VAC Standard limited edition preamp

I like Aesthetix in that price range.

You guys are quite late on my original post.

I got both the VAC Standard and a Premier 16LS2 later that was hanging around at a nearby audioboutique. The price was so riculous that I could not leave it there. Two different sounding machine, each one with different strenghts at a point I could'nt part with either one of them. The VAC is particularly very adaptable to tube rolling and I have a lot of fun trying all sorts of combination.

"Two different sounding machine, each one with different strenghts at a point I could'nt part with either one of them"

Andy, can you articulate some of those differences? I own cj gear; I'd like to try VAC but haven't had the opportunity.

I've realized nice gains by rolling the small tubes on my cj amps and preamps.

Of course :

VAC Standard LE : Transparent, high resolution, sweet and vibrant, deep soundstage with several layers, dynamic. Will sound forward on voices, acoustics with most tubes. Can be corrected with proper rolling but will still sound forward. Low and high frequencies tight and precise. Mids are more sweet than rich. Might necessitate more tube rolling to adapt to your taste. Very susceptible to rolling. 2X 12AX7 (5751), 2 X 12 AU7. Quite a bargain at the price with phono, supposedly excellent.

Conrad Johnson Premier 16LS2 : Warm, rich sounding with very low noise floor. Deep and full bass. Richest and warmest midrange you can get. Soudstage very wide, less deep and precise than the VAC. Highs slightly rolled off for a more relaxing presentation. Big sounding unit. Quite unique type of sound. Piece of collection.

My music tastes are numerous.

For heavy classical symphonies and rock, techno,acoustic instruments, definitely the VAC. For soft jazz, ambient, world music, female singers and more relaxed listenings, the CJ. Less susceptible to tube rolling. 6 X 6922. I'm actually trying Siemens 7308 in it. Increased dynamics and deeper soundstage.

Forgot to mention. I'm very satisfied with both units. like I said, I just can't depart with either one of them. I alternate them depending on my mood. It's to a point where preamps are decided for many, many years for me. But......if there is a machine out there that I'm very curious about, it would be a VAC Renaissance or Signature.