Are Quicksilver power tube amps in the same league as VAC, VTL, BAT, ARC, ...?

@ihcho are you running the 4 or 8 ohm speaker taps on the back of the QS Monos --

• 8 or 4...with your 4ohm 90db Tyler speakers?
• 8 or 4...with your 6ohm 87db Gershman speakers?
• what preamp are you using to drive the QS monos?

A 3db speaker sensitivity difference there worth noting. Other things to check.  

FYI, a member on another forum was having unsolved headaches driving his 87db Gershman Grands’ with his powerful Bryston 14B amp (600w@8ohm / 900@4ohms). At first everyone thought it was a preamp gain / output voltage issue not able to drive the amp(s). As it turned out, he had his amps and gear all plugged into the same AC wall plug / circuit. To fix it, Installed two dedicated 20amp circuits, problem solved, amp was able to drive the Gershams Grands ok. 1) Check, try the 4ohm taps on the Monos if you have not done so yet. And, 2) try plugging QS monos in to a different wall plug not on the same circuit as the rest of your gear. Best of luck.

I used 4ohm from QS with both Gershman and Linbrook.

My preamp is Audible Illusions M3B. I also have Plinius M16P. To my ears, AI sounds much better.

I use two power conditioners (from Furman) from different wall plugs (15A, not dedicated). The power amps (both Plinius and QS) are connected to one power conditioner and the preamp is connected to the other.

I would also believe that drawing all powers from one wall plug will have an adverse effect on the overall sound.

Thanks much for your input.

Is quicksilver warm and rich or more ss neutral and fast ?

"@smodtactical Is quicksilver warm and rich or more ss neutral and fast ?"

While Mike Sanders of Quicksilver already answered part of the question for you in Your Prior Post Here 5/22/23, I’ll add my .02 cents for what it’s worth about my QS.

1. Speakers used play a key part in the result

2. Preamplifier (SS or Tube) can impact results

3. Cables used can help or impact the sound

4. Source and/or DAC used matters too

5. Listening environment matters of course

For example:

My system includes a 6SN7 Triode tube preamplifier, a non-oversampling capable DAC, my choice of Cardas cables, with 93db 6ohm custom speakers for a type of sound I prefer. They match fairly well to my Quicksilver mono tube amps. Different output tubes in the QS amps can impart a smoother or more detailed sound too.

So, it depends, you can start out with a "neutral" sound as QS Mike suggests, you can also fine tune leaning in to warmer direction as your other threads inquire about. i.e. PSVANE CV181-TIIs tubes in my preamp tilt slightly towards a warmer result. You did not indicate what QS amps and what output tubes you are looking at, this matters too.  

Quicksilver best stuff out there and the paranoia of mikes stuff being to cheap compared to other brands has to do with NO ADVERTISING DOUBLE THE PRICE IF YOU ADVERTISE PERIOD…WHEN WE WROTE THE BOOK PAUL WILBUR KLIPSCH THE LIFE THE LEGEND THE ONLY BIOGRAPHY OF PWK WE ADVERTISED IN STEREOPHILE A FEW MONTHS 5000.00 for a single page for one month you pay for that….so double his amp prices and then you get it….ive been dealing with MS and QS for 37 yrs since my 1st pair and his 6c33c triodes cost around 6 K AND I OWN 4 pair because I call them the worlds most perfect monoblocks and I did a side by side again LAMM 50 K MONOBLOCKS AND THE QS WAS THE KING