup as a listening room. If that's what you have don't bother trying to get this speaker to sound good it won't. I wish Steve had just plopped the speakers in his room on his own he probably would have been shocked how hard it is to dial them in . That said if you have the room and equipment this speakers can blow you away.

[@wng8993]

I blocked and reported the fake guy, he tried to contact me! As always, great channel Steve!

[@stimpy1226]

John Rutan is the best. I am an old customer of his.

[@TheJimmyjames8888]

Been a long time since I listened to Vandersteens and I'm overdue to another listen I guess but 20-30 years ago they never did anything for me. But I did end up buying one of Richard's very expensive subs that never did anything for me either except rattle my windows. I bought a pair of factory refurbed Infinty subs that are ten times more musical and enjoyable than the Vandy. I sold it, paid for the Infinitys and put money in my pocket. $3600 is a lot of benjamins. Lots of competition.

[@greg1030]

Steve, while VERY grateful for this highly informative-and indeed cautionary-Vandersteen review, it was a very mixed bag for me. First, though I've never heard any Vandersteens, I was shocked at the contrast you described between the old and the new iterations of this model. But as the new version is apparently so deeply ESL like in its transparency, it would surely never do for building a 5.1 home theater system. After all, would not speakers like these be as merciless as ATC monitors in extracting every sonic flaw of some of my favorite vintage 50s and 60s movies and TV shows-even those supposedly "remastered" for lossless DTS MA sound for blu-ray? Ditto when playing remastered Beach Boys, early Beatles and other 60s and 70s pop and rock classics? Second, apparently due to the design and/or size of the drivers, I was also very disappointed when you found that the Vandersteens don't sound nearly as large as did the Pure Audio open baffles at low volume levels-even when driven with some of the powerful amps you tried them with. But was this also true of the highs and mids and midbass, or mostly just the lower bass? However, was yours really a fair test pitting an 86db spl/watt and lower impedance speaker against the 15" woofer in those Pure Audio OBs and the ultra efficient Klipsch Cornwalls? You did say that you would have compared those speakers with the Model 3A step up model had them been available. But the specs at Vandersteen’s website show the same drivers and nearly the same cabinet dimensions. www.vandersteen.com/products/model-3a-signature Perhaps this is why Pure Audio Project doesn’t sell subwoofers but Vandersteen does? Well, it looks like I back to square one in my hunt for the right speakers to make my vintage source material sound its best. AND for speakers that can also open up big for late night/lower volume listening? Any suggestions? Front speaker pair budget ~ $10K; rear speaker budget ~$6K.

[@rickmathis8590]

Good stuff, as always, Steve! I've only heard Vandersteen's once about a dozen years ago, and the model number escapes me at the moment, but I do remember that they were certainly impressive (even though they were crammed into a listening room that was rather small). Would love to hear this model if I ever get the chance. Thanks for all you do, Steve!!!

[@Ssection31]

I got the Vandies B1 did compare them at home with the model 2. Because of room dimensions the model 1 sounded more to my tast. Remarkable that your impression is almost 100% with mine. These are great speakers that took me 2 days to find the right spot. But if you do a curtain will open. I use room correction DSP with the Vandies that lift then up considerble.

[@planr5572]

Spot on. Vandersteens don't play low volumes well (a loudness button on your amp helps a lot) and are a double edge sword. They can make well-recorded music sound jaw-droppingly good but bright/bad recordings sound extra horrible.

[@jasontimothywells9895]

One does not have that problem if you have the proper amps and preamps , plus the old days capacitors was bad , recapping old speakers crossovers with quality and expensive capacitors make them shine like no one back in the day could imagine. This is my main business, rebuilding and customizing crossovers to get the best out of speakers that have old worn caps , resistors, and inductors if they are small guage or poor quality ones .

[@keplermission]

@@jasontimothywells9895 No ... the production engineers calculated the total circuit series resistance and marked it for every component, businesses like yours you know, don't offer a shining example of the original genius. New components can't even match the originals in reproduction Radford STA-15 or 25, because the art of winding such irons has been lost.

[@jasontimothywells9895]

@@keplermission well your wrong , it has gotten better . The problem is in today's dollars and sense of things is , one needs to spend 10,000 or more on a pair of speakers to get the quality parts and engineering. I have my own lab and equipment. I'm only 53 years old but, I am from a long line of engineers, my father was friends with the best of them and I was groomed as a child . My father got me a job with Miller& Kreisel when I was in the 10th grade. Since my family on both sides was engineers with military defense contractors I was out into Northrop aircraft 1 week after I graduated from highschool. The audio side of my family was the hobby and a stress relief. You assume with your statements and I am sure you do not work in the field of 5he things you claim . I'm sure you haven't been in this game other than a novice and have never been in a lab or been invited to tour, let alone work in this field. If you want to see what I am speaking of in terms of parts I am speaking of get online and look at Madisound speakers in Madison Wisconsin, look in there catalog and you will see parts that speaker designers and brands use in 10,000 to the million dollar works of art . How many companies do you think use 0.9999 24 k gold plated copper foil inductors, oil filled silver or gold foil capacitors that run into the price of a whole speaker system ? Watch Danny from GR research speakers , he is a engineer that produces top notch speakers for the best price to performance ratio .

[@AT-wl9yq]

@@keplermission Its a lost cause. Engineers have the hardest time with audio equipment. They have the unique ability to get their listening experience from reading a spec sheet. Its a shame because he is right about needing the right electronics. Also, if the highs are too much on some recordings, behind the speakers there are contour adjustments for the mids and highs. If you back off the highs about 1/2 a db, it makes the speaker sound like it has a soft dome tweeter.

[@pauldhoff]

I love my PSB XT2 Speakers which replaced my PSB T45 Speakers.

[@mikes121]

Have had these for two weeks. Finding spades to fit is proving to be a pain in the butt. But these sound great.

[@MrBonger88]

I just finished watching a Benchmark amp review where it’s mentioned that they use binding posts that prohibit the use of spades because they feel that they are inferior. Total opposite beliefs

[@jeremiahchamberlin4499]

Me too, I’m sure it was the same review(er).

[@AT-wl9yq]

Vandersteen knows a lot more about cables. He came up with biwiring and designed the DBS system that AQ uses. Either way, if you make a purchase decision based on something like spades over bananas, you're crazy.

[@MrBonger88]

@@AT-wl9yq I don’t think anyone is making a purchase decision bc of which cables a product uses. At least I don’t know anyone that crazy lol. I just find the whole thing rather funny

[@AT-wl9yq]

@@MrBonger88 I didn't mean to imply that you were going to do that, it was just a general comment. Sometimes I see people get focused on one small detail and ignore more important options.

[@4xDiscovery]

I have inherited a 3A and they made me fall in love with music again. Now one of the drivers is damaged; does anyone know if an upgrade to a 3A signature is worth it ?

[@turiddu9]

So you actually got to play music that you wanted to hear? Fantastic!!

[@kenolson6126]

love this review, as all of them. please do a review of the model 3a signature!

[@phatpanda253]

You should review the 1C

[@rogerhuston8287]

I became an audiophile after listening to the 2cs via a Sota turntable and Conrad Johnson amp.

[@jeffboothman4003]

You should check out the new cd of Eric Clapton he recorded it in his home during the pandemic because his show was canceled it’s amazing!

[@Justwantahover]

6:05 My guess is that the open baffle design is a factor. I have a semi open cone driver in my speakers that I built. And they make different amps and sound sources sound more different.

[@user-rc9hq2re7c]

I have had my Vandersteen 2Ce signatures for 20+ years. Great clarity, but the speakers lack bass and punch. My system could benefit from a sub woofer.

[@wayneturner6966]

I have been looking at these for a few months. Thanks for the review. Would these rock out better with a single or pair of their subs? Would they then compare better with the others you listened to? Keep up the good work. Thanks.

[@TriAmpHiFi]

Did you notice their frequency response of 1.5db down @ 32Hz? There's very little Rock music below 40db. I believe an "open e-note" on a 4 string bass is higher. So a sub woofer isn't going to reproduce frequencies that haven't been recorded. Watching movies however, will often demand a loudspeaker to reach down below 32Hz. In the case that an Earthquake, for example, has been sound tracked then a sub woofer would probably be needed to get down to the 20Hz level. If you're looking for louder bass then consider the 2Ce's 86db efficiency, recommended max amp of 160Wpc & most importantly how far away you are going to be from the speaker to "rock out better". There's a formula like to increase db by 3 then double the wattage, plus 1 meter further away then double the wattage. 86 db isn't exactly "rock-out" loud and 160 watts shared by 5 drivers per side isn't exactly "rock-out" max power regardless of how many subs, if any, you might add. 🔈🔉🔊

[@wayneturner6966]

@@TriAmpHiFi Yes. The last time I heard a pair of these about 10 years ago they had subs with them and when he said that about the other speakers with the 15s i was just wondering. Thanks for the reply.

[@TriAmpHiFi]

@@wayneturner6966 My pleasure, you're welcome. 🔈🔉🔊

[@gimmeroc7172]

OK. So considering price (3700) and woofer (10 inch) it seems the the Mofi SourcePoint 10 would be an interesting comparison. Love the videos and information you put out.