Zaikesman, I actually used a pair of .5 Deluxe amps in a bi-wire, biamp configuration with my Vandersteen's. It did make excellent sound. I had a single 125 and 225. I thought both amps sounded somewhat identical except for a touch of roughness in the 225. The 125 seemed a bit more liquid.
I'm sure the VTL's would be hard to beat. I would have tube amps except I don't like the maintenance.
I bought the Ayre because it seemed to bridge the sound somewhat between solid state and tubes. The Ayre amp doesn't jump out at you at all. It is extremely neutral which makes it seem like it's not doing anything. I like the amp because for the first time, the Vandersteen's vanish.
You get this huge soundstage that almost makes you believe you have surround speakers(in fact, I have been accused once or twice by friends over for a listen.)
Vandersteen's are funny speakers. They almost have a love/hate reputation but they will let you know what is going on in front of them. When I used them with an old Adcom GFP750 preamp, the system sounded marginal at best through the Ayre. I then inserted my Audible Illusions L-2. Things begin to open up but I felt dynamics were a bit restricted. Then came the Aesthetix Calypso. With it in the system, I saw why reviewers thought the Ayre was "One of the best amps, period." It just opened up with wonderful depth and liquidity.
I went through the Parasound JC1's which sounds much like the McCormack DNA 500. However, these amps never opened the soundstage depth up to a believable degree.
I also went through the Belles 350a that Doug Blackburn raved about with his personal reference Vandersteen 3a Sigs.
It is an excellent amp by all measures. It was very, very close to a keeper. Blackburn also used the newer 150a Reference Belles amps which he reported were better than the 350a and even better if a pair is used in mono.
I have been in negotiations on buying a pair to test the water here and it may or may not happen. After reading his review, I really would like to test drive them one time. If they don't work out, I can use them in my home theater or resale them.
There have been others.
So you see, I didn't arrive at my conclusions on a whim. It has been an ongoing process over the years refining my ears, the system and what I wanted to achieve.
I am a older audiophile who has been at this for over 35 years. I'm not a head banger nor do I play amps at the end of their capabilities. I enjoy all types of music and have wanted a system that is accurate, musical and non-fatiguing.
It has been a long, long process with a lot of doubts and I've spent way too much money experimenting.
But, I have gotten real close to a real world system at a real world price that does the trick. I guess when I die, I'll just tell my wife to drop all this stuff in the casket! Anyway, that's my story for what it's worth.
I'm sure the VTL's would be hard to beat. I would have tube amps except I don't like the maintenance.
I bought the Ayre because it seemed to bridge the sound somewhat between solid state and tubes. The Ayre amp doesn't jump out at you at all. It is extremely neutral which makes it seem like it's not doing anything. I like the amp because for the first time, the Vandersteen's vanish.
You get this huge soundstage that almost makes you believe you have surround speakers(in fact, I have been accused once or twice by friends over for a listen.)
Vandersteen's are funny speakers. They almost have a love/hate reputation but they will let you know what is going on in front of them. When I used them with an old Adcom GFP750 preamp, the system sounded marginal at best through the Ayre. I then inserted my Audible Illusions L-2. Things begin to open up but I felt dynamics were a bit restricted. Then came the Aesthetix Calypso. With it in the system, I saw why reviewers thought the Ayre was "One of the best amps, period." It just opened up with wonderful depth and liquidity.
I went through the Parasound JC1's which sounds much like the McCormack DNA 500. However, these amps never opened the soundstage depth up to a believable degree.
I also went through the Belles 350a that Doug Blackburn raved about with his personal reference Vandersteen 3a Sigs.
It is an excellent amp by all measures. It was very, very close to a keeper. Blackburn also used the newer 150a Reference Belles amps which he reported were better than the 350a and even better if a pair is used in mono.
I have been in negotiations on buying a pair to test the water here and it may or may not happen. After reading his review, I really would like to test drive them one time. If they don't work out, I can use them in my home theater or resale them.
There have been others.
So you see, I didn't arrive at my conclusions on a whim. It has been an ongoing process over the years refining my ears, the system and what I wanted to achieve.
I am a older audiophile who has been at this for over 35 years. I'm not a head banger nor do I play amps at the end of their capabilities. I enjoy all types of music and have wanted a system that is accurate, musical and non-fatiguing.
It has been a long, long process with a lot of doubts and I've spent way too much money experimenting.
But, I have gotten real close to a real world system at a real world price that does the trick. I guess when I die, I'll just tell my wife to drop all this stuff in the casket! Anyway, that's my story for what it's worth.