VAC Renaissance Pre-amp owners - Help


Just got my VAC Renaissance Signature MK II back from VAC. Have it all hooked up but no sound from any on the inputs including the phono. I ruled out the interconnects and the amplifier. Has to be something stupid like a switch. I'm using all RCAs and all the switches are set to SE. The output has two sets and I tried using both but nothing.

All the light are on. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you.
pookie10
Hi Knghifi, great info.

I also use HiFi fuses in other gear with great sucess, I haven't opened up my units and there being the two units with lots of screws to be removed how many fuses are needed and which component are they in.

What is the size needed and the direction you find works best.

How many hours do you have on your pre now.

Have you tried many different power cords, as you know I'm using a Stealth Dream. I currently have my pre placed on 3 small Sistrum points placed onto a Symposium Ultra platform, power supply on murtal blocks. I noticed having them stacked when playing my table there was some noise, nothing when playing read book, since they have been separated the noise has been eliminated.
Pookie,

My Vac Preamp did the same thing with My 12AU7's. I took them out and swapped postions and pulled and reinserted a few times and the tubes work fine. You may have had a pin not making proper contact. I am curious has anyone compared the 8416 variant to the 6922/7308 variant? Is there any sound difference?

Johnny
Dev,

It takes one 5 x 20 mm, 4 ampere, slow blow type. Fuse holder is below the IEC on the Power Supply unit. Facing the fuse holder, the direction worked best for me is right to left.

I have 550+ hours on my preamp and broken in. I ran it 24/7 for the first 300 hours ... didn't want to begin tinkering until it's fully broken in.

I'm using ASI Liveline power cord. I replaced all SR Tesla Apex, Hologram ... in my system to ASI Livelines. My next focus is my room, component stands, isolation platforms ...
I asked Kevin at VAC about which direction the fuse should go in. Here is his reply:

"the current through the fuse is alternating current, is it goes in one direction for 8.33 milliseconds, and then the other direction for 8.33 milliseconds, and so on.

In terms of which end of the fuse connects to the 'hot' leg of the wall current, it is to the right side of the chassis when viewed from the front."

So that would mean looking at the back of the unit putting the fuse into the holder, the arrow should point left-to right. But I suppose one should trust their ears versus this.
Just did A-B comparison on fuses with digital and analogue. For vac 300.1a in rank order best sounding to less best:

1. Stock fuse (most ambience and roundess - front to back depth)
2. Hi-fi tuning left to right facing fuse holder (reduced some glare but flattenned front to back)
3. Hi-fi opposite direction (flattened and deadened sound)

In all other applications hi-fi wins (all other components incl speakers) but with vac amp i am not feeling the love.