VAC Signature iQ200

They performed stellar again last night, obviously. I plan on ordering a pair this week no matter what body parts have to be cut off or out.

Dth31 said:
The one thing I would say: if you can find a way to get the Master preamp, try to audition it. While the VAC REN preamps are VERY good, the Master is in another league. I was flabbergasted at how much more musical information it conveyed relative to my previous VAC preamp. I believe it’s the single best piece of equipment I own.
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Unfortunately the Master is also in another price league, and I'm gonna be tapped out for a while :(
I definitely think I need more than the Ren V, given how the REF 6 won out overall when I auditioned the former a year ago. That said, it's a bit of a different system context now with the 200iQ's and other "tweaks" (upgraded Koetsus), and I haven't heard the Ren V SE version which may be more to my liking. The Signature IIa SE looks interesting and is at a more achievable price point. Do you have any experience with that?
 
mulveling said:
The Signature IIa SE looks interesting and is at a more achievable price point. Do you have any experience with that?
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Unfortunately no. I did own the non-SE Signature IIa which was replaced by the Master.

You’ve assembled an outstanding system that obviously brings you a lot of joy. That’s awesome! Continue to enjoy the journey, save up, upgrade as you can or feel the need to. But most importantly, keep enjoying the music along the way!
 
200iQ monoblocks are officially on order (in black). I'm excited!
Dth31, I kind of wonder how even a non-SE Signature IIa preamp would gel in my system, now. I remember it's not too long since that was the very top VAC preamp; about the time I bought the Renaissance III circa 2010. But like you say (and you're right about the joy this system brings me), I should savor the latest upgrade for a while before I reexamine preamp :)
 
mulveling said:
200iQ monoblocks are officially on order (in black). I'm excited!
Dth31, I kind of wonder how even a non-SE Signature IIa preamp would gel in my system, now. I remember it's not too long since that was the very top VAC preamp; about the time I bought the Renaissance III circa 2010. But like you say (and you're right about the joy this system brings me), I should savor the latest upgrade for a while before I reexamine preamp :)
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Woot!!! Congrats!! Awesome news


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mulveling said:
200iQ monoblocks are officially on order (in black). I'm excited!
Dth31, I kind of wonder how even a non-SE Signature IIa preamp would gel in my system, now. I remember it's not too long since that was the very top VAC preamp; about the time I bought the Renaissance III circa 2010. But like you say (and you're right about the joy this system brings me), I should savor the latest upgrade for a while before I reexamine preamp :)
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Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you. I’m confident you’re going to enjoy them a LOT!

I have the black, too. Love the look!
 
Thanks guys! And I get to keep the loaner silver 200iQ pair while I wait a couple weeks for VAC to build mine. Every time I listen to them I swoon again. Definitely, with this new reference, there was a touch of thinness and glare in the last amps that is long gone now!!
 
Hi all,
Has someone ever tried what happens if you use a power regenerator on your VAC Amplifier and then especially in combination with the VAC 200IQ’s? If so, what is your experience and under what conditions? Are there e.g. alternatives for the PS Audio power plant P15 or P20?
Thanks in advance. Best regards, Jan
 
mulveling said:
The Signature IIa SE looks interesting and is at a more achievable price point. Do you have any experience with that?
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I had my Signature IIa upgraded to SE and it's a totally different preamp. HUGE improvements in every area ... no exaggeration! Spoke with Kevin and key is statement level transformers.

Before deciding on a Master, I highly recommend demo MKlla SE in the same system.

BTW, congrats on 200IQs
 
knghifi said:
I had my Signature IIa upgraded to SE and it's a totally different preamp. HUGE improvements in every area ... no exaggeration! Spoke with Kevin and key is statement level transformers.

Before deciding on a Master, I highly recommend demo MKlla SE in the same system.

BTW, congrats on 200IQs
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big congrats @mulveling! I need to demo a set of the 200IQs soon! Enjoy these before jumping into the preamp search.

FYI Another Signature SE owner data point here for you as I’m also very impressed with mine. I spent A LOT of time shopping for my current preamp (years). The one in home demo I was never able to make happen was with a Ref 6 so I’ll be very interested to hear your comparisons when the time comes.

With that said, I really want to take home a Master to now compare to my Signature SE. You will feel the same way if you get the SE.
 
Finally tried an octet of Tung-Sol KT120. The 200iQ's sound fantastic either way - it's not a *huge* difference, and overall tonal balance is very similar. However the sound is perhaps little bit more rockin' with the KT120 - very dynamic and punchy. Large, engaging sound field. Awesome with rock, hard rock, metal, pop music. Perhaps a touch more dry in the mids, but definitely not enough to mess up that beautiful VAC midrange. I made this same sort of choice with the Apollos, preferring its more punchy Ultralinear mode over the slightly sweeter Triode. The music I most listen to falls into pop / rock / metal, so...I really like these KT120! I'll continue to listen this way for a while before I try the KT88 again to gain some final clarity on the comparison. Got some vintage 6SN7 tubes on the way too (frustratingly, my old tube stash has numerous pairs and singles of 6SN7, but no quads). Still have the output taps to play with, and of course eventually these will need a proper stand. These amps can probably go even further. Easily still in honeymoon phase here, it's been a blast!
 
Lol....one man’s treasure is another man’s trash.
I didn’t like them much in my system. A couple of days ago I changed out my Kt150s for the stock Kt88’s Golden Lions (not nos) for chit and kibbles and they sound nicer than I remembered. Now I would like to locate some KR Kt88’s which I found to be a notch above these stock tubes.
 
Agree with you Larry... I ran KT150's for about 2 weeks. I ended up preferring the KR KT88's... and preferring the KR's just a small notch above the Gold Lion new issues...

I'm also sitting on two matched NOS Gold Lion tubes, and on the search for two more. So hard to find!
 
Got my second one of these last week (thanks Mike!). WOW! Bigger, bolder, even more of the same greatness. The 'iron fist in a velvet glove' kind of thing.
 
rrwmd said:
Got my second one of these last week (thanks Mike!). WOW! Bigger, bolder, even more of the same greatness. The 'iron fist in a velvet glove' kind of thing.
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Interesting. That was my experience, too. Immediately audible, not the kind of situation where you’re wondering if maybe it’s a little better. More solid foundation. More body. A lot better. Just don’t ask me why...
 
Finally got my brand new black pair of 200iQ, and sent the silver loaners on their way. They look sick! Unfortunately I also got a nice sinus infection for Christmas, and my right ear is particularly screwed up in the meantime, but from what I can hear these might actually sound better than the loaners, even right out of the box. My pair has adjacent serial #s and is latest production, while the loaners were each made a year apart - the meters weren't even matching in color & brightness. Also the loaners showed a lot of use in the KT88 getters, which may have colored my earlier KT88 vs. KT120 comparisons. I'm leaving the brand new stock tubes in for now. Can't wait till my ears clear up!

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