New Vandersteen Model 7 Mk. 2

Looks like some focused improvements on the original 7's both sonically and visually. But a $10K increase seems excessive for improvements (especially visually) that should have been included at $52K.

Ken
 
Alpinist said:
Looks like some focused improvements on the original 7's both sonically and visually. But a $10K increase seems excessive for improvements (especially visually) that should have been included at $52K.

Ken
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Well said. I've heard the original 7's many times. They are nice. Ok. Sure. Just not $52k nice IMO. At $62k now....I hope those improvements are substantial.

The 5's still might be the best bang for the buck in the whole Vandy lineup. But the Vandy speaker I love for the money is the 2 series.

Still not my cup of tea....but I can see why they have their fans.
 
puroagave said:
62k is a lot, I wonder where Richards head is at lately. he's also supposedly working on a 6-figure super speaker.
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On the other hand, Vanersteen's top speaker is 1/2 the cost or less than most of his competitors. Plus the "2" version is 1/2 active as it comes with it's own water cooled amplifier for the mid and top end. So all you need is a bass amp.

Interestingly the Model 7 speaker unless I'm mistaken hasn't been reviewed since 2010? Harley seems to find fault with the speaker's inability to play loud in a large room, being power hungry and you must sit in the sweet spot yo really hear the speaker. Wonder if that's changed? The 7s paired with the Atlas amplifiers are always one of my favorite rooms at the CES. Maybe because Richard only plays vinyl?

The curious thing though is his speakers always garner great reviews (hell in 1980 I almost bought a pair of his 2As for my first high-end speaker but instead opted for the Dollies), but I don't know of any reviewer that uses 7s or even 5s. Perhaps Richard doesn't leave his speakers on long term loan! :)
 
Where Vandersteen screwed up was not charging $70k+ for his top speaker 15 years ago. He could be easily asking over $100k now. :)
 
Mike said:
Isn't this technology that Anthem created for their M1's?

http://youtu.be/vn7yLVUMwE0
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Richard and someone else designed the amp; it's is a pull-pull topology.

Back in the early '90s, a German company made a water cooled amplifier (long forgotten the name). It was kinda cute with colored, lighted water flowing around the amp. The sound couldn't have been too good; otherwise would remember! :)

Amusing Fremer review!

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/anthem-statement-m1-amplifier-page-2

Doesn't sound like Fritz was listening to the same amp:

http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php...echnology-anthem-statement-m1-mono-amplifiers
 
Myles B. Astor said:
Richard and someone else designed the amp; it's is a pull-pull topology.

Back in the early '90s, a German company made a water cooled amplifier (long forgotten the name). It was kinda cute with colored, lighted water flowing around the amp. The sound couldn't have been too good; otherwise would remember! :)

Amusing Fremer review!

Anthem Statement M1 Amplifier Page 2 | Sound & Vision

Doesn't sound like Fritz was listening to the same amp:

SoundStage! Ultra | SoundStageUltra.com (UltraAudio.com) | The Overwhelming March of Technology: Anthem Statement M1 Mono Amplifiers
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A tale of two amps. I enjoyed those contrasting reviews. You don't have to look far between the lines to get what Mikey was saying.
 
Myles B. Astor said:
On the other hand, Vanersteen's top speaker is 1/2 the cost or less than most of his competitors. Plus the "2" version is 1/2 active as it comes with it's own water cooled amplifier for the mid and top end. So all you need is a bass amp.

Interestingly the Model 7 speaker unless I'm mistaken hasn't been reviewed since 2010? Harley seems to find fault with the speaker's inability to play loud in a large room, being power hungry and you must sit in the sweet spot yo really hear the speaker. Wonder if that's changed? The 7s paired with the Atlas amplifiers are always one of my favorite rooms at the CES. Maybe because Richard only plays vinyl?

The curious thing though is his speakers always garner great reviews (hell in 1980 I almost bought a pair of his 2As for my first high-end speaker but instead opted for the Dollies), but I don't know of any reviewer that uses 7s or even 5s. Perhaps Richard doesn't leave his speakers on long term loan! :)
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the seven has an integral class-d bass amp like the Model 5, they haven't used outboard bass amps since the model 4a from the early '90s. unless i missed it, i don't think the mono blocks come with the speaker at 62k. and I agree about the compression or inability to fill a room at loud levels. I've heard this on a number occasions even with ref250 driving the mid-top! I used to associate this with 1st order speaker deisgns, you can hear the driver over-lap and the sound field gets confused a loud levels, the big thiels did this too. IMO, the 5 carbons are the sweet spot and best all-rounder an especially good buy used.
 
puroagave said:
the seven has an integral class-d bass amp like the Model 5, they haven't used outboard bass amps since the model 4a from the early '90s. unless i missed it, i don't think the mono blocks come with the speaker at 62k. and I agree about the compression or inability to fill a room at loud levels. I've heard this on a number occasions even with ref250 driving the mid-top! I used to associate this with 1st order speaker deisgns, you can hear the driver over-lap and the sound field gets confused a loud levels, the big thiels did this too. what someone else said about the 5 carbons, IMO they're the sweet spot and best all-rounder, an especially good buy used.
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Thanks Rob I thought there was a bass amp but didn't see it mentioned on the website.

And yes, think you're right about the other amp. Misread the lit. The amp isn't cheap and IIRC pushes the price of the speaker into six figure territory. Still, you get an amp optimally matched to the drivers plus you don't need pull your hair out buying the perfect to partner say like with a Wilson, Magico, Rockport, etc. A different approach to the active speaker puzzle and you know the amp isn't an afterthought Class D amp. But I couldn't buy it because it lacks DSP. :evil:
 
puroagave said:
the seven has an integral class-d bass amp like the Model 5, they haven't used outboard bass amps since the model 4a from the early '90s. unless i missed it, i don't think the mono blocks come with the speaker at 62k. and I agree about the compression or inability to fill a room at loud levels. I've heard this on a number occasions even with ref250 driving the mid-top! I used to associate this with 1st order speaker deisgns, you can hear the driver over-lap and the sound field gets confused a loud levels, the big thiels did this too. IMO, the 5 carbons are the sweet spot and best all-rounder an especially good buy used.
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I'm not a fan of any high-end speaker that can't be played loudly because the drivers start farting and the sound literally falls apart.
 
mep said:
I'm not a fan of any high-end speaker that can't be played loudly because the drivers start farting and the sound literally falls apart.
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it would be forgiven at 10k but not super speaker territory. that said, if you're in a 'normal' sized listening room it might be a moot point. my So Cal dealer had both the 5 carbon and 7s in appropriately sized rooms and the 5s were my favorite and played as loud as anyone could stand.
 
puroagave said:
it would be forgiven at 10k but not super speaker territory. that said, if you're in a 'normal' sized listening room it might be a moot point. my So Cal dealer had both the 5 carbon and 7s in appropriately sized rooms and the 5s were my favorite and played as loud as anyone could stand.
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That's funny. I've heard the Vandy's in many different environments but just never put 1+1 together. Always was disappointed with the sound in big rooms but somehow always blamed the issues on the setup.
 
puroagave said:
it would be forgiven at 10k but not super speaker territory. that said if you're in a 'normal' sized listening room it might be a moot point. my So Cal dealer had both the 5 carbon and 7s in appropriately sized rooms and the 5s were my favorite and played as loud as anyone could stand.
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Not by me. If you can't produce a loudspeaker for $10k that will play as loud as a reasonable person could ask for while retaining the sound qualities we expect from a high-end speaker, you need to find another business to be in. The first place cheap stereo systems usually show themselves is when you goose up the volume to try and attain realistic sounding playback levels and Humpty Dumpty comes tumbling down off the wall. You expect that with a cheap system, but not when you start spending some serious coin.

And speaking of Humpty Dumpty, there are some high-end speaker companies who have had egg on their face recently caused by releasing expensive speakers into the market that had to be recalled for driver replacement. How did they not know that their drivers fell apart when turned up? Do they not listen before they release their speakers? Do they listen at whisper levels?
 
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