Tube preamp options

OP - Johnny R is a great dude and has setup many Quattro in many rooms. If you go down the path of pulling them out, which is a worthy experiment, make sure you rerun Vandertones AND especially revisit the Q setting to get back some or all of the slam if you feel it’s lacking.  Get in touch IF i can help in any way. i do a lot of FREE Vandy setup work because it keeps me sharp… well, maybe sharper…

BTW my brother runs a Cadenza Black into Vandy thru an ARC / Threshold chain with superb image depth. Good on ya to expect better… you will get there…

Jim

it is a very serious effort…i believe the production level prototype weighs about 30# and has 12 regulated supplies…. but don’t quote me… ha.

IF you have been to a Vandersteen seminar at dealers, he has been talking about it a bit…. There are 3 events scheduled in the midwest next week…usa.

i think what might be more illustrative is to look at the Vandersteen amplifiers for potential clues… The M7 is all out hybrid tube and SS outputs with a SE quasi ciirclotron   typology with liquid cooling for perfect bias, no emiter resistors….built in HRS style isolation in a novel hanging truss…. the list is longer…. 

The ( much ) more affordable M5’s are all SS but have similar architecture. I believe the first preamp will be intended to mate w M5 level gear. I expect Richard will build a mate for the M7…..eventually…. i am in line and will evaluate it in 2 systems using Vandersteen amps and speakers. Finally for US audio shows, Vandy often pairs w ARC and many Vandy dealers carry both…. customer choice will be enhanced in most cases…how wonderful 

best to all

Jim

and in particular from the acoustic lens which is equidistant from midrange and tweeter… there is a reason the Quattro is a minimum front baffle and deep cabinet… again, great topics for the Vandy forum where there are many Quattro owners…

Glad to help Russ. The R core and caps in the Ref5 se and up don’t come cheap…

At the level you are playing at or aspire to…i would suggest isolation on phono and preamps, i run HRS under my ARC and it makes a big difference… Also IF you go ARC get a NOS TungSol 6550 in the power supply. 

What cartridge and phono and TT isolation are you using ? A preamp isnt going to retrieve micro detail and spatial information that is lost or obscured by noise.
 

I would definitely take the Brinkmann rep up on the offer. Every listening experience with gear at this level is a discernment building experience ;-)

and i have a Herron phono…. Keith is a great dude - super gear…definitely neutral…. no rose colored orchestra there…..

oh…i forgot to mention Brinkmann. Brinkmann and Vandy pair fantastically- Helmut and Richard typically show together at the Munich Audio show… I have a Bardo / Triplaner / Lyra Delos on HRS base. I have heard some of the electronics in Mk I trim but not the newer Mk2…. i would put them on my audition list for DAC and Phono….

Best to you Jim 

@sbank thx for the mention…i have been slow to engage here after fishing season…. rocking out w Continental Devide….. perfect LA band…..

OP - Spencer is right, i don’t post much here anymore…but your thread interests me beyond the Vandersteen aspects…

ALL of the preamps so far mentioned have or are capable of significant soundstage depth… It has been a bit but i don’t remember the RP7 being deficient in that parameter… it’s no REF6 but it can’t be given $ constraints….

On fully balanced from input to output vs having balanced inputs and outputs..obviously fully balanced is more expensive to implement properly and i certainly wouldn’t use it as a filter to choose a competent high end component.

Both the Vandy amplifiers, M5 and M7 do use a balanced input…BUT…. are very inovative downstream of that and as you know designed to excell w time and phase correct powered bass Vandy speakers. I could list the ten or so circut or other details…. but you can find those on the Vandy site. I have had the M7 amplifiers w ARC Ref5se for many years. I have heard the M5 amps at length, obviously excellent w Quattro.

You might consider joining the Vandy owners forum. Richard might weigh in on extracting more image depth and “ there “ out of your setup. I have setup a few pair of Quattro….they are capable of much….

Finally…i might counsel you to wait a few months for…the Vandy preamp…rest assured the design goal is to better the REF6, which IMO is no small feat…..

I have one on order…unheard….

maybe that’s the true definition of fanboy trust :-))))