Vandersteen Model 7 MkII

dminches · « **on:** 11 Jan 2015, 05:59 pm »

Has anyone heard them? Could they actually sound better than the original model 7?

http://vandersteen.com/news/vandersteen-model-seven-mk-ii-to-debut-at-ces-2015

Airborn · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jan 2015, 08:28 pm »

I heard them this year at CES and was not impressed. They were very clear and articulate, but were physically smaller than I thought they would be, threw a soundstage that stayed in between the speakers and generally lacked sparkle and air as well as the low freq. gravitas you'd expect from speakers in this category, imo (cost no object). Now maybe it was the set up, maybe it was the horrendously bad rooms at the Venetian, maybe the associated equipment didn't synergize, etc., but for whatever reason, the sound was disappointing, which was surprising to me.

zybar · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Jan 2015, 08:58 pm »

Quote from: Airborn on 14 Jan 2015, 08:28 pm

I heard them this year at CES and was not impressed. They were very clear and articulate, but were physically smaller than I thought they would be, threw a soundstage that stayed in between the speakers and generally lacked sparkle and air as well as the low freq. gravitas you'd expect from speakers in this category, imo (cost no object). Now maybe it was the set up, maybe it was the horrendously bad rooms at the Venetian, maybe the associated equipment didn't synergize, etc., but for whatever reason, the sound was disappointing, which was surprising to me.

Just curious...did you ever hear the MK I version of the Model Sevens?

It would be good to know if you felt the same way with them or had a different experience.

As a very happy model 5A owner, I can only dream and drool

over the Model 7's (either version would be fine by me).

George

Airborn · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Jan 2015, 09:40 pm »

Hi George, no I never heard the Model 7 MK I. I had heard the Model 5A's (not sure if it was carbon or not but I think so) and they were spectacular, so I had very high expectations and was prepared to be stunned by the Model 7's and perhaps that expectation bias played into my disappointment, but...Usually high expectations result in overlooking flaws and gushing about something just to justify the preconceived notions, so I dunno.

I don't for a second pretend to be an expert reviewer and the Vandersteens were in a CES hotel room and I wasn't sitting in the sweet spot and the music was unfamiliar (although they did play Grateful Dead) so there were a lot of variables. I had a very nice conversation with Vandersteen's son who seemed like a nice guy and I think Richard Vandersteen himself was there, so set up shouldn't have been an issue...But all that being said, they didn't sound like even the best speakers on the 29th floor. Nothing was really wrong with them and the mid-range was very nice, but they just didn't wow! me like I expected....

ctsooner · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Mar 2015, 12:13 am »

Wish I had seen this one earlier, but I just stumbled upon it. I've heard all the Vandys over the last few years in various venues, stores as well as my own house. I've auditioned them with various front ends/amps. Tubes and SS/LP and Digital. I was in shock that I read what I read in this thread.

Airborn, I must ask you, so you always make your judgements on components from popping into a room at a show? Honestly, this is a huge problem on the boards. Folks all hear differently and that's why there are so many components out there that sound differently. I have been an audiophile since 1969 and have traveled extensively and heard a ton of gear and owned nearly as much.

There are a lot of negative comments out there towards many manufacturers that are unwarranted and they hurt their sales greatly. That's not fair to take shots at someone when you haven't auditioned someones product and haven't truly heard them. Airborne, do you know they are time aligned and phase correct? Do you realize that you can't properly hear speakers like this without being in or at least near the sweet spot? Sounds to me they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do based on your negative comments since you weren't hearing them properly.

I, as do many others LOVE the 7's both I and II. HIs new amps kick ass on them also. From the Quatro's up you have adjustable bass to set them up properly in any room. To say the sound stayed within the speakers isn't hearing them. Sorry, you may not appreciate a flat speaker that has a razor fast midrange and NO SMEARING and are coherent, but to say the sound isn't huge means you weren't seated properly. Were you standing while making your judgement? If so, you will say they were dull maybe as again, you have to be near tweeter level. This goes for most speakers and not just Vandy's though. Those who really want to know what they sound like should try and go to a dealer and listen for yourself. Then you can figure out if they are for you, but for me, I went from another outstanding and well known speaker to the VAndys because they just sound more like live music ( I go often) than any of the other speakers I was auditioning. I listened to smaller line imports as well as the other top lines out there. I WASN"T even going to listen to the Vandy line as I wasn't into their speakers in the past, but I went to a dealer to get another line and he asked me to listen and what I thought. I heard it from the first note as did my dad as well as my brother. Coherent, tight, deep bass, natural highs and fast and musical/neutral mids. This carbon fiber cones are to die for. I've heard other lines with carbon and they too are just sweet. No breakups that you can hear, unlike ribbons that have millions of breakups and aren't pistonic drivers. I've heard a couple of ribbons that are nice so I'm not trashing anyones speakers.

Airborn, before sharing such negative info on a speaker, maybe you should not just listen to it, but listen the way it's supposed to be heard. I'm not making this personal and I hope you don't take it that way, but too many folks make these comments about a product when they haven't really heard it and it influences many even though it shouldn't. That said, folks need to go to a dealer and listen like I did as they will then know if it's for them or not. Thanks.

dminches · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Mar 2015, 01:28 pm »

I have not heard any other person say that the 7s weren't a huge upgrade over the 5As.

geowak · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Mar 2015, 05:17 pm »

I went looking and listening to speakers for a dedicated two channel audio system about three years ago. I went to about 6 or 7 audio retail stores in about a 70 miles radius from where I live in Ohio. I listened to speakers by KEF, B&W, Klipsch, Paradigm, Monitor Audio, DefTech, Wilson, Magnepan and many others. The Magnepan 1.7 stood out as the best. I was just prepared to purchase them when I happened to find Don Better audio in Shaker Heights. When I called him, he asked if I had heard the Vandersteen 2ce Sig II? I told him "no" and we arranged a sit down listening session with my handful of cds. Honestly, I did not think they would sound better than the 1.7s but to me ...they did. He told me that speaker had that effect on many others. For the price, I thought they were a real bargain.

I think they are very musical, great soundstage and they really represent instruments well. Midrange and vocals are very sweet. I have not heard the 5as or the 7s. But I would bet they sound spectacular.

Having said all that.... what a person likes is really up to them. I used to own some equipment that ACers rave about here. I thought it was junk and I owned 3 pieces! We should be entitled to our own opinion, since many
manufacturers here will benefit greatly from the hype at AC and the sales. A few bad reviews will not hurt anyone, when the benefit is always greater.

ctsooner · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Mar 2015, 02:16 am »

Geo, yes you are right in that everyone likes different things. That said, when posters post negative things about a speaker and it's not true, it does hurt them. It's very apparent to anyone that there is a huge difference between a 5aCT and either 7. You can say you don't like a speaker that is time and phase aligned and flat in response or that you don't like how it sounds musically, but to make a statement that stepping up isn't an upgrade is not fair. I personally don't like many speaker lines and that goes for mega bucks well known ones. That said, I can hear a big difference within their lines. Is a higher price one alway better? No, however I have heard many folks say that the differences between the 5 to 7 is huge and thats saying a lot since the 5's are incredible themselves. If you ever have a chance to hear the 7's I recommend it......I've heard them in so many different systems and no matter the feed, they just open up and play real music.

mgsboedmisodpc2 · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Mar 2015, 08:45 pm »

Your story is incomplete geowak.
So geowak did you purchase the 1.7 or the 2ce Sig?

geowak · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Mar 2015, 10:15 pm »

Quote from: mgsboedmisodpc2 on 19 Mar 2015, 08:45 pm

Your story is incomplete geowak.
So geowak did you purchase the 1.7 or the 2ce Sig?

My apologies for an incomplete story. I did get the Vandersteen 2CE Sig IIs. But later, for a second room, I bought the MMGs. There are many 1.7's coming up for sale by those who have the upgraditis. So I might just get the 1.7's and sell the MMGs. For the room I have now, the MMGs sound very refined.

Interesting note. I have a Parasound A21 (SS amp) and a tube integrated amp. I have used both amps for the MMGs and the Vandys. The low watts of the tube amp produce great sound on either speaker pair. Something that has been debated here before, that Maggies need lots of power to sound their best. I think much of this depends on the power supply and design of the amp, and additionally if one is listening at close range or at frat parties on the local college campus.

KLH007 · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Mar 2015, 06:24 pm »

Of the rooms I was able to visit, and under show conditions, the 7 Mk IIs at 2014 RMAF were the best of show for me. As ctsooner said, no smearing and electrostat fast transients, tight powerful deep bass, coherent from top to bottom, and a spectacular wide and deep soundstage! The music being played just sucked me in and I've never heard The Beatles sound as good as in that room. Richard gave a short presentation about the driver manufacturing process from a block of Balsa wood to a cone diaphragm, some improvements in the Mk IIs, and how making dedicated amps and cables frees up the design to work with specific known values and optimize for them instead of having to make the speaker play nice with any cable or amp. His results were spectacularly demonstrated in this room, I hung out for longer than I should have just to keep listening to music!
Kemper

darthlaker · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 09:46 am »

Been almost 6 years and never seen a pair of Sevens used....until now:

http://app.audiogon.com/listings?utf8=%E2%9C%93&global_search_text=vandersteen

dminches · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:00 pm »

That is the first used pair I have seen advertised too. I guess he is upgrading to the MKIIs.

I am supposed have my Model 7s installed on Friday. Looking forward to it!

darthlaker · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:06 pm »

Quote from: dminches on 23 Mar 2015, 12:00 pm

That is the first used pair I have seen advertised too. I guess he is upgrading to the MKIIs.

I am supposed have my Model 7s installed on Friday. Looking forward to it!

I think if he is upgrading he would send his current Sevens to get upgraded? (as they can be upgraded - cost is 10K I think)

CONGRATS on your 7 purchase! Did you get the Mark 1 or 2? I have the Mark 1 (Australia is too far and costly to send them to the US for upgrade unfortunately) and LOVE them - quite a lot better than my old 5A's (which are great speakers in their own right).

darthlaker · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:06 pm »

Also, enjoy the run in. Even after 500 hours they keep sounding better and better....!

dminches · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:10 pm »

Quote from: darthlaker on 23 Mar 2015, 12:06 pm

I think if he is upgrading he would send his current Sevens to get upgraded? (as they can be upgraded - cost is 10K I think)

CONGRATS on your 7 purchase! Did you get the Mark 1 or 2? I have the Mark 1 (Australia is too far and costly to send them to the US for upgrade unfortunately) and LOVE them - quite a lot better than my old 5A's (which are great speakers in their own right).

I purchased MK 1s. They seemed like a better deal

. I too am upgrading from the 5As.

What amps are you using with your 7s? I have a pair of Ayre MX-Rs.

darthlaker · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:17 pm »

Quote from: dminches on 23 Mar 2015, 12:10 pm

I purchased MK 1s. They seemed like a better deal . I too am upgrading from the 5As.

What amps are you using with your 7s? I have a pair of Ayre MX-Rs.

Cool!

I am using Ayre MX-R's and have a KX-R as well (and I won't be upgrading to the 20 models).....

Congrats and please keep us updated and send thru some pix!

zybar · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:24 pm »

Quote from: dminches on 23 Mar 2015, 12:10 pm

I purchased MK 1s. They seemed like a better deal . I too am upgrading from the 5As.

What amps are you using with your 7s? I have a pair of Ayre MX-Rs.

Please post your thoughts.

As a long time 5a owner (approaching 10 years), I am curious to hear if the substantial increase in investment is worth it.

George

dminches · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 12:31 pm »

Will do. I will wait a couple weeks unless I hear a revelation sooner.

zybar · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Mar 2015, 03:56 pm »

Quote from: dminches on 23 Mar 2015, 12:31 pm

Will do. I will wait a couple weeks unless I hear a revelation sooner.

Thanks.

I am sure they are going to sound excellent.

George