Vandersteen's new affordable mono blocks at the CES 18

I got that same e-mail this morning. Very interesting, but I doubt I’ll bite. One thing not mentioned, how much will they cost? If they are under $10K they may be competitive, but more than that they would have to be pretty impressive. I’ve got a PS Audio BHK 250 which works quite well with Model 5s, but I do have to use the crossover boxes. The BHK amps are pretty damn good, were designed by a legend in electronic design, and is said to be his best work to date. All that for $7.5K. Richard is a legend in speaker design, but electronics? Not knocking Richard, just saying there is some tough competition. Vandersteen also states that the M5-HP amps are aimed at a much larger market than the M7-HP amps which are really just for the Model seven speakers. The M5-HP was almost certainly designed with Model 5, Quatro and Treo in mind, but not specifically for them. I’ll wait for the reviews (if I am still reading audio mags then) to see what they have to say (most likely a gushing review).

Judging from what I heard of the 7HPA, I think that these should be excellent amplifiers.  But I would suggest you title your post "more" affordable--the price hasn't been set and even if they are half or even a quarter of the price of the 7HPAs they still will be very expensive. 

Agree that price is a big open question here. When JA reviewed the 7HPAs, he pined for a version with broader applicability....let’s see what he says when he gets his hands on these.

Also, the nitty gritty of the 7HPAs (and I assume the 5HPAs too) was deigned by Dean Klinefelter, who's no schlub.   I think RV set the design parameters and DK implemented.

I'm guessing in the 15k range.  I know how Richard designs and he took 30k amps and made one that he and the other designer felt was better.  He's been working on this one for a while now.  I have spoken to someone who's heard these and said they are a game changer for the price range they are in.  

I'm currently using the Ayre AX5/20 integrated and I like it a ton. I got it over most of the 15k amps out there as I was also willing to get a used Audio Research or Aesthetix preamp to go with it.  For me, the difference in SQ wasn't worth it, so I went with the Ayre.  I have a feeling that this one will be for me as I know and trust the person who shared with me. 

I personally may share reviews on forums, but I never audition based on them. The are just fun to read.  There are only a handful of folks who I know and trust who review, but that's me.  I get out and audition a ton, so I have a great idea how they will sound to my ear, compared to teh competition.  

BTW, Richard is a great designer. Just because he has designed only speakers up to now, don't think he can't design great electronics.  He even brought in another designer to help out.  He's packed a lot into these amps.  I'm pretty stoked to get to hear them once he gets teh full production models out.

the new amps are factually $15 K the pair, the CES flyer will say preliminary pricing but if any of you have ever built anything of substance with hundreds of parts and a complicated supply chain that should be understandable. I have not heard them yet but I have spent the last three very enjoyable days and evenings ( very late sleep deprived listen all night kind of evenings) listening to his M7-HPA in my system. They replaced a no slouch Ayre VX-R Twenty.....

i will write a detailed review at some point but so far on no parameter would I go back to the Ayre.

on the point of amplifier chops. Dean is the man behind PSE which were giant killers, try to find one - people dont sell them for a reason. i think RV’s unique speaker and amp designer experience ( where do you think all the feed forward, power factor corrected sub amps came from ? ) drove some very unique engineering solutions into the M7: liquid cooling, no emiter R, cyclotronic SS topology, tube front end, built in power conditioning, DBS and HRS isolation....the list goes on

ya i am biased...

but wow am i happy listening...

now back to The Wayfaring Strangers - Shifting Sands of Time....sounds like microphone feeds off my high speed Revox

great music choice!!!  Thanks for sharing thoughts on your amps.  They really are special. I owned PSE for a spell, but needed to make a change adn the money was right, lol. I didn't realize Dean's masterful pedigree.  I can't wait to get a pair in my room to listen to them.  Smart move on their part to also have a 20hz crossover so that it's basically a full range amp that anyone can use since hardly any speakers go lower than 20hz and if your's do, I"m sure that you will be using amps at 30k or more most of the time.

I like the look too.