VAC preamps - too expensive?

@wrm57
The phono stages are what kept me coming back to VAC. The 6-tube MM stage is ridiculously good. The Master’s version (and the Ren SE) is tweaked and has exotic parts, but any version of their 6-tube phono is solid 24K gold for our vinyl. Even the scaled-down 3-tube phono is shockingly good. Incidentally I have a friend who’s looking to pickup a Phi Beta w/ phono, apparently they are superb.

I have a lot of cartridges in my collection, and it’s always refreshing to hear how the VAC phono lets almost any ~$2K MC cartridge transcend to the next level. I mean, it’s still best with my best cartridge (Blue Lace Diamond), but it’s crazy how much it boosts the Benzes/Shelters/Ortofons. There’s no "diminishing returns" with their phono stages - they’re well worth every penny. I putzed around with Herron / Rogue Ares / etc for a bit, and the VAC phonos cost more (even as add-ons) but they really truly BLOW AWAY those other phono stages. And now the Master line stage perfectly matches their phono’s beauty.

I would suggest experimentation with external SUTs (being very careful in choice of interconnects, which must be short and low capacitance), if occasion allows - I’m actually not a huge fan of the Lundahl amorphous core MC SUTs, and I have a SUT collection that I find preferable to them (matched per cartridge). I can see that some would consider the crystalline/detailed sound of the Lundahls to match perfectly with the warm/lush VAC MM, but then some like me like to double down on that warm/lushness and just wallow in its delights lol. EAR MC-3 or MC-4 and and Bob’s Devices Sky SUTs are warm and lush in the midrange but also very dynamic and exciting.

I have a sneaking suspicion the Alps RK27 potentiometer was my main complaint about the Renaissance V preamp - they just don’t sound very good - which of course is fully rectified in the Master with its badass custom-motorized RK50.

@mulveling I'm totally onboard with SUTs, although I can't use them with with my Phi Beta because it came with dual MC, no MM. This was the personal preamp of Jay Kaufman of Audio Revelation, and he ordered it that way. No matter, really, because I have the Allnic H3000 in the same system and it has two MM inputs (plus two MC). My rig has 5 tonerarms active, which is absurd but big fun, and I use several stand-alone SUT (including Bob's) sometimes. Allnic has its own built-in SUTs, too, which compete well to my ears with my stand-alones. So for me, without the opportunity to directly compare separate SUTs in the VAC, whatever minor failings Lundahls might present are lost in the excellence of its overall presentation and sound. And I just adore the unlimited loading options. It's weird how tiny changes in resistor values can have an audible impact.

So is streaming via VAC worthwhile? Seems vinyl is very popular, albeit using a VAC phonostage. So if solely streaming does using a VAC make sense?

@jumia
I am not good to answer that; vinyl is the only source in my main system! But, I can't see how it wouldn't help streaming too. It's such a beautiful sounding line stage now that it's settled in my system (and tube-rolled to Amperex Holland 7308!), perhaps even exceeding how strongly I feel about their phono stages. 

People who want to feel like they're hearing perfect measurements & specs need not apply here - it's simply a gorgeous sounding component. 

Seems not a good fit if only using it for streaming.  Vinyl a better fit.