2. amps-preamps
  3. 1080866438

Tube Amp suggestions for VSA VR4-SE's?

Hello!

I have owned a pair of Von Schweikert Audio VR4SE's now for about six months. I currently purchased a pair of Electrocompaniet AW220 mono blocks to drive them (previously I owned a Levinson No.334) at a dealers highest recommendation. The sound is very, very good, in all definitions of "audiophile" sound (fast tight bass, highly neutral midrange, extended highs, fast, transparent, nice stage, etc.). However, the sound is just not connecting me to the music in an emotional way. All my audiophile buddies who come over and hear the system are asking what more do I want? Well, I want INVOLVEMENT! I really don't care about all those audiophile tags anymore. I simply want that connection with the music, where I can forget about listening only to the best recordings, and listen to anything, and everything.

I feel positive that the speaker is capable of delivering this involvement, WITH THE RIGHT AMP DRIVING IT! So, this time, I want tubes. In checking out some different reasonably priced possibilities, I have come across the ROGUE amps (M-150 and the Zeus), as well as the Music Reference 200, and the Quicksilver VR monos. Does anyone out there in A'gonland have any experience with these amps (with the VR4's or any other like speaker), or can you make some other suggestions regarding any others. Forget the $21,000 Lamms, actually one of my favorites, but not in my budget (I actually live in a world of home mortgage payments, car notes and tuition payments, so let's say around $6,500 or less)!

Oh, by the way, my room is 15' x 19' with a coffered 8' ceiling, and my usual listening levels are around 85 to 95 db (as measured with a Radio Shack sound level meter ('C' weighting, fast response).

In advance, thanks to all for your input!

Happy Listening,

Louis
louisl

Showing 1 response by louisl

louisl OP
185 posts
 
To 1markr,
To answer your question:
The front end is an Audio Aero MKII cd player (just wonderful) going directly into the amplifiers, no preamp. I had tried using the AA cdp with a preamp, but actually prefered bypassing the preamp all together. My cabling (both interconnect and speaker) is made by Paul Garner from VSA (my highest recommendaation). The entire system's power is supplied via a Bybee pro power purifier. The digital side of the Bybee is fed to the wall via an Electraglide fatboy, thus feeding the CDP with another fatboy. The analog side of the Bybee (used for the amps) is plugged into the wall using an Electraglide Fatman K, thus feeding each AW220 with a Cable Research Labs 'Gold' power cable (stiff as hell, but great). I will add that although Bybee himself does not recommend using his purifier for anything but front end gear, it works stupendously with the amps plugged into it (just listen and let your ears be the judge)!
Thanks for the Hurricane suggestion, I will check on that as well (by the way, which version of the hurricanes are you using)?
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