NOS Tubes make a Huge difference

Dennis, I'd be interested to read your thoughts on the difference you hear with your new amp, once you get it and have had some time to compare. I think the VTL is quite a good sounding amp, but I've never heard the VAC. (Agree about the superiority of the Svetlana EL-34's).

Believe me, I'm just as interested in you Zaikesman in hearing what the difference will be with the VAC... I'm wondering if I'm going to think it was worth it. I mean, part of the idea of getting the VAC was also so I could then play around with different preamps (ordered a Supratek)... so we'll see. It'll be fun to hear the changes.

Asa... in anticipation of the VAC arrival, I've gone ahead and gotten some tubes to switch out on the VAC. Checking through some threads on AudioAsylum, most VAC 30/30 and 70/70 owners like the JJ 300bs. Some liked the Western. Most agreed that the JJs and the Western were the best sounding 300b in that amp. I found some JJs for $660 for matched octet. And I went ahead and got a couple of NOS 6SN7 (Sylvania VT231, RCA 6SN7GT, GE 6SN7GTB, and the ElectroHarmonix... )... so it should be a fun couple of days coming up! I'll post my impressions...

Sounds great Dennis! Please let us all know what you think when it all comes together.

Got the VAC, and you know what sounds best? not just using my VTL as the preamp, but using the VTL as my preamp AND as the amp for my woofers, and the VAC for the electrostatic panels...

I mean, WOAH! setting it up like this was definitely better than just using the VAC as the only amplifier. The VAC has BIG bass, maybe too big for my apartment. When it's just on the electrostatic panels though, the music is totally magical. Crytal clear, pure and oh so smooth. i thought i'd be ready to just get my supratek preamp, but this is definitely goin to hold me over, and i have a hard time believing it's going to get better. It's the perfect mix of pure mids, with the bass not too overwhelming.

The VAC by itself was really bass heavy.. maybe that would go away after warming up? I also noticed that i have some tubes that need replacing... so, once i get new 300bs, i'll do some comparison again.

I don't know about 'bass-heavy', but wearing-out tubes will tend to roll off both the bass and the highs to some extent, while also letting go of the bass tautness and transient incisiveness - the whole presentation will become softer and slower. I have had the experience of getting too much bass balance with a particular amplifier (a SS Classe) in a small apartment, and preferring instead to use an amp that gave less bass (a tubed C-J) for its better in-room balance (it was also just plain better period). I take it from your comments that the VAC sounds better up top than the VTL. Congrats on your upgrade. BTW, once you get the new tubes, you may want to try running the VAC full-range, and repositioning the speakers to even-out the bass balance. If that works, then drop the VTL back in on the bottom and see if you still think of it as an improvement or not. (But have you checked to see if these amps yield the same gain?)