2. amps-preamps
  3. 1109994264

Any fellow VAC Phi 220 owners out there? Thoughts?

I am absolutely thrilled with my VAC Phi 220 monoblocks and was just wondering if any other Phi owners out here share my enthusiasm? These are the best sounding (by far) power amplifiers I have ever heard in my system, and I think one of the best amplifiers I have heard period.

The Phi 220s really do it all with my Vandy 5As, but the midrange and treble reproduction are a cut above any other amplifier I've had in my system. It is the first time I feel like I'm listening to pure music and not an audio system. It's emotional, engaging, and just sounds "right". The 5As simply disappear like never before and are extremely capable of revealing just how good the 220s are.

Sorry if I'm "over the top" with my comments on these, but VAC nailed it with these amps!

Vandertseen Model 5A- Bird's Eye Maple
VAC Phi 220 monoblock amplifiers
EMM Labs DCC2 DAC/preamp
EMM Labs CDSD- SACD/CD transport
Audioquest Sky 72V DBS XLR interconnects
Audioquest Kilimanjaro 72V shotgun biwire speaker cables
Silent Source AC power cords
Custom Power Cord Co. Model 11 Plus for 5A subs
BPT 3.5 Signature Plus balanced line conditioner
Critical Mass Systems platforms for EMM and BPT
Sistrum SP-101 platforms for VAC Phi 220s
fsarc
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Well, interesting experiment tonight. I went direct to the VAC Phi 110/
110 with the APL Denon 3910 and tried Zero Negative Feedback on the
VAC. Eureka! No distortion. Even though I had tried going direct to the
VAC with the APL, I hadn't tried it with Negative Feedback switched off.
I'm bittersweet though, because it tells me there is a mis match between
my First Sound Presence Deluxe II and the VAC, although the system
sounds terrific with the First Sound in the chain and with the VAC's
Negative Feedback enabled. Now, I need to devote some listening to
both variations to decide which is better.
711smilin
513 posts
 
Tvad, I thought you were gonna buy that TAD stuff, and retire from high end LOL. Guys I am still going nuts, as to which amp to get. The Cary CAD 211 Anniversary http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue11/cary211.htm

or the VAC Phi. Any of you hear both?

Thanks

Steve
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Any of you hear both?

Are you serious? You KNOW you'll be the first in this audiophool community to hear both.
711smilin
513 posts
 
Man, thats getting old already, aarrrgghhh, and in my system too, huh? Tvad, ya put in the PW yet?
tvad
9,467 posts
 
No PW yet. Hell, I've just discovered I can run my VAC Phi 110/110 with zero negative feedback running the APL direct, thus avoiding the preamp altogether. This is a whole new Pandora's Box that will require some exploration. No worries, though, I'll try the PW promptly.
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