I have consistently complemented Michael for conducting comparative reviews, and I have lauded him for the greatly heightened level of effort and time and box-swapping and critical listening which comparative reviews require. Michael concludes this review with:
I listened for almost two months to the two versions of the TP-6.5 Mk II VTL sent, never switching back to my references [CH Precision P1/X1PSU and Ypsilon VPS100] to get a comparative listen, and not because I was slacking off. I was thoroughly enjoying what I heard and didn’t feel I was missing anything, not even on the bottom—even on electric amplified bass—where tubes can sometimes miss the tight grip provided by solid-state. So, why play the swap game? Most importantly, the 6.5’s timbral balance—its overall tonal personality—was pleasingly neutral and avoided imposing upon the music any kind of identifiable character.
Review complete except for this wrap-up: I still haven’t returned to either reference phono preamp. Grant Green’s Feelin’ the Spirit (Blue Note ST-84132/B0033488-01) plays at moderate level in the background, and both the “Tone Poet” and VTL’s 6.5 MK II nail this one. Transparency, transient precision and delicacy, harmonic richness (RVG got Herbie Hancock’s piano just right on this 1962 recording), and an enveloping sense of the large, open Englewood Cliffs studio space produce a “you are there” sensation (and I’ve been there!).
Of course I take Michael at his word, but I am a little bit nervous. I can't prove it but I feel like there has been a general decline in the number of comparative reviews published by The Absolute Sound. Of course reviewing two different versions of the same component, and mixing it up further with step-up transformers, is already a gigantic amount of work for one review.
But it sure would've been great to learn Michael's comparative thoughts on this VTL phono stage versus his reference CH Precision phono stage. I hope the powers that be at The absolute Sound have not pressured Michael to cease conducting and writing comparative reviews. I hope I'm worrying about nothing.