VAC Signature Preamplifier mkII

The Eclipse models came out because the Io and Callisto signature products were rapidly falling behind the new models by the competition and not because $500 in new parts in the Saturn products put them just behind the Jupiter products. I have seen the parts changes in the updated Saturn products. I know these parts well as I rebuilt an Io and Counterpoint SA-2 with these. There is indeed increased resolution and dynamic contrasts with these parts but they do not bring much to the table in terms of the portrayal of space ..... the true strengths of the Io and Callisto designs. This is not rumor....it is just how it is whether or not the designer says one product line approaches another. I have read such comments by manufacturers and reviewers and I shake my head more times than not. I have heard the Saturn vs. Jupiter products side by side enough to know their inherent differences.

And my comment on the Io and Callisto PS was not about massive design. It was simply that these products like the Aria use tubes in their PS rather than ss devices. And I know how significant this is with regard again to the portrayal of space. I have done a lot of tube rolling in the Io and Callisto and Aria and the rebuilt SA-2 power supplies to know the benefits of tubes in a PS.

As for the Aria, it is its simplicity in the line stage, phono stage and PS that brings on far more clarity and resolution than I had with the Io and Callisto signature, both with premium tube sets. I was happy to see these products finally get some refinements. But parts changes only contribute to part of what takes a product to the next level of performance.

I changed out all 4 position with TD round plates.

Sorry TS roundplates.

"I have done a lot of tube rolling in the Io and Callisto and Aria and the rebuilt SA-2 power supplies to know the benefits of tubes in a PS."

There are also benefits in not having rectifier tubes in power supplies. Some of the very preamps in the world use solid state power supplies. Boulder, Levinson, Dartzeel, FM Acoustics, Vitus, VAC REN Sig, Ayre, Conrad Johnson new GAT and the list goes on. I would say that fewer use tube rectifiers then solid state. Just like you will start to see more Hybrid amps down the road that use solid state output and tubed input. Best of both worlds.

You have never heard the new Saturn Signature series correct? These are not meant to replace the standard Saturn series. So how can you commit on the way it should sound? These are not minor changes in the signature and it's not just replacing the caps, this is an $3500 upgrade. That's like me saying I know the sound of your Aria because I heard the parts used inside before. I have no idea how a Aria preamp sounds so I don't commit on it.

A great example is the ARC Ls26. All they really did in it is changed the caps and a couple other things from the LS25MKII but the two sound nothing like one another. Now the LS26 sounds better then the old REF 2 MKII. Even ARC admits that and I heard it first hand. The REF 2 MKII uses a tube in it's power supply but the LS26 doesn't . Weird a....

Gotta love audio forums....no offense guys, but you're hijacking a thread a guy started about how happy he was with his preamp into a whole other debate...

That said, thanks for the feedback on the Tung Sol Mtdking