My new Vandersteen Quatro's in Audi Havana Black are in da House

[Ctsooner]

I'm pumped. These are set back into the corners. NO SUCK OUT in the middle. It's a holy crap moment with this huge sound stage and it's even from side to side (I think I said that correctly). Hearing the different mallets on the Tympanies. Not kidding. Heck on the Wison's it was just thump thump on the same track. These are tuned so well from top to bottom. Jeff Beck's plucked strings and Joe Bonamassa's finger work is so realistic it made two of my Yorkies jump. The dynamics are just crazy good. This is the best set up I've heard of Quatro's so far and anyone is invited to come listen. The Ayre AX5/20 has the Vandy crossover built directly into the amp. It all still needs to burn in and the top was a speck ragged at first, but its' already starting to dissipate.

Some of you have asked me how I could possibly put these up against the Magico S3 mk2's. I can easily do that as they are polar opposite speakers sound wise. I urge you to go to MIke's to listen to both and see what your thoughts are. These things are just so musical and detailed. The lower mids sound a bit warmer than what I've heard when hearing them in so many different shops and homes. I'm very excited about how good they will sound when burned in fully.

[a.wayne]

I heard more Bass out of the S3.2 at Mikes than the Vandy's , We will see what happens when the Vandy's actually get connected ...

[Kuoppis]

Super, congrats! Pictures please!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Audio 1]

I was quite taken with the sound of the Quattro's at Mike's place.
Pictures would be excellent!

[Mike]

Huge congrats! Can't wait to see the pics.

[cmalak]

Congrats!

[Alpinist]

Congrats Ctsooner on the Quatro's! Please post some photos when you get the chance and keep us apprised through the break in process.

Enjoy!
Ken

[Ctsooner]

Thanks guys. I love breaking in products. Hearing the little things get better and better. I'm also breaking in the crossover for the speakers as I had Ayre build it directly into the integrated amp. They do a great job with this and it's not too expensive and a great option when you have an integrated amp.

Listening to Radka Toneoff (spelling?) and if feels like the venue they recorded in is in my room. This is the first time I've heard these set up this way and it's compelling. As I said, it's hard to get used to such a huge soundstage and not having suck out in the middle. I've been playing some smaller venue jazz pieces also and the stage is in-between the speakers right where it always has been, but for orchestral and other larger venue cuts, it sure seems to be true to the recording (although since I wasn't producing them, I don't know for sure).

I will say that I took the AQ Niagara out of the system and put a piece of balanced AQ Water in as the sound on top was a hair sharp in the beginning, but today the Niagara is going back in. I know for a fact it gives MUCH more detail and is actually a warmer piece of cable than even the all copper. To me, that's when silver is done correctly. Too many large companies use the same machines that make the copper cable to pull the silver and that ruins the magic that silver has to it. It's all in how it's drawn that will give it it's proper characteristics. Some may fight me on this, but it has to do with the grain size and the grain boundaries of the silver. I may look at upgrading the balanced interconnect.

I also noticed that Mike uses Aspen on his. I"m using CastleRock as many of we Treo/Quatro owners do. It's a great cable at a real sweet spot for the cost of the speakers. I will be trying out a pair of Aspen though I think as I trust Mike and his ear. I do an internal biwire and the Aspen seems to be thicker gauge etc...

I took the Synergistic Research Powercell 10 mk2 Tesla cable out of the system (about to put it up for sale if anyone wants it. It's like new with no scratches, the white gloves and original carton and the three magic bullets) and replaced it with the Audioquest Niagara 1000. I still plug my amp into the wall so I just need a smaller 6 plug outlet and by taking the Powercell out of the system, I was able to take a whole rack out (long story) and clean up the room a great deal. It just made sense.

The electrician will come in the next week or two and install a small LED light above each speaker to showcase them and their heavy metallic finish. I'll then have him run doubled up runs of 14/3 romex inside a steel conduit with AQ outlets. I'll have one behind each speaker for the subs to plug into and a 4 pack behind the TV/gear unit to hide cords and give me plenty of outlets for Apple TV, over the air antenna when used etc... There will be 4 sets of outlets total and they will all be isolated from the other circuits in the house and grounded together to earth with a very long copper rod. This is the commercial way to do it and it will give the circuit a star ground. I'm not an electrician, but I'm mimicking a friend of mine who's a designer and knows what he's doing. I'll have to report back on that also.

With so many changes, it's hard to isolate what's doing what, but I'm so familiar with these speakers in so many homes and stores and I know the amps inside out with almost every speaker that's discussed these days, that I think I'll have a good idea what's changing and how it is. I will say that my server that Steve Nugent built is every bit as good as any server that I've heard so far and I've heard many of them (not all by any means though). Johnny Rutan (Audio Connections, some of you know him) was surprised by how good it is. I know he didn't expect that, but with the Paul Hynes power supply and the way Steve optimized everything, including the hard drive he installed along with the component changes on the boards he made, it is an amazing piece. I need to figure out if it's worth putting it on the net and have it attached to a Melco NAS and run Roon on it. If it hurts the sound, I'll just keep it off the house wifi and run it off the TV. I am not sure I can even run it headless, but it would be nice to have that flexibility. That said, it's going to be hard to take it out if that's the only way I can make it simpler to use. I'll figure that out in time and servers are only getting better and better as we move forward. I can't wait to have a server discussion with you Mike, lol....Let's catch up this weekend if you are around.

[Melbguy1]

Congrats Cts on your new Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT's! These speakers remind me a lot of what Infinity Systems did so well in their heyday by filtering down technology from their reference speakers to more affordable models & investing the development time to get them tuned to perfection. At under $14k they certainly represent a high end bargain. On a tighter budget, I would definitely put them on my audition list, along with the Legacy Audio Focus XD and 2nd hand Genesis G5.3's.

You're one of the good guys in this game Cts...enjoy your new babies in good health! .

[Ctsooner]

Mel, thanks for those too kind words. I know many who disagree, ha, lol....

I agree IRT your thoughts on a bargain for high end. It's the lowest price speaker that has part of everything the 7's have. Being able to tune the bass alone is a HUGE deal for any room. It's a pain in the butt to set up as it's time consuming, but most speakers will be moved and tweaked etc... One you dial in the speaker with the laser etc... then it's time to tune the bass. That took a bit, but what results. It's a game changer for ME. I also feel it's the best value and sweet spot in the Vandersteen line.

[Melbguy1]

I agree IRT your thoughts on a bargain for high end...I also feel it's the best value and sweet spot in the Vandersteen line.

Agreed .

[Duke97]

Congrats too! I love the way QWCTs sound. Please post photos... I bet your Havana black/brown color looks incredible. Also, I am curious if you compared the sound with the external Vandersteen crossover vs internal on Ayre AX5. If you did, please share your impressions.

Best,
Duke

[the professor]

Congrats

[Ctsooner]

I asked Richard about the sound differences if any. I thought maybe having it built in would be better sounding, but he said that Ayre has done a great job and that the sound would be roughly the same. YMMV type of thing I bet. It's starting to really open up even more today. I worked with Alex before he left Ayre and asked him to use the top components and I'm sure they did. I wanted it close to what the 7 bypass is. I know they used outstanding components in there (there are only a couple I believe).

I will say that right now the lower mids and upper bass are warmer than any Quatro I've ever heard. It's very very subtle, but noticeable. Is that the cross over? No way, it's the speaker. Is it my room? Possibly, but I think it's the Quatro's.

[Dguitarnut]

Quote ''Some of you have asked me how I could possibly put these up against the Magico S3 mk2's. I can easily do that as they are polar opposite speakers sound wise. I urge you to go to MIke's to listen to both and see what your thoughts are. These things are just so musical and detailed. The lower mids sound a bit warmer than what I've heard when hearing them in so many different shops and homes. I'm very excited about how good they will sound when burned in fully"

I guess we are polar opposite in sound tastes as I was a little disappointed in the Quattro's even compared to my Magico S1Mk2s much less the S3Mk2s. I have listened to both over at Mikes several times now. I guess I'm a Magico fan boy lol Different strokes for different folks!
Larry

[Randy Myers]

Gratz on your new speakers!

[aardvarkbark]

....I guess we are polar opposite in sound tastes as I was a little disappointed in the Quattro's even compared to my Magico S1Mk2s much less the S3Mk2s. I have listened to both over at Mikes several times now. I guess I'm a Magico fan boy lol Different strokes for different folks!
Larry

You and much of humanity.

[Jack]

When Alon's company has been around as long as Richard's and enjoyed the long term success and acceptance then you can decide what "humanity" thinks. The opinions of JV do not signal automatic longevity. Until then they are too differently voiced speakers based on the objectives of two different designers. Not necessary for the "Magico" fans to turn this into the same "pissing contest" that occurs in your and the Wilson threads. This is no different than the Ayre/Pass discussion, we all like what we like and the cheerleading from the fans don't change peoples opinions.

[aardvarkbark]

....we all like what we like and the cheerleading from the fans don't change peoples opinions.

You're right and my bad for sloppy forum skills. I should've pared down dguitarnut's comment further in my reply. I was suggesting that many folks would agree with his comment 'different strokes for different folks.' I spent a part of the evening searching Magico posts anywhere on the internet and had come to the same conclusion, then came across his comment. It struck me as one of those universal truths.

[Ctsooner]

give it up aardvark. All you want to do is bash others products. I find it interesting that you always show up on any thread that many of us post in. I was down at Mikes when Peter McKay visited. I met many who are on this board and they are a great bunch of guys. Most hadn't heard Mike's Quatro's with his Ayre gear, but eventually they will. Will they want Vandersteen's over their Magico's (how many Magico's are really sold? Only Peter and Alon really know), probably not many if they like the Magico sound. I do know that there are a lot of top reviewers and other manufacturers/designers who do own Vandersteen 5CT's and 7's. There are a few who have them in their personal systems. He's been around for a long long time so he must be doing something right, lol.

Stop the negative stuff like going after Ayre like you seem to do on any forum you can. Mike sells Pass and it's good gear as I've always said, so go post on the Pass threads and have fun. We all know your problem with Ayre, so let it rest and move forward if you can. Shouldn't be too difficult. As for Vandersteen, you may or may not have even heard them. Everyone knows we all like different things. Even those who like VAndersteens may even like different gear with it. In the end as long as we all are having fun, that's all that matters. I started this thread because of my excitement and everyone has been asking me to share when I get them and to share pics (soon, soon).

Go find another thread to be negative about Vandersteen's or Wilson's or Ayre or anything else you want to be negative about on the net. For the guys who like the Magico's better, that's fine as they will never want anything else most probably and for them I'm happy as heck as long as they are enjoying their music.

enough of that stuff:
Guys, it's burning in so nicely. So much more detail is coming into the picture. I had a CD in playing from a Marantz blue ray player via optical. Not a great drive and not a great connection (although I do love the Straightwire fiber optic cable I'm using (their latest) as it's glass and not plastic. It just sounds better than any other optical cable I've had in there. My wife even noticed the burn in differences. It was so cool. She knows some of the Bonamassa stuff that I play and commented that it sounded so much more natural on one of his riffs. Was startled at the size of the soundstage. I really really love the new set up of the speakers. It makes a world of difference I think. Time to work on the room a bit, but hopefully it won't need more than three changes (one will be getting a piece of very light drapery to put over the TV when listening and not watching TV as it's in-between the speakers.). I strongly recommend that for any of you who have a TV in between the speakers.

[aardvarkbark]

Dguitarnut said: 'different strokes for different folks.'

Jack said: 'we all like what we like.'

I simply stated that dguitarnut's pithy observation is widely held. Jack seems to agree.

I made no comment whatsoever about any product. AAMOF, you can't even find any post here or elsewhere where I say anything negative about any product as you love to claim. Criticizing a company for their customer service is different from criticizing a product.

And you're not the forum police. If I'm searching on posts that include 'Magico S3' and come across one that includes an insightful observation as dguitarnut's, I'm going to reply regardless of the thread. Frankly, I thought it was in the one about Mike's recent introduction event.

Plus, now I'm intrigued. It was dguitarnut who said he disagreed with your assessment, not me (I haven't heard either speaker). Yet you comment on my post. Strange.

[Dguitarnut]

I was at Mikes grand opening like you Ct. I had already visited SunCoast several times before too. I live minutes away. I have heard the Quattros with the Ayre equipment and it's just not to MY taste and I have listened to them more than once.
I really like the idea of having a sub like the Quattros do and the ability to tailor that bass. This is a very appealing feature that the Magicos don't have. To me the Magicos have a faster presentation and transparency on the higher end. But they don't move a lot of air like a sub does. There again I have 66 year old ears with a little tiny bit of tinnitus so what's the cats meow to one person can be a chihuahua yip to others depending on their hearing curve. My apologies to chihuahua owners in advance. Lol
Congrats on getting the speakers you love. It's so nice to finally get that sonic puzzle you have been chasing coming together. Mike has helped me thru this quest very patiently. He exposed me to a lot of different equipment in a very impartial way and let me taylor it to what my ears wanted to hear.
Larry

[Ctsooner]

Hope you realize I"m not putting down your assessment. Never would do that. Did we meet at Mikes? I got to meet a lot of great guys there. Was a very fun get together. For me, I get as much, if not more detail as the S3's. For me the S3 was too bright on top. I get that from a lot of speakers though as I"m very sensitive to it and always have been. My audiologist tells me all the time that I have excellent hearing, especially in the higher octaves. To me the true test is taking a female with me to listen critically or having one in my loft listening. Again, not saying anything against Magico, but for me I like a few others better for less. There are many major named speakers that I can't listen to for long periods of time. None of us is right or wrong and I've always tried to say that. It's more difficult for me to get my point across in the written form. That's why some are surprised when they meet me in person as I'm not such a big Ahole as I may come across online in forums. Opinionated, of course, but this is a passion.

What I have learned over the years (actually as a kid, lol) is that there are folks who love the gear, folks who love the music and folks who love the gear and music. I'm in the later as many are, but some just like shiny, new, metal, special look etc... How often have I heard folks say not to Vandersteen due to the fact they still use wood? The nice thing is that you can customize a Treo on up with any paint finish you want.

As much as DSP would be easy and fun to have inside the speaker, like some are starting to use, I still think that the way they do their bass EQ is best sound wise and they won't deviate from that. Just not happening, but once set up in a room, its works and that's the most important part of a speaker to many..the sound. I need a speaker that has coherency and I love a point source type of sound. There is still something special about a Maggie, but I'd never own one for many reasons.

Lot's of great speakers for us to enjoy and talk about. That to me is the best thing and things have really come into their own over the last few years with new materials that we never had prior. It's a great time to be an audiophile and I feel absolutely blessed that I finally have a system at this level. I never thought that would happen. Just feel blessed.

I was at Mikes grand opening like you Ct. I had already visited SunCoast several times before too. I live minutes away. I have heard the Quattros with the Ayre equipment and it's just not to MY taste and I have listened to them more than once.
I really like the idea of having a sub like the Quattros do and the ability to tailor that bass. This is a very appealing feature that the Magicos don't have. To me the Magicos have a faster presentation and transparency on the higher end. But they don't move a lot of air like a sub does. There again I have 66 year old ears with a little tiny bit of tinnitus so what's the cats meow to one person can be a chihuahua yip to others depending on their hearing curve. My apologies to chihuahua owners in advance. Lol
Congrats on getting the speakers you love. It's so nice to finally get that sonic puzzle you have been chasing coming together. Mike has helped me thru this quest very patiently. He exposed me to a lot of different equipment in a very impartial way and let me taylor it to what my ears wanted to hear.
Larry

[metaphacts]

..Lot's of great speakers for us to enjoy and talk about. That to me is the best thing and things have really come into their own over the last few years with new materials that we never had prior. It's a great time to be an audiophile and I feel absolutely blessed that I finally have a system at this level. I never thought that would happen. Just feel blessed.

Congratulations on fulfilling your dream. This is why I got into the audio industry so many years ago.

Enjoy!