Can a Amp be "timeless" and compete with todays amps?


I’ve been into hi resolution audio for 20+ years, well longer than that but acquired high quality gear about that time. I veered off into other interests for 15 years but still had my system sitting idle in it’s dedicated room. I became interested in it again 6 months ago and began to update it. I still have my Rega Planar 25 table and a Dragon phono stage.  I retained my CEC TL1 transport, but replaced my DAC with a Dinafrips Venus II, I also have the Hermes DDC which I feed my CEC into as well as my Cambridge Streamer. I sold my Genesis V speakers because they were having an issue with the left channel bass and since they were out of business I had no way to fix them, it was over my head. I found someone that wanted them and was willing to repair them himself. (he is very happy with them) I replaced them with some Goldenear Triton 1.r’s which I love. So here is the nostalgia part. I still have my VAC Cla 1 Mk II pre amp and my VAC Renaissance 70/70 Mk II amp. I feel they still hold up well sonically, so my thoughts are to send them both to VAC for the Mk III updates this fall of 2022, which includes replacing any necessary parts and "voicing" them back to new as intended when they were first made. I really believe these pieces are worthy of the restoration, are newer pieces today really going to make much headway? I cannot afford to replace these items with "like" items as I am retired and the discretionary income isn’t there anymore. I just feel like they are still really good and offer a very high quality sound. I mean 8- 300 B tubes can’t be all that bad can they? I’ve voiced the pre amp with with Telefunken 12AX7’s and I have a small stash of them. Tube sound is still great right?

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Showing 1 response by ghdprentice

My experience over the last forty years of owning top level amps… although in the past mostly solid state (but my preamps and phono stages have been tubed) is that, ten years is a significant improvement in performance… and twenty is in a completely different league. I have followed some brands like ARC, VAC, CJ, and Cary, occasionally auditioning. My feeling is that the evolution of solid state has been faster that tube (coming from further behind). But tube amps have evolved towards better resolution very substantially… while digital had to get more natural.

Give that, I would expect that a restored twenty year old tube amp will sound good… but not perform at todays standards. If it were me, I would compare using your amps as a trade in, as is, versus using your upgraded amps as trade in. Perhaps that analysis would help. I actually traded in my 15 year old Pass x350 at only a reduced value of $500.. so, the trade I got was only $500 less than I paid for it… helping offset the cost of my new amp substantially.

I am retired. I did a major upgrade a couple years ago. I am so happy I did. I spend over three hours a day listening and being awed by my system. It was worth it for me. But you have to look at your own situation.