Add VAC to the list. I had VAC to drive MBL 101 before. I have said many times before. VAC 450 drives 101 better than 9011. Much more dynamics and musical. Problem is that tubes keep blowing.
VAC 452 iQ review in Stereophile
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Add VAC to the list. I had VAC to drive MBL 101 before. I have said many times before. VAC 450 drives 101 better than 9011. Much more dynamics and musical. Problem is that tubes keep blowing.
Interesting, as I have stated earlier, I have only heard them with MBL amps and would not be satisfied with that ultimately. Did you blow so many tubes? I have owned many tube amps and while tubes go bad (crackle, hiss etc.) I have never had one blow up or fail suddenly and take out a section of the amp...maybe I have been lucky. Or did you mean something similar to what I am describing?
VAC has some protection system. When the tube fails, the fault signal will lit up. A new KT88 tube will only last two months. However, I gave up as I’m tired of keep changing tubes. But VAC 450 sounds damn good.
FYI Halcro has a new owner and is making a comeback with new designs ,I for one will be interested in giving them an audition.
caesar, i recently purchased and installed an sl kraft 300mk3 stereo. completely agree with your comments - a very underrated/unkown amp that has a tone that can put most of the big $ amps to shame. granted this isn't cheap either haha. i have heard the mbl 101emk2 on the class d mbl electronics: great sound but I couldn't help but think that the kraft would synergize very well with the 101. do you think 1 kraft is sufficient for a medium-to-small room?
i should also add that my magicos have never sounded more natural and at ease than with the krafts. they love the power and it helps them open up.
for anyone who has not heard the krafts: imagine an 845 tube amp that pumps out 500watts...it's really something worth seeking out for a demo.
If you still have the VAC, try KT150. It's a more durable, reliable and neutral tube. I know a VAC 450 owner prefers KT150 in his monos.
I was hoping this thread would be more about VAC amps. It pretty much started out and stayed a solid state versus tube thread. I was hoping people would talk trickle down and how the statement affects the Signature line. Mike with audioshark seems pretty smitten over the Signature. Of course hes a dealer but I wonder how good it is. Has anyone brought one home and compared it to the Phi line.
I heard phi 200 mono version on my CLX and that was the best amp I have heard on my CLX, I wish I had bought them , but thought price for an old amp was a bit much at the time , these ran kt88 and 6sn7 if memory serves me correct
i found the timbre very realistic and they weren’t harsh as many solid state I tried were just my 2 cents, they were also very well built
i found the timbre very realistic and they weren’t harsh as many solid state I tried were just my 2 cents, they were also very well built
the amp I heard on mbl 101 which impressed me were the TAD monos with some glorious and expensive Spanish cables whose name escapes me
was an all Tad electronics and was great sound
Yes, that would be awesome. Another tube one that would be amazing to try would be some Atma-sphere OTLs
That would be cool, indeed. The reality, however, is that VAC is very expensive. There is not a large amount of owners, and many of the ones that exist don't necessarily hang out on audio forums. But, yeah, would love to hear that also
Hi Skanda,
Yes, the folks who have heard Symphonic Line are a lucky bunch, as your description nails it right on the head. And it's hard to imagine a better amplifier on Magicos.
As far as MBL 101s go, I think the 300 would be a an incredible starting point in a medium to small room. I would take them over any of the MBL amps. But I would save also save my schekels for a second KRAFT stereo amp or a pair of monos. (Heck, if funds allow, I would contact Rolf Gemein to build you a Kraft 400; he has a few chases left, I believe, unless you can find some on the used market).
The reason for bi-amping is that I believe that room size - amp relationship is only part of the story. It's not only about playing loud. A bi-amp situation improves dynamics, transparency, separation, and the ease of flow of the music.
Nevertheless, the MBL 101 with a single kraft stereo is pure bliss.
Have you owned any of the MBL amps Caesar ? There is a substantial difference as you go up the line. They have the same watts rattling going from 9007 to 9011, but the musical capabilities when driving a difficult speaker are quite different.
Excellent to hear, as the mbl 101 is likely my next speaker. Alsyvox tintoretto a close second. I'll give Klaus a call to learn more about the monos. When I first plugged the SL, I was so taken by the power of the sound that my first thought was: "what if i had 2?"
hahah. never ends.
I thought the Statement stereo were around $14k. Thats less than most gear people are advocating. I bet VAC will sell thousands of them over time. There are a whole lot if Phi200 out there. Those can be had for a steal now.
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