Mike loaned me a VAC preamp, modified? Renaissance III? ...

**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 02:58 PM

And I have to say it's pretty awesome. Except for the unusually high gain of this particular unit, probably requested by a previous owner, I really like it. Very Ref 6 like but closer to my taste. Open, 3D, powerful and ballsy presentation like the Ref 6 but I have to say because of this piece, I'm very interested now in the new Renaissance Mk 5. I previously had a Signature Mk IIa but pre SE version and while it did what it was supposed to, I wasn't ultimately crazy about it. This one for some reason seems awesome. Kudos to VAC.

**Jack** · August 6, 2016, 04:24 PM

Joe

According to the website that one particular model is 22 db while the rest of the preamp lineup is 12db. Still that one should be able to be lowered by adding a resistor or swapping a resistor for each channel. Great stuff though and easy on the eyes.

**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 04:39 PM

It feels like more Jack because I can only move the volume control a little bit before it gets too loud. So I lowered the output of my Lumin S1 and now I have more play in the volume knob. Mike tells me that the previous owner wanted more gain for inefficient speakers in one of his systems.

I have to say that I am really enjoying this preamp and its quality of sound. I feel that I am getting most, if not all, the Ref 6 flavor without any of "my" perceived drawbacks. This is pretty cool.

**Jack** · August 6, 2016, 04:53 PM

Joe

If you really like it see if the swap of resistors is all it takes to lower it back to original (still high) or down to 12 db like the others. Which amp are you trying it with and what is it's input sensitivity? With it using 12AU7 and 12AX7 tubes you can do a lot more to tailor the sound than you can with the REF 6 as their is only one brand of it's tube. Depending on their purposes you may can lower the gain even more by substituting 5751's AT7's or AY7's for the AX7's

**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 05:16 PM

I know this one is supposed to have a killer phono stage. I am using it with my MXR/20's and a pair of Pass XA60.8's. It's wonderful on both.

**cmalak** · August 6, 2016, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

And I have to say it's pretty awesome. Except for the unusually high gain of this particular unit, probably requested by a previous owner, I really like it. Very Ref 6 like but closer to my taste. Open, 3D, powerful and ballsy presentation like the Ref 6 but I have to say because of this piece, I'm very interested now in the new Renaissance Mk 5. I previously had a Signature Mk IIa but pre SE version and while it did what it was supposed to, I wasn't ultimately crazy about it. This one for some reason seems awesome. Kudos to VAC.

Joe...getting loaned high-end audio equipment is akin to the neighborhood smack dealer giving you a taste of the good stuff to cultivate a taste for the product

Mike loaned me a VAC preamp, modified? Renaissance III? ...

Mike you old dawg. I see you're "loaning" out some of that VAC, Lumin, and Lampi crack again

In all seriousness, glad you are liking it Joe. It's good that there's a wide palate of flavors in high-end audio to suit our very unique to us tastes/needs.

**cmalak** · August 6, 2016, 05:20 PM

After writing that, I now have this mental image of Mike in a Daddy-o 1970s red velour suit and hat (like Huggy from Starsky and Hutch days), pimping product

Hah!

**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 05:20 PM

Absolutely Cyril, I hope and am sure this one isn't for sale but it did get me interested in VAC now, for sure.

**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 05:21 PM

Cyril,

I bet I've seen a photo of Mike like that

**Mike** · August 6, 2016, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

Cyril,

I bet I've seen a photo of Mike like that

Like this?

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**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 05:33 PM

Ha! Yes!

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**cmalak** · August 6, 2016, 05:35 PM

Hehe....no more like this Mike:

**Mike** · August 6, 2016, 05:46 PM

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**cmalak** · August 6, 2016, 05:52 PM

Mike...

**Mike** · August 6, 2016, 05:54 PM

That VAC preamp Joe has is very good, it's a Renaissance 3 with an upgraded phonostage. The Renaissance 5 I'm getting in 1-2 weeks is superior according to VAC.

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**Alpinist** · August 6, 2016, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

It feels like more Jack because I can only move the volume control a little bit before it gets too loud. So I lowered the output of my Lumin S1 and now I have more play in the volume knob. Mike tells me that the previous owner wanted more gain for inefficient speakers in one of his systems.

I have to say that I am really enjoying this preamp and its quality of sound. I feel that I am getting most, if not all, the Ref 6 flavor without any of "my" perceived drawbacks. This is pretty cool.

Congrats Joe for getting the opportunity to audition the VAC Renaissance preamp. I also look forward to hearing a VAC preamp in my system as the pieces come together.

Best,
Ken

**joeinid** · August 6, 2016, 10:08 PM

Thanks Ken. It really has reset my thinking on VAC. I'm glad I'm able to live with it for a while to understand what I'm hearing.

**Jack** · August 6, 2016, 10:55 PM

Joe

One way to tone down the gain is to go to the Rothwell site and order whatever set of attenuators you need. I have both the SE and Balanced versions and hear no signal degradation. They allowed me to use the Job with the tube preamp with no problem. They are available in 10 or 20 db versions. I have the tens for both and they really come in handy. Worth having around as part of the tool kit.

http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co....tenuators.html

**Mike** · August 6, 2016, 11:17 PM

Jack, great suggestion. I ordered some RCA 10's for when I use these high gain tubes on the Lampi.

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**Jack** · August 6, 2016, 11:35 PM

Mike

I have used both versions with both tube and SS amps and I don't hear any issues. As Andrew's primary business for the last 20+ years is in phono preamps I assumed he understood about noise and signal anomalies. His latest "statement" phono preamp just received a glowing review from HiFi +. If you hear anything out of the ordinary in your system let me know as I'm sure the AG's will reveal more than even the KO's.

**Mike** · August 6, 2016, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Jack

Mike

I have used both versions with both tube and SS amps and I don't hear any issues. As Andrew's primary business for the last 20+ years is in phono preamps I assumed he understood about noise and signal anomalies. His latest "statement" phono preamp just received a glowing review from HiFi +. If you hear anything out of the ordinary in your system let me know as I'm sure the AG's will reveal more than even the KO's.

Will do. I'm sure it will be no more intrusive than a volume control on the DAC in the mix.

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**MDP** · August 7, 2016, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by joeinid

I know this one is supposed to have a killer phono stage. I am using it with my MXR/20's and a pair of Pass XA60.8's. It's wonderful on both.

MXR/20's???????

**Mike** · August 7, 2016, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by MDP

MXR/20's???????

We can't keep up Mark.

**joeinid** · August 7, 2016, 09:49 AM

Sometimes a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do.

These MXR-20's are my all time favorite, I am done (waiting for laughter to subside), kind of amp. Absolutely love them. For what I like and how I listen, I am extremely happy with them. Others may not agree, but I don't mind.

Once I got the VX-5/20, I knew Ayre is something special.

Originally Posted by MDP

MXR/20's???????

**joeinid** · August 9, 2016, 11:24 AM

This VAC Renaissance III preamp is absolutely wonderful (I bet the new version 5 will be even better) on the Nord One Up amps. With the 994 op amps, the balance is wonderful.

Moral of the story? Don't just assume something will not work, you need to actually try a particular combo, listen, and decide for yourself how good/bad it sounds to you.

**a.wayne** · August 9, 2016, 11:46 AM

Word .....

**KeithR** · August 9, 2016, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

Sometimes a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do.

These MXR-20's are my all time favorite, I am done (waiting for laughter to subside), kind of amp. Absolutely love them. For what I like and how I listen, I am extremely happy with them. Others may not agree, but I don't mind.

Once I got the VX-5/20, I knew Ayre is something special.

Ayre and Sonus Faber is a really good match. Congrats, Joe

**joeinid** · August 9, 2016, 02:24 PM

Thank you Keith. I'm very happy.

**Mike** · August 9, 2016, 02:33 PM

That Mike, he sounds like a heck of a nice guy.

P.S. Khin wants to try the VAC preamp after you. Sounds like he might be waiting a while.

**joeinid** · August 9, 2016, 02:36 PM

I'll probably ship Monday, I'll get his info.

i need to get ready for the Renaissance Mk 5

Oh, and Mike is okay in my book.

**bzr** · August 9, 2016, 05:15 PM

Mike needs to start loaning out a Soulution 520 pre

**joeinid** · August 9, 2016, 05:18 PM

Hmmmm, I'll have to bug Ken for his

Originally Posted by bzr

Mike needs to start loaning out a Soulution 520 pre

**Dth31** · August 9, 2016, 09:24 PM

The VAC Master preamp is pretty sweet too!

**joeinid** · August 9, 2016, 09:27 PM

I'm sure it is. I am waiting for a report on the Master from a friend.

Originally Posted by Dth31

The VAC Master preamp is pretty sweet too!

**Dth31** · August 10, 2016, 12:12 AM

I made the mistake of asking my dealer to bring the Master preamp and 200iQ amp by for an extended audition, believing that there wouldn't be THAT a big difference from the Signature MkIIa and Phi200's. I couldn't have been more wrong. Blows me away every time I listen to my system now. Not going to let him bring the Statement amps by! Don't want (or can't afford) to know!

**joeinid** · August 10, 2016, 12:46 AM

Did you buy the Master preamp?

Originally Posted by Dth31

I made the mistake of asking my dealer to bring the Master preamp and 200iQ amp by for an extended audition, believing that there wouldn't be THAT a big difference from the Signature MkIIa and Phi200's. I couldn't have been more wrong. Blows me away every time I listen to my system now. Not going to let him bring the Statement amps by! Don't want (or can't afford) to know!

**Dth31** · August 10, 2016, 09:54 AM

Yes, with the phonostage too. Once I heard it there was no going back. Big step up for me.

wish I could tell you that I did extensive comparisons to other preamps, but I didn't. It just sounded so good, so musical, so "right", I knew it was the preamp for me. Wasn't impulsive either. Had it for about 6 weeks before buying.

**Mike** · August 10, 2016, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Dth31

Yes, with the phonostage too. Once I heard it there was no going back. Big step up for me.

wish I could tell you that I did extensive comparisons to other preamps, but I didn't. It just sounded so good, so musical, so "right", I knew it was the preamp for me. Wasn't impulsive either. Had it for about 6 weeks before buying.

Signature 200iQ monoblocks next?

Congrats on an amazing preamp. DROOL!

http://www.stereophile.com/content/v...5Jix0hzIKIA.97

**joeinid** · August 10, 2016, 10:36 AM

Awesome! Congratulations.

Originally Posted by Dth31

Yes, with the phonostage too. Once I heard it there was no going back. Big step up for me.

wish I could tell you that I did extensive comparisons to other preamps, but I didn't. It just sounded so good, so musical, so "right", I knew it was the preamp for me. Wasn't impulsive either. Had it for about 6 weeks before buying.

**Dth31** · August 11, 2016, 12:31 AM

Thanks. I'm pretty happy about it. Yes, I bought the 200iQ too.

The dangerous thing about this hobby, at least for me, is once I hear what my system does "wrong", I hear that wrongness consistently, and it leads me to want to fix the wrongness. I had been perfectly happy with my last system for 5 years. I hadn't identified anything that was "wrong". Previously, a year or two was the longest I had ever been happy with the system. So I was really surprised that the new components were SO much better.

**jadedavid** · August 11, 2016, 09:13 AM

Congrats on your purchase.
In another thread about an Aesthetix Calypso preamp I pointed out that after hearing an Audio Horizons preamp in my system i recognized that the Calypso is/was noisy. Previously I was content with the sound. But once the flaw was identified there was no going back. So I totally understand your above post.
A friend has a very high end very dialed in system that I listen to occasionally. It gives me a reference standard as something to aim at. However there is no substitute for actually auditioning a piece of gear in your own system.

**MikeCh** · August 11, 2016, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by joeinid

This VAC Renaissance III preamp is absolutely wonderful (I bet the new version 5 will be even better) on the Nord One Up amps. With the 994 op amps, the balance is wonderful.

Moral of the story? Don't just assume something will not work, you need to actually try a particular combo, listen, and decide for yourself how good/bad it sounds to you.

Love it!

**joeinid** · August 13, 2016, 01:39 PM

Time for someone to update their signature

Originally Posted by Dth31

The VAC Master preamp is pretty sweet too!

**Dth31** · August 13, 2016, 08:14 PM

Yes, hint taken!

**joeinid** · August 13, 2016, 08:37 PM

I'm really happy for you. I've been obsessing about the 200IQ amps and a new preamp, but I am a ways off from doing anything right now. Congratulations on the new gear.

Originally Posted by Dth31

Yes, hint taken!

Thread: Mike loaned me a VAC preamp, modified? Renaissance III? ...