Helping a friend build a new system

@arafiq

glad to see your report that the vtl is in house and is making lovely sounds... david and luke manley have been stalwarts on the high end tube amp scene for many many years, they have always voiced beautiful, yet clear sounding tube amps, and have built some of the most impressive high power tube amps extant

i am not at all surprised to learn that this newer, well packaged integrated is a very good one, the vtl products have always been exemplary, it is just that sometimes in the past their customer service may not be too responsive, which has been their managerial downfall at times, hopefully this shortcoming has been fully addressed nowadays

so what speakers did you get your buddy?

@arafiq

as you know, the key in system building is understanding the nature of the specific components and then gathering pieces that synergize - this is perhaps the most true in matching speakers with amps

yes proacs and speakers of its ilk can be bright and forward, if used with the wrong amps - so one needs to know how specific speaker lines are/were developed... i have been a proac fan since the 90’s when they burst onto the scene (just love them, still have 4 pairs)... stewart tyler (r.i.p) voiced all response series proacs with audio research tube amps (v70 vt50 vt100 series in the day), so that is what they absolutely shine with, and driven by good tube amps like those they have no harshness or forwardness, just oh so sweet music, oh so real and tactile vocals, excellent full range response huge precise image ... i would venture to say that fritz speakers (i have a pair of carrera be’s) with be tweeters are much the same

(incidentally focals, magico etc in the modern day have also gone with such highly resolving tweeters but they then build the rest of the speaker wrong for tube amps, with 4 ohm or lower impedance, so those speakers are no-win situations with most tube amps, and then, with all but the very expensive, very best solid state amps they are too forward tonally, and soundstage is flat)

conversely, as you also know, harbeth/a shaw voices his speakers with big hegels, so c7’s p3’s super 5’s are best off with similar, ultra smooth high grade solid state, as they have the subtle treble sparkle, bass driver control and current delivery ability that the harbeths with radials are best with

i have never have had little stand mount vandy’s but traditionally, floor standing vandy’s need power, plenty of it, unless you go for the very top ones with built-in self driven woofer/subwoofer sections

hope this helps

i would agree that fritz speakers should be seriously considered, as they are easy to drive, tube amp friendly and in a small room, can present music fairly full range or close to it (always can add a rel sub later if the listener feels he wants a more solid bass foundation)... remember, close to walls, small room means bass reinforcement from the boundaries - win/win! :)

fritz's carrera be's and https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649769956-ayon-orion-ii-tube-integrated-amplifier/ - or any of the other used integrated i posted earlier would be very nice together

@arafiq

search my old posts discussing the fritz carrera be i tried (and bought)

@jjss49 Thanks for providing the links to what’s currently on sale. That was super helpful. My friend really likes the VTL and VPI amps. What are your thoughts on long term reliability when it comes to these two brands? Also, can they drive Harbeth speakers well -- p3esr, C7, or 30.x?

c7 and 30x should be no problem - p3 much less efficient, but his room is small, that should be ok too (he will need a sub w p3's) - playing semi nearfield at moderate volumes all the amps i suggested shouldn’t even breathe hard

vpi is not really an amp maker, this integrated was a one off --  i think their gear is generally very well made, or harry won’t put his brand name on it, plus steve leung @vas in nj can service if ever needed, he is very good, very responsive

vtl has reputation for great gear but iffy customer service... small shop...  anyways tube amps are basically quite reliable, circuitry not so fancy - just make sure tubes are good, and they are pretty simple, lots of experienced techs can work on them

@arafiq

room is small, but workable, listening will be semi nearfield... 6-7 ft triangle

option 1

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649764784-proac-future-point-five-speakers/
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649740533-audio-research-vsi60-glorious-sound/

haunting sweet vocals, brilliant synergy between proac and arc tubes (how stew tyler voices em...)

option 2

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649643178-spendor-fl10-speakers/
--or--
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisac7b6-vtl-it-85-tube
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649770311-limited-addition-vpi-299d-integrated-with-additional-tubes/

no classic series spendors out there right now used, this is closest thing... fl10 lovely top to bottom tonality, tweeter a bit bright, but offset by vtl or vpi, integrateds with rounded sound, brilliant vocal truth - fl10 won’t overload the room with good placement, the tweeter mid integration is excellent for semi nearfield

option 3

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisac832-harbeth-c7es3-monitors
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisac9h9-linear-tube-audio-z10-integrated-tube --or--
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisaahaf-new-sealed-croft-phono-integrated-tube-amp-fabulous-hand-made-in-uk-tube

c7’s beyond reproach for vocals and jazz, with bass weight too -- needs a little high end life sprinkled in, croft or lta will provide that while giving tubey goodness in midband and imaging

having said the above, i think the best option given his room his tastes, and the likelihood he will be hooked once he streams, i would do

option 4

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisac832-harbeth-c7es3-monitors
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649763295-hegel-h90-black-finish/
bluesound node and
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649769481-audio-note-dac-21/ -- or -- an mhdt tubed dac for a grand

my guess he would be happiest with option 4... c7’s ideal for semi nearfield lovely vocal reproduction with full range coherent response, hegel clarity and control of bass, tubey goodness from the lovely lovely ank dac, using rca dig input from node... he will be in streaming heaven will forget his cdp within a month :)

hope this helps you along bud...

it all comes in under his budget leaving room for cables and tidal or qbz subscription