Hello,
JFRENCH has some good points. I would re-read his post closely and step by step. I notice a lot of 'goners seem to insert gear as if they are trying on clothes in a department store. No offense intended. I think that after all the research we do to buy the right components for our systems, we should give our systems time to settle in and gel. Be patient. There is no other rational way to come to any meaningful conclusions.
Also, if you feel you have the best components you can buy at this time, then its time to re-evaluate your setup.
I have a "feeling" that when you introduce better pieces in the chain, they tend to be more sensitive to power, isolation and racks. What is your amp sitting on? Can you put the amp on a separate circuit thats not necessarily dedicated at least? Perhaps you are now hearing "more" and need to isolate your tube cd player better now. Lastly, start fooling around with different cables. The best I have heard that are good in many systems are the Wireworld 3+ speaker cables and Eclipse copper ic's. These are incredibly detailed and smooth but not un-naturally so. They have transformed my listening experience at home and not for too much money either. They are top notch. I'm sure there are others.
I also want to mention that I own a pair of the vk1000 monos. I have had them in my evolving system for almost 5 years. Here are some observations:
They are more neutral than you think. I used to think they were dark,etched, and closed in...at different times. I learned it was the combination of cables and components. They are smooth, detailed, powerful, and capable of showing very faint subtle details.
These amps sound best when running very warm to hot. I do not suggest you keep this amp unless you are able to leave it on all the time. It seems to take days to regain its full character and relaxed nature if I turn it off.
I do not own any special power cords or dedicated lines for my amps and I'm amazed daily at what my system allows me to hear.
Try also to put your amps on a wood stand of any type. My amps sit on a hand made stand with rollers which sits on carpet thats layed over a hardwood floor. This brought a more mellow and cohesive sound immediately.
I believe your amp search could be over for a very long time. Take the time to live with it. Unfortunately, the BAT won't hide your other components from you.
Good luck.
JFRENCH has some good points. I would re-read his post closely and step by step. I notice a lot of 'goners seem to insert gear as if they are trying on clothes in a department store. No offense intended. I think that after all the research we do to buy the right components for our systems, we should give our systems time to settle in and gel. Be patient. There is no other rational way to come to any meaningful conclusions.
Also, if you feel you have the best components you can buy at this time, then its time to re-evaluate your setup.
I have a "feeling" that when you introduce better pieces in the chain, they tend to be more sensitive to power, isolation and racks. What is your amp sitting on? Can you put the amp on a separate circuit thats not necessarily dedicated at least? Perhaps you are now hearing "more" and need to isolate your tube cd player better now. Lastly, start fooling around with different cables. The best I have heard that are good in many systems are the Wireworld 3+ speaker cables and Eclipse copper ic's. These are incredibly detailed and smooth but not un-naturally so. They have transformed my listening experience at home and not for too much money either. They are top notch. I'm sure there are others.
I also want to mention that I own a pair of the vk1000 monos. I have had them in my evolving system for almost 5 years. Here are some observations:
They are more neutral than you think. I used to think they were dark,etched, and closed in...at different times. I learned it was the combination of cables and components. They are smooth, detailed, powerful, and capable of showing very faint subtle details.
These amps sound best when running very warm to hot. I do not suggest you keep this amp unless you are able to leave it on all the time. It seems to take days to regain its full character and relaxed nature if I turn it off.
I do not own any special power cords or dedicated lines for my amps and I'm amazed daily at what my system allows me to hear.
Try also to put your amps on a wood stand of any type. My amps sit on a hand made stand with rollers which sits on carpet thats layed over a hardwood floor. This brought a more mellow and cohesive sound immediately.
I believe your amp search could be over for a very long time. Take the time to live with it. Unfortunately, the BAT won't hide your other components from you.
Good luck.