Vandersteen model 2ce

[jcparks]

I always watch ebay for model 2's and yesterday I stumbled on a pair that just so happened to be only 30 minutes from where I live. So I sent to seller a personal message, they called me back this morning, and I just got back from listening. They belonged to an elderly couple and got very little use over the years and are in perfect condition. I checked the serials online when I got home to discover they are a later model 2ce so they have the upgraded tweeter.
I got limited time to audition them, but I did like what I heard.
The price is listed at 650 seems a little steep for me though.
What do you guys think? Should i offer her lower? or should I jump on them?
Anyone here have experience with Vandersteen?

 

[hifitommy]

that is a very good price for those speakers in that condition. i might use an amp like an adcom 555II, 5400, or 5500. preferably, a tubed amp of 60 wpc or more would be used as the vandys respond well to tubes.

 

[walter duque]

Don't let them get away, $650.00 seems like a bargain. Maybe offer $550.00 and see what happens. These are great speakers.

 

[jcparks]

Well the lady ended up playing games... wanted me to pay her ebay fees. However last night I noticed there was an auction in the San Francisco area for some Model 3's for 599. I made my bid, and I'm the proud owner of a set of previously owned Vandersteen Model 3's, just gotta find the time to make the 2 hour drive up to Frisco to pick them up..

 

[slipperybidness]

Well the lady ended up playing games... wanted me to pay her ebay fees. However last night I noticed there was an auction in the San Francisco area for some Model 3's for 599. I made my bid, and I'm the proud owner of a set of previously owned Vandersteen Model 3's, just gotta find the time to make the 2 hour drive up to Frisco to pick them up..

Well that sucks.

Ebay fees MUST be part of the price or MUST be included in the "shipping and handling" fees.

If she tried to bump up the price after you had a winning bid, then she was in direct violation of Ebay policies. You need to file a complaint with Ebay, and they will set her straight on that practice!

I have cancelled transactions over $2 that the seller tried to tag onto the final price. It absolutely violates the ebay policy and I refuse to play that game.

 

[jcparks]

It was nothing like that that... She had the item listed on ebay with a starting bid of 650. That was more then I wanted to spend so offered her 550. When the auction expired she countered with 600 and I agreed. So I asked her to put it back up on ebay for 600 buy it now with the local pick up option she said ok but I have to pay the ebay fees.. I basically told her that didn't make any sense so she re-listed the speakers at 625. I gave up after that and told her I wasn't interested.
It's ok though cause i found the Model 3's listed at 599 and won that auction

 

[haraldo]

Congratulations, I never heard of an unhappy Vandersteen owner

I do have a strong faith and belief in the phase/time coherence that all Vandersteen's provide: I believe these speakers are really crazy good

 

[jcparks]

Turns out the model 3's are actually model 3a's.
Bonus

 

[walter duque]

Turns out the model 3's are actually model 3a's.
Bonus

I owned a pair of Vandersteen's years ago and they are great speakers. You do need to power them right. I don't know what you're using to drive them with, but an AVR is not going to do them any justice. Sweet speakers and I hope you enjoy them for many years to come.

 

[jcparks]

My AVR has preouts for the front left and right channel, so I am doing research on stereo amplifiers to power them now. Also going to have to keep an eye out for a Vandersteen VCC-1 center channel to keep uniformity across my front end when I do watch movies, but I'm not in a super big hurry there, first priority is the amp.

 

[haraldo]

turns out the model 3's are actually model 3a's.
bonus

big bonus...

 

[Rickster71]

It's threads like these that get me looking on Ebay and in the classifieds.
I'd better stop before I get myself in trouble.

 

[haraldo]

If you go Vandersteen the full way with subs, then you will employ a very different way, a passive filter between the pre-and power amp, and then the amp in the sub has a lo-pass filter at something like 20Hz, which makes the transition between speakers and subs pitch perfect ..... Very different from any regular HT setup

Are you also looking for Vandersteen subs then

 

[jcparks]

naw I am very satisfied with my svs sub... Im just going to add a second later on down the road.

 

[haraldo]

naw I am very satisfied with my svs sub... Im just going to add a second later on down the road.

I'm sure you are, which one do you have?

 

[jcparks]

oh sorry its the SB2000.

 

[haraldo]

oh sorry its the SB2000.

I would like SB2000's myself

 

[jcparks]

For all of the complaining I've done about wanting speakers that blended in with the decor... yeah you can all smack me.

 

[walter duque]

Very nice.

 

[haraldo]

Beauty is in simplicity..... nice