Hi Mapman, not only drives them well but drives them effortlessly.
What I heard was a absolutely amazing jaw dropping experience no mater what music was played, and or at what volume.
All I can say is to any and all MBL 101E owners you have never heard your speakers full potential until you hear them paired up with these amps, if you truely want to hear the full capibilities and get off the mer-i-go round, you owe it to your self and you for sure are in for a real treat.
|
I asked myself that same question a few years ago prior to getting a Sig. MK2a pre. You can refer to my past threads over the years.
At the time I couldn't find one for sale used nor did anyone around me have one to listen to so the only option I had was to purchase one.
Someone PM'd me and within their email said: owners are just enjoying listening to music and are content, they don't sell them they are that good.
Those words intrigued me enough to take the plunge so I decided to purchase one, they are very exspensive and the wait time can be long but I feel now what I know was well worth it.
I have owned allot of world class pre-amps over the years and I must say after hearing this in my system has gotten me off the mer-i-go round, I find my self just listening to more music and not thinking about a pre-amp.
Next was when I bought my speakers (MBL 101E's) which was prior to the VAC purchase I thought I had bought the right amps (CAT JL3 Sig. MK2 mono's)to power them and that would be it. Well it wasn't and it sure has been a long journey, I have lost track of how many different amps I have had paired up with these speakers and most were just okay but at the same time doing this I could hear the huge potential so I never gave up.
I get this VAC pre and I'm very happy indeed and my speakers are too so then I read VAC is coming out with some cost no object mono blocks, I wasn't all that excited about reading the cost no object because I knew what comes with these specific words, big dollars.
I have been listening to amps of all costs and types, always leaving the cost out of the actual equation. I just wanted to hear what ever it was being the end result and go from there.
Well an oportunity came available for me to hear a set-up in a real world situation, in someones home, with the same pre-amp and speakers as mine but with these VAC 450's.
What's the chance of this ever happening?
I had to take a flight, this all happened very quickly. My thoughts prior to arriving was all subjective and I would be content to leave with what ever it may be, good or bad.
I was there for three days and did my normal listening evaluation process trying to find the goods and faults. After being satisfied with this then I evaluate the fit and finish, eye appeal, looks and lastly the cost.
Well all I can say is that these are the real deal, nothing has come close as a whole package and left me in awe.
My intentions were to at least hear this set-up and leave saying bla! bla! but they aren't really worth the crazy price.
Well long story short they are so I ordered a pair, once I receive them my hunt will come to a end.
So in the end this will all mean I will also be less active in my postings and just listening to music.
Anyone reading this if you have the means do your self a favour and some how hear these but be prepared.
Kevin two thumbs up along with my hat off to you and others at VAC for firstly coming up with such designs along with then actually following through and producing the end result.
|
Hi Dearing,
I started to reply but then deleated my post and scalled it down dramatically. This isn't a CAT amp vs VAC thread so if you would like to know more PM me and I'll reply but that being said I did notice a thread you replied to in relation to CAT amps on 10-09-06 and I agree you were spot on when you said.
10-09-06: Dearing
they are extremely finnicky because of their hot-rod design. They require constant monitoring of bias settings and blow tubes easily, which requires new resistors to be soldered in. Don't buy one unless you know how to use a solder iron, have a lot of patience and have a lot of money for new output tubes.
Dearing, you are so correct and then some, once I got most of the on going issues sorted out the CAT's in the end just could not properly fill my room with sound while paired up with my MBL's.
Now if anyone reading this is thinking of comparing these CAT's to these VAC 450's all I can say is good luck and that will be just too funny because in the end there just isn't anything to compare periode.
Good luck and enjoy!
|
Mapman,
I'm not about to get into debates but I owned the the MBL 6010D pre-amp at the same time I owned the ARC REF3, both are gone and replaced by the VAC Sig. MK2a and I have never looked back.
At the same time I owned the mentioned pre's above I had the 9008 mono's and 9011's mono's and no way do they come close in over all comparison to the 450's other wise one or the other would still be in my set-up.
In relation to MBL product my two favourite pces are the 101E speakers and 1621a transport.
Discussions are great but in the end I have owned and lived with my gear for a long time and they are dialed in so I'm writing my thought's from first hand exsperience not going to showrooms and or shows and listening, big difference.
I agree with you that there are allot of things going on but this is with any set-up but I will say I finaly have found amps that just do it for me and it's a great feeling but then again it's just not the amps but paired up with the VAC pre I currently have.
I'm really looking forward to getting them.
|
Hi Swampwalker,
I actually had a Doshi pre and compared it to my current VAC Sig. MK2a w/phono and prefered the VAC. I was using a TW Acustic Raven AC3 with a Graham Phantom MK2 arm and XV-1s latest version cart for vinyl front end.
When I looked at the Doshi build quality exterior, not going inside and how costly it is had me scratching my head wondering why, there's allot of room for improvement.
Put my current VAC side by side with the Doshi and it's pretty apparent the VAC is superior.
As we both know there are always going to be differences along with preferences and that's okay.
Mapman,
I agree service is very important and one of the reason's I ran very quickly when it came to the CAT product and lack of. My only hope is that is if I ever have any issues with my VAC product it will be taken care of efficiently, I am buying through a long time dealer so one would think that should assist and I have dealt with this dealer for many years.
|
Jwm, yup be prepared if you hear them in your own set-up you will most defiantly have to have them, it's really hard to put into words the whole exsperience.
Just like when I heard them I was being very skeptical, nit picking, looking for faults etc. any excuse not to buy them but oh no that just didn't happen, in the end what I experienced first hand I have never heard before and that's with the same pre-amp with phono and speakers as mine.
So enjoy!
|
Hi Swampwalker,
I just wanted to clarifi a couple of things, when I said "Put my current VAC side by side with the Doshi and it's pretty apparent the VAC is superior."
I was speaking directly in relation to the exterior over all fit and finish build quality.
Next when I briefly discussed my thoughts of comparison of Doshi vs VAC, the VAC was not paired up with any other VAC gear.
I fully agree these are all top notch pces and in the end it really is going to come down to what your preference is and that's okay but for me I'm sure happy I made the leap initially and decided blindly buy and try the VAC Sig. MK2a pre.
I was listening last night for some 8 hours and constantly amazed and that's without my new 450's, I just can't wait.
In the end for me it's all about listening to music so enjoy!
|
Drummermitchell,
I have mine separate. I did not do any comparisons, just happened to have the space.
Everything is dead quiet also.
You are impressed, you should be it's agreat pce and mates well with so many others.
I specially like it mated with it's 450 Statement mono blocks. |
Hi Fplanner201, interesting read on your amps and of the changing of those tubes, thanks for sharing.
I haven't yet got arround to doing any tube rolling in my VAC pre, have you done any like others have mentioned above.
It's getting closer now in relation to getting my Statement 450's, scheduled for delivery for the first week of June. I'm anxiously awaiting it's been a long time.
I have held off doing any tube rolling in my pre because I would like to get these mono blocks in place and well broken-in and just listen to how Kevin has actually voiced them. What I heard with them paired up I truely enjoyed what I was hearing but time will tell.
Do any of you guys have any information you can share in relation to a NEW separate phono pre that Kevein has been working on.
Apparently Kevin has taken into account owners of the Sig. MK2a who have phono and you can just disconect one of the ambilical cords and via connect the new one up and you are good to go.
In my set-up that's the only area I see my self comparing, I have two arms presently and might ad a third, two MC's and one MM so I would like the luxury of ease of one phono doing everything. So currently I'm missing one MC and it's a pain having to disconect to hear the other arm/cart combo.
There are a few other manufactures phono's on my short list to try and compare but again really in no hurry, won't happen until my amps are well broken-in so I know the sound. When I heard that set-up utilizing the same pre, speakers and Statement amps the internal phono was actually being used. While I was there we compared it up against a external very exspensive unit, yes there were differences, some of the differences I really appreciated but going back to the VAC it just sounded more realistic to me which was great.
Anyone who has the internal phono and has done tube rolling, what have you used and what were the differences sonically you heard. |
Hi Knghifi,
did you get your other tubes that you were waiting for.
What have you settled for in your pre.
Thanks for sharing.
I have found in the past when changing tubes in other gear the outcome has allot to do with the rest of my set-up, every set-up being different in one way or another so the out come not always being the same.
Personally when I heard the Sig. MK2a paired up with the Statement 450 mono blocks there was nothing at that point that I wanted to change, I liked how Kevin voiced them.
That being said I'm open minded so down the road tube rolling is most defiantly an option, fairly in expensive way to change the flavour specially when we are talking in relation to the pre-amp, time will tell.
|
Podeschi, what tubes did you put in.
What does the rest of your set-up consist of. |
Podeschi, have you done any comparisons between your VTPH-2 phono preamp and the VAC's built-in?
Yes I agree it doesn't get better having the Sig. MK2a pre paired up with the Statement 450 mono blocks, I'm very fortuante to own both which has finally gotten me off the merry-go-round. I have owned the pre-amp for approx a years time and kept searching for what I felt was the ideal amps paired up and once I heard the 450's earlier this year it was a no brainer.
I'm logging in hours, at least 500 on the amps prior to starting my comparisons in relation to phono stages, my pre also having one built-in.
My system;
- MBL 101E speakers
- VAC Sig. MK2a pre w/phono
- Vac Statement 450 mono blocks
- TW Acustic Black Knight table
- Minus K platform(custom made)table sits ontop
- Various arms and carts
- 2- Torus RM20 units which everything is plugged into, once my amps have logged in the 500 hours I will do some comparisions which include unplugging them from such to see.
- Stealth Audio cables through out
I owned the MBL 1621a transport (absolutely amazing) and had it paired up with a AA Ref Tube dac (another amazing pce) but unfortuantly preferred my vinyl set-up by far and these pces just sat around unused so I sold them. I will replace them with something down the road so I can listen to my nice collection of cd's but for now in no hurry.
I have some very nice premium matched pairs of tubes that I was using in this dac so I'll be trying them in my phono section and see.
Drummermitchell,
yes I agree the 28's paired up with the Vac pre really works nicely.
... but that being said your jaw will drop upon hearing your Vac pre paired up with these 450 amps.
Areas that I felt would be the 28's strengths or any top notch solid state amps that I had in my system which ended up not being so which totally surprised me once I heard the 450's were;
1. Floor noise, in comparison the 450's are substantually lower, anyone who has experienced this knows the over all benefits and effects of such.
2. Base in all areas, in comparision the 450's are far superior, control, deep base along with substance, more realistic which just leaves you shaking your head wondering how the heck can these tube amps do this compared to say the 1000 watt solid state amps.
3. Micro and macro dynamics, very nice indeed, no comparision.
Individules who already use tube amps know of their strengths and why they preffer using such, with these 450's you get all of this and then some, absolutely amazing. |
