Anyone into REALLY high end home stereos??

[pronstar]

Heat and humidity are rough on speaker surrounds and possible the speaker material itself, depending on what it’s made of.

This can be mitigated with hvac.

I wouldn’t worry about the electronics.

But I would be more concerned the human element of renters playing with a snazzy stereo.

You’re gonna get tiny fingers poking dust caps and speaker cones, and you’re also gonna get adult fingers twirling the volume knob because “these go to 11”.

Large speakers are incredibly hard to get your money out of when selling them, because they’re a bitch to ship so you’re typically looking for a local buyer.

 

[Tank]

Heat and humidity are rough on speaker surrounds and possible the speaker material itself, depending on what it’s made of.

This can be mitigated with hvac.

I wouldn’t worry about the electronics.

But I would be more concerned the human element of renters playing with a snazzy stereo.

You’re gonna get tiny fingers poking dust caps and speaker cones, and you’re also gonna get adult fingers twirling the volume knob because “these go to 11”.

Large speakers are incredibly hard to get your money out of when selling them, because they’re a bitch to ship so you’re typically looking for a local buyer.

Thanks brother. Good info.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Your Dad has excellent taste in HiFi gear, Tank.
What an incredible gift.
I am "assuming" here, so...
If the equipment has been stored for many years and is operational then it would be safe to figure where it was, it was happy.
Maybe try to recreate those conditions?
If it were me, the only way that gear would be in a house I rented to others would be if it were in a locked closet. A dead bolted locked closet. Maybe there is a way to repurpose a closet in the rental as a lockable stereo rack area, including a place you can put your speakers in when the home is rented.
I know that low humidity is hard on speaker cones, but high humidity is as well. Most audio gear is designed to be happy in room conditions, but both your homes are in extreme areas. If I was keeping it at the beach house I'd have a de-humidifier going to keep it in the 50% range, which is what I read as a happy place.
I know dry isn't good either. I re coned a set of Bose 901's a few years ago that had simply aged out and dried out after having been improperly stored in a place that got real warm for many years.
I understand why you are thinking this through.

I have a Sansui 1000a tube amp I am going to get restored next year...if I can find someone I trust to do it. It will sit next to the Marantz 4270 I had done two years ago...this stuff ain't cheap to have worked on...

 

[DLow]

No Effing way would I sell that system, being that it is from your dad. You will regret it. My dad is a total POS and I expect I will never get another kind word or thing of value from him, but stuff like that is family heirloom worthy. Glad you are taking the time to figure out the right way to handle these gems.

 

[Tank]

Your Dad has excellent taste in HiFi gear, Tank.
What an incredible gift.
I am "assuming" here, so...
If the equipment has been stored for many years and is operational then it would be safe to figure where it was, it was happy.
Maybe try to recreate those conditions?
If it were me, the only way that gear would be in a house I rented to others would be if it were in a locked closet. A dead bolted locked closet. Maybe there is a way to repurpose a closet in the rental as a lockable stereo rack area, including a place you can put your speakers in when the home is rented.
I know that low humidity is hard on speaker cones, but high humidity is as well. Most audio gear is designed to be happy in room conditions, but both your homes are in extreme areas. If I was keeping it at the beach house I'd have a de-humidifier going to keep it in the 50% range, which is what I read as a happy place.
I know dry isn't good either. I re coned a set of Bose 901's a few years ago that had simply aged out and dried out after having been improperly stored in a place that got real warm for many years.
I understand why you are thinking this through.

I have a Sansui 1000a tube amp I am going to get restored next year...if I can find someone I trust to do it. It will sit next to the Marantz 4270 I had done two years ago...this stuff ain't cheap to have worked on...

Yeah. He didn’t buy much but when he did, he went big. It was used and stored at his place in redondo. Which is pretty humid itself.

I will not be leaving it out for any renters to fuck with. Even though I think we will only rent to friends and friends of friends. Still, won’t leave it out. If I decide to set it up in havasu I’ll figure it out how to keep it locked up. May be able to lock up a closet like mentioned and put speakers on roller bases to move onto the living room or some shit. Like @pronstar said, the speakers weigh a ton, if moving them gotta make it as easy as possible. Or maybe like others suggested a dedicated lockable room.

Then again I’d kinda like to wire the house with audio through in and out with a central control system. Buddy does that for a living I can send him out and dial it in but then this stereo set up doesn’t coming into play in that scenario. We’ll see. I’ll figure it out. Just wanted to make sure the heat wouldn’t just absolutely destroy it.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

I recently came into possession of a musical fidelity tri vista 300 receiver coupled to a musical fidelity A308 CD player and musical fidelity tri vista 300 power supply. They are hooked to Vandersteen model 5 carbon series speakers. I’ve been told best of the best and the prices I’ve looked up is jaw dropping.

my dilemma is I don’t really have the room for this set up at our house not to mention we live on the beach in a 100 year old house that is “damp”. I was thinking I could put it in the havasu house we’re gonna buy but 1) we may rent it to friends and friends of friends for vacation rental and 2) I don’t think the heat would be good for the speakers and components.

So, I guess my main question is would the heat and dry air in havasu fuck this system up?

Well we first gotta get you correctly saying "Marantz" sheez Tank.... high end audio is something to behold. Most meatheads with these systems think its all about the top end but unlike boats and HP its about the low end and clarity separating the instruments as one listens. A neighbor just moved from NC to my hood and only thing he yanked from NC mansion was his custom audio system. He even flew his tech out here to install over a week. Let me tell you listening to some of his digitally stored late 60s/ early 70s tunes brought a tear to my eye. Can't help you with the humidity & heat challenges but call any top audiophile shop and those geeks will let ya know whats up.

 

[Tank]

Well, got the stuff home. Storing it for now. Im Pretty sure I’ll Set it up in havasu…I think. but GOT DAMN those speakers weigh a TON! so does the receiver. Nearly Dropped a nut!

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Well, got the stuff home. Storing it for now. Im Pretty sure I’ll Set it up in havasu…I think. but GOT DAMN those speakers weigh a TON! so does the receiver. Nearly Dropped a nut!

View attachment 1246281

Is that a 2275?

I love mine. I have been keeping an eye out for a clean Sansui 9090DB though. If I find one I'll still keep the Marantz.

 

[Tank]

Is that a 2275?

I love mine. I have been keeping an eye out for a clean Sansui 9090DB though. If I find one I'll still keep the Marantz.

View attachment 1246283

Yes, sir. Pops boxed it up when he purchased the musical fidelity set up.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Yes, sir. Pops boxed it up when he purchased the musical fidelity set up.

View attachment 1246284

I can still feel the way those knobs turned.... quality feel. And dang look at those tall speakers... my how audio technology changes. Clear crisp sound without volume still works for my ears.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Yes, sir. Pops boxed it up when he purchased the musical fidelity set up.

View attachment 1246284

Nice!

 

[Tank]

I can still feel the way those knobs turned.... quality feel. And dang look at those tall speakers... my how audio technology changes. Clear crisp sound without volume still works for my ears.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing. I remember being a kid and changing the radio station on the Marantz and even as a kid the action on the selector was so buttery. Glided like a well balance and oiled machine.

And unfortunately for me, all
The years of giant competition level systems in my vehicles and all
The shooting have managed to give me some tenitus. Anytime I blast music my ears ring after. It sucks because I like loud clean music and you can feel in your chest. But with this set up the goal isn’t to blare it. The goal was to create the clearest precise sound. Vanguard takes that shit serious. The system sounds absolutely amazing. I actually can’t wait to set it up and really listen to some stuff. My dad loved opera and he purchased the system specifically to immigrate sitting front row of a live performance. I have some good memories of us sitting there listening to opera. Good stuff.

 

[Nordie]

I love me some home audio! I did mess up and toss an old Realistic (all metal) amp that I had in my bedroom as a youngster. It wasn't anything fancy, but all of the gages worked as you tuned into a radio station. It was in mint condition and worked perfectly.

Currently what I run all of my living room speakers with is a denon (don't remember the model #) but is 7 channel with Bluetooth and a second channel that runs the backyard. I have ceiling and wall speakers, and 2 old school MTX speakers with a sub, and a yamaha center channel speaker I bought at a second hand store. When I feel like cranking my stereo the whole neighborhood hears it.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Funny, I was thinking the same thing. I remember being a kid and changing the radio station on the Marantz and even as a kid the action on the selector was so buttery. Glided like a well balance and oiled machine.

And unfortunately for me, all
The years of giant competition level systems in my vehicles and all
The shooting have managed to give me some tenitus. Anytime I blast music my ears ring after. It sucks because I like loud clean music and you can feel in your chest. But with this set up the goal isn’t to blare it. The goal was to create the clearest precise sound. Vanguard takes that shit serious. The system sounds absolutely amazing. I actually can’t wait to set it up and really listen to some stuff. My dad loved opera and he purchased the system specifically to immigrate sitting front row of a live performance. I have some good memories of us sitting there listening to opera. Good stuff.

My tenitus is a weird one...Loud, like doing barricade at concerts loud, started it off I think. Now, shooting, no issues after, but tuning a motor...even with exhaust...can set it off the days following. Loud systems in cars won't. Maybe I'm just deaf now?

Unfortunately, seeing that beautiful setup sitting in storage, is like seeing a beautiful, high end sports car sitting in a barn. You know it's sad...don't let it be sad

 

[Tank]

My tenitus is a weird one...Loud, like doing barricade at concerts loud, started it off I think. Now, shooting, no issues after, but tuning a motor...even with exhaust...can set it off the days following. Loud systems in cars won't. Maybe I'm just deaf now?

Unfortunately, seeing that beautiful setup sitting in storage, is like seeing a beautiful, high end sports car sitting in a barn. You know it's sad...don't let it be sad

I won’t. Goal is to get it in service asap.

 

[Nordie]

My tenitus is a weird one...Loud, like doing barricade at concerts loud, started it off I think. Now, shooting, no issues after, but tuning a motor...even with exhaust...can set it off the days following. Loud systems in cars won't. Maybe I'm just deaf now?

Unfortunately, seeing that beautiful setup sitting in storage, is like seeing a beautiful, high end sports car sitting in a barn. You know it's sad...don't let it be sad

My wife never understands why I want to sleep with the TV on. There's that old saying of the loudest it can be is in dead silence.

I'm pretty sure I got my tenitus from crawling under my dad's race car to unhook it as he backed it out of the trailer. Well that and working in a rebar shop.

 

[Mr. C]

My wife never understands why I want to sleep with the TV on. There's that old saying of the loudest it can be is in dead silence.

I'm pretty sure I got my tenitus from crawling under my dad's race car to unhook it as he backed it out of the trailer. Well that and working in a rebar shop.

Sleep with the tv on all the time. Since grandkids and new technology. They have white noise machines etc . To eliminate the dead silence.
Or in our case we also now have a small fish tank with a led light on low dull blue and filter noise.
Not saying I still don’t fall asleep to the tv but it shuts off on its own after a couple hours.

 

[PlanB]

I have had tinnitus for more than 20 years but the Covid Vax two years ago made it go off the charts. I am finally getting back to my normal levels. I don't even think about it anymore to be honest unless something like this thread reminds me of it. Flying and living around helicopters in the Army I am sure was the root cause. The VA sends me a check every month because of it.

 

[C-2]

My wife never understands why I want to sleep with the TV on. There's that old saying of the loudest it can be is in dead silence.

I'm pretty sure I got my tenitus from crawling under my dad's race car to unhook it as he backed it out of the trailer. Well that and working in a rebar shop.

X2, mine is getting pretty bad.

I put the "9 hour rainstorm" relaxing music vid on Amazon Prime to sleep at night.

I tell people all the time, silence is deafening to me; few people understand it.

Since I am such a big music fan and out of fear of hearing loss, I started scaling back on my loud music. Currently swinging just 2 speakers/subs and a single amp at 380 watts instead of 700+

 

[C-2]

I have had tinnitus for more than 20 years but the Covid Vax two years ago made it go off the charts. I am finally getting back to my normal levels. I don't even think about it anymore to be honest unless something like this thread reminds me of it. Flying and living around helicopters in the Army I am sure was the root cause. The VA sends me a check every month because of it.

I work in Workers Comp and tinnitus due to an industrial accident is $$$$$. Cannabis reactors exploding is the flavor of the day. It must suck to get it suddenly.

 

[DaveH]

what kills electronics is the heating/cooling heating/cooling cyle over and over.

its the reason many choose to leave their electronics on all the time.....to keep the temp at the same level.

the dryness of havsu will kill the speakers.

the best way to make it last is to keep the temp and humidity at an even level all the time.

 

[Mr. C]

what kills electronics is the heating/cooling heating/cooling cyle over and over.

its the reason many choose to leave their electronics on all the time.....to keep the temp at the same level

With most new equipment always in stand by mode doesn’t that / wouldn’t that keep temps more balanced on what you’re describing ??

 

[monkeyswrench]

My wife never understands why I want to sleep with the TV on. There's that old saying of the loudest it can be is in dead silence.

I'm pretty sure I got my tenitus from crawling under my dad's race car to unhook it as he backed it out of the trailer. Well that and working in a rebar shop.

When I moved here, is when I really started to have issues with it. At first I thought it was the altitude change. Then, one weekend I was working alone outside, and it started to snow...being a socal kid, I'd never actually been in a snow flurry. The absolute sound of silence was deafening! I think there was always so much background noise in my previous life, it drowned out the ringing?

 

[Desert Whaler]

In high school I worked for an ex hippie landscaper dude.
He was all into stereo's but he didn't have money for the newer good stuff.
He would restore these old units that had 'tubes' in them (apparently the tubes were the key, he'd go to garage sales looking for them) . . . way beyond my knowledge. Looked like spaghetti with all the wires everywhere.
He'd always try to get me to stay & say, "The tubes have to heat up before it sounds really good" . . . as a typical teenager, I was like, 'Later dude'!
On the weekends his buddies would cruise over & they'd take turns listening to vinyl albums . . . hippie shit, like that "Thick as a brick" song with the flutes & shit.
Dudes were a scene ... long hair, beards, driving VW buses w, Lennon glasses . . . the whole kit.

I gotta admit . . . it did sound very clean and nice. He had some tall / thin 'speakers', I think they were called 'Magna-Planers' if I remember correctly.
I think they were some kind of magnetic deal . . . around 6 feet tall, maybe 2 feet wide, but only maybe 2-3 inches thick and heavy.

The tunes weren't my style . . . but I sure could tell a big difference in the quality . . . very impressive.

Hope you get some good use out of Your gear.

 

[pronstar]

For those of us with tinnitus, nothing is louder than silence. I sleep with earbuds and a white noise machine. And not wanting to have this get any worse, I use earplugs regularly, i even wear them during worship at church because they play music sooo loud that my ears ring.

I totally get clean vs loud.
Towers and subs used to be my jam…but bookshelf speakers on speaker stands are my go-to in my (pardon the mess) office.

 

[C-2]

For those of us with tinnitus, nothing is louder than silence. I sleep with earbuds and a white noise machine. And not wanting to have this get any worse, I use earplugs regularly, i even wear them during worship at church because they play music sooo loud that my ears ring.

I totally get clean vs loud.
Towers and subs used to be my jam…but bookshelf speakers on speaker stands are my go-to in my (pardon the mess) office.

View attachment 1246372

That turntable is looking good bud; congrats!

 

[pronstar]

That turntable is looking good bud; congrats!

Thanks man!
The CF repair that i had done locally is really well-done.

Took me a while to find a decent mc cart that didn’t break the bank. We don’t make them so I had to pay retail

 

[monkeyswrench]

For those of us with tinnitus, nothing is louder than silence. I sleep with earbuds and a white noise machine. And not wanting to have this get any worse, I use earplugs regularly, i even wear them during worship at church because they play music sooo loud that my ears ring.

I totally get clean vs loud.
Towers and subs used to be my jam…but bookshelf speakers on speaker stands are my go-to in my (pardon the mess) office.

View attachment 1246372

I like your taste in books as well

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Funny, I was thinking the same thing. I remember being a kid and changing the radio station on the Marantz and even as a kid the action on the selector was so buttery. Glided like a well balance and oiled machine.

And unfortunately for me, all
The years of giant competition level systems in my vehicles and all
The shooting have managed to give me some tenitus. Anytime I blast music my ears ring after. It sucks because I like loud clean music and you can feel in your chest. But with this set up the goal isn’t to blare it. The goal was to create the clearest precise sound. Vanguard takes that shit serious. The system sounds absolutely amazing. I actually can’t wait to set it up and really listen to some stuff. My dad loved opera and he purchased the system specifically to immigrate sitting front row of a live performance. I have some good memories of us sitting there listening to opera. Good stuff.

Interesting.... my parents raised us on fine opera. And boy don't get me started with that Tinnitus.... my buddy has it and has educated me on hearing health practices. Too late for him growing up around guns and machinery he says did him in. From what he says his is like I think I'd jump off a bridge. I started wearing earplugs on speedboats because of all that stuff. My hearings great and boy oh boy does it help wearing plugs over to Island at speed.... i had no idea how much wind noise was whistling through our ears! Seems like everyone I know out west is mostly deaf over 50 and reading lips. I have to do it in loud bars now.

 

[MPHSystems]

Well, got the stuff home. Storing it for now. Im Pretty sure I’ll Set it up in havasu…I think. but GOT DAMN those speakers weigh a TON! so does the receiver. Nearly Dropped a nut!

View attachment 1246281

Holy shit, are those Walsh ohms?

 

[Tank]

Holy shit, are those Walsh ohms?

No. Even better - Vandersteen model 5 carbon series

Pricing is tricky since I've seen MSRP from 24k to 35k depending on style. I think the pricing in the excerpt from the article posted below the sales ad is more accurate.

Example of a set for sale -

Product: Vandersteen Model 5A Carbon Floorstanding Speakers; Dark Metallic Pair w/ XLR

Product SKU: 29791

Cosmetic Description: 7/10 Very good cosmetic condition with some minor visible cosmetic wear including vertical cracks in the finish on either side of the upper sections of each speaker, and cracks in the finish where the top meets the base of one speaker. Outstanding condition overall - with the grills on they present perfectly.

What is Included: Pair of speakers, Pair of M5-HPB hi-pass filters with AudioQuest Wind XLR connectors, Spikes, Spike discs, Allen wrench, Vandertones CD, Power cables, Factory packaging

Functional Notes: Operational condition of this item is excellent, fully tested and no issues found.

Age: 3 years

# of Owners: 1

Tobacco Exposure: No

Service History: None

MSRP: $31300

Other Notes: Custom Dark Silver Metallic Finish

"Vandersteen Audio's Model 5A Carbon is the latest evolution of the classic Model 5 and the ultra-competitive little brother to the flagship Model Seven. What separates the 5A Carbon from previous iterations of the 5 Series are its carbon-fiber midrange and tweeter drivers, which are descended directly from the patented Perfect-Piston drivers developed for and used in the flagship Model Seven. These carbon drivers are the result of an unprecedented 10-year research & development effort." - Vandersteen


Features that Minimize Room Interactions in the Treble and Midrange
I should note for those that are not familiar with the earlier Vandersteen 5 and 5A, that you can normally get the 5A Carbon’s outstanding performance in the treble and midrange without having to use extensive room treatment. The 5A Carbon limits dispersion in ways that reduce sidewall, other wall, and ceiling reflections at the listening position. It also reduces floor reflection—for anyone still trying to use wood, tile, or marble as a substitute for a thick carpet and pad.
This does require careful setup, and the use of washers in the foot spikes to precisely aim the treble and midrange at the listening-position height in the ways set out in the owner’s manual. The treble and midrange drivers have a focal point plus or minus three inches to accommodate listeners of different heights, but you need to use the right number of washers to get just the right tilt for your own listening distance. Not enough tilt and the speakers will sound forward because the tweeter frequencies arrive first. Too much tilt and they will lack the proper energy and sound slow. It also means that the high frequencies diminish if you stand up, although this minimizes high-frequency smear from the ceiling at the listening position.
The speaker’s horizontal dispersion is much broader, however, and this means that the Vandersteen 5A Carbons present the same problems as any other speakers that are not dipoles. They need to be kept away from the sidewalls or they will need some form of absorbing material to keep the resulting reflections from interfering with detail and hardening the sound. I place them along the long wall of my listening room, and I find that I have little practical need for room treatment to deal with reflections. Moreover, I depart from the standard toe-in recommendations and aim the speakers so each crosses to the left or right of the listening position. This gives up some imaging detail, but it expands the listening position so several people can hear a good soundstage.
Like the earlier 5 and 5A, the 5A Carbon also has a rear-firing tweeter that can compensate for overdamped rooms and slightly expand the apparent soundstage. I used a minimal amount of such energy with the 5A, but did not use it with the 5A Carbon. This, however, is a matter of taste and the good thing about this feature is there is an array of rear-panel controls to adjust the frequency and intensity of such energy. By all means experiment.
Getting the Best of the Bass
What is even more important in minimizing room interactions, however, is that the improvements in the midrange and treble of the 5A Carbon blend so well with the exceptional bass provided by the earlier model 5 and 5A (and Vandersteen Quattro and Model 7). I keep hoping for digital solutions, or the perfect sound trap, to automatically deal with the mountain range of peaks and valleys in bass response below 250Hz that is inevitable in any real-world listening room, and that will allow me to get the best bass from the best location for the best midrange, treble, and soundstage performance. I also keep hoping for some magic solution to dealing with room reflections in the midrange and treble, and for dealing with the impact of room surfaces on the upper-octave energy a speaker delivers in a given room.
The Vandersteen is not “magic,” but it does have design features that deal with these problems in the bass in ways that sound more musically realistic than any combination of digital correction and/or room absorbers that I have heard to date. Like the Vandersteen 5 and 5A, the 5A Carbons mount a 7-inch woofer above the subwoofer enclosure in a resistively loaded transmission line. Both this driver and the subwoofer driver use precision-formed magnet assemblies with copper Faraday rings on the pole pieces to reduce magnetic distortion and maximize linear excursion. Heavy-duty die-cast metal baskets provide superior rigidity.
The 5A Carbon uses a 12-inch subwoofer assembly mounted horizontally in the bottom of the enclosure, in a push-pull design with a powerful magnet on either side of the aluminum cone. Each magnet can provide more than an inch of linear excursion, and there are dual magnet assemblies and two voice coils wound on either end of a single common former that runs through the driver from magnet to magnet. They are driven by a 400-watt amplifier that in practice produces far more bass energy than the more powerful amps in other subwoofers, and can deal with even the most excessive rock, organ, and synthesizer music as well as the sound effects in a home-theater system.
While the 5A Carbon enclosure cannot match the enclosure in the Model 7 in reducing every aspect of vibration and bass coloration, it does provide exceptional bass while still providing midrange and upper-octave performance with a minimum of early reflections and edge diffraction. The helps ensure that the midbass and upper bass blend with the midrange in ways that produce a level of natural detail and musical realism with jazz and real-world symphonic music, and are equally natural with bass, cello, and piano played as solo instruments and in small ensembles. I’ve only heard a few much larger speakers with the ability to so clearly go down to 30Hz and below without doubling or coloration, but the real merit is the flat response from about 45Hz up—where almost all of the real world bass occurs and where you want to hear the frequency of the music, not the frequency the speaker wants to provide.
As was the case in the 5A, there is natural detail, control, and apparent “speed” equal to that of the best woofer columns and room-filling massive designs. This is not a speaker with “small” or limited bass or that substitutes bass energy for musical realism, and there is also a “Q” control that allows you to ensure you get the best of these feature in your system. A low “Q” sounds tight and controlled. A high Q produces a full, warm bass with more energy in the most audible bass range.

Dealing with Room Interactions
This, however, is only part of the story in dealing with most critical problems in room interaction. The subwoofer amplifier has an eleven-band equalizer that provides boost or cut at frequencies centered around 20Hz, 24Hz, 30Hz, 36Hz, 42Hz, 50Hz, 60Hz, 72Hz, 84Hz, 100Hz, and 120Hz. Setting the equalizer is best done by your dealer, although the instructions in the Model 5A Carbon handbook give you a reasonable chance of doing it yourself using warble tones or a Vandersteen test disc and the analog version of the RadioShack SPL meter. Getting this right, however, requires experience in dealing with a wide range of rooms and knowing when to stop. A good dealer will have this experience. It will take you and a friend several tries at a minimum to get it right, and the controls do not need to be readjusted unless you change speaker placement or listening position. The goal is not to achieve perfectly flat response as indicated by the SPL meter. Rather, you want to bring down the highest peaks and bring up the lowest troughs within a 3–5dB range. Once the 5A Carbon is properly set up, however, I believe you will hear bass of a quality most audiophiles have never heard in their homes regardless of cost, and you will have a remarkable ability to put your speaker in the best listening position for the midrange, treble, and soundstage.
The proper adjustment of these eleven equalizer settings really pays off in sound quality. Getting rid of the worst dips and peaks in bass response makes instruments sound far more natural and means you can really hear the bottom organ notes and synthesizer as well as every nuance in electric guitar. There is no hint of one-note bass, a dominant turning point in bass response, or bass smear. The soundstage is more natural in the lower midrange and upper bass, and more coherent.
Compatibility
I don’t have a lot of set-up and system-interface tips beyond the fact you really need to pay attention to the manual’s advice about features, and charm your dealer into a long set-up session to calibrate the bass.
The 5A Carbon has a nominal 8-ohm impedance, and the use of a powered subwoofer makes it easy to drive—even with amps in the 40W range. A pair of Pass XA160.5 Class A amps provides far more power than is necessary, as does the Cary CAD 120S Mark II in the 80Wpc triode mode.
I should note, however, that the Vandersteen 5A Carbons show their best bi-wired, and do use unique terminal strips that require relatively small spade lugs. The line-level filter that fits between your preamplifier and power amplifier costs $995 for balanced inputs and outputs, and $895 for the single-ended version. This filter rolls off the bass driving your power amplifier; flat response is restored in the 5A Carbon’s integral woofer amplifier.
Summing Up
The Vandersteen 5A Carbon is one of the best speakers I have heard, as well as one of the most practical. I would definitely short-list it if you can afford it, and I’d make an upgrade a critical priority if I owned an earlier Model 5 or 5A and were wealthy enough. My listening to the Model 5A Carbons reinforces the merits of the Model 7 in Robert Harley’s October, 2010 review, and I envy those of you who can afford the Model 7. As for me, I’m excited enough about the 5A Carbons to make them my reference speakers, and everyone who has come by my home to listen has had the same favorable reaction—including some dealers and my very jaundiced sons and daughter.
This doesn’t just come through in listening to music. Speaking as a reviewer, I have rarely found a speaker that made it easier to hear the differences in cartridges, digital front ends, electronics, and the production values in recordings without favoring any one approach over the others. I was recently comparing the top-ofthe- line Soundsmith and Grado cartridges with digital recordings of the same performance, and it was striking how clearly the differences came through in ways where the musical advantage of each cartridge became clearer, along with the mix of differences and similarities in analog-versus-digital reproduction.
I do want to stress, however, that this remains an extraordinarily competitive field and no one approach to speaker design is correct or best. I use a pair of Quad 2905s and a pair of Legacy Focus SEs as additional references and each has its own balance of special merits. The new Magnepan 3.7s offers tremendous sound quality for the money at a very different price point. So do the less expensive models in the Vandersteen line, as well as those from too many other manufacturers to list. The hunt goes on….

SPECS & PRICING​

Frequency response: 20Hz to 40kHz, +/- 2dB
Sensitivity: 85.5db at 1 meter with 2.83 volt input
Recommended amplifier power: 50Wpc to 200Wpc
Subwoofer amplifier: 400 watts
Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum
Crossover: 100Hz, 600Hz, 5000Hz and adjustable H.F., 6dB per octave
Dimensions: 14″ x 44″ x 20″
Weight: 182 pounds net, 225 gross (each)
Price: $24,000 (standard finish)
Vandersten Audio
116 West Fourth Street
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-0324
vandersteen.com

 

[DaveH]

With most new equipment always in stand by mode doesn’t that / wouldn’t that keep temps more balanced on what you’re describing ??

stand by mode is there on newer stuff to retain memory and make for faster startup. but we are talking about old school analog, but most importantly, the amplifiers that suffer from cycling and modern amplifiers cope with the same issue.

 

[Runs2rch]

stand by mode is there on newer stuff to retain memory and make for faster startup. but we are talking about old school analog, but most importantly, the amplifiers that suffer from cycling and modern amplifiers cope with the same issue.

Definitely hampers all that Kenny G you were blasting in the shop the other day

 

[DaveH]

Definitely hampers all that Kenny G you were blasting in the shop the other day

shows what you know.........that was Enya

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Tobacco exposure.... ho boy... yup, that'd be a deciding factor.

Life fascinates me more and more with time.

 

[MPHSystems]

Definitely hampers all that Kenny G you were blasting in the shop the other day

shows what you know.........that was Enya

you two should get a room before pride month is over.

 

[Spudsbud]

You guys take me back. Iwas your typical audiofile(sp?) back then.
Klipsch speakers. Harmon Kardon amp. Marantz receiver. pioneer tape deck. Onkyo turntable. A buddy & I made a few bucks making tapes Nd later on CD's for guys in HS. & later. late.70's thru 80's.
Then, everybody had that gear stacked on a shelf in the basement or garage..... Me? nearly 20 yrs. never touched it.
Then, had enough & tossed it.all. not worth nothing to anyone around here.
That was 15 years ago......
Fond memories......

 

[Runs2rch]

you two should get a room before pride month is over.

You bringing the Bud Light??? Haha