I have had these speakers now for about 5 months, and they sound verygood, particlularly for the price. They have a sweetness, and smoothness,
that compares to speakers costing twice as much. From about 50hz and up,
they are excellent.

However, I found that to really make these babies reach their fullest potential,
and create the "larger" sound that most of us want, they need to be paired
with Vanderteen's 2WQ subwoofer. I added it to my system and this
combination outplays the 2CE's and reach almost to the level of the 3's.
One of the secrets is the unique Vandersteen method of incorporating the
crossover for the sub. Aa high pass filter (80hz, with 6db per octave slope) is
placed between the preamp and power amp and a reverse low pass filter is
built into the subwoofer. Essentially, this frees up the power amp from having
to do any hard work from 80hz and down, allowing it to "breathe" easier. The
300 watt amp in the sub does the hard work, and the power amp does not see
the impedance of the sub, as the sub only samples the signal from the power
amp. The result is even sweeter highs, cleaner midrange and mid bass -
which are the basic strenghs of the 1C's

Finally, I would like to point out that the 1C is a very much improved version of
the 1B, and the difference is quite noticable. Also, a previous post referenced
a lack of dealers in the US. That is incorrect, as the Vandersteen web page in
question has a reference to "dealers outside the US". They have actually
have one of the largest dealers networks in the US. If you call them, they will
point you towards one. By the way, if you call with a question, you are likely to
speak directly with Richard Vandersteen!

If you only have $800 to spend, these speakers will blow away the
competition, and if you like them and want to reach past the level of the 2CE,
then try them with the 2WQ subwoofer.

I have these beauties paired with a Creek 4330r integrated and a NAD 515 carousel and CAL Gamma Dac. The sound is OHHHHHHHH SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SWEET>,

Nothing under $1000 even comes close. The 1Cs are affordable and make beautiful music.

This is a truly excellent speaker. It is so good, it brings into the question the need for more expensive products. Stop paying for wood finishers; start paying for music. Highly recommended for all types of music.

I have owned a pair of 1C's for 2 years. I have put these speakers through the ringer, and they continue to shine. Although the bass is not the fullest I've heard, these puppies are very musical and clean sounding. My music tastes are quite varied and the 1C's have delivered every time, especially with old blues. My source is a Micromega stage2 or stage5 (depending on the country) CD-Player, the power comes from a Mission Cyrus II integrated amp with the PSX power supply, with Kimber Kables throughout. These speakers are easily integrated with most systems, and out perform many speakers costing twice as much...cheers.

I auditioned both the Vandy 2CE and the lC, and came out choosing the lCbecause of the mid range clarity and definition. The 2CE had excellent low bass reproduction; however, it cost twice as much and took up a lot of listening room space. I am using AudioQuest Quartz interconnect, AudioQuest Type 4 speaker wires, Acurus DIA100, and Denon CD source. The choice in interconnects makes a huge difference in the smoothness and sound quality. James Taylor "Live" CD sounds absolutely alive.

In audio, sins of omission are far prefferable to sins of commission.The Vandersteen 1C is a perfect example of this.
I've had the Vandys in my system for a few months now and have been totally satisfied with their easy-going ways. Not the speakers for every system, for sure. Used with dark sounding electronics in a relatively "dead" listening room, these speakers wouldn't do at all.
But, for most of us, they will do nicely, and at a truly bargain price.
The rest of my system, Musical Fidelity A2 integrated amplifier, Music Hall turntable with Grado Prestidge Red cartridge, Philips Magnavox DVD/CD player, StraightWire Rhapsody interconnects and Tara Labs speaker cable, is a good match with the 1Cs.
Bass extension in my relatively live and moderately sized listening room (12x20) is solid down to around 40Hz. But again, it's the sins of ommission thing. The 1Cs don't try to do TOO much down low. Therefore they do not get flabby and produce the dreaded "thud-thud" one-note bass. Bass is tuneful and resonant.
The mids are very, very good. No harshness, smear or obvious colorations.
The highs are sweet and detailed. And, once again, the speaker does not reach for highs beyond its capability.
And if you take the time to properly position the speakers (they need a fair amount of air around them) you will be rewarded with excellent image focus and a wide, deep soundstage. The concertmaster's violin on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Sheherezade" on RCA Red Seal is about 10 feet behind my listening room's back wall!
This is the second set of Vandersteens I've owned. Previously I had a set of 2Cis. The larger Vandersteens had better bass extension but not necessarily better bass quality. The 1C clearly beats the 2Cis on top where the metal dome tweeter, now used in the improved 2Ce, shines.
Highly recommended. The best under $1,000 speakers I've heard.

My wife wanted me to sell my car because we had three cars and we could not afford the insurance. I refused until it occurred to me that I had an excellent bargaining device. If I sell my car then I can take the proceeds and buy the speakers I have been lusting after for the last 15 years. My only problem was that I didn’t know which speaker it was. So I proceeded to listen to several speakers from 4 different stores until I had narrowed it down to 4 speakers: Polk RT800 ($800), AR9 ($1,000), Vanderstein 1C ($800), and Paradigm Monitor 9 ($640). Here’s the Skinny.
My system consists of the following: Rotel RC-980BC preamp, Rotel RB-970BX amp, Velodyne 1215X sub, and a Sony CD player (nothing special). I borrowed a 4 way A/B switch box from one of the stores for comparison. A second set of refined ears was assisting in the analysis.

Before settling on the final four speakers I compared the Boston Acoustics Linfield 950 to the Paradigm Monitor 9 at the store and thought the Boston’s were excessively bright and lacking of bass, however they were very clear. I also compared the Klipsch 8.5 to the Vandersteen 1C. The Vanderstein seemed to sound a little muddy in the showroom and the Klipsch was way to strong on the midrange. I selected the Vandy because with all the good reviews it has received, I figured I should at least give them a chance in my home environment.

We compared 2 speakers at a time and took the winner to the next round. The 1st round pitted the Polk RT800 against the AR9. The Polk was clear but boxy. The AR9 was full w/ excellent bass and filled the room w/ sound. Both were bright but not overly bright. The AR9 was easily superior in sound quality over the Polks, especially in the bass.

Second, we compared the AR9 to the Vandy. The Vandys were on the inside and the AR9 on the outside. The AR9 filled the room with sound a little better but the Vandy was much more realistic. The amount of coloring that the AR9 places on the music became apparent w/ this comparison. We then switched the Vandy to the outside and the AR9 to the inside. The AR9 definitely are speakers that should not be confined as they need space to let the side firing woofers roam. The Vandy was more tonally accurate, especially through the midrange and treble.

The final dance pitted the Vandy against the Monitor 9. These 2 were very close and both were tonally accurate w/ very little coloring (at least to my somewhat refined ear). This was the hardest decision to make. The Monitor 9 was a little smoother and richer because it reproduced the bass better, (not to say that it was more tonally accurate on the low end, but suited my listening taste better). Both were stellar in the midrange, warm and full. Neither was bright but both were clear. We both chose the Monitor 9 because it seemed to be a little richer and fuller. I could be happy w/ either. I highly recommend either.

The dealer knocked off $40 and let me keep the floor model. My original budget was about $1,200 for a speaker and some extra accessories. I now have enough cash left over to get good quality speaker cable (will biwire), a Panamax 1000+ line conditioner (dealer to sell me floor model for $230), and some high quality interconnects to go from my preamp to sub and sub to amp), probably Audioquest Ruby or Apeture BL-4. These upgrades should do almost as much as the speakers to improve sound quality.

As a side note, I was worried that the Vandy would win because my wife found it very unappealing and her 1st response was “There is no way that thing is going to sit in the living room”. I can’t say that I felt much different, but I know some people like the look. I can’t say for sure that the looks of the Vandy did not subconsciously sway my opinion. Whatever you do, make sure you test your speakers at home. Any reputable dealer will let you take the speakers home for a test drive. I may have picked the Polks if I had not compared each of them side by side, which is the best way to bring out the brightness and coloring of each speaker.

Hope this helps. Ken

Two words: Decay and Soundstage. Or three words, depending on how you look at it. Whatever the case, these were the things that immediately impressed me about the Vandersteens. Soundstage, as mentioned in previous reviews, is wider and deeper than most I'm accustomed to. Decay was amazing; I heard the fine fuzz-out of cymbals as never before. Take a listen to the Flaming Lip's "Waiting for a Superman" to glimpse this decay-working wizardry. Crisp and clean; look great as well. Though rated fairly low sensitivity wise (89db @ 2.83, I believe), my NAD C340 still provides them with plenty of juice. My only compaint is about the banana plugs; Mr. Vandersteen should quit hiring Conan the Barbarian to tighten the banana plug screws! I broke a screwdriver and could not loosen the screws on either plug.

I recently purchased my Vandersteen 1C's about a month ago. I was keen on buying these from the git-go of my most recent (and fun!) audio upgrade excursion (my first really "good" system). Based on a recommendation from a friend, the reviews posted here (including a detailed correspondence with a reviewer on this board -- many thanks to Senor Steve Poon down below), MSRP, and two auditions, I was sold on my speaker choice. I did not literally go out and compare the 1C's to other speakers (save two others, a pair of Linn's and a pair of Monitor Audio Silver Series 5, because of competing dealers who had electronics I was interested in but who did not carry Vandersteens), but I did give them a listen with a variety of electronics to make sure "I would like them." I did. More than I expected. So, a few months after my audition I purchased my Vandersteens. I also purchased a Myryad MI-120 integrated amplifier and the Myryad MC-100 CD player (albeit from two different dealers).
Aaaaaaaaah, but it is truly music to my ears. The Vandersteen 1C's are warm and rich (which I prefer) yet detailed. The music surrounds me more than I knew how. I also like the bass, but the highs are fine, too! What a great combo. As an aside, I have listened to these same speakers at a friend's house, who coupled them with $10K worth of electronics (Quicksilver tube monoblocs and Quicksilver tube preamp). The 1C's hold their own beautifully and sound like they are some equally expensive component in this set-up. What a great speaker! I am very pleased with my own solid-state/1C set-up and feel these speakers are highly recommendable. What makes it even better is their price (approx. $800 with stands; make sure you get the stands folks, and fill 'em with sand like he says). Speaking of "he," I spoke to Richard Vandersteen prior to purchasing my speakers. An "interesting" guy for sure, but he knows so much and is quite, well, quite opinionated. This combination provides you with some juicy advice about products, placement and the speakers themselves. It is reassuring to know how much (or little, I should say) he has invested in the speaker cabinet and how much in the drivers, etc. This IS where the money should go.

System:
Myryad MI-120 integrated amplifier
Myryad MC-100 CD player
Vandersteen 1C speakers
DH Labs interconnects
Synergistic Research Alpha speaker wires

Rating: Five stars, [without a doubt]