Why Not More Conversation about VAC?


As I browse Audiogon's posts...I'm constantly amazed at the lack of attention, questions, remarks about VAC, (Valve Amplification Company).
First and foremost, I'm thinking that most if not all of us are music lovers--and I'm not aware, subjectively, of course, of more, just out and out, musical sounding electronics. And, I don't mean that in a perjorative, 'colored' sense...I mean that in the most flattering sense.
The lack of comments may mean nothing, but it just strikes me as 'absent' from good discussions.
Second, and beyond the stellar sound, if you want great gear, and a great person to buy it from, who better in terms of accommodation, knowledge and service than Kevin Hayes. Like the Bobster (Palkovic) his reputation for building first rate stuff and then backing it to the hilt is unsurpassed.

Kevin is also a great guy AND music lover of the first order...a friend too, but I'm not shilling here, just seriously wondering why VAC isn't further up the discussion ladder.

Kinda like reading Motor Trend Magazine, in which they 'Test Drive' a Mustang in EVERY ISSUE!!!

Just wondering.

Larry
lrsky

Showing 7 responses by mapman

A tube amp that can drive mbl well?

That may be a first and is truly something!
The VAC gear I've heard has all been top notch but too expensive and I am not one to dabble with maintaining tube gear if not needed.

I had a crush on the VAC Phi Beta integrated at one point.

Then the Jolida fx10 was in my league and stole my heart.....
"I've yet to hear a piece of Chinese (Designed, not necessarily manufactured) Tube gear that sounds like VAC--and it's not hand wired, point to point as is the VAC--overall hand made like the VAC. (I can be corrected here if someone knows of such)."

I don't know if there is or is not, but I have to wonder?

VAC is a no holds barred high cost/high quality line.

Think Mercedes or Lexus.

However, I drive a Toyota Avalon rather than a Lexus in that I am not into overt luxury and I see little difference in actual functional quality and a lot of difference in value and total cost of ownership over time.

Maybe there are others that can match teh sound quality taking a more budget oriented approach? It would surprise me if that were not the case, but I am not educated enough in this area to know if such an amp actually exists or not.
"What I heard was a absolutely amazing jaw dropping experience no mater what music was played, and or at what volume."

mbl done right is generally that way.

I'm assuming you heard the mbl on a traditional well set up SS rig (top off the line mbl amp as a benchmark) as well?

BTW, I've heard the exact same mbl rig set up well in a showroom and less than optimally at a show. The dealer's setup was OUTSTANDING. The show was nice but forgettable.

There are a lot of things that go into maxing out mbl in addition to just amp, though certainly that is a big part.
"we are not talking apples and oranges, we are talking apples and extra-terrestrials"

That's a good one! Gotta remember that!

If you are going to make a major investment, customer support and service should be part of the value proposition.

I know many smaller companies are challenged to turn things around quickly, which does matter.

I always think about things like how to get service if needed and total cost of ownership when considering any major purchase.

Plus. I try to keep decent spare gear around in order to be able to listen if/when something has to go out for repair.
Dev,

If you've lived and breathed with both then I will certainly take your word for it.

mbl would not be the first tube unfriendly speaker I have heard of where someone found a way to make tubes work, usually by specifically finding a way to adapt the impedance load to the tube paradigm somehow.

It's true that if done right most anything can be adapted to work well with most anything else. The question will be how hard is it, how much will it cost, and what is the value proposition compared to the alternatives.
"I was listening last night for some 8 hours"

Time one spends actually listening to (using) a system is perhaps the most telling metric of good sound of all.