Herron VTSP-3A

Thanks for the info, Sflazor and Kclone.

Bill

Thanks for the info, Sfflzor, I really like my VTSP2 so much that I may be biased! I actually listened to the 3A once. The sound is very real and noticable more quiet. But the whole system was top-end stuff. I will be looking forward for more positive reviews on this product.

I just love this preamp, of course I have already praised it enough above. Herron can make such a great product like the VTSP-3A at their price point, which to me is a heck of a value, but how are their amps? I have read a little about them on the net, but not a whole lot from owners. Anyone with good experience on the Herron amps?

Great thread guys. I just want to weigh in on my brief experience with the VTPH-2. I bought it directly from Keith in December as I have no dealer anywhere nearby. I am happy to echo all comments already made on his outstanding customer service. I had mentioned to him that I had a cache of RCA 12AX7s and really wanted to try tube rolling. He was very tolerant of the idea, not trying to talk me out of it in the least. "Tolerant" would be the operative term, given the effort for which he is famously known for putting into his choice of tubes. I originally favored the version using 4X12AX7s (69dB gain) and in the course of our discussions, he inquired as to my preamp's input impedance. Learning that I had a relatively low 20K impedance, he gently implied that the 64dB gain version, using 2X12AX7s, would be a better match, though either would be fine and he was happy to provide whichever version I preferred. I told him that I wanted to hear his best effort, so took delivery on the 64dB version.

The VTPH-2 has totally transformed my audio experience, which is saying a lot for one who has been in this hobby for 40 years. There have been many incremental improvements (and a few mis-steps) over the years but I can't think of any that has been so significant. Vinyl has taken on a lifelike quality that at first was disorienting. The experience is so engaging that I find it hard to shut things down to turn in for the night. It has all been said above but for me the music is just so "right". Like violin above, I spent many years playing the violin in orchestras and chamber groups so have a very firm aural impression of how acoustic instruments sound. Keith simply gets it down completely. If I could single out one attribute, it might be in the area of bass. In a system with which I was already quite happy, I frequently find myself looking up at the speakers dumbfounded at how solid and tuneful a bass line is that had always previously been a nondescript part of the musical fabric. It is never overbearing or out of proportion, it's just right and often it makes more sense to the musical line as a whole. I can't justify changing preamps right now, but I am giving it serious thought for the future. BTW, I have rolled in some vintage tubes and do think that the sound is marginally sweeter. It doesn't seem to be a large enough difference to recommend going out and acquiring NOS tubes, but it seems to be a nice diversion for one who already has the tubes at hand.

Hi Kclone,

As I stated earlier, I am running Keith's M-150's along with the VTSP-2 right now, the preamp being a very recent acquisition and the M-150's being in the system for about the past 2 years. I bought them, without any audition, on a recommendation of an audiophile buddy whose ears I really trust.

To make a long story short, I really like these amps. Again, they are vastly underrated in the audiophile community. No, they won't win any awards for beauty, but they have it where it counts. I have compared them to a Spectron Musician 3 Mk II, Pass 350.5, McCormack DNA-500, and Clayton M-100 monoblocks. The Herrons came out ahead of them all, some by a wide margin, some a little. The one knock on the Herrons is the touch of leanness in the low end that I believe may be due to a limitation in current output (but I may be wrong here).

The only amps I have owned that bettered the Herrons were Atma-Sphere MA2 Mk2.3 monoblocks being driven with an AS MP1 Mk2 preamp. This really isn't a very fair comparison considering the price difference however.

What the Herron amps in my system are natural timbres, lack of grain, great space around instruments, and very good micro/macrodynamics. They are one of the few SS amps I have heard that make strings sound like strings, very important to me as I listen to a fair amount of classical music. If you like tube amps, you might want to give these a try as they have just a hint of tube magic in them as well. This is not to say that they "sound like tube amps."

They certainly did sound better in all ways being matched with the Herron preamp. I won't be selling them anytime soon. They can be had for a song right now also on the 'Gon. I haven't had a single problem with mine in the 2 years I've had them either. Add to that Keith's great customer service. What more could you want?

Bill