VAC / Wilson cables

Some experienced VAC customers and VAC dealers will tell you that the Renaissance amps are the best amps made by VAC and that switching to the Phi amp will be a step backwards. VAC stopped making the Renaissance amps because customers were not happy about the high cost of retubing with 300B's (the Phi amps use cheap pentodes) and the high electrical draw resulting from the Renaissance amps' Class A biasing. In addition, production costs are lower with the use of circuit boards - the Phi amps use cheap circuit boards - instead of the expensive point-to-point wiring used on the Renaissance amps. Of VAC's current production amps, only the very expensive "Statement" amps feature point-to-point wiring.

You would gain a bit more power with the Phi amp, because, having approximately two times the wattage of the 70/70, you can expect to obtain approximately 3 db. of additional volume.

You should definitely audition the Phi amp in your system before purchasing one. I'm not saying that the Phi is a bad amp - VAC makes very good gear and provides fine service - only that you need to determine whether you already own the better amp.

As someone with vast VAC Ren experience, I sold them since these amplifiers came out, I agree with with Dearing,
the newer amplifiers were not magical even though the build quality and fit and finish were way better.

The Ren series had some small issues in extreme treble extension, but over all these are the best amplifiers VAC has ever made.

As per networked cables I have found that Transparent Cables were far better than non networked cables of the day today's cabling is vastly better.

Hey oracle,
How do you decide when to use this moniker or your other one i.e. audiofreakgeek?

Maybe you should get a third moniker, something like imameathead.

Quick right hook has him wondering if he should be in the ring...

The Sophia 3's need more bass control than 300B's can supply.