Dott_c - Thanks for sharing the VRE-1 here. There's much focus on the VRE-1's incredible tonal coherency but I am left with uncertainties as to how it performs against the competition in other ways....and in the same system of course. Would you please add some additional detail in these areas as to the VRE-1's strengths to the other products you compared it to.
Teajay - What do you mean his reference preamp is close to 20 years. The review was not clear as to what the reference preamp had been before the VRE-1 entered the scene.
In the list of line stages at the bottom of the review, the Aesthetix Callisto hardly qualifies as "was never good to begin with". And surely many people who have experiences with the Ref3, Ref2 and BAT 52SE would feel the same about those products.
I too have gone through quite a search for THE preamp or line stage that stands out from the crowd. But no matter how much we like a product, there's always another that excels in one way or another over our personal reference. I don't buy much into the "synergy" game which often has more to do with tonal compensation of one product to match with another of opposite error. With the top-tier of line stages and preamps, there so much more going on here than this. And much of my curiosities of the VRE-1 remain as I have not found a review where someone puts it up against a top tube product. I guess I will have to try and get ahold of a VRE-1 and put it up against the Aria WV as I am looking for a solid state line stage for my HT based system.
I commend Steve McCormack, and Michael Elliot of Aria, for putting out a new generation of line stages and preamps in the $7-8k range. This allows a far greater audience to enjoy a level of sonic performance that has otherwise only been available to those able to pay far more.
John
Teajay - What do you mean his reference preamp is close to 20 years. The review was not clear as to what the reference preamp had been before the VRE-1 entered the scene.
In the list of line stages at the bottom of the review, the Aesthetix Callisto hardly qualifies as "was never good to begin with". And surely many people who have experiences with the Ref3, Ref2 and BAT 52SE would feel the same about those products.
I too have gone through quite a search for THE preamp or line stage that stands out from the crowd. But no matter how much we like a product, there's always another that excels in one way or another over our personal reference. I don't buy much into the "synergy" game which often has more to do with tonal compensation of one product to match with another of opposite error. With the top-tier of line stages and preamps, there so much more going on here than this. And much of my curiosities of the VRE-1 remain as I have not found a review where someone puts it up against a top tube product. I guess I will have to try and get ahold of a VRE-1 and put it up against the Aria WV as I am looking for a solid state line stage for my HT based system.
I commend Steve McCormack, and Michael Elliot of Aria, for putting out a new generation of line stages and preamps in the $7-8k range. This allows a far greater audience to enjoy a level of sonic performance that has otherwise only been available to those able to pay far more.
John