Why Not More Conversation about VAC?

Drubin: The Renaissance 30/30 is thought by many knowledgeable audiophiles to be the best amp VAC ever made - a real finesse amp that is extremely transparent and musical. It also plays a lot bigger than 30 watts/channel and will drive pretty much any speaker (although it's obviously not always going to be the right choice, i.e., inefficient speakers in big rooms with big music). The 70/70, as it has twice the number of ouput devices and thus a more complex circuit, is not quite as good, but is still excellent and is far more practical - its 65 watts/channel, which are coming from an amp with really stiff power supplies and superb output transformers, are usually enough.

Islandmandan: Because the circuit of a tube amp is the tubes, tube quality will dramatically affect results.

I owned both the VAC Ren. Sig Mk. III 140's & the VAC Ren. Sig. Mk. II pre with phono in one system.
I even $pent $5,800 to retube the 140's with 2 matched octet sets of WE 300B's.
Probably the best sound I have ever heard!
To this day I think it was Kevin's finest work.
The people I sold them to also agree.
DAMN I MISS THEM!

I asked myself that same question a few years ago prior to getting a Sig. MK2a pre. You can refer to my past threads over the years.

At the time I couldn't find one for sale used nor did anyone around me have one to listen to so the only option I had was to purchase one.

Someone PM'd me and within their email said: owners are just enjoying listening to music and are content, they don't sell them they are that good.

Those words intrigued me enough to take the plunge so I decided to purchase one, they are very exspensive and the wait time can be long but I feel now what I know was well worth it.

I have owned allot of world class pre-amps over the years and I must say after hearing this in my system has gotten me off the mer-i-go round, I find my self just listening to more music and not thinking about a pre-amp.

Next was when I bought my speakers (MBL 101E's) which was prior to the VAC purchase I thought I had bought the right amps (CAT JL3 Sig. MK2 mono's)to power them and that would be it. Well it wasn't and it sure has been a long journey, I have lost track of how many different amps I have had paired up with these speakers and most were just okay but at the same time doing this I could hear the huge potential so I never gave up.

I get this VAC pre and I'm very happy indeed and my speakers are too so then I read VAC is coming out with some cost no object mono blocks, I wasn't all that excited about reading the cost no object because I knew what comes with these specific words, big dollars.

I have been listening to amps of all costs and types, always leaving the cost out of the actual equation. I just wanted to hear what ever it was being the end result and go from there.

Well an oportunity came available for me to hear a set-up in a real world situation, in someones home, with the same pre-amp and speakers as mine but with these VAC 450's.

What's the chance of this ever happening?

I had to take a flight, this all happened very quickly. My thoughts prior to arriving was all subjective and I would be content to leave with what ever it may be, good or bad.

I was there for three days and did my normal listening evaluation process trying to find the goods and faults. After being satisfied with this then I evaluate the fit and finish, eye appeal, looks and lastly the cost.

Well all I can say is that these are the real deal, nothing has come close as a whole package and left me in awe.

My intentions were to at least hear this set-up and leave saying bla! bla! but they aren't really worth the crazy price.

Well long story short they are so I ordered a pair, once I receive them my hunt will come to a end.

So in the end this will all mean I will also be less active in my postings and just listening to music.

Anyone reading this if you have the means do your self a favour and some how hear these but be prepared.

Kevin two thumbs up along with my hat off to you and others at VAC for firstly coming up with such designs along with then actually following through and producing the end result.

My post and evaluation of VAC is more than confirmed with Dev's eloquent statement.

I remember helping Craig Oxford (Owner of Nearfield Acoustics Pipedreams) at the CES some years ago. He used Kevin's VAC in the smaller room with a pair of 18's.

I wandered in late on the day before the show's start, Kevin was worn out and said, "We can listen for a couple of minutes, I've GOT to eat."
Two hours later, after listening to all kinds of music, ending with Bobby Darin's LP--I was convinced of two things--Kevin is a great guy AND, he really knows how to design electronics--at least to MY taste, hence this OP.

Good listening.

Larry

I just bough a VAC Phi 200 to replace a McIntosh MC275 and think it was money well spent. The VAC is exceptionally musical and a joy to listen to. It does not have quite as gorgeous a mid-range as the McIntosh, but it actually seems more natural with better extension, better detail, and incredible dynamics.

But VAC is expensive, especially the preamps, and VAC gear doesn't show up for sale used very often. Hence there may not be as much discussion as there is for gear that frequently is listed for sale. In general, really expensive gear does not get discussed much. I cannot remember ever reading any owner impressions of Boulder amps, for example, nor do I ever see Boulder gear come up for sale used.