Aerius i and VTL IT 85


I currently own a pair of ML Aerius i, and am driving them with an NAD 340C. I really invested in the speakers ($2500), and skimped on my integrated amp (I think it was $350 at the time), thinking I would upgrade later.

Well, later has arrived, and I went in to audition replacements for my NAD. It came down to an Ayre AX-7 integrated SS amp, or the VTL IT 85. I liked both, but the VTL honestly sounded so much more exciting to me. I really only have $2500 to spend on the amp, so I can't go any higher.

Does anyone have any experience driving ML Aerius i with relatively low power tube amps? I think the VTL is rated at 80 wpc. I have a real small apartment; only 515 square ft. total!

Thanks for any help....

Steve
sdaigneault30dd
Wow, that helps alot. Thank you! I listen to a wide variety of music, nothing classical. ELO, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and more progressive stuff, like house, trance, etc.

I suspected the set up would be alright, especially after auditioning it at the dealer. But $2500 is still a lot of money to me! and I wanted to be sure I wasn't going to regret it.

o boy, i can't wait to hear that sound in my own apartment!

(you can see I actually decided to create a name for myself here... Dennis being my middle name; the menace... well, I'll leave that to your imagination: think, apartment buildings with thin walls and "quiet" neighbors!)
I've run these speaker with the VTL Tiny Triodes and they loved them. This is a very bright speaker and the VTL gear mellows them.
Steve, I drive my M-L ReQuests with a CJ premier 11a which is 70 watts per channel. It is a wonderful match within the constraints of not being able to play very loud. You have to consider what type of music you enjoy and how loud you like to listen. I feel the CJ made a substantial improvement in the "sound" over the Hafler DH500 I had and that could easily drive the ReQuests. I like the singer songwriters like Greg Brown, Anders Osborne, Elizya Gilkenstein, Rickie Lee Jones and such and the CJ does fine. I miss the dynamic range and power of solid state when I have a few and toss on the Hendrix or Tragically Hip.
For 80-90 percent of the listening I do, tubes will do it.
Now having said all that, I do plan to upgrade to premier 12's for more tube power in the future. I have a dedicated room for listening and Logans do love and need power. BUT I cannot and will not give up tubes. Happy listening!