Audio Research VS110, VS115?


I am in the process of putting together a two channel system consisting of a seperate tube power amp and tube preamp. As I once owned (years ago), an Audio Research D70MKII and thought it sounded great, I am considering purchasing the company's VS110 or VS115. While I have read several great reviews on the VT100MKIII, the thought of getting shocked while biasing this amp leaves me "more than shy".
Has anyone heard the VS110, 115? How do they compare with the VT100MKIII?
From what little I have read about Audio Research's VS amps they seem to be a departure from your typical "tube warmth" sound. Is this indeed the case?

Thanks!
adrian_b
Assuming that you are putting a system together from scratch, you ought to tell us what speakers you intend to use, what your source(s) will be, and what type of sound you have liked or disliked in the past.
That said, I would suggest you call ARC and talk to Calvin. Even though some of the amps you are considering are out of production, you will get honest and knowledgeable advice. I can tell you that the VS115 is going to sound a bit more "authoritative" and extended at both frequency extremes than the VS110, but also a bit more solid-state like (or neutral). The VS110 goes for less than half the price of a used VS115. If you do get a VS110, invest $300 or so for an octet of SED6550s and 6N1P-EBs and bias it down from 65 to 55mv. I had the tech at ARC confirm this is the way to go.
Hi Daveyf and Fsonicsmith,

Thank you so very much for your useful information!

Daveyf, once putting new tubes into the D70 and having it biased, how long, on average, will the amp once again require biasing?

Thanks,

Adrian
Adrian, That is a very difficult question to answer... it probably depends to some extent on the quality of your tubes and the amount of turn on/turn off's that the tube cycles. Also, possibly there is a factor of how much ventilation etc. that the tube sees. In my case, I have had no drift of the bias setting after a couple of hundred hours, but i couldn't tell you how long that will last for.
I think that a more appropriate question would be how much is the typical re-biasing cost for a tech to do the work once the bias has floated or new tubes need to be inserted. That answer probably depends greatly on who is doing the work and again I would suggest asking questions of a nearby tech if you have access to one.