NOS Tubes make a Huge difference

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?)

i must have tubes that are going bad. that's exactly my impression when i first tried the VAC all by itself... SLOW, plump bass, and just not the highs or even mids that i was expecting...

and as I continued to listen to the VTL and VAC combo, with the VTL on the woofer and VAC on the panel, i started feeling like something wasn't right. can't really put my finger on it, but things just don't seem integrated. it's like i'm so very aware of the highs being seperate from the lows....

i'll post more after i listen with new tubes