VTL Siegfried II - long term report

[andromedaaudio]

I’ve been impressed every time I heard VTL! I think they are great sounding amps. Not sure why they aren’t featured more in showrooms as they really make wonderful music!

George

May be dealers distributors like clean easy sales.
No aftersale tube worry about eventual replacement etc .

How is VTL in that regard ?
My CAT are as reliable as they come never had any issues.

I see you are running VAC

 

[gadawg58]

May be dealers distributors like clean easy sales.
No aftersale tube worry about eventual replacement etc .

How is VTL in that regard ?
My CAT are as reliable as they come never had any issues.

I see you are running VAC

I’ve love the VTL each time I’ve heard them .. just loved the VAC Statement a little more …

That said that VAC’s are new so I can’t speak to how reliable they will be. I ran BAT REX amps for a couple of years and they were 100% reliable with their big output tubes. With most big tube amps doing autobias today they are much more reliable and easy to deal with than in the past. That said solid state is easier for sure!

George

 

[Ron Resnick]

The Siegfried II is amazingly no fuss, no muss for a giant, high-powered tube amp. The amplifier is totally auto-biasing.

The protection circuitry ensures that when a tube blows nothing else goes with it. A numerical display tells you which tube needs to be replaced. You push a button. Replace the tube. Push another button. Power the amp back up, and you are good to go.

 

[Argonaut]

The protection circuitry ensures that when a tube blows nothing else goes with it

This being something of an Achilles heal of ARC amplification for many years with their signal fidelity before protection design philosophy , until a recent move toward output tube bias circuit protection.

 

[andromedaaudio]

S 400 ref series 2 113 kg
Siegfried monos series 2 90 kg per mono block .
Probably due to a big power supply

Lol , I told myself i d never buy a heavy amp again.
But these are definetively on my radar.

I ll first equip my CAT JL 5 BP with 6550 s see how that works.
And may be a pair of Siegfrieds 2 / S 400 S2 later to compare side by side

 

[gleeds]

Ron, I have long thought about where to go next...and as much as I have a huge admiration for the mighty Arrakis, i do think the practicalities of needing another entire amp (Mephisto) and another set of cables (TA Opus Gen 5) plus space do call into question some very real practicalities.

On the other hand...i do wonder what a Rockport Lyra would sound like with a single or dual set of Subs. Anathema to some, but not to me...I have not heard the Magico QSub but again, i do wonder...

Have you heard the Rockport Lyra by any chance??

With some bias (I advise the company), a dual set of Von Schweikert Audio Shockwave subs in either 12" or 15" size would be a giant leap forward for almost any loudspeaker, including the wonderful Rockport Lyra's. Compared to other brands at the top of the heap, their cost is also quite reasonable, and employing them in their active room correction mode will substantially improve the overall sound in all but perfect listening rooms.

 

[LL21]

With some bias (I advise the company), a dual set of Von Schweikert Audio Shockwave subs in either 12" or 15" size would be a giant leap forward for almost any loudspeaker, including the wonderful Rockport Lyra's. Compared to other brands at the top of the heap, their cost is also quite reasonable, and employing them in their active room correction mode will substantially improve the overall sound in all but perfect listening rooms.

Thanks! Good to know and could absolutely see that. It is the adjustability of the VS speakers that I like as well even though I am not familiar with VS sound not having heard it before. Wilsons have long had a similar design philosophy though its been largely manual/physical adjustments rather than through the multiple controls that VS utilizes.