VTL 300 Deluxe monoblocks

I owned VTL 300 Deluxe MB amps for many years.  I had my 300's  completely upgraded by VTL.  They were used with Acoustat Spectra 33, electrostatic speakers, Thiel CS6 and B&W 801S3, all though loads and they never strained.  I would still have them but I got a great deal on a pair of VTL 450MKII amps.  I miss the way they looked. I've never had an issue with customer service.  During the upgrades to the 300, I met Bea and Luke and was given a tour of the factory. Stand up folks!

Contact Ben Jacoby at High End Audio Repair in Brooklyn. He has worked on various equipment, including VTL, for me for 10 years, either repairs or modifications. 

Experience with Roy has been excellent.

Roy Mottram (info@tubesforhifi.com) works on tube amps.  You could ask him about VTL.  My exp

In 1993, Manley Laboratories, Inc. became a separate entity apart from VTL. The new Manley Labs factory at 13880 Magnolia Ave. in beautiful and bovine Chino, California
After only three years with Manley Laboratories, co-founder David Manley abruptly left the company and the country in 1996. With EveAnna Manley now at the helm, the modern form of Manley Labs began to take shape.

Your right Eve-Ana Manley took over the VTL factory after David passed.
And it became Manley Labs and in 1993 she separated from VTL, they must have shared the same old factory.
https://www.manley.com/history

Cheers George

Peter is good, let us know how it goes.

LOL so you do know Bea,  OP.

I had Wotan, like serial number X3 and 4 or something like that. I was running them on 220/240. I'm not kidding I had a 200.00 a month increase in PG&E, when I started with them being wired at 120.

220/240 was a vast improvement in my PG&E and SQ. The problem was it took 3 trips to get it right... I wound up dropping them off in Aspin. 
Man could they heat up a whole house.. Good place for them too..

Regards

Yeah.  They have no moral compass.....  

I did inquire and spoke to Bea probably 25 years ago about upgrades. At the time she was really pushing their new Signature transformers (had gold tops I believe) that in essence turned the 300 into a 450. The mod was more than I paid for the amps (used) and since they were driving ESL63s I didn’t really want/need the extra power.

I have dealt with Bea.  She and Luke Manley are truly horrible people.    Worst company I have dealt with in my 54 years on this planet

Manley amps is not VTL, different company.

Bea Lam Are you Bea Lam? Manager, Operations at VTL Amplifiers

Bea Lam is a Manager, Operations at VTL Amplifiers based in Chino, California. Bea received a Beatrice Lam degree from VTL Amplifiers Inc.

Eventually by early 1993 the Manley line and the record label became full-fledged business in their own right, by which time it was decided that father and son would part ways and run companies and better focus in their own chosen directions: David to start Manley Labs and Luke to continue on with VTL.

Bea is right here in Chico 60 miles away.. Like I said.. I’ve never done business with Eva Manley.

Bea lam was married to Luke Manley (David’s son) and she’s a total jerk to deal with. She is the reason you can’t get the work done.. The place is overran with warranty, and under 30 year old gear, being upgraded. They WILL not send out parts, schematics or tech support.. You HAVE to send it in..

I’ve never seen them turn away work though, ever.. She could squeeze a nickel until the buffalo $hits. Usually 1-3 week turn around, they were FAST. I had their 750s and 1250 Wotans prototypes, I actually did Beta testing for both. What energy sucking PIGS..

I don’t think VTL sells an amp under 10K any more. Manley does. Pretty special, little Manley amps..

VTL, no thanks, just because of Bea.. They will not send you a part or a stitch of help.. Money grubbin'

180 from the new or the old Cary.. If they have the parts, they will send them to you..

Regards

VTL died when David Manley died. VTL has their days numbered.

Eva Manley took over from David when he passed and did a good job, then I think the son took over.

Cheers George

Great Amplifiers built like Tanks and pretty much straightforward to work on, Its worth experimenting with coupling caps and  electrolytics however no need to go all exotic (expensive)

They sounded at their best for me with Tung-sol or RCA black plate 12BH7’s and Philips JAN 6550A’s  

VTL Absolutely horrible customer service.  VTL died when David Manley died. VTL has their days numbered. Hope you find a good tech. Simple push pull circuit.  Shouldn't be hard to work on or recap

Ok Peter just emailed me. So I’m looking forward to talking to him tomorrow and hopefully “getting this show on the road.”!

no excuse not to repair your beloved amps.  

The kind of money VTL charges should come with the courtesy of service long after the.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LOL You don't know Bea very well do you? She is something to deal with..

Error correction too. I got the decoupling mixed up with coupling caps, the box caps are coupling (bi-direction), the electrolytics were decoupling (directional).

Regards

I emailed Peter. No response yet. Both Ben Jacoby & Deju Vu Audio are doable road trips from Philly so I’ll be reaching out to them. Wanted to see if Peter gets back to me. Thanks to everyone for your help!

This is the one I looked at.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtl-vacuum-tube-logic-book-david-247799935

Maybe that wasn’t the one I borrowed, it was back in the 80’s🤷‍♂️
And for memory now, it did have a very catchy title, not what that white ones got.

Cheers George

Ben Jacoby is a great call as is Peter, also in the other direction down here in DC Deja Vu Audio does great work on tube gear.

McIntosh, Conrad Johnson, Bryston,  Magnum Dynalab , and many others fix their products for as long as they can .   McIntosh will restore your vintage amp.

Parts Connexion restores 30 year old gear that has been long out of production.    VTL does everything in house , no excuse not to repair your beloved amps.  

The kind of money VTL charges should come with the courtesy of service long after the sale.   
Hopefully it’s something a local tech can pinpoint and fix easily 

Good luck 

I think I’ve said many times how horrible VTL service is. Count your blessings that you don’t have to ship two huge amps to them

They will extort as much money as they can from you. Find a competent local tech

Wrong book the one I had was his first I believe. It was full of schematics, and no reviews for memory either

This is the one I looked at.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtl-vacuum-tube-logic-book-david-247799935

I would contact Ben Jacoby in Brooklyn NY. (718) 377- 8010. He specializes in tube amp repairs and I believe he's the authorized repair person for Audio Note tube gear. It's a bit of a hike from Philly but maybe you can ship to him.

No specific schematic in the book. There are a few reviews by J. Gordon holt and TAS.

Wrong book the one I had was his first I believe. It was full of schematics, and no reviews for memory either

Cheers George

Eric - that move was the tipping point. I think July was his last month. Ditto he is awesome and went thru my RM-9 last year. Wishing him the best in retirement.

to the OP Like Heavy said, Mike Samra is a exception also. Check to see IF wants to work on stuff that heavy. He went thru my MC240 and it sings. It’s a flyweight 50#

@tomic601: I hadn't heard about Tom retiring. Glad I got the RM-9 Mk.2 he scrutinized for Sheila while I could! I assumed he wouldn't be coming along when she moves the Brooks Berdan operation up to Washington, sometime this year I believe.

Ok Thanks for looking.

No specific schematic in the book. There are a few reviews by J. Gordon holt and TAS.

on those 300s, I be worrying about the power supply filters. They have a known history of drying out due to the heat they are exposed to. 

I would replace those big filter caps (check mouser or digikey for comparables) then reflow all the octal socket tube connections. Should be good after that. 

I rebuilt a pair of VTL 300 Deluxe, I still have them as a matter of fact.

The little electrolytic that run the power tube rails will swell, the coupling caps unless you buy some good ones leave them alone.. The box decoupling caps, You can't get them any more, the little frequency collection caps are of pretty good quality. I used TRT .01 630 volt or something.. Been a while.. But I'm telling you if you exchange the gray box 1.0 decoupling caps.. You better use good ones.. They may look weird, but they sound great..

Heavy suckers. I still have a full set of KT90s VTL blue, rare now.

Why do you need a schematic? Straight forward as can be..

Bea can be a difficult person to deal with anyways.. Your not missing anything.. LOL

VTL is to far from me, actually..

Mike Samra if he's still fixing stuff.. He's in Saginaw..

Regards

Thanks

I'll look tomorrow and follow up.

Thanks so much! I’ve not seen the book. Is there a section on the MB300 Deluxe that would have a schematic?

I have the VTL book. If you need a few page scans, let me know.

You are quite welcome, hope you get them flying high again !!!

Thanks. I will reach out to Peter.

IF you work w Peter all the $ and hassle you save on shipping could be allocated to better parts.

Bigkidz ( Peter ) on this forum for sure !

iF he is unavailable, Audio Classics in Vestal NY

The amps are located in the Philadelphia area

tomic601
Nice post George, I was unaware of a book

 Yeah David Manley (rip) wrote this one I borrowed ages ago
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtl-vacuum-tube-logic-book-david-247799935

and it looks like he had another also
http://library.foi.hr/m3/autor.php?B=1&A=0000021776&grupa=POINT%20Vara%9Edin&vrsta=VLA&a...

Cheers George

Nice post George, I was unaware of a book

I think Tom Retired.

where are the amps located ?

Tom Carione at Brooks Berdan, Ltd., in Monrovia, California. Tom was servicing VTL products when Brooks was a VTL retailer. He's an excellent technician, and a great guy to deal with.

Company said they won’t service or upgrade.

  Not good

VTL 300 Deluxe monoblocks

Great amps David Manley’s best I thought, sounded stunning into a pair of Maggie Tympani 1D’s.
(OP Transformers were the secrete what a beast) 
Any good tube tech will be able to look after these, see if you can get hold of Manley's Tube book he wrote, has all the circuit diagrams in it for these and others.
https://img.usaudiomart.com/uploads/large/2051104-89f45e6c-vtl-mb300-deluxe-300-watts-of-unbridled-6...

Cheers George

That inspires confidence.