|
Review 1 of 3
Price Paid:
$20000.00
from Stereo Unlimited, Wa Summary:
I want to try to write a review that is actually useful rather than just brag about my new toys (which I definitely feel like doing). After thinking it over, I’m going to break it into two parts: 1) Dealing with VTL and, 2) The Goods. With components on this scale, its almost a toss up as to which is more important so its hard to decide which should go first. I think I’ll start with the practical and work my way down to the divine. I should warn you, if you don’t like, "Man, this clown can’t find a single bad thing to say" type reviews, you aren’t going to like this one. If I could marry these amps and VTL, we’d be smooching on the balcony on our frickin honeymoon suite right now. Some details follow.
1) Dealing with VTL
I had VTL Deluxe 300s for 12 years previously. They sounded great running my MG3s; never had the slightest problem with them. I started noticing an intermittent noise in my system that I thought might be an input tube finally going in the 300s. I called VTL to ask about getting a couple of test/replacement tubes. The woman who answered was smart, perceptive and helpful. She made some insightful suggestions and figured out the fastest way to get me the tubes. Next thing I know, Luke Manley HIMSELF is calling me to offer to COME OVER TO MY PLACE (!) and help me diagnose the problem. This he did, and spent an entire afternoon checking out the amps from one end to the other (which turned out not to be the cause of the noise). He treated those amps like long lost children. He told me stories about how they were made, what was going on at VTL at that particular time, and obviously had genuine affection for them. He never mentioned his other products once. He had no interest in trying to upgrade me. I could hardly even get him to talk about his other products, he just wanted those 300s to sing and dance and he left them doing just that. Very smart, real, nice, genuine guy. If my other experiences in hi-end support and service were 5% of that, I’d be ecstatic. They haven’t been. Not even close. OK, on to the 750s.
I got lucky. I went to Stereo Unlimited in Walnut Creek. (great "real people" store) to listen to Magneplaner MG 20.1s (awesome; bought ‘um!) and they were running them with 750s. They sounded so fantastic together I bought them too even though I wasn’t planning to upgrade amps for awhile.
OK. It turns out they build the amps from sc Strengths:
Ability to simply amplify music without adding or subtracting anything from it Weaknesses:
They''re very heavy. Similar Products Used:
VTL Dlx 300 Monoblocks- My System: Micro Seiki RX1500 Vacuum Turntable, SAEC 407/WE arm, MC Alpha 2 (low output) cartridge, Aesthetix Phono and Line Stage Pre’s, VTL Ref. 750 amps, Magneplaner MG20.1
| 
5 of 5
4 of 5
