Classe and Vandersteen?

[stimpy44]

I am in the market for a new HT setup. So far, I have been impressed by the Classe electronics and am waiting to hear the SSP-800. I heard the Classe SSP-300 paired with a set of B&W 803 S speakers and it sounded great. I also listened to the same B&W speakers with Rotel electronics - there was no comparison - I thought the Classe was far superior in sound quality.

I have also listened to the Vandersteen Quatro speakers with ARCAM electronics. I loved the speakers but was not as impressed with the electronics.

I've haven't been able to find any place where I can listen to the Classe gear with Vandersteen speakers. Has anyone experimented with this setup? Any thoughts on how the Classe/Vandersteen Quatros would pair up?

Thanks.

[RebelMan]

I have heard the Vandersteen Signature's with Jeff Roland and Ayre but not Classe'. I had some mixed feelings about the two combinations leading me to conclude the Vandersteens can be very picky about partnering electronics. The wrong mix and the results will be very uninspiring.

Like you I found the Arcam (FMJ in particular) to be too dry and two-dimensional so they definitely would not be a good choice for the Vandersteens'. As for the B&W's, I can appreciate the Rotel pairing but agree that they run a distant second to Classe'. (I previously owned the 803S and RSX-1056/RB-1080.)

I can only speculate but given Classe's somewhat laidback and smooth character it might exaggerate the Vandersteen's pillowy characteristic and create an overly artificial and softened soundscape which you may or may not prefer.

[philly boy]

I have the Vandersteen 3A Signatures paired with the Classe' CA2200. I agree with RebelMan's thoughts about the sound being laidback and smooth. The soundstage is huge. I love the combination. No listening fatigue whatsoever. The 3A sigs require a high current amp. An amp that doubles wattage into 4 ohms is helpful. The Vandersteen Quatro and 5A models may not need as much power as their underlings due to their built-in amplifiers that handle the subwoofers.

Hope this helps.
---Philip