How would you describe the build quality?
My new VTV Audio Class D amp arrived today
I ordered the amp from Warren with the Purifi module and the Sparkos ss3602 op amp, the latter chosen for its somewhat more relaxed sonic presentation compared to the other op amps that VTV offers. Right out of the box, it strikes me as quite musical, without any noticeable harshness, although few inner details of the music are so far revealed. It is dead quiet, as expected. So with my initial favorable impressions, I will report back after it has 100 hours of run-in to comment on its SQ.
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Link above not working.. Try: http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/Purifi_amp_mods.html |
I have maybe 30 hours on the amp and honestly sense very little difference in SQ since the time I connected it to my system and have run it in. I am really impressed with the crystal clarity of the music, along with very large soundstage and tonally very balanced top to bottom. I got the Sparkos op amp, recommended for a softer musical presentation by Warren. At the moment, I am enthralled with the sound of the amp in my system, but will swap back my McCormack amp as means of comparison after 100 hours. However, at this point, I am of the opinion that this amp is a huge advancement in the art of Class D amplification, very different than my past experiences with Red Dragon, Nuprime and Bel Canto, although I am sure that all these Class D companies have greatly stepped up their game since my audition of their amps several years ago. More later, but I am really happy with what I am hearing so far. |
How would you compare the $979 VTV Purifi amp with the $150 ac mod to other class d amps in the $1500-$2k range with no mods? |
Soix, I have the DNA .05 amp, with the Platinum Upgrades. t ramey, I think the gain is around 13 db, but by connecting an internal jumper, it would increase significantly. No need for that in my current system. I have a Don Sachs tube preamp. My VTV amp has no "a/c mod" so I can't answer your question. |
Gents, My initial impressions of the excellent performance of this amp have been validated after 3 weeks of listening. I honestly don't sense much difference in the SQ in my system during the run-in process. It is a rather neutral sounding amp, with a degree of warmth that I prefer. I could go on with superlatives, but I will say that it is an amp that leaves me with no desire to swap it out for my other excellent tube and SS amps. I absolutely love it and the sound reproduction it provides in my system. It works extremely well as a companion to my Don Sachs preamp. I gotta have tubes in my system. I am glad that I dispensed with my less-than-favorable experiences with earlier iterations of Class D amps and tried it out. I am very happy in all respects of its performance. I think that it is an astonishing bargain in the realm of high end audio. |
I find most food Class D amps are just cut out for the job. No nonsense. No esoteric flavors just clean and the F word dare I say flawless. Of course some won’t like flawless. Not everyone likes anything especially if used to esoteric flavors of tube amps for example that are just not cut out to drive many modern speakers but have nice harmonics to offer. Of course you still have to pay attention to things like impedance matching and how much power needed to go how loud from how far but all that is a piece of cake when you have a true performer carved out from the latest innovative technology that effortlessly does the deed without breaking a sweat. Not some fossil that was the best they could do back in the 20th century. |
rtorchia, Good for you, I hope you enjoy it. I haven't swapped my McCormack SS amp in place of the VTV amp yet, but I did with my Don Sachs KT88 tube amp. The VTV is a very neutral sounding amp, while the Sachs amp is emblematic of the very best tube amplification, of which everyone knows the characteristics they have. I enjoy them both very much and don't need to chose one over the other. However, in the blistering hot summer here in the Central Valley of California, the VTV amp will stay in the system. |
Thank you for initiating this thread. I am interested in the VTV class-D amplifiers (Probably the Purifi Eval-1) and wanted to see whether you had any further comparisons with your McCormack DNA-.5? I owned a DNA-1 in the past, and thought that it was a "muscular" and neutral sounding amplifier. Is the sound of your VTV amplifier comparable in soundstage to the McCormack? I currently have an Audio Research D130 with a Schiit Freya+ which I run in tube mode for critical listening. I'm hoping to gain a little more "omph" for my Magnepan LRS and Proac 2.5s. |
I sold the McCormack a while ago and it did have a more muscular sound, I'd say, whereas the VTV is just amazingly neutral with a huge soundstage and not a bit of harshness. I don't sense that the VTV is more powerful than the McCormack and perhaps a bit less impactful. The McCormack has "bigger balls" than the VTV amp, but am not sure it is overall as well balanced. Both are stellar amps, but the stock .05 is getting long in the tooth with aging caps. |
About a month ago I got a VTV Purifi 2 channel with tube buffer.....super solid amp and definitely massive value for the price. I found leaving it on all the time worked better than the trigger, as the trigger would always take about 5 seconds until volume came out. You can leave it on all the time though, barely gets Luke warm after 8 hours straight of use, nothing in standby. Overall way cleaner sound with low noise base compared to Emotiva or other brands around the same price. I was powering JTR Triple 8s (98db sensitivity) as well as Focal 91db speakers. Probably not the best amp for speakers with sensitivity in the mid 80s though. I'd recommend, Warren at VTV is super helpful and they offer 30 day in home trial. |
I swapped out my tube amp for the VTV amp yesterday for the heck of it and again I marvel at how musical the VTV amp is, no question, just clean clear power. I listened to it for hours and hours yesterday and loved it more as the listening went on. My previous experiences with class D amps was awful, but with the fab reviews of this amp, I took a chance and am reaping the benefits. It would sure be interesting to compare the VTV amp to the Merrill offerings, which cost 10X as much. The GaN-based class D amps are sure getting a lot of great reviews, too. I agree that Warren is a great guy to deal with. |
Another example of what I stated broadly in my review of the Legacy Audio i.V4 Ultra (class D) Amp review; the other classes are dead, defeated. The discrepancies in sound quality have been addressed through improvement of class D and now it is the ascendant class of amplification. I have no direct experinece with the VTV Purifi amp, nor association with it. It's simply obvious to me how the class D is emerging as newly dominant. In a few years you won't be able to give away your tube and other SS amps. Deniers will pay big time as they see their beloved amp's value fall to near zero. Amp makers that do not pivot quickly will become defunct. It won't be pretty. I have other inside info that confirms what I have been saying. We're seing an amp revolution (not evolution, that's a stupid concept when applied to products which are developed) happening right now. :) |
Doug, I sure agree that these new Class D amps are amazing. I thought years ago that analogue sound reproduction was kaput, but nothing could be further from the truth. I think Atmsaphere and Pass Labs, among others, are going to gravitate to his sort of amplification. I disagree that ss and tube gear will be gravitate to no value, that I can not envision a being remotely possible. Just my take. |
Congratulations! Love class D...can’t imagine anything else moving forward...lighter, cooler, more energy efficient... typically less costly... I have the PS Audio Stellar 300...replaces a Music Reference RM9 mk2... (Does it sound as good as that (IMHO) world class tube amp? No. However, it comes much much closer than it should ; ) P.S. Liking the idea of saving a small bit of energy too... |
I am taking delivery of 2 D class amplifiers this coming week. Because they are so inexpensive I bought the Class D Audio Mini GaN 5 balanced amplifier and the Bel Canto REF501S (latest versio) I will see how these match my Audio Hungary Qualiton X200 Tube Integrated. Will be interesting. Had an NAD M10 Was not thrilled with it.
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@jerryg123 please share your thoughts on the two new amps! |
@jerryg123 That Audio Hungary amp sounds and looks great. I look forward to your impressions of the others in comparison. |
I just ordered a VTV Hypex ncore NC502 stereo amp yesterday, I am very curious as to how well their small enclosure will dissipate the heat from 2 500 watt amplifiers running at moderate levels...and then how it handles levels approaching live with 88db sensitivity speakers. I expect that case is going to get too hot to touch for more than a fraction of a second. I can only imagine what two NC502s running in bridged mode so the case has to dissipate the heat from 2 1200 watt amplifiers is going to feel like. I have a strong sense that combination will be thermally limited. If anyone has any direct experience with these two combinations, I'd like very much to hear about it. |
Update on previous post...the VTV amp arrived yesterday late so I didnt get it hooked up till today. If it holds up long term I will not regret the purchase...it sounds wonderful! I had it turned up so I was getting peaks of 105 db at about 6-8 feet away from the speakers and after about 15 minutes the case was only perceptibly very slightly above ambient. Heat management is not going to be an issue at all, and I suspect the 1000 watt stereo version is going to be perfectly acceptable. I am in audio Nirvana. :) |
