V.T.L. Ultimate pre-amp sound evaluation

[shawnwes]

I'm just wanting to verify if what's in the book on page 71 is accurate.

[shawnwes]

Got it up and running w/o any issues. Just running a AT-VM95E until my XV-1s returns from a rebuild. Nice quiet MM phono stage.

[Shakeydeal]

Good luck and I hope you never have to deal with Bea.

[shawnwes]

I thought I'd update my posts. I received the preamp back from the technician in Edmonton who replaced the majority of the caps and the stereo/mono and standby switches and I've been breaking it in for a week - probably about 30 hours on it ATM. The 12AX7 tubes are very strong 60s RCAs & Fischers and the 12AT7s are Brimars. I haven't touched the tubes that came with the VTL ST85 I purchased a couple of months ago and no idea how many hours are on them - nothing fancy - a mix of EH & JJ.

The DV XV-1s was received back from a rebuild at VAS the next day. I'm running the cartridge into a Bob's Devices Sky 20 SUT into the MM phono section. Turns out the MC section was never finished in this one - it has the dip switches and inputs but there s/b a little wiring block on the back panel and it was never installed.

 

That gives me even more reason to think this was definitely some sort of prototype.

 

Turn the volume and it's whisper quiet until you hit about 1:00 o'clock then there's a small amount of hiss but for listening in my room 9:00 o'clock is plenty loud enough.

 

This thing is incredible. Biggest soundstage I've ever heard, esp width - at least as good as the ARC SP8 I owned years ago. While it's definitely a classic tube sound the separation between instruments and definition of them is stellar. At 63 likely this is end game for me baring a lottery win. 

 

Cheers & happy listening.

 

Shawn

Edited May 23, 2024 by shawnwes
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