VAC preamps - too expensive?

I have owned my VAC Cla 1 MK II for 20 years. Back then I believed to get to the end game faster, so I did. I pick it up this week after getting it upgraded to Mk III status so I am now set for the rest of my lifetime for a pre amp. I also have the VAC Renaissance 70/70 Mk II amp which I will be dropping off to them in January 2023 to get upgraded to Mk IIII status. And that will be all I need for the rest of my lifetime. I may be venturing into getting some very nice 300 B tubes for it next. Got my eye on some PSVANE ACME 300 B’s. I have to get out of my chair to change the volume on each of the volume pots, one for each channel. I don’t mind. Funny, same goes for all the vinyl enthusiast, each time they swap an LP, it’s really no big deal right? Most of my digital front end is now current and replaced with current designs in the past year as well as new speakers. I am engaged with my system each time I see those tubes glow, I just stare at them as the music flows, sounds wonderful to me still after all these years. VAC makes solid stuff and stand behind it after decades.

I had the chance to meet Kevin Hayes today when I visited their shop in Sarasota. I also spoke with  his tech Brent who built my amp and serviced my pre amp, quite nice fellows. Very personable to me. We talked about tubes, my gear and the fact that Kevin still to this day has a Renaissance amp in his personal system at home. He showed it to me. He showed me some old proto type amp chassis, it was fun. I had them upgrade my pre amp and will visit again in January to drop off my Amp for upgrade. He was very enthusiastic about the Mk IIIs upgrade that I plan for my Renaissance 70/70 map. So am I!

@three_easy_payments

The Pre amp went from Mk II to Mk III, so it is like new now. The Amp is @ Mk II and will be Mk III Signature. Both units will be like new and I have had them both for over 20 years, they are very well built.  In this version in it's day it was a $22,000.00 amp. 

Kevin is a stand up guy, he services EVERYTHING they ever sold, decades later. I had my Pre amp and Amp updated this year. When I visited a few weeks ago to pick up my amp, it wasn’t boxed up yet. So Kevin sat with me for 45 minutes in the shop while I waited and we talked about VAC stuff. He even went to find the record on my amp to find the manufacture date. He keeps files on everything ever sold. All their stuff is hand made, I’ve talked to Brent several times-they all are most friendly and helpful. You get what you pay for and the service after the sale is phenomenal. These are life time pieces. I’ve had mine for 20 years!