2. amps-preamps
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Audio Research VT100 MK1 and LS15 HELP!!!

I recently bought this set VT100MK1 and preamp LS15 and while I was at this seller house he demonstrated the sound from his online Tidal on TV connect optical to the DAC Luxman DA - 06 then this go to the preamp LS15 and out into the VT100. This set up sounds amazing at his house. However, when I came home play CD from the Sony X1100ES Blu-ray player RCA output into the LS15 and out to the VT100 and it sound horrible - no bass at all in any type of music.  The sound sometime muffle and not clear and most importantly the bass missing tremendously. Im using a pair of KEF R900 Speakers. What is wrong here? can anyone help me correct the sounds? it is because I didn’t have the Luxman DA - 06 DAC? or it is because I don’t have those fancy hundred - thousands of dollars cable?  or the CD source is playin at 41khz /16 bit not high enough signal?  

This is my first system and I don’t know why I can’t get that high fidelity sound from the ARC equipments.  I'm waiting for the Audioengine B1 to arrive so I can stream Spotify into the LS15.   What is wrong with my set up?  Thank you in advance for helping me solve this.
kentrent
almarg's avatar
almarg
9,670 posts
 
One thing I would do is to remove the top covers of the two components and make sure that the tubes are securely inserted in their sockets.  Especially in the case of the amp, given that all of its 16 tubes are mounted horizontally, which might have made them susceptible to coming loose when the amp was transported.

Regards,
-- Al
  
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Let the OP send some pictures of the back of the preamp, back of the amp and back of the speakers, showing how he has them connected! 
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
+1 almarg! I too had that thought about tubes coming loose while being moved!
kentrent OP
71 posts
 
I will take pictures of the back and set up so u guys can see when i get home from work today.  Some people on Facebook ARC fan group said I don’t have good speakers but I doubt it. What do u guys think? 
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
There’s nothing wrong with your speakers. I’ve heard the R900 with a 30W tube amp and it was a very pleasant listening experience. The R series is the entry-level for KEF, so there is some cost cutting to the cabinets and bracing, but not the drivers and crossovers. These speakers are revealing, dynamic and throw a huge soundstage.
Although listed as an 8 ohm speaker, the impedance curve indicates a large part of the all-important low and mid-bass frequencies are at about 4 ohms. So the 4 ohm taps should be tried first, as stated in the above comments.

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