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
Yet they ventured into ht. So anyone use it for ht?

ht users want an exquisite tube preamp that has input changing capability on a remote.  Vac almost got there.


I have had the VAC Master with phono pre for about 3 weeks now. Holy Moly!!  To me it is worth every penny, and then some.  The sound is almost palpable and with texture.  I cannot use if for background music while I do something else anymore, because inevitably I end up in the listening chair intoxicated with the new sounds from albums I have had forever.The lack of inputs on the remote is not a problem for me because I mostly listen to vinyl and occasionally a cd.  I have to get up to load the disc or place the lp anyhow.  I would never ever believed that any preamp could make such a huge improvement.  Just get it!!
Well, seems its a nice preamp worth owning.

however, i called today and wanted to get a sales quote on Master and to my horror they increased price by $3k a few weeks ago,  same item.   shameon me for waiting.  Now its at $25k and was also told it may take 5 mnths to receive.  





They are hand built to order.  I didn't have such a long wait, though.  No shame for waiting, just bad luck is all.  In my estimate, still worth it.
The Master’s retail without phono was $27 / 28K, so is it now $30K MSRP? I mean, I knew inflation was coming so I went on a buying spree this spring, including my Master. I think it took maybe 10 weeks max from order to delivery in early May...

If you have a high-end turntable, the VAC onboard phonos are a work of art and well worth it. The only reason I didn’t add one to my Master is because I already had their Renaissance SE phono, which is the same circuit & parts. But the Master’s phono is a real masterpiece, with all hand P2P wiring (the loaner I had for a while had it).