VAC Ren Mk III / Sig mkII Preamplifier with SS Amp

I have a Vac standard Le that I've matched with a Coda model 11 100W class A. The Coda will adapt to a lot of units and will let the preamplifier introduce its own signature, which might be uncommon to class A amps. A real cameleon in my sense. My other pramp is a CJ Premier 16 and same thing, the Coda will just let it through.

I always thought my VAC was quite at par with the CJ in terms of soundstaging. It can pinpoint small instruments with a lot of a separation in the dynamics of instruments.And the Coda just follows.

The Coda is a beautiful machine. 100W is quite enough to drive a lot heavy loads, mine are Acoustat Spectra 44 electrostatics and it does it with ease. Does not run as hot as a Pass or a Plinius. This is just a fine long term machine. I will promise you this, the day you will get rid of it, maybe for something more of an upgrade, you will regret it after awhile, like most former owners do.

Paladin: I have an older VAC Phi Beta tubed preamp, your precursor; and Dev had a Signiture Mk ii; we both were paired up to Bryston 28sst mono blocks; at 1000 watts/per; and had great synergy; Dev ultimately stepped up for the VAC 450 tubed amps; which he is in love with; my happiness is pretty well met; and living within my finances...so the answer is the VAC matches well with impediance; and sound quality and reliability to almost whatever amp you hook up to it..If you have the VAC, you'll be enjoying great sound. If you want high power quality solid state; may I also recommend you check out the new Hegel H-30; it will work well as a stereo unit; not necessary to buy individual mono blocks; unless you have very ineffecient speakers...some positive reviews are forthcoming...but I'm in music heaven with my current rig...good luck

I, too, run a Phi Beta with Bryston 28B-SST2 amps and find the synergy to be superb.

The Signature MkII does indeed pair extremely well with a good number of SS amps. When I reviewed it I used it with Jeff Rowland's 501 Monos, and have used it with the Coda CS I believe, as well as Cambridge Audio Azur 840W's, and on the tubed side with the Moscode 402AU, Einstein "The Light in the Dark" and the VAC Phi 200's.

As aforementioned by others this preamp mates very well to a wide variety of SS and tubed amps.

I am currently conducting yet another review of a high profile SS amp with the Signature Pre MKII and the results are predictably superb.

Thanks for the feedback. One more question for D Schroeder and anyone else who might know: The CODA amps have a large disparity in impedance for input options>> Unbalanced is 50K Ohms, but Balanced is only 1,000 Ohms (frighteningly low for most tube preamps). Due to the VAC design, running balanced with the VAC Signature Mk iia Preamp into the CODA should theroetically be OK, but I was wondering if you tried both balanced and unbalanced into the CODA and heard any difference, either in sonics or gain.