VAC preamps - too expensive?


VAC makes great products so i hear.  The Linestage Master lists for $28k and next one down is Signature, for $22k.  Add $12k for a phonostage.

anybody have experience with these units?

its a marketing strategy.  Yeah the $22k Signature is very nice but for just $6k more u get a much better unit. Might as well get the Master.  Pretty clever.  Oh and they offer a line stage called the Statement for $80k and it comes with chrome and a skylight so u can view whats inside.  The Master has most of what the $80k Statement has (no skylight) so i guess the $28k Master seems a great deal.  Pretty clever.






jumia

Showing 3 responses by ghdprentice

People that really enjoy well reproduced music do not generally hear a law of diminishing returns. They hear and are rewarded with a much more emotionally involving experience. The closer and more involving is worth the increasing cost to get there. Last year with a some reservations purchased a $22K streamer, replacing my $4K streamer. Within a few minutes the price went from ridiculously high to a bargain as the performance increase was so profound and exceeded my expectation.

I have heard VAC equipment periodically throughout the decades I have pursued high end audio. Whenever I have it was always priced appropriately for its amazing level of performance. Also, yes, you cannot play a marketing trick on high end audiophiles and stay in business for a few years let alone decades.

Those of us who have pursued this for most of our adult lives are pretty familiar with this phenomenon. It is what keeps us enthusiastic about the pursuit and enjoying the music. The performance of Etta James in Canada from 1975 that is currently playing is truly amazing and with a realism I never imagined I would experience… and from Qobuz, the streaming service. Amazing.
People make choices on how to live their life, how dedicated to work they are, how much investment in their education they make,  and how to spend their money. 
There are disparaging remarks on the opposite side of “filthy rich”.
Yes the most common comparable companies are Audio Research and Conrad Johnson. I believe all are excellent brands. While I have auditioned all and all respected, I have all ARC components.