Can a Amp be "timeless" and compete with todays amps?


I’ve been into hi resolution audio for 20+ years, well longer than that but acquired high quality gear about that time. I veered off into other interests for 15 years but still had my system sitting idle in it’s dedicated room. I became interested in it again 6 months ago and began to update it. I still have my Rega Planar 25 table and a Dragon phono stage.  I retained my CEC TL1 transport, but replaced my DAC with a Dinafrips Venus II, I also have the Hermes DDC which I feed my CEC into as well as my Cambridge Streamer. I sold my Genesis V speakers because they were having an issue with the left channel bass and since they were out of business I had no way to fix them, it was over my head. I found someone that wanted them and was willing to repair them himself. (he is very happy with them) I replaced them with some Goldenear Triton 1.r’s which I love. So here is the nostalgia part. I still have my VAC Cla 1 Mk II pre amp and my VAC Renaissance 70/70 Mk II amp. I feel they still hold up well sonically, so my thoughts are to send them both to VAC for the Mk III updates this fall of 2022, which includes replacing any necessary parts and "voicing" them back to new as intended when they were first made. I really believe these pieces are worthy of the restoration, are newer pieces today really going to make much headway? I cannot afford to replace these items with "like" items as I am retired and the discretionary income isn’t there anymore. I just feel like they are still really good and offer a very high quality sound. I mean 8- 300 B tubes can’t be all that bad can they? I’ve voiced the pre amp with with Telefunken 12AX7’s and I have a small stash of them. Tube sound is still great right?

128x128fthompson251

@fthompson251 

 

where are located? Don’t just send them to any old shop, research a lot!

we drove many hours to Rockford,IL TO A PLACE CALLED : https://soundsclassic.com

 

i refuse to ship my gear, I will drive my,amps to the headquarters if needed.

@williambf , your result would imply a difference in output resistance between the two models. Have you tried using different taps to see how you prefer the sound? I gleamed this from Stereophile, not sure they are your exact amplifiers.

 

This is 2012, may be similar.

As expected, the Ref150's output impedance varied according to the transformer tap selected. The 16 ohm tap measured 1.4 ohms at low and middle frequencies, rising to 1.9 ohms at the top of the audioband. The figures for the 8 ohm tap were 1 and 1.4 ohms; for the 4 ohm tap, they were 0.55 and 0.87 ohm

This appears to be a 1994 review:

The VT-150's output impedance was nearly 1 ohm (0.99 ohms) at any audio frequency measured at the 16 ohm tap. This value decreased to 0.56 ohms at the 8 ohm tap, and 0.3 ohms at the 4 ohm tap.

I’ve tried the three options and 8 is the one (and only one) with both amps on the Soundlabs, also what Soundlabs states.

Both amps sound excellent dynamically with a subtle tonal balance difference. 6550 vs KT150 and 1995 vs 2017 or so.

@arcticdeth   They are going directly back to Kevin Hayes at VAC in Sarasota FL. Where they were built.