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VAC amps and Focal Grand Utopias at $195k a pair

Ny audio best of show had to have been the VAC suite driving Focal Grand Utopia speakers. Dynamics were off the chart! Bass was tight and forceful!! The Eagles singing Hotel California from the Hell Freezes Over Tour had to have been the most realistic presentation that I've ever heard on any playback system anywhere in the world at any price! (Granted total room electronics cost topped $600k) It would have cost less to have the Eagles perform live at the show!! Anyone else get a chance to hear it or feel system didn't live up to hype and price??
lepps200228
ebm
9,311 posts
 
This system was wonderful GREAT dynamics very nice people as well Kevin Hayes is a great guy with wonderful stuff.
hifimaniac
507 posts
 
Wow! I need to come to the rescue of Kevin Hayes and VAC and assure everyone that it surely wasn't Kevin's Statement tubed electronics. The Statement line is the finest tube equipment I have ever heard, it is effortless in its presentation and has the richest, fullest, well bodied notes ever from tubes; that's why I bought what I could afford; his Signature 2a and his Phi200's. An Audiogon member uses the same electronics with the same Grand Utopia speakers and he's in heaven! If there were any anomalies I'd attribute it to the room, and the AC!
goldeneraguy
442 posts
 
And now I know why Heinz made 57 varieties.
gpgr4blu
1,077 posts
 
Come to think of it, I'd never heard VAC sound bad before. So, I would not attribute the sound I heard on Sunday to the VAC brand. But again, set-up, placement, room---who knows?
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
I was there as well and did not like the sound, at all. (a few if us actually chuckled at how badly it sounded). The smaller focals were set up, and sounding much better, BUT, the big Focals were sounding AWESOME with the NAIM Statement amps and preamp. 'Done got old' by Buddy Guy brought the house down. That may have been my best of show but I did hear alot og good stuff. The VAC/Focal was definitely a set up or room issue Saturday,AM.
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