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Tube Amp suggestions for VSA VR4-SE's?

Hello!

I have owned a pair of Von Schweikert Audio VR4SE's now for about six months. I currently purchased a pair of Electrocompaniet AW220 mono blocks to drive them (previously I owned a Levinson No.334) at a dealers highest recommendation. The sound is very, very good, in all definitions of "audiophile" sound (fast tight bass, highly neutral midrange, extended highs, fast, transparent, nice stage, etc.). However, the sound is just not connecting me to the music in an emotional way. All my audiophile buddies who come over and hear the system are asking what more do I want? Well, I want INVOLVEMENT! I really don't care about all those audiophile tags anymore. I simply want that connection with the music, where I can forget about listening only to the best recordings, and listen to anything, and everything.

I feel positive that the speaker is capable of delivering this involvement, WITH THE RIGHT AMP DRIVING IT! So, this time, I want tubes. In checking out some different reasonably priced possibilities, I have come across the ROGUE amps (M-150 and the Zeus), as well as the Music Reference 200, and the Quicksilver VR monos. Does anyone out there in A'gonland have any experience with these amps (with the VR4's or any other like speaker), or can you make some other suggestions regarding any others. Forget the $21,000 Lamms, actually one of my favorites, but not in my budget (I actually live in a world of home mortgage payments, car notes and tuition payments, so let's say around $6,500 or less)!

Oh, by the way, my room is 15' x 19' with a coffered 8' ceiling, and my usual listening levels are around 85 to 95 db (as measured with a Radio Shack sound level meter ('C' weighting, fast response).

In advance, thanks to all for your input!

Happy Listening,

Louis
louisl
1markr
594 posts
 
You fail to mention your front end that's driving your amps, e.g. the preamp and CD player. Those components will also affect the "involvement" factor that you are so hungry for as much as the amps will.

I run the ASL Hurricanes in my system now, which also consists of the wonderful VR4 III HSE. I wouldn't say the 'Canes are underpowered at all; maybe they are vs. a Zeus, which I haven't heard personally. As RP1 stated, the midrange of the 'Canes is superb, as are the highs. The bass is there, but you will not get that tremendous SS slam from the Hurricanes, but a deep, full tuneful bass that tubes are known to provide. You want INVOLVEMENT, switch them into triode mode and get sucked into the music!

I will be trying out the Parasound JC-1s soon. I'm attempting to merge the best qualities of my tube amps with the best qualities of SS, of which the JC-1s are reputed to do. We'll see.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
I had about 1 hr with the 4IIISEs driven by my Berning ZH-270. It was a small room, maybe 12 x 14. Bass was incredible, other than that I just listened. Felt it had plenty of power. It was running direct from Res Audio 21, using the volume on the Berning, not the CDP. Another possible advantage of the Berning; if you have only 2 sources, you can run it as an integrated. And tubes are way cheaper than the typical big power tubes. Well under $100 for a set of NOS (not including the input and driver tubes).
tpsonic
1,092 posts
 
The VAC Ren. 30/30 or 70/70.The VIVA Veronas on AGon should work wonderfully and can be upgraded to the 845 outputs in the future.Don't worry about the low power,they are able to drive Sound Labs.They have great timbre and are dripping with harmonics.Articulate highs and tight bass.
lsilver507
11 posts
 
i have rogue 66 magnum with quicksilver v4s on vr2 speakers my room to big to try low power
louisl OP
183 posts
 
To 1markr,
To answer your question:
The front end is an Audio Aero MKII cd player (just wonderful) going directly into the amplifiers, no preamp. I had tried using the AA cdp with a preamp, but actually prefered bypassing the preamp all together. My cabling (both interconnect and speaker) is made by Paul Garner from VSA (my highest recommendaation). The entire system's power is supplied via a Bybee pro power purifier. The digital side of the Bybee is fed to the wall via an Electraglide fatboy, thus feeding the CDP with another fatboy. The analog side of the Bybee (used for the amps) is plugged into the wall using an Electraglide Fatman K, thus feeding each AW220 with a Cable Research Labs 'Gold' power cable (stiff as hell, but great). I will add that although Bybee himself does not recommend using his purifier for anything but front end gear, it works stupendously with the amps plugged into it (just listen and let your ears be the judge)!
Thanks for the Hurricane suggestion, I will check on that as well (by the way, which version of the hurricanes are you using)?
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