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A Few Thoughts on The Wonderful Quad VA-One

Over the past few years I have been on a quest to build the finest system I could afford in the smallest form factor I could find..When listening to music I value an organic sound,I want to feel the woody resonance of a closely miked cello,to hear not only the initial strike of a drum head but the actual resonance of the skin..In other words a natural tone...It is my firm belief that we live in a truly golden age of hi fi.Never before has equipment with world class resolution and tonal saturation been available for so little money...
Which brings me to the VA-One,a $1600.00(good deals are available if you ask) all in 1 solution that makes sweet beautifiul music from todays digital sources.Included is Optical,Coaxial & USB along with 1 unbalanced input..There are several reviews that do a better job than I can at a full review so I’m just going to make a few points based on being an end user...
SILENCE!!!I am continually amazed at the deep black background music comes from with this amp.ABSOLUTELY dead quiet.Low level details are then rendered superbly...
Build quality and pride of ownership..Again superb.It really feels solid and like it will last several lifetimes...After a complete introduction and listening session A friend who has a vintage Quad tube rig driving Quad 57’s guessed it’s retail price at somewhere between $3500.00 & $5000.00 when asked...
Real world driving ability...Unless you have a large room or listen at head banging levels the 17wpc.actual(8ohms)/15wpc.(6/4 ohms)is enough power for most modern speakers that do not have wild phase swings and super low impedance...Case in point I am using Dynaudio Excite X14’s in a borderline medium size treated room with wonderful results...The sound is highly detailed,smooth and listenable for days on end with imaging and staging far outside the speakers and wonderful depth...
Sweet as honey headphone stage...Not super powerful(15 mil.watt @ 32 ohm/65 mil.watt @ 300 ohm)but beautifuly quiet and tonally lit like a tropical sunset(through HiFiMan HE400i)...I would LOVE to hear the Sennheiser HD800S on this amp!
In closing if you need a simple system for a small/medium room you can spend a lot more and not get anywhere the sweet sounds this amp is capable of...Highly recommended!!!

freediver
7 responses Add your response
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,352 posts
 
I looked @ it, but the limitation of only one pair of RCA analog inputs killed the deal (same with the PS Audio Sprout).

The simple addition of a second set of RCA inputs would have opened up their market to those who still use all-in-one CD decks and TT’s as their main sources.

The Sprout does have an additional stereo mini plug input, though its use would require that I make or purchase a special cable.
freediver OP
1,011 posts
 
You should look at the iFi Audio Stereo 50 then...I have both the Quad and iFi(which is at factory being checked out for future sale)...Build quality isn't same level as Quad,tonally about the same but the Quad seems to have a bit more control in the bass.iFi headphone circuit is WAYYY more powerful and just as sweet sounding.I don't support vinyl but I'm told the phono stage is superb...
freediver OP
1,011 posts
 
Last night my wonderful VA-One transported me into another universe when it was married to a brand new pair of Harbeth M30.1 monitors..About 14 hours out of the box I have never had such sound in my home...
The sound is alive..There is no room...Someone about 20’ to my right, in the hallway outside my apartment coughs during a Norah Jones video..A closely mic’d video of Diana Krall is amazing,with leading edge breath clearly defined,the moist sound of her lips just parting before the note is truly sensual...
The Quad VA-One might just be the absolute ultimate apartment/small room control center/amplifier...Driving $5000.00+ speakers it is nothing short of amazing...

 Addendum:I emailed Quad & ask what the typical life expectancy was on the tube set & they quoted me 500 hours...Mine is now somewhere around 3000 hours & sounds as crisp & clean as the day  first fired it up!
sumaato
98 posts
 
Mine is now somewhere around 3000 hours & sounds as crisp &
clean as the day  first fired it up!

freediver, how is the heat output from the VA-One? Does it get particularly hot, or is it just very warm to the touch?
freediver OP
1,011 posts
 
Hi,just good & warm,not hot enough to cause damage to the underside of a close shelf just above it..
As good as the amp sounded I had to sell it because I couldn't deal with Biasing new tubes.An upside down,open bottom & powered up amp isn't something I like to deal with these days.
sumaato
98 posts
 
free diver, thanks for picking up my message and answering. Good to know about the heat, but I'm sorry you let go of an amp you obviously  liked a lot. I thought it was self-biasing?
freediver OP
1,011 posts
 
UPDATE UPDATE:It was a saddd day when I had to sell my VA-One.The power tubes were worn out & I discovered it was a dangerous & nerve wracking procedure to bias new tubes so it was sold off..Since then I have been looking for an amp to replace it & NOTHING available even remotely interested me..I kept looking & looking & yesterday discovered the NEWLY UPGRADED VA-One+(Plus)..
 New for 2020 is an upgrade to the DAC module,now using the latest NON professional SABRE DAC chip & associated circuits..
Also upgraded is the wonderful headphone circuit,boosting power output to 500mw & expanding output impedance to better fit a wider variety of headphones..
 Lastley & MOST IMPORTANT UPGRADE is the inclusion of an AUTOMATIC BIASING circuit!!!
 These updates now make the Quad VA-One+ the absolute ultimate amplifier/control center for a small listening environments..Buy one before they sell out,I just DID!!!
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