Thanks guys, really appreciate all your help - i am just so worried about weak bass with tube gear, hence the confusion about using "all tube set up" but i havent heard VAC enough or lived with them - infact i've only heard their preamp, i listen to a lot of weighty stuff (but not techno or anything like that) - lots of film scores which have everything interwoven - but i see that VAC is getting lots of love here - and i am leaning more towards it... |
I see that VAC is getting a lot of love here, having owned the rogue cronus magnum - perhaps puts me rather in the nether-league-:) ofcourse VAC gears are expensive and i am sure they do exude quality - i am just a little concerned about the type of music i play, which consist of film scores (a style known to mash up many genres into one i.e ethnic instruments and a little bit of r&b and maybe even a chamber orchestra mixed with a little bit of electronica) ; i really hope the VAC delivers, known that they do make DACs is a little bit comforting to know that they are very much in the loop - what speakers do you guys recommend for the VAC gears? Devore Fidelity Nines / Harbeth SHL5 or Something Else? |
Wow, VAC indeed is getting a lot of love, i guess something which as classic as VAC is always timeless - yes, i do lean more towards planars say magnepan 1.7 but that have to be teamed with solid state high powered amp like Pass Labs X60.5 Monoblocks ( minimum) and possibly combined with Modwright LS36.5 DM for that tube warmth - again i do not know if Pass Xp-20 is better, all i know i do like tubes a lot except for the lack of weighty bottom end (forgive my limited expressions) as i am still a novice!
Theres also a possibility of a match-matched impedance between Modwright
and Pass - with the VAC synergy is abundant and i have no qualms.
Yes, i must also consider other speakers other than Harbeth,Devore Fidelity and Magnepan but auditions are difficult to get to for others.
But all said and done, deep inside i know, i want a VAC but am not too sure if it can play "A.R.Rahman" well - :)
Also,
Due to work situation and finances , i lack the time or resources for frequent updates of my system - this system here will have to be the one i will take into the grave, and in that grave i have lots of different types of music from A.R.Rahman to Miles Davis to Shostakovich. |
Thannks guys i am reading all of your posts with much enthusiasm, any other speaker recommendation for the VAC gear - budget is around 4.5-5K. |
and i am quite intrigued that - pass labs is getting no love at at all lol.. |
Mbovaird Thank you for your long and detailed response, really appreciate it.
I am quite really, not a subwoofer guy - i usually leave the music and tend to fiddle with the subwoofer in the middle of a track which takes away, the whole point of kicking back and listening to music, so woofers are not for me.
I rather look for something full range which handles bass well.
Quite frankly, i've tried classes before and always found them to be somewhat underwhelming..as far the DAC goes ; i just bought a M2Tech Vaughan Super DAC (USD 7999) - i believe is right and and is ready fit for any matchup
The Vaughan DAC is fed by I2S connection via a HiFace Evo with Evo Supply.
So really not looking for any DAC at the moment.
For a Phonostage i have a Softone Model 4 from a Japanese Manufacturer,
which does everything right, so i do not need to walk down that avenue i believe at least for some time. |
Dear Charles1dad,
Thank you for your reply, as a music lover - hands down - i do and always will prefer the sound of the valves - to me right now : it has not come down to Tube or Solid State its not even an even fight ; tubes have that rich intricacies that solid state just cannot offer, but some i believe like pass labs comes pretty close.
The reason, in my choices - i have partnered Pass Labs Amplifier with the Modwright LS36.5 (a tube based design)
The thing that worries me most, is the inability of most "tube amp" designs to translate modern music, such as film scores which has everything mixed in (sometimes even techno meets classical) as in some of Ryiuchi Sakamoto's work, but i can be so wrong - as my tube experience has only been through
a few amplifiers (The Rogue Cronus Magnum - being the closest champ) even
vs amplifiers costing 2x or 3x more.
I wish there was a dealer where i am, where i can experience VAC in its full effect, but alas - i had to go to a friends place to listen to the preamp, theres no dealer in my country, but i have spoken to a distributor who off late was seen carrying Pass Labs in their show, I've asked this guys to approach VAC, and i just have to see where it leads me to, for this reasons i have to be very
"Sure" when placing the order ; thats where good guys like you come in to advice, a country like India is a bad place for hifi, i hope new companies that have venture in open more up-to-date showroom with multiple system combination. |
My dealer in India, is approaching VAC - they are a very reputable company, and hopefully, they get the VAC in-fact and i am placing an opening order of their VAC Phi 200 and the Entry level Rennaisance Preamp MK3 after hearing the comments from you guys - hopefully they get this in - if their deal doesn't get through i'll take the XP60.5 Class A from Pass Labs from them and combine it with a tube amp so, i have the best of both worlds - in which case Modwright Ls36.5 or Aesthetix Calypso Signature...you see..clearly plunging into a complete SS system sounds rather stale hence not the XP Preamp from Pass - ill be missing the glow of the tubes.
Though;
I do not know, if matching the Modwright Ls36.5 or The Calypso with the Pass would work, but i guess it sounds good atleast on paper...
Keeping my fingers crossed for the VAC. |
Thanks for all the input Mbovaird, unfortunately, i am in INDIA! - theres a local dealer in Chennai (where i am at ) which carries specialist stuff - other than these guys (who are i think is a Malaysian based company) is the only reputable dealer i can find here, i am envious at the position of many who have access to great used gear, in my situation - i have none.
I called them too many times today lol, to hear about the VAC amps but looks like they haven't heard from from anyone from The Valve Amplication Company (VAC) - If their deal doesnt get through i have two choices.
1.To go with the Pass Labs
2.Go to Malaysia (where i have family, and live there for a bit) and buy and carry back the VAC from whoever the dealer is over there ; but i will really doubt option 2 since electronics are heavily taxed into India and further more
after sales support will be very difficult.
As far as speaker goes, yes you are correct 1.7 is weak, i heard it in my system for a short-while and i just hate using a sub!
I am also leaning towards Tannoy Glenair or Tannoy Turnberry (Anyone heard this before with Pass Gear or VAC or even Aesthetix Gear???)
I am just going bonkers, with no music! |
Hey Guys just to keep you guys updated - VAC did not get back to my dealer, so that chapter is closed! looksl like i must lean towards a solid state/tube combo.
although pretty frustrating indeed, after taking of your input matching with the type of stuff i have access to, i've indeed come down to one out of these two choices :
Choice 1
-------
Pass Labs XA60.5 Class A Monoblocks
Atma Spere M1 (Dual Chasis Tube Preamp)
Tannoy Turnberry / Tannoy Glenair 15 /Devore Fidelity Gibbons 10 or (X)
or PMC OB1i
Choice 2
-------
Manley 250 Tube Monoblock
Atma Spere M1 (Dual Chasis Tube Preamp)
Tannoy Turnberry / Tannoy Turnberry Glenair 15 or PMC OB1i
On paper, i do prefer the much for expensive Choice No.2 but in reality, it seems like theres just too much tubes! if i were to swap Atma Spere with
Manley 300B RC Preamp which has lesser tubes (and cheaper unit too) it does
not have balanced connection) which i need for the long run of cable that needs to be run (balanced )from my dac to the preamp.
For speakers, i realize, i do not have much experience with many speakers
except for Tannoys,Devores and 1 PMC which i heard.
I am going to list the type of music i listen to so you pundits here can tell me
which is a more apt system, i listen to everything from soundtracks to rap to electronica,world music and jazz.
My music choices
1.A.R.Rahman (Indian Music / World Music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWW74AXzASE
2.Thaman S (Indian Music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyIzYIuSJy0
3.Chano Dominguez ( Flamenco / Jazz)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Hw5XvTweg
4.Trilok Gurtu ( World Music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lWTOmxDkiA
5.Joe Henderson (Jazz)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCEjkzJRgC8
6.Dave Brubeck (Jazz)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8E5A27PJHk
7.Adrian Shwerwood (Electronica)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvAorTMGz78
8.Funkadelic (Rock / Funk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3bleXWaCk
9.Concerto for Shakukachi (Classical)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4n4eNblHPA
10.Bela Fleck (Bluegrass / Jazz)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2RJ78Y-z-M
11.Guiseppe Tartini (Classical)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rxl5KsPjs
As you can see- varied seems like a shy word..
Thank you for your time, and am really pining my hopes on those who are in the know. |
sorry for the typos and alienated english - meant to say, under Choice 2
Tannoy Gleanair 15 / Tannoy Turnberry / or PMC Obli - sorry for the typos and erroneous phrases. |
Sorry fellows, i really dont know how the Revel speaker topic got twisted here, as if you have would have read my posts - i have access to limited stuff.
I am going with the PASS AMPS, dealer just signed them in they say that it will take 1-2 months more for them to get the complete pass range in as they need to sample of the higher end ones, but i paid my advance and asked them to get mine in as fast as possible, theres no way iam waiting 1-2 more without any music..lets see..
as far as VAC goes - they seem very disinterested, my dealer says usually companies reply even if they are not keen, but VAC didnt even bother, so be it.
If my dealer gets me a discount i might even jump on the XA100.5 and for sometime will use my dac's preamp to connect directly to the power amp, as far as why not atma sphere amp - i have only access to a used m1 here in India, and on top of that - so many tubes scare the shit out of me - what if they explode and burn down the house! |
Hello Atmasphere,
Sorry to offend you, i just meant it as a joke ofcourse! my dealer in India who i trust a lot speaks a lot about your gear, infact i was told that their group or company are about to contact you for some gears, or licensing i am not exactly sure what its about, anyway i hope to hear some OTL one day! should it arrive.
Meanwhile to my disappointment the used atma sphere mp3 single chasis preamp sold out and i had to settle for pass labs xp20.
Thanks a lot of taking the time to write, and clarify, indeed you guys rank in class leading status in manufacturing reliable OTLs or any electronics.
Cheers,
Manoj aka The Good Archer. |
