Hello mdeneen, I could use your technical expertise evaluation on my used Llano Phoenix mosfet/tube hybrid amp

[LonestarBlues]

Hello Mark. I could use your technical expertise in evaluating

my new used amp-it's design & whether you can determine if it uses quality parts by looking at a couple of digital pictures of the inside of the voltage & current amp at Audiogon.com. It is the Llano Phoenix + VA2 amp listed at $1900. I bought it for $1800. The amp retails for $2900. I bought a 2 month old Llano Phoenix mosfet/ tube hybrid CAS 300 current amp with the separate VA2 voltage amp. It is a 300 watt x 2 @ 8 ohms-600 watts x 2 @ 4 ohms. It uses 2 gain stages-and separate enclosures for

the current & voltage sections of the amp. The VA2 voltage amp is SET, Class A, uses no negative feedback. Uses 6SN7, 6SL7 & 12SN7

tubes. The current section of the amp is Class A, uses no negatve feedback, mosfet outputs, 2.5KVA

toroidal transformer, distributed node power supply caps with over 200 amps burst current available.

The amp sounds great to my ears- rolling tubes in the VA2 voltage amp does change the sonic flavor of the amp. I got 4 pair of tubes with the VA2 voltage amp-Raytheon 6SN7 GTB, Sylvania 6SN7 GT, JAN Slyvania 6SL7 WGT & G.E. 12SN7 GT.

I have rolled tubes & listened to each pair around 8 hours. My favorite pair is the Sylvania 6SN7

GT followed by G.E. 12SN7 GTA, JAN

Slyvania 6SL7 WGT & Raytheon 6SN7

GTB. My secondary system is a Mcintosh solid state-MC 7150 autoformer amp-150 watts X 2, C38 preamp, Mcintosh MR 77 tuner, Pioneer Elite PD 65 cd player, 1983 Klipsch Cornwall speakers. I have liked the way the Mcintosh sounds with Cornwalls-warm, smooth & relaxed to my ears. I like the Llano better. The Llano sounds faster, has wider dynamic range, there is greater, stronger low end bass response. The midrange & treble is smooth & the Llano has more detail in the upper treble. I am not a technical person but I have read a lot since 1977 when I got into audio. I am guessing the Llano sounds faster possibly due to a faster slew rate & rise time, higher damping factor. And the difference in circuit design & parts used to implement each respective brand of amp. I don't have any specs on the Llano amp. I call the Llano a SET amp on steriods-it has solid state bass with a smooth tube midrange & treble. My main system is a

factory assembled Welborne Labs SET 2A3 SET Moondogs with the ultimate parts upgrade, factory assembled Welborne Labs Revellie tube preamp, Technics ST 8077 tuner, Mcintosh MCD 7009 cd player

& 1977 Klipsch Cornwall speakers. I am still a tube newbie having owned the Moondogs since July 2002, bought the Revellie preamp last month. It is dual mono with dual Goldpoint stepped ladder volume controls, uses 6SN7 tubes, ss rectified, with separate enclosure for the power supply. It is my first tube preamp. I am familiar with the SET sound and the Llano amp combines both the qualities of solid state & SET tubes. I have both systems set up in the same room-24'6" L X 19'W X 8' H ceiling. I have the Cornwalls set up on each respective long wall 18' apart toed in. I have not done a direct comparison yet of the

Llano amp & the Moondogs. I did prefer the Moondogs over the Mcintosh in it's sonic flavor. I know the Llano amp is way overkill

in power for the Cornwalls but it sounds very good to my ears. I have a collection 6 pair of old

speakers from 1977 on-1979 & 1980

large New Advents-used to use them in the old stacked configuration with the top speaker inverted so the tweeters are together. 1991 JBL LX 55-same size large book- shelf speaker as the Advents. 3 way speaker-10" polylaminate woofer, 5" poly- laminate midrange, 1" pure titanium tweeter. 1996 Optimus Pro LX5 with Lineum ribbon dipole tweeter, 2000 Yamaha NS 10 Studio Monitors & 1978 original Bose 301's with the vane in front of the 3" cone tweeter to adjust the direct/reflecting spaciousness of the tweeter. Back in 1978 when I was 18 I thought Bose was the Cat's Meow. Now that I am older I realize the ingnorance of my youth

when it comes to Bose speakers. I am a native Texan and lived in Lubbock, Texas from 1988-1994. Randy White of Llano Design Group & formerly White Labs lives in Lubbock, Texas. Mark the guy I bought the Llano amp from lived in Lubbock from 1988-1993 while working at Texas Tech University. He met Randy White back then & bought a mosfet amp, graduated to a Llano Trinity mosfet/hybrid that

used dual triode tubes- 12AX7, AU7,AT7,AY7,6922 & 6DJ8. the Llano Phoenix lets you choose from the VA1 voltage amp whch uses the same tubes as the Trinity amp, the VA2 voltage amp which I have. VAS solidstate voltage amp, VA3-(3 channel) & VA5-(5 channel) uses the same tubes as the VA1 voltage amp for hometheater use. And an upcoming not released yet VAP voltage amp that will use a pair of Russian 6H45 pi super tubes operating at 45 db gain with a built in passive preamp combining the gain of an active preamp with signal of a passive preamp. I like the idea of owning an amp hand built from a fellow Texan. From what Mark told me Randy White is pretty much a 1 man operation. At

times he has a helper. He sells direct to the public with no dealer network. Thanks for taking time to read & respond to my long winded post. I like my new toy.

Regards, Mike

[LonestarBlues]

Hello Mark. Thanks for responding.

The second ad from the top at Audiogon when you do a search for Llano- the ad has White Labs in parenthesis-seller is Markkunkel is the LLano Phoenix CAS 300 current amp & VA2 voltage amp ad. The innards of the current amp & voltage amp are there. I have Webtv for internet purposes so I can't post pictures. Thanks.

Regards, Mike

[LonestarBlues]

Hello Mark. My Mcintosh preamp connects via an RCA interconnect to the input of the VA2 voltage amp. An RCA interconnect runs from the output of the VA2 voltage amp to the input of CAS 300 current amp. Yes it does get a little hot when operating. The heatsinks are

6-1/2" tall vertically & 10" long

horizontally. I have never owned an amp with this much power before. It is powerful but still retains a smooth midrange & treble. Sometime later in the week I will unbox the Advents and hook the old double stacked Advents up.

The Cornwalls really sound good with this Llano amp. Better than my Mcintosh MC 7150 amp. I do miss

the big blue watt meters. I will eventually get another preamp and hook up the Mac in a 3rd bedroom system, I have a spare Toshiba tuner & the original Pioneer PD M6

6 disc changer-my first cd player. I am a packrat and still own every piece of gear I have acquired since 1977. It is trait I acquired from my dad. He collected antique tools-Stanley wood hand planes etc., antique cameras & sewing machines. I am living in the house he built back in 1964 when I was a 5 year old kid. He drew up the plans for the house including a woodworking shop for his power tools-table saws/band saw/radial arm saw/jointer/planer/drill press etc. And a photography darkroom-he used to be a wedding photographer as a side gig to make extra money and because he enjoyed photography. There are cameras up the wazoo in the darkroom. Thanks for your reply.

Regards, Mike