Hi guys, just wanted to share my thoughts on the tube buffer. I did a bit of research on the net and found a device called Yaquin tube buffer, turns out that Grant is using this model (B 283) and updating it from stock to a high level especially for you lucky guys in the good ol' US of A.
Anyway the buffer turned up this morning (I bought the stock version directly from HK). I'm using a NVA P50 passive pre-amp with holco stepped attenuator feeding my Virtue One which I've by-passed the volume pot with the jumpers inside the amp, and am using the 30v supply. The tube buffer cost me ?70 GBP delivered so I wasn't expecting much.
I'm sat here now listening to 'A Meeting by the River' and I think I've just wet my pants! This is the best upgrade I've ever made to my system, barring the Virtue One of course. If you're using a passive pre-amp this is a no brainer, get one! If you live in the states get the Grant 283 as it's modded for 110v. I'm off now, audio paradise has arrived at last!
I agree 100% with Steve. It does depend on the system that the V1/V2 is used in but in my main system, the improvement that a valve buffer makes is awesome! I'm currently using the Audiodigit TubePre.
I've got the pot in the V1 bypassed, and have replaced the pot in the Tubepre with voltage dividers (as I use a separate LDR volume control). One thing that I've noticed is that the system sounds far better if the volume level of the TubePre is set high and I reduce the volume with the LDR volume control that comes after the TubePre. I'm not sure why this is but I had the TubePre attenuated quite a lot before and didn't get anywhere near the 'impact' that I get now.
It goes to show how many variables that we have to contend with when setting up a system.
Like some of you I've tried quite a few amps but I keep returning to the V1/V2 and haven't changed my opinion of it since I first reviewed it well over a year ago.
