What's after Supratek


Well, I've got a nice chunk of change saved for an upgrade to my rig. I'm wondering what it'd take to knock my Supratek Syrah (with all NOS tubes) off it's perch.

I need a remote. Would prefer an integrated MC phono stage, but would consider a separate line/phono if the price wasn't too much out of my league.

Budget is $5000 used. I'm leaning towards a VAC Renaissance (not the sig. version), but is this just a sideways move?
128x128dennis_the_menace
I had mentioned some of my impressions of it in Tbg's thread. I heard it on a number of occasions in Anna Logg's system, and helped the family sell it when she passed away a little over a year ago. The version I heard was not the current one, but even then you could tell the unit got the dimensionality, timbre, dynamics, soundstaging and other little things right in a way I'd only associated with tubed equipment. Valerie (Anna) seemed to prefer it over her BAT VK50SE in many respects. I would have bought it myself from the estate as a spare in case my Jadis JP200 went down, but my interconnects were just too thick, heavy and bulky to work with it, since the rca jacks are close together and the unit itself is so light. It is the only solid state preamp I've heard that has the sound of a true high-end (think Jadis, Lamm, BAT, CJ) tubed preamp--we're not talking syrupy sweet, but we are talking about an airiness and rightness in the highs and a harmonically right midrange; that's why I suggested it here. But I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a remote. I think you'll really like it; give it a little time to warm up and break in, but it sounded really good about an hour after being turned on when I first heard it.

Dennis, I forgot to mention the best thing about the VAC was the way the logo, which is pretty large, changed color from blue to red when the unit was muted. Really distinctive and neat-looking.
Thank you Rcprince. I have always used tubes in the past so this foray into solid state is new for me. Your words are very reassuring. I just got a call that the H-Cat is coming tomorrow. I guess that I'll be able to form my own impression soon! By the way, Roger Paul of H-Cat has been a delight to deal with. Bob
I had the VAC Renaissance w/phono. Great amp, especially for the $$$. Smooth and liquid with lots of detail and VAC has top notch customer service. I replaced it with an Aesthetix Janus, however, because I wanted more flexibility in the phono stage. The VAC has fixed gain at 35 (MM) and 60 or 65 (MC), plus load is fixed at 47 (MM) and 470 (MC), whereas the Janus has 6 or so settings that can be changed on the fly (by remote!!). Also, I've found the Janus more open and transparent and a little less "tubey." Or maybe I'm just justifying my purchase? In the end, you can't go wrong. They're both very fine.
Maybe a sot in the dark, but I have heard nothing but silly praie for the VTL 7.5 Ref, which used is still probably a but higher than $5K.. Hmmm, you have a damn nice preamp already...
Rcprince, Thank you for posting your thoughts on the H-Cat. It's refreshing to read other people thoughts on this preamp. I recently listened to one and unfortunately - didn't have the greatest results. Turns out, the unit may have been malfunctioning during the audition.