ARC VSi60 vs Ayon Spirit II/III

I've always like the ARC house sound. What I really don't like though is that afaik ARC still does not fuse the output tubes. So when, and it is a when not an if, a tube blows on the ARC amps the tube will usually take out the biasing resistors. So unless one is a really handy diy'er this will involve either shipping the amp back to ARC (at the users expense) or finding a local repair shop to replace the resistors... Now the VSi60 may be different, but I don't think so. Ayon does fuse the tubes and avoids this problem.

In response to Lance0955 back 09/08/2010 you posted this about your Spirit II as regards the Cayin and Jolida amps that you said you also own:

"My main amp is the AYON SPIRIT II. It's more expensive but worth every penny and then some."

I'm a little puzzled, I'm assuming that you sold the Spirit II which you apparently loved, and at the time thought was better than the Jolida and Cayin amps and bought the Spirit III that you now don't love?

Everyone that's heard the III vs the II prefers the III, I have a Spirit III and it doesn't sound anything like what you describe, I suggest that you get it looked at because it much be broken. My Spirit III sounds big and fast, huge soundstage, punchy, dynamic, musical and killer base on pentode, on triode it has the classic triode lushness sweet mids, soft but detailed highs, bass a bit mushy, compared to pentode.. No grain glare nothing but great sound.. Frankly it sounds absolutely nothing like what you're describing, and it sounded pretty much that way out of the box. I really think you've either got a bad amp or bad tubes or it's hooked up wrong, maybe using the wrong taps?? I don't know, I just know my Spirit III sure isn't anything like what you've described.

I've had my spirit 3 now for about 9 months I recently replaced the stock Philips driver tubes with a matched quad of 50's vintage RCA black plates from Andy Bowman of Vintage Tube Services all I can say is WOW amazing improvement, I was shocked at the increase in performance. Anyone had this amp upgrading the driver tubes is a no brainier.

Plangco.. I would have agreed 100% with you sonic assessment , Until I changed out the driver tubes to Nos RCA Blackplates.. that made a dramatic change for the better in my system.. The stock Phillips were sort of dry and bright sounding..To any one who has a Spirit or Triton and feels that it's bit on the bright side try rolling in some good NOS tubes and I think you'll be very pleased