VAC Renaissance 140 amplifiers or alternative

[stephen_volker]

Hello everyone!

I am pretty new to this forum but I figured I would see what recommendations you can offer. I have a set of VAC Renaissance 140 amplifiers that I have enjoyed very much in my system. (VAC Signature Mk II pre, Pipedream Reference 18 speakers, VAC Renaissance 140 Mk II amps on the towers, Crown XLS 2000 amp on the subs, Lumin T1 server w/ Lumin L1 hard drive, VPI HR-X Turntable w/ Van den Hul Colibri XGW cart) The only issue is both amps have a hum, which I hear is something that can be fixed with an upgrade in the input stage. I fear they might end up being costly to maintain between shipping them back and fourth for upgrades and re-tubing them; they have 16 300B tubes between the two amplifiers. Any recommendations? I have never heard a better amplifier but have been looking to audition the Ayre MX-R amplifiers in my system. I have also heard great things about Pass Labs.

Best regards,
Stephen

 

[LL21]

Welcome aboard! Nice system!

You might try speaking with "JFrech" who is a pretty well known member here...he owned MX-Rs until very recently with also some pretty big Rockport Altairs, DCS Vivaldi full-stack, TA Opus cables. He has only recently begun exploring himself so you may wish to get the benefit of his thoughts on the MXRs which he owned for many years (and very happily).

 

[stephen_volker]

Thank you for the reply and sorry for the delay. I actually spoke with JFrech a little and got some valuable feedback. I think the goal will be to get the VACs playing to their full potential and possibly do some upgrades.

 

[bonzo75]

Hello everyone!

I am pretty new to this forum but I figured I would see what recommendations you can offer. I have a set of VAC Renaissance 140 amplifiers that I have enjoyed very much in my system. (VAC Signature Mk II pre, Pipedream Reference 18 speakers, VAC Renaissance 140 Mk II amps on the towers, Crown XLS 2000 amp on the subs, Lumin T1 server w/ Lumin L1 hard drive, VPI HR-X Turntable w/ Van den Hul Colibri XGW cart) The only issue is both amps have a hum, which I hear is something that can be fixed with an upgrade in the input stage. I fear they might end up being costly to maintain between shipping them back and fourth for upgrades and re-tubing them; they have 16 300B tubes between the two amplifiers. Any recommendations? I have never heard a better amplifier but have been looking to audition the Ayre MX-R amplifiers in my system. I have also heard great things about Pass Labs.

Best regards,
Stephen

Hi, where you located? If you can go over to New Jersey, you might want to listen to Marty's set up - he has Pipedreams. His room is rated by many to be one of the best around (certainly the best I have heard), and he has the Pipedreams with Spectral DMA 400, but he uses a low output impedance valve pre (VTL 7.5) instead of Spectral pre, for the valve touch, and has massive JL Gotham subs, Goldmund Studio TT and EMM Labs. So rest of set up similar to yours. The speed and slam and dynamics in his system is by far the best I have heard (along with the AG trios and bass horns) as Spectrals are speed kings. Great soundstage and tone. I then started investigating Spectral, and my research makes me prefer it to MBL, Boulder and Pass. In fact if I again buy a tough to drive speaker, I will compare Spectral with a hybrid like Lamm M2.2 or Ypsilon Aelius to make a choice.

You can look at his system here http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-in-New-Jersey&p=227662&viewfull=1#post227662 - see pics in the first post if you scroll.

 

[stephen_volker]

Unfortunately I am quite a trot from NJ. I am located close to Atlanta. I missed a pair of Ayre MXR amplifiers that went on eBay cheap last weekend. Still kicking myself over it. I could have tried them just to compare to the VAC amps, which would have been fun. I would like to try a set of high end solid state amps on the towers. I also have given SERIOUS thought to trying a pair of JLF113 subs in place of the barrels. It seems they took it one step further. Do you know if he uses an external crossover with the speakers and the subs or if he just runs the towers and JLs? The JL subs have pretty advanced electronics.

 

[KeithR]

first off- what is humming? transformer or something else through the speakers?

 

[stephen_volker]

I was told they most likely have Heater-Cathode leakage in the input stage. If I do not have the input tubes in, the speakers are dead silent. Obviously the amps are turned off promptly after testing. I did this test based on the instruction from VAC.

 

[stephen_volker]

They are now in the hands of VAC but I should have them again soon.

 

[bonzo75]

Unfortunately I am quite a trot from NJ. I am located close to Atlanta. I missed a pair of Ayre MXR amplifiers that went on eBay cheap last weekend. Still kicking myself over it. I could have tried them just to compare to the VAC amps, which would have been fun. I would like to try a set of high end solid state amps on the towers. I also have given SERIOUS thought to trying a pair of JLF113 subs in place of the barrels. It seems they took it one step further. Do you know if he uses an external crossover with the speakers and the subs or if he just runs the towers and JLs? The JL subs have pretty advanced electronics.

He used to have a modded Tact, which right now is now working so he got a JL crossover. Running analog for the moment but prefers DRC, I think. PM him at Marty

Atlanta is far. I am in London and visited him twice. Worth the trip to check an amp on a similar system. I visited him because i didn't believe in room correction initially

 

[stephen_volker]

Thank you for the recommendation. I went ahead and sent him a PM.