VTL ST-150 w/ B&W

Jdec- I would say without a doubt the st-85 drives these speakers with ease. I have been listening for two days straight now and I don't see it caving in on any of the different music I play through it.

The differences I hear from the SS gear is basically..The sterility is completely gone, and ANY sibilance I experienced is also completely gone. The tube combination just sounds smooth, relaxed, with excellent dynamic peaks, and the sound stage to be quite honest is wider on this st-85 than my Full Peanut Butter Krell 400cx. Bold statement? Yes, but true, and this st-85 costs thousands less. Bass representation to me excellent, and I mean excellent. Does it SLAM? Not really, a little chubbier than slammer-type bass, but very tight, not rolled off, and IMO properly represented. It makes these speakers sound bigger than they are thats for sure.

If I had to characterize one single thing that is different from SS I would say speed (which could also be referred to as PACE RHYTHM and TIMING) are different. Being overall slower with tubes, allowing the listener a chance to follow the performance better, and thus get involved in it more.

I have Madonna La Isla Bonita (not what I usually listen to) cranked right now, and it sounds the best I have ever heard it sound tonally.

I would say for me, it was about realizing that you will never find a SS piece of gear that is a musically satisfying as equiv. tube gear, and you will never find a piece of tube gear that satisfies like SS can in Bass and accuracy etc. In the end I made a decision to let go of chasing the SS dream, and worrying about 'loss of bass' like some will claim with Tubes. I personally don't hear it, I think the bass is better actually. But I am glad I made the switch, and this little amp with 805s is an excellent combination, I wait to hear the difference with the st-150 and upgraded caps.

Thanks for the detailed response. Good to hear your change turned out to be that satisfaying.

Regards,
Jov

bass w/ VTLs is usually a strong point, at least for tube amps. they definitely have "drive". i think their weak points are in transparency and dynamics, but these improve a lot as you move up the line.

Dennis, I agree the bass is good to excellent with VTL, very satisfying for me personally. And I am coming from Krell, so that should mean alot.

I find he dynamics and transparency to be very good though. Granted this is my first tubed system, so maybe there is better. But it is certainly better than the equipment I had prioir to this.

If you put B&W 805s at or near the side walls of your listening room around the 10:00 and 2:00 position and tilt them inward toward the center of the listening area you will get close to the bass of a floorstanding 804 and increase the midrange while cuting back a bit on the overly bright B&W treble. Another great adjustment is an equalizer. The Behringer Ultracurve Pro is an excellent current choice and several older models can be had on Audiogon or Ebay made by Luxman, Audio Control, Soundcraftsmen, or the lower priced but good Yamaha and Harman Kardon EQs.

Two sets of speakers with one pair put on the side walls of the listening room described above and another set straight ahead in the standard position (if only one set use on sides first) will cause a quantum sonic increase in the quality of the perceived sound because of the synergistic merging of tonalities intrinsic in each location and obvious improvement in imaging. This setup will actually cause your amp to perform better also and give you higher quality sound at lower levels if needed and true concert hall sound effects.