Vitus vs Soulution vs CH

Mike

Mike

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Any comments on these big 3? Anyone compare them?



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Well Mike sells two out of the three himself, not bad at all! His customers can at least compare the Vitus and Soulution products directly. :popcorn:
 
I have heard CH and soulution, although not in the same room.

I think that CH makes an outstanding product that is probably going to develop quite a following over the years.

I have not had the pleasure of hearing Vitus personally, only of its fine reputation.
 
Odyssey said:
I have heard CH and soulution, although not in the same room.

I think that CH makes an outstanding product that is probably going to develop quite a following over the years.

I have not had the pleasure of hearing Vitus personally, only of its fine reputation.
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That was very politically correct :). And what is your verdict, what makes CH stand out?


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I've listened to all three. Different systems and rooms. Clearly, among the best.
 
I've heard CH pre & Soulution pre in same system on the day, very hard to justify a comment that one is "better". Both "very" good with the CH being just ever so slightly more clinical but the Soulution having that gossamer of musical a touch more.
 
Seems like Soulution/CH are one side of the audio spectrum while Vitus and DarTZeel are on the other.
 
my dealer carries all three brands (as well as Dart) - i think Keith sums it up though
 
CH and Soulution shares at least some of the same DNA, offering a very high level of accuracy, transient speed and transparency - where Vitus is a rather different animal that belongs in the same category as Pass, Karan, DarTZeel etc. being slightly warmer, fuller and more laid back. All generally speaking and simplified of course. Most listeners usually leans towards one of these camps more than the other.

/ Marcus
 
Hyperion said:
CH and Soulution shares at least some of the same DNA, offering a very high level of accuracy, transient speed and transparency - where Vitus is a rather different animal that belongs in the same category as Pass, Karan, DarTZeel etc. being slightly warmer, fuller and more laid back. All generally speaking and simplified of course. Most listeners usually leans towards one of these camps more than the other.

/ Marcus
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Hi, which camp would you put Gryphon Antileon/Colosseum in?
 
Soulution vs CH from Valin's Review:

"The new Series 7 Soulution amps and preamps are all about power, solidity, and dark, rich tone color. Pleasingly soft on top, realistically big on the bottom, they have (almost unique for transistor gear) a tube-like ability to reproduce the three-dimensional body and bloom of instruments and vocalists (this tube-like bloom has always been one of Soulution's calling cards), while at the same time delivering all the traditional solid-state virtues (speed, definition and slam) in spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs.

The CH Precision M1/L1 does not have this lifelike three-dimensional body and bloom. In imaging the CH Precision amp and preamp are more typically solid-state, meaning instruments are flattened in depth and constrained in bloom - instruments sound like digital recordings. Nor does the CH combo deliver quite the same slam and dense color in the bass and power range that the Soulution does.

On the other hand, the M1/L1 bests the Soulution in resolution, treble extension, and overall control—by enough of a margin to make a sonic difference. Indeed, in these three respects the CH combo is highly reminiscent of Technical Brain’s incredible amp and preamp, which were the highest resolution, highest transparency, and (once again with the right speakers and the right source material) most realistic-sounding electronics I’d had in my system prior to CH Precision. (CH’s patent-pending bias-stabilization circuit—similar in principle to what TB does with its temperature-compensation bias circuit—may be the reason for this sonic similarity.)

Indeed, the CH gear may (repeat, may—I haven’t heard Naoto Kurosawa’s latest iterations) outdo Technical Brain electronics in transparency and resolution thanks to a tonal balance that comes as close to colorlessly neutral as anything I’ve heard, tube or solid-state. Neither slightly darkish like Soulution nor slightly lightish like Technical Brain, the M1 and L1 open a window on the music (at least with vinyl sources, the Audio Consulting Silver Rock Toroidal phonostage, and the Magico M Project/JL Audio Gotham loudspeakers) that seems to take in…everything—simply incredible amounts of blur-free low-level (and high-level) detail.

On the other hand, if you want to hear Dean Martin or the Juilliard Quartet or the Chicago Symphony Orchestra or Ry Cooder and his crew sound so “there” they’ll make you blink—if you want to hear what’s actually on recordings (and how those recordings were miked, engineered, and mastered) reproduced with virtually no editorialization—then you really ought to listen to the M1 and the L1.

I don’t want to hit this point too hard. The CH Precision M1 and L1 are world-class electronics—and, alongside the Soulution Series 7 components, my new solid-state references. Each marque offers a different set of virtues, just as the Magico M Pro and the Raidho D-5 do. On certain days I prefer one to the other, and vice versa. But the bottom line is I wouldn’t want to be without either."
 
Hyperion said:
CH and Soulution shares at least some of the same DNA, offering a very high level of accuracy, transient speed and transparency - where Vitus is a rather different animal that belongs in the same category as Pass, Karan, DarTZeel etc. being slightly warmer, fuller and more laid back. All generally speaking and simplified of course. Most listeners usually leans towards one of these camps more than the other.

/ Marcus
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Where would you place D'Agostino?
 
I loved the Dag Momentums and Pre that I heard with the Alexandria X2S2 0 best I have heard Wilsons with, and I also heard Sasha 2 on the stereo. I have heard XLF with Spectral DMA 400, VTL S400, and X2S2 with Lamm before.

Dags were in different room so couldn't compare directly, but great drive, tone on violins, baritone, soprano, piano. Dynamics, bass, and extension on orchestral was superb. If the used market price was half of what it is, would have bought them in a flash.

Full bodied, more tube like.
 
I've owned both Soulution and CH amps. They're both great amps, and have found that, in my room and associated equipment, the difference in the reproduced sound between the amps was not as large as the difference you get for either amp when it is paired with different sources (or the associated power supplies).
 
Mike said:
I was doing some reading on Gryphon and found this thread: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?13716-Gryphon-Antileon-Signature-Stereo-Pandora

I found it interesting that the guy preferred his ARC amps to Gryphon.

How much heat do the amps put out? By the sounds of things, they make Pass amps look like they run cool! http://www.theaudiobeat.com/highend2014/highend2014_gryphon.htm
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He was listening to the previous Antileon Signature (new Antileon Evo is out and supposedly faster and clearer sounding). At this level, perhaps it is a matter of preference, depending on type of music and partnering equipment.

I was informed that one owner took delivery of the ARC Ref 6 and power amp (not sure which) recently and, within 2 weeks, sold it for Gryphon Pandora/Mephisto. Buyer's remorse or the inability to audition before purchase (due to the unique manner in which the local ARC dealer operates)?

Having heard the Soulution 541/520/501 combination paired with Magico S1, S3 and Q3 and the Gryphon Pandora/Mephisto as well as the Diablo 300 with Wilson Benesch Endeavour/Discovery II, I would gravitate to the Gryphon sound. Centre of the earth solidity to the bass, big soundstage with amazing depth. It easier to get a sense/feel of the recording venue. More texture and body to the sound of instruments, especially for classical music. The Soulution is cleaner, quieter with perhaps more dynamic slam, treble extension and air but I was not so emotionally drawn in.

Having said that, both were in different rooms and setups (different cables too - Kubala-Sosna for the Soulutions and Gryphon for the Gryphons) albeit with the same music material. So, perhaps it was the particular brand pairing that I preferred?

Local Gryphon dealer also carries CH Precision (which I have not listened to) but he did say that it was a faster, leaner sound which may not suit my preference for the Gryphon midrange and overall warmer sound.
 
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