Vandersteen Audio

Vandersteen Audio's phase coherent, time aligned, baffleless Series 2 line of loudspeakers is one of the truly legendary products in the history of high end audio. Various versions of the Model 2 have been in continuous production for almost 30 years, and some 200,000 have been sold. The sound quality of the Model 2 series has been undergoing continuous improvement for that entire time, culminating now in the latest member of the series, the 2CE Signature Mk. II. In upgrading the 2CE Signature to the Mk. II version, Richard Vandersteen wanted to provide listeners with the same quality of sound achieved in the larger 3A Signature but without any increase in size. This goal was obtained by fitting the Mk. II with the same tweeter and the same "million dollar" midrange driver that is used in the 3A Signature, the Quatros, and the Model 5A. (Long-term Vandersteen Audio aficionados will recall that this midrange driver resulted from years of research by Richard Vandersteen and cost a million dollars to develop.) These tweeter and midrange driver upgrades and the dozens of concomitant crossover and cabinet changes required to implement then have absolutely transformed the 2CE Signature into the most spacious, clear, neutral, and musically-detailed version in the Model 2's illustrious history and have made it a clear contender for best sounding loudspeaker at its price or even at prices significantly higher than its $2145 MSRP. Listening to this loudspeaker is a very humbling experience. It shows what can be accomplished when a loudspeaker designer eschews faddism and "lifestyle" tradeoffs in favor of continuous, unrelenting perfection of a proper design until it shines like a gemstone. We enthusiastically invite you down to hear how musical and natural this loudspeaker is.

The other new product from the Vandersteen laboratory is the VCC2 center channel. In these days of wall-mounted, flat-panel video displays, Vandersteen Audio needed a center channel with the same coaxial driver arrangement that would be true to the design goals of all their previous center channels but which could also be mounted on a wall above or below the TV. The answer is the VCC2 which is only 5 inches deep, making it perfect for mounting adjacent to a flat panel display. Mounted in the center of the 9.5 inch high by 33 inch wide cabinet is the same coaxial tweeter/woofer driver that is used in all of the other center channels from Vandersteen Audio. However, mounted on the back panel of the cabinet are two additional 6.5 inch woofers that are "mass loaded" against the wall to extend the lower bass frequency limit. Mass loading is a technique wherein a driver is fired against a flat surface. This loading of the driver by the nearby surface is very effective in increasing lower bass response, especially in situations such as this where the cabinet volume must be kept to a smaller size. The rubber feet which hold the back of the VCC2 slightly away from the mounting surface provide the small gap between the loudspeaker and the wall which is required for mass loading. The overall result is a center channel that has all of the smoothness and uncolored sound typical of a Vandersteen loudspeaker but which also has an extended, uncolored bass response that makes dialog sound natural and easy to understand. You won't have to turn the volume way up to understand what people are saying, as you do with so many other center channel loudspeakers. Finally, because the front drivers are coaxially mounted, you'll get the same excellent sound no matter how high or low you mount the VCC2 and no matter how far off the central viewing axis you are seated. This is the perfect center channel loudspeaker to accompany wall-mounted video displays. It sells for $1295.