2. amps-preamps
  3. 167717-155632

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.






jumia
jumia OP
528 posts
 
Considered the arc ref 6se but had trouble with soooo many tubes - 8, being run very hard and lasting 3k hrs, etc vs Vac with 2 tubes.
just nutty, arc is so damn complex.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
VAC is king forget ARC not as good.
troidelover1499
253 posts
 
I have a couple quite longstanding audiophile friends who feel the opposite, that ARC is superior to VAC for performance, value and engineering. Both are definitely top shelf brands with very very high prices but both my friends swear by ARC and say their experiences with VAC are mixed.  These are certainly very successful brands of tube equipment, and each has their strong followings, so I guess the responses here not surprising.
ghdprentice
6,821 posts
 
Yes the most common comparable companies are Audio Research and Conrad Johnson. I believe all are excellent brands. While I have auditioned all and all respected, I have all ARC components.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,079 posts
 
Well I do agree the fewer tubes the better.

I’ve had the sp16 for a number of years. It’s been pretty easy overall on the tubes but with any tube gear you have to be ready when a tube starts to go. 3 tubes in pre-amp and 3 in phono stage.  There is one primary slot for each where you must have very high performance tubes for best performance.   Other 4 are fairly forgiving.
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