Randy's "New" VT-50

Randy.......South African slang for either a jock or jock oriented person. It is also used to mean bro or brother. It is pronounced boy-tee.

Thank you Google. :D
 
Randy esq

Google is not spot-on but the reference to a brother/friend/comrade is possibly the nearest to correct in my part of the woods. Definitely not a derogatory reference. Since I am a valve convert it could also be read as welcome to the (world-wide?) tube environment..

Now the big burning question on this side of the pond is, are you happy with the sound?

Pronounced as "boy-chi" in Cape Town.

Regards

J
 
Well it has not arrived yet... is supposed to arrive next Wednesday. I have the setup ready for it. A amplifier stand will be arriving Tuesday so should be good to go when the ARC comes in :)... Thanks for asking!
 
Nice... I am anxious to listen to it. Fairly sure it will have plenty of power for me. Having the powerful SS to fall back on is a good thing also. I assumed from your avatar that you already had an ARC amplifier :)...
 
We have lift off! Plenty of power, in fact the volume control is about in the same position as it is with the Ampzilla (the 220/350 WPC Ampzilla)...

It sounds very good so far, but obviously to soon to give an honest comparison...

A few marks, scratches, etc., but not terribly so. What would be expected from an amp of this age... definitely looks to be built like a tank....

Really nice connection, why doesn't everyone use this grade connections! 4, 8, and 16 ohm taps. I used the 4 ohm since the MC have 4 ohms listed on the back of the speakers!
 
I can tell you one thing... it is already growing on me.... very tight is the best way I can describe it.... amazing definition... seems to have a very good sound stage and instrument placement....


Listening to Norah Jones... her voice never sounded so inviting (always sounded great but this is a whole new...... just wow)....

ELP... Lucky Man... From the Beginning... very very nice!
 
Randy...those who might have been pushing you toward this amp, and/or tubes in general; I think what they were doing...is trying to "f a t t e n up" your sound. :)

I'm not a fan, of the DAC-as-preamp approach. I've tried it, many times...and with many models; some, naturally, are better than other. But none of them, ever matched a really good pre-amp; for my taste.

IMO...the trade-off is this: DAC-as-preamp, and/or passive pre-amps, etc. Yes...the path is shorter, "cleaner", etc.; and that can result, in a very resolving sound. But it can end up being, what you might call...too clean; too "sterile", and a bit thin. Going that route, with your Benchmark...and then into an SS amp; that's kinda a "clean" on "clean" combo.

The VT-50, should be lending weight, body; meat...to the musical bones. The fact that you're finding that...and, don't feel a loss of resolution at all (in fact, maybe find it...to at least appear, even more resolving); is a home run...and why ARC was a great choice (I know you are new, to the wonderful, strange, and maddening world of glass...but ARC is considered to be pretty "linear" sounding, for tube kit. I know you're not one, for messing-around...at least just yet; but know that KT-88s...and I'd HIGHLY recommend Gold Lions here https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/power-tubes/products/gold-lion-kt88 ...would give a touch more warmth, body, and richness at a possible small sacrifice, of resolution. BTW...these are what you have now https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/power-tubes/products/svetlana-sed-winged-c-6550c , except the cream of the crop from ARC!).

About the "few marks, scratches, etc."; I hope you mean mostly confined, to the top? Those are from the previous owner...and yes; not egregious IMO, and to be expected as you said. But I really didn't notice much to anything, on the all-important face-plate?

Joe is right; TOOBS RULE! PICS!!
 
Pics soon soon... just got home from grand daughters soccer game :).... and yes, the marks are pretty much contained to the top and to be expected, so no big deal at all :)....
 
Thank you sir. A very impressive "little" amp. For 45 WPC it can really power my speakers with no issues! And the MC are 85 dB, 4 ohm speakers...
 
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