@blindjim
I have not heard VAC in a good setting but get that they can sound great on the right speaker. Kinda out of my ballpark cost wise.
You wrote: "Hearing your accounts of what IMO is minimal power of 75wpc as applied to the speakers you point out, is not too surprising, as I don’t know of the listening levels achieved, yet as said, feel mo’ watts would be better. Keeping the same or closely similar quality in the more powerful amp". I can tell you the first time I heard this was the ARC GSi75 integrated and it sounds like it has many more than 75 WPC. Myself and others in that room couldn't believe the authority with which it played the Sabrina's. I've only heard at moderate but toe-tapping volumes and all I can say is wow.
You mention Hegel and I like their sound. I heard at three of their products at LAAS: a very nice combo was the $6k integrated with internal DAC paired with KEF Blade 2s. Very nice. Maybe not ARC/Sabrina good but very nice and not fatiguing or outlandish. Just nice music reproduction. They had a demo where they played their new Rost Integrated, switched to the H360 Integrated with built in DAC, then to their reference separates; all with the KEF Blade 2. There was much greater difference between the Rost and the H360 than between the H360 and the reference separates. Was a great demo.
You mentioned Constellation. I've heard some of their gear in an unfamiliar situation. Would like to hear their entry-level integrated paired with Sabrina's or Vandersteen. As you wrote, "In any event quality power equates to quality results. Everytime.". Very much agreed. Heard a friends very nice T+A components work wonders on some Craigslist $300 speakers (don't recall manufacturer). Really, a system is only as good as its weakest link. A $100k pair of speakers with a $1k integrated will sound like the cheap integrated. Not that you have to spend exorbitant sums of $$$, but you need to spend a decent sum to get there. The difference to me in systems in the $5-15k total cost range vs $30-45k systems is huge. Kinda wish I had never heard the more expensive offerings!
I have not heard VAC in a good setting but get that they can sound great on the right speaker. Kinda out of my ballpark cost wise.
You wrote: "Hearing your accounts of what IMO is minimal power of 75wpc as applied to the speakers you point out, is not too surprising, as I don’t know of the listening levels achieved, yet as said, feel mo’ watts would be better. Keeping the same or closely similar quality in the more powerful amp". I can tell you the first time I heard this was the ARC GSi75 integrated and it sounds like it has many more than 75 WPC. Myself and others in that room couldn't believe the authority with which it played the Sabrina's. I've only heard at moderate but toe-tapping volumes and all I can say is wow.
You mention Hegel and I like their sound. I heard at three of their products at LAAS: a very nice combo was the $6k integrated with internal DAC paired with KEF Blade 2s. Very nice. Maybe not ARC/Sabrina good but very nice and not fatiguing or outlandish. Just nice music reproduction. They had a demo where they played their new Rost Integrated, switched to the H360 Integrated with built in DAC, then to their reference separates; all with the KEF Blade 2. There was much greater difference between the Rost and the H360 than between the H360 and the reference separates. Was a great demo.
You mentioned Constellation. I've heard some of their gear in an unfamiliar situation. Would like to hear their entry-level integrated paired with Sabrina's or Vandersteen. As you wrote, "In any event quality power equates to quality results. Everytime.". Very much agreed. Heard a friends very nice T+A components work wonders on some Craigslist $300 speakers (don't recall manufacturer). Really, a system is only as good as its weakest link. A $100k pair of speakers with a $1k integrated will sound like the cheap integrated. Not that you have to spend exorbitant sums of $$$, but you need to spend a decent sum to get there. The difference to me in systems in the $5-15k total cost range vs $30-45k systems is huge. Kinda wish I had never heard the more expensive offerings!