Reference Full Function Tube Preamplifier

Thanks luxmancl38; appreciate your input on the CL-1000. I’m sure it sounds remarkably natural. I’m looking forward to hearing it at FL Audio Expo in Tampa, early February. I do believe it may be compromising not having remote volume and mute at a minimum. Transformer volume control is thought to be one of the best attenuators, but excellent relay controlled stepped attenuators with remote are quite transparent as well.  We’ll see...Happy New Year!

The VAC phono stages are simply sublime. I prefer the VAC tube MM stages, even the preamp built-ins, to the Herron stand-alone stage. I used to own their Renaissance III w/ phono, and for the last 2 years have run their stand-alone Renaissance SE phono in my main system - which I guarantee will clobber all the "giant killers" at lower price points. I believe the phono in the Signature IIa SE is the 6-tube circuit, just like the stand-alone. The Ren III and Ren V preamps' optional phono stages use the 3-tube circuit, which is still very good. VAC’s choice of Lundahl SUT’s (usually LL9206 or LL1931) will not be optimal for all MC cartridges and preferences, but then even an affordable Bob’s Devices SUT’s paired to the VAC MM will usually do the trick, and then you’ll have some of the best combined phono amplification money can buy.

I’m recently running new VAC 200iQ monoblocks too, and eyeing a VAC preamp again to make an all-VAC system. I’d love to pickup a Signature IIa SE. VAC’s just sound like music.

Thanks Mulveling for your stellar impressions of VAC preamplifiers. I too have been most impressed with VAC line and phono stages (full function or separates). I believe VAC uses a garden variety, $30-50 motorized blue velvet ALPS potentiometer in their Renaissance and Signature preamplifiers.(I hear very little compromise nonetheless) Master and Statement series use the top tier, $1000-$1200 ALPS RK50 potentiometer which is then motorized. Does anyone know why Luxman does not or cannot motorize their transformer volume control on their CL-1000? Just curious as no remote control for volume and mute is weighing on me a bit. Thanks!

@normie57 Yes, funny you mention the Alps Blue pot. I'm not a fan of that part, as I've over years always heard improvements swapping that for say a stepped attenuator, when possible - even in modest headphone amplifiers! That's my only knock on the parts & configuration from what I can see in the Renaissance V. Also the lack of a digital volume control for repeatable settings, which of course goes hand in hand with using a motorized Alps. That said, the Ren V does still sound quite nice despite this part choice.

Volume controls can be really tricky as they can have an audible effect- hence so many different approaches.

Transformer volume controls can be problematic if the loading of the transformer is not addressed. What this means is that for a given input impedance, the output impedance will be different due to the turns ratio of the transformer; if not properly loaded the transformer can ring. This makes a TVC trickier to put together than a regular volume control made up with fixed resistors or the like.