Description

I just got my Vandersteen Quatros today. The guys from Stereo Unlimited did a quick checkout with the Vandertones CD and will come back for more complete adjustment when the speakers are settled in.

Until I get my Bryston 3B-SST back from Bryston service, I'm using a pair of cute little Rotel RMB-100 mono amps. I might keep using them; I like the idea really short speaker cables.

The speaker wires shown are homemade in a "true" bi-wire configuration from Streetwires Supercable (14 AWG; hey, it was a pretty blue) and intended for the 3B-SST. Raptor #10 gold barrier spades on the speaker end and Audioquest 5/16" spades on the amp end. Crimped and soldered.

I still have some scraps of Supercable left over for under 3' runs to the Rotel RMB-100s. The Rotels make bi-wiring easy by providing 2 sets of binding posts. These short cables will use #10 ring connectors (just tin) on the speaker side as per RVs preferences and Audioquest 1/4" gold spades on the amp side.

I think after this I need to do some work on noise reduction (I live near a freeway) by adding a second pane to some of my windows.

I had a lot of buyer's remorse after ordering these, and had a lot of time to think about it over the 7 weeks they took to get to my door. $8k speakers!? Are you mad?! But after several hours of listening those anxieties have evaporated. Well, except for being $8k poorer. I'll try to post more about the sound of the speakers after I've lived with them for a few weeks.
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Components Toggle details

    • Rogue Audio M-180
    180W monoblock tube amps. 4 X KT-88 + 2 X 12au7 + 1 X 12ax7 per side.
    • Balanced Audio VK-3iX
    Includes optional phono stage.
    • AURALiC Vega
    With Sanctuary Audio Processor as heart, AURALiC introduces several cutting-edge technology for VEGA: Megahertz upsampling algorithm up-samples all PCM music to 1.5MHz in 32bit; Femto Master Clock provides an ultimate clock precision with jitter only 82 femtoseconds(0.082 picosecond). Binding with other AURALiC's patented technologies such as 'ORFEO Class-A module' and discrete 'Purer-Power™ solution', VEGA will bring high resolution music playback experience to climax.
    • Michell Engineering Gyro SE
    With the power supply upgrade, the Orbe clamp, and tonearm decoupler.
    • SME 309
    Magnesium tonearm with detachable magnesium headshell.
    • Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
    The transport for my Logitech Media Server system, it replaces a Squeezebox Touch.  The Pi runs piCorePlayer.
    • Benz Micro Ace High Output
    An original Benz Micro Ace High Output cartridge (before the "S").  I had put this away, not liking it's overemphatic midrange, but now loaded at 1500 Ohms, it's sounds great.
    • Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-III
    http://www.gammaelectronics.xyz/audio_1998_Jul_dunlavy.html

    https://www.soundstage.com/todd12.htm

Comments 61

Showing all comments by gadmanrdh.

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Stereophile just reviewed it and believes it to be nearly as good as the new DCS digital lineup which retails for nearly $100k. Good luck w/it.

gadmanrdh

how is the new dac? does it live up to the hype?

gadmanrdh

what speakers were you using prior and how do the vandys compare?

gadmanrdh