I’ve been dabbling in building and modifying amps for years. I can tell you that by replacing resistors with bulk foils (like VAC), choosing a few Miflex film caps and some choice tubes, all for say, $500, you can increase the performance of an amp whereby it may seem worth a $50,000 price difference in model lineup.
VAC preamps - too expensive?
VAC makes great products so i hear. The Linestage Master lists for $28k and next one down is Signature, for $22k. Add $12k for a phonostage.
anybody have experience with these units?
its a marketing strategy. Yeah the $22k Signature is very nice but for just $6k more u get a much better unit. Might as well get the Master. Pretty clever. Oh and they offer a line stage called the Statement for $80k and it comes with chrome and a skylight so u can view whats inside. The Master has most of what the $80k Statement has (no skylight) so i guess the $28k Master seems a great deal. Pretty clever.
anybody have experience with these units?
its a marketing strategy. Yeah the $22k Signature is very nice but for just $6k more u get a much better unit. Might as well get the Master. Pretty clever. Oh and they offer a line stage called the Statement for $80k and it comes with chrome and a skylight so u can view whats inside. The Master has most of what the $80k Statement has (no skylight) so i guess the $28k Master seems a great deal. Pretty clever.
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If you are filthy rich it’s not expensive....however if you are a poor middle class slob with a mortgage, wife, kids, bills, etc...then yeah, those prices are ridiculous... There are many wonderful "affordable" products available to the "average audiophile"... the list is far too large to put it here...plus these products will get most 90% or more "there"...no need to spend your life savings...however, here are a few, imo, giant killers.... -Origin Live Aurora with Onyx or silver tonearm -Hana el or sl mc cartridge -2m bronze or black cartridge -Tannoy Eaton speakers -Sugden Signature A21se pure class A integrated.... -Musical fidelity v90 dac -Border Patrol R2R dac -Music Hall mmf-7.3 or 9.3 -Akg K550 closed back headphones -Graham slee Novo headphone amp -Tavish design the classic or Vintage tubed phono preamp -Pro-ject tube box DS2 tubed phono preamp -Ear 834P tubed phono preamp -wharfedale Linton Heritage -wharfedale Diamond 225’s -Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 integrated... -Any of the Marantz reference cd/sacd players... -Marantz pm14s1 or 15s1 integrated... -Audiolab cdt6000.... I could go on and on.... |
You should ask your question in the forum link below. VAC owners post there. Given the tone of your question, not sure if you are really an interested buyer, or a lover of sour grapes. https://www.audioshark.org/vac-85/?s=ac165575cb5d793dc3c7ec9087c40a85 |
VAC preamps are pricey, no doubt, but excellent. I bought a demo Phi Beta preamp 8 years ago for roughly half of MSRP, which was still a bundle. I thought I was crazy at the time, but I'd heard one at a dealer and loved it, so I jumped. Well, it’s been in service 12 hours a day for almost every day since then, sounding wonderful with any amp I pair with it--and there have been many in that time. The fact that it has a dual LOMC phono, too, that’s among the best I’ve heard is just icing. You pays your money for VAC but you get an heirloom piece that just keeps going. High expense but high value if you buy used or a demo. |
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