2. amps-preamps
  3. 167717-155632

VAC preamps - too expensive?

VAC makes great products so i hear.  The Linestage Master lists for $28k and next one down is Signature, for $22k.  Add $12k for a phonostage.

anybody have experience with these units?

its a marketing strategy.  Yeah the $22k Signature is very nice but for just $6k more u get a much better unit. Might as well get the Master.  Pretty clever.  Oh and they offer a line stage called the Statement for $80k and it comes with chrome and a skylight so u can view whats inside.  The Master has most of what the $80k Statement has (no skylight) so i guess the $28k Master seems a great deal.  Pretty clever.






jumia
fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251
284 posts
 

I had the chance to meet Kevin Hayes today when I visited their shop in Sarasota. I also spoke with  his tech Brent who built my amp and serviced my pre amp, quite nice fellows. Very personable to me. We talked about tubes, my gear and the fact that Kevin still to this day has a Renaissance amp in his personal system at home. He showed it to me. He showed me some old proto type amp chassis, it was fun. I had them upgrade my pre amp and will visit again in January to drop off my Amp for upgrade. He was very enthusiastic about the Mk IIIs upgrade that I plan for my Renaissance 70/70 map. So am I!

three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 

@fthompson251 

I had them upgrade my pre amp and will visit again in January to drop off my Amp for upgrade. 

What type of upgrades did they do for your preamp? 

fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251
284 posts
 

@three_easy_payments

 

The Pre amp went from Mk II to Mk III, so it is like new now. The Amp is @ Mk II and will be Mk III Signature. Both units will be like new and I have had them both for over 20 years, they are very well built.  In this version in it's day it was a $22,000.00 amp. 

three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 

@fthompson251 

That's great and I'm sure you're enjoying.  I was curious whether there were upgrades available for my Ren Mk V.  I suspect not but I shot VAC an email.

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 

Surely OP is enjoying his new tube preamp by now, right?

@fthompson251 Cool, the Renaissance III preamp is sweet. I especially liked its phono stage. It was very well built, with a hand wired line stage, and I vastly prefer its aesthetic over the Renaissance V. I have a friend who still pines over the 300B Renaissance power amps and tells me how great they were. But the new Master 300 amps are just stunning; they simply blow me and my 200iQ’s away 😲

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