Vandersteen's new affordable mono blocks at the CES 18


Just got an email that his new amps will be unveiled at the CES.  Here is what I got.  I can't wait.  He has adjustable crossovers so you can use them on any speaker that doesn't go down to 20HZ, which is 99% of teh speakers on the market.  Here is what they said:

Vandersteen Audio Introduces the Next GREAT Amplifier at CES 2018!Venetian Suite 29-203
Vandersteen Audio shook up the audio world with its liquid-cooled M7-HPA monoblocks, a radical advance in power amplifier design and loudspeaker performance that is Stereophile Class-A rated as a true reference.Vandersteen is doing it again at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, where you can get the first look and listen at a pre-production pair of the upcoming M5-HPA (High-Pass Amplifier) monoblocks! The M5-HPA is a solid-state design descended directly from the flagship monoblocks. It will be substantially less expensive, but will offer an astonishing amount of the flagship's sonic magic. While the M7-HPA is designed specifically for Vandersteen's Model Seven Mk II speakers, the M5-HPA will work with a much wider variety of loudspeakers and Vandersteen powered subwoofers. To accomplish this goal, while the M7-HPA's high-pass is fixed at 100Hz, the M5-HPA's internal high-pass filtering is adjustable to any of the following five settings: 20Hz, 40Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 200Hz.Vandersteen for years has employed high-pass filtering with powered subwoofers for the ultimate in powered-bass performance. When paired with a Vandersteen powered-bass speaker like the Quatro Wood CT the M5-HPA forms a complete powered-bass speaker system in which the amplification is perfectly optimized over the entire frequency range.
Richard Vandersteen is responsible for the M5-HPA’s overall design and architecture; the amplifier was developed and is built in partnership between Vandersteen Audio and Dean Klinefelter, a talented designer and engineer in his own right. 
Vandersteen powered-bass speaker systems are the ultimate expression of Richard Vandersteen’s philosophies on design and performance, formed over decades of industry-leading design & research & innovation.
M5-HPA's technical attributes:
  • Zero-Feedback Solid-State Design With Dual Single-Ended Circuits Connected By The Speaker Load
  • All Signal Transistors N-Channel Bipolars 
  • No Emitter Resistors
  • Minimal Circuit Path- Only 5 Parts In Signal Path Per Phase
  • 10 Separate Power Supplies
  • Adjustable High-Pass Filter (20Hz, 40Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 200Hz)
  • 300-Watts Into 4 Ohms / 150-Watts Into 8 Ohms
  • Made In The USA


ctsooner

Ah, @tomic601, one of the Buddy Miller albums issued on LP by Bear Family? Bear Family is a great German label, known for their very high quality Roots music releases on both LP and CD---1950's Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly, Country & Western, Hillbilly, Bluegrass.

Many of Buddy's albums were originally issued on CD only by Hightone Records. I've been wondering how the BF LP's sound in comparison. And I wonder if they are digitally sourced. Let us know, ay?

I have a friend who wasn't 100% about the amps for the first month or so. Said they are really good, but maybe a touch too laid back for him.  Then I spoke with him last week and he said that they are so good, that it took him time to truly realize what they are doing it and how.  He said that once they fully burned in, that he fell in love with them. Said they are better than any of the under 35k amps he's had and he hears a lot of gear on a daily basis.  

To me, that's telling.

This is from Rick who owns Audio Alternative in Ft Collins, CO:

Johnny winters sessions off Hot Winter Blues:   Mannish Boy ...  you have to listen for Johnny screaming at Muddy to play harder.  Just freaking awesome.  Hard album to find, but worth it.  Great stuff.


@bdp24  Eric the DMM Buddy is sublime, I will post up complete thoughts later this weekend over in the Music section, you know where I hang out 99% of the time....