[Alwayswantmore]

... they are now shipping …

Mine is unit 000, first shipped to a customer! I don’t know why that matters to me, but I find it fun anyway. My HPA is 000 too. If you count the Signature 30 and all of its upgrade iterations, the Sig 15 becomes the 7th RWA component I've owned.

Prior to the Sig 30 I was with an Ayre balanced amp and had a First Watt F1 in the house. The F1 was shipped back under their 30 day return policy -- at a cost of a 10% restocking charge (Vinnie does not charge for restocking with his return policy) -- but the few hundred bucks lost was worth it to get on Vinnie’s "off-the-grid" bandwagon.

The unit definitely looks 100% RWA. Same box and packing. Same charger and remote. Same internals when it comes to SMART and LFP-V technology. The face plate is thin aluminum, where the balance of the casing looks like every other Red Wine component I’ve owned. The concession on face-plate thickness was one of the elements Vinnie took into consideration in reaching this price point (my HPA plate must be close to ½” aluminum – definitely among the thickest I’ve ever seen).

Sound will come later when I have time to listen, but wanted to get a thread started for the new amp.

Thank you Vinnie, I look forward to hearing one of your latest creations!

[Alwayswantmore]

Context - Room & Equipment

Here's an old link to my media room.... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=57818.60

Since this blog was created about 3 years ago, I have moved to Omega Super 6 Alnico single drivers and Omega Deep Hemp. Today's electronics are Sig 15 with HPA, via Mackbook.

The Super 6 is about 93 db efficiency (if I recall correctly), and I listen near field -- ie. I move the chair into center of spkrs for critical listening. Speakers are wider apart than I am "away" from front of drivers.

The rack and sub have been repositioned, mostly for cosmetic reasons. And all equipment including the Deep Hemp is now on spiked Timbernation maple bases.

I also now have an iPod Touch for a remote control.

If you read through the blog, you will see I have a number of bass traps plus traps for side wall 1st refection point. Carpet on wooden floor (ie basement beneath). The framed albums are now off the wall (I could hear some reflection off the hard surface), and I put a blanket over the plasma TV for critical listening. When you move from standing to sitting you can hear/feel what the acoustic treatments do to deaden the room. I call it my cocoon.

Lastly, in a small room like this, the GIK room treatments brought the room from a horror to a dream. Fantastic improvement for getting the most out of my wonderful little system.

The room does great for TV and movies too, but I listen only in 2ch. But more than once a phone has rung in a movie and the sound came from so far off center my wife got up to leave the room (to answer the phone). This blew her away.

I use the HPA as a digital linestage, controlling USB/Mac; CoAx BluRay; and Toslink High Def cable box.

[Alwayswantmore]

Context - My friend Vinnie

While I've been a one of Vinnies customers since early Sig 30 days, a few years ago I also joined his marketing / Web team. So my relationship with him goes deeper than a typical customer. Now Vinnie charged me the same price for my new Signature 15 as any other customer would have paid (under the Sept promo). But I believe in full disclosure. Vinnie is very above board, and that's one of the many things I like about him.

So when I tell you something is the best thing since sliced bread, take my word if you choose, but know there will likely be plenty of reviewers and other customers who echo what I say, and they MAY be more objective.

By the way, did I tell you this amp may just be the best thing since sliced bread? Yes... a couple of hours listening last night. Amazing! More to come...

[Tommy123]

Which Ayre amps did you have before?

Looking forward to your thoughts on this piece.

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Alwayswantmore,

Thanks for your posts!  Looking forward to hearing your impressions after you have time to
burn in your Signature 15, and listen to it with those Omega Alnico 6s!

Next week more Signature 15s will be shipping to all of you on the wait list - thanks for all your patience.

Yes - reviews to follow (6moons, ToneAudio, and many more!)

Happy listening!

Vinnie

[mca]

Sounds like you were using the Sig30.2 LFP-V in your system, isn't the Signature 15 a step down from that?

[fallbalance]

I'm also very interested to hear a review... I'm currently saving for the Sig 15 and Isabellina.

[Alwayswantmore]

Hi all, couple more details...

My Ayre was V3, with all mods except Airconditioning (or however they spell it). Balance of equipment at that time:
Wadia 830 CDP with factory mod second power supply and digital input board (Wadia recommended to bypass a linestage, and run directly from the CD player, which I did)
Vandersteen 2W sub
Energy AE-1 monitors on Target lead-filled stands
Entire system was balanced, with pricy Vandersteen balanced xover (same as the 5s) and a fairly high end Transparent Audio balanced cable (about $1,000 retail).

The system sounded very good, but only when pushed to relatively high volume levels. [Bear in mind the AE-1s are like 82 - 83 db???, based on my memory]

The great thing about my current system is how great it sounds at all volumes levels, even low.

As far as comparing amps, I don't have the two side by side, so no direct A/B to be done. But I can speak to my philosophy...

Historically I had relied on boutique audio salons to select and purchase equipment. With a system typically in the $10 - 15K range, I tended to be a "low end" customer in this environment. So I was the little fish in a big pond.

I came to Vinnie and the Sig 30 by way of a purchase of AKG K1000 ear speakers (off ear headphones, no longer in production). These great "headphones" required high current, and a moderate amount of watts. Turns out Vinnie's (new at the time) Signature 30 was a very musical amp to drive the Ks.

It wasn't too long before Vinnie had me hooked and I began putting my moderately pricey and high-power gear on Audiogon to be replaced by off the grid components and high-efficiency single driver speakers. In every case retail for the new item was lower than what I sold -- and in some cases I actually made money on the "swap" -- but with each move the system sounded better.

I had gone from years of chasing good sound, to having found great sound. My drive to alwayswantmore was finally being satiated.

So my current philosophy is less is more. 

[Alwayswantmore]

.. sorry, got called for dinner...

Another thought on comparing amps is it depends...

- how efficient are your speakers?
- how large is your listening room?
- what type of music do you listen to?
- at what volume levels do you listen?

With pretty much every major component I've owned, even going back to early Audio Research and Klipsh in the mid-late 70s, I've always made contact with the owner / founder or person in charge of sales to talk about my needs (in truth, sometimes this was after my initial purchase).

Some of these guys: Louis Chochos / Omega; Charlie Hansen / Ayre; and Vinnie from Red Wine have gone out of their way to help.

So in my case I listen in a small room; to fairly efficient speakers; to primarily vocals and small instrumental; at moderate volume. So for me, 15 watts is still overkill. But for others, 30 watts from the Signature 30 may be more in line.

For anyone seriously interested about this amp, or any other moderately high end product, is to get on the phone and talk to the top dog in the company. Remember, for these guys time is valuable. But in my personal experience, if you are seriously interested in a purchase, they will gladly make time to help you make the right decision.

[Alwayswantmore]

... 100 hours is going to be a painful wait! ...

In the past I've tried to run new gear for long stretches to speed break in. My current home setup makes this a difficult proposition for my wife, so break-in mostly comes in 2 hour spurts of listening.

Lacking proper break in, I fear posting conclusions prematurely that may be inaccurate, so I ran my initial impressions by Vinnie for validation...

Turns out Vinnie is without power due to the snow storm, but he did manage to get a quick note back, with a promise to expand his response when time allows. One thing he validated -- which struck me from first listen -- it the Signature 15 is brighter in comparison to Sig 30.2 LFP-V Edition.

I know for audiophiles that bright is a bad word, as in it can mean edgy. But this is not the case. What I hear is like the colors of paint on the listening canvas are simply more vivid.

The difference between the two amps may be a plus depending the balance of your system, but in my case this is a plus. It also adds life to low volume levels, so again a plus for late night listening.

[Alwayswantmore]

... finishing out the system ...

Both units equipped with Amperex 7308s, based on Vinnie’s recommendation, some time ago. Details:

- Amperex USN-CEP (military grade), gold pins, 7308 tubes
- Matched pair
- 1965 production, white letter, U.S.A. (Amperex New York) manufacturer (Philips) Amperex factory date code:  VR5 *5D

Interconnect is Oritek X-2, no longer made. This was well received on Headhi by K1000 owners. I've had limited cables to compare to, but I am very happy with this IC (about $500 when purchased).

I'm running on the cheap for speaker cables -- here I purchased unterminated Anti-Cable, and have it lightly twisted. This stuff is cheap, but its heavy-duty solid copper, and like working with coat hangers. It's all I've ever run with Omegas, so nothing else to compare it to.

[Alwayswantmore]

I have enough feedback from Vinnie to be comfortable reporting a few more of my findings. Again I have been concerned to report too early (prior to full break in) and mislead anyone...

Things you can expect comparing Sig 30.2 LFP-V Edition to Signature 15 LFP-V Edition. Some are differences and their value will depend on your associated equipment:

The Signature 15 is more open at low listening levels. The best I have ever heard in my listening room on this point.

Lacking the full wattage of the Signature 30.2, the Sig 15 is not as strong on loud dynamics or big crescendos. As an example, Diana Krall's Girl in the next room has a very dynamic rim shot on the opening on one of the first few songs on the album. The rim shot is more realistic on the 30.2 – in fact it can be startling coming out of relative silence (I'm a drummer, so this was an obvious thing to pick up).

I already mentioned the Sig 15 has a brighter sound signature. Again, not edgy, but move vivid rendition of each instrument.

Brass, woodwinds are marvelous, because they are clear with beautiful tone, but again not harsh or overly etched.

The soundstage is wonderful horizontally. So far it is not as tall (but there are recordings where the Signature 30.2 placed instruments “above” the stage – impressive for your friends, but not true to life).

I love live recordings and the sense of ambiance in the room. So far the Signature 30.2 has the edge for room ambiance, but Vinnie tell me the 15 needs at least 100 hours before I really know where it stands on this variable.

More to come…

[Alwayswantmore]

Diana Krall's Girl in the next room has a very dynamic rim shot on the opening on one of the first few songs on the album. The rim shot is more realistic on the 30.2 – in fact it can be startling coming out of relative silence (I'm a drummer, so this was an obvious thing to pick up).

...the cut is Temptation. I’m a little embarrassed... it's not rim shot with a stick, he's using a brush. Still a cool cut to turn up and have the intro come for pure silence. 

[fallbalance]

You've amped my excitement for the sig 15 - looking forward to hearing more as you listen.  Thanks for posting.

[Alwayswantmore]

...the cut is Temptation. I’m a little embarrassed... it's not rim shot with a stick, he's using a brush. Still a cool cut to turn up and have the intro come for pure silence. 

... tonight's mission: dynamics ...

In an earlier post I mention dynamics seemed lacking in compare to the Sig 30. It's been bugging me, cause short of this factor, this amp is doing a superb job. 

So tonight after a couple hours warm up watching a movie with my wife, I began digging through a bunch of favorite cuts to try to get a better handle on what's up.

First stop was back to Krall's Girl in the Next Room CD mentioned earlier. I have to apologize --- when I first made the comment on dynamics I was reflecting back on a couple hours of listening impressions. In my haste I thought it was Temptation that had the offending (lack) of dynamic. A couple times through the first few songs tonight I now realize it was actually Girl in the Next Room (the song) that prompted the initial comment (the build in first verse).

So with the record (finally) set straight, I played these cuts along with a number of others with dynamics and heavy bass. And yes, still this area was still lacking.

Next stop was the Deep Hemp sub woofer for settings. Checked polarity both ways, and yes it was set right. How about gain? Here's a case where I reach behind the speaker for the on/off switch positioned ~1/2" from the gain control. I knew on at least one recent occasion my finger hit the gain control. Net, net is I brought gain up a couple notchs and the vast majority of my initial impression in terms of this being a deficiency is now erased.

I also ran through a bunch of other cuts featuring bass. I the overall tone, tauntness, texture of bass is excellent.

I run my Deep Hemp in parallel off speaker wires, but there is an option for RCA in. A gain controlled RCA out comes standard on the Signature integrated amps, so one of my next experiments will be line-level to the sub. The line outs on the Sig come post tube stage, so they should have the advantage of Vinnie's signature sound with no regard to the output stage. So to the extent the sub is run by line-level signals, the bass response on this amp should be essentially the same as the Sig 30.

[Alwayswantmore]

... stress test ...

I love loud rock, just not in my listening room. For me it's the car or live when I play in one of my bands. Point is, loud is nowhere near top on my priority list.

Today my wife went shopping, so I had a chance to crank it up. AC/DC Back in Black, Eagles Hotel California live, John Mayer Room for Squares. Bear in mind I have a powered sub...

Loud for me ran between 12:00 and maybe 2:30. This was a volume I could not sustain for more than a minute or two.

At this volume there was no perceptible distortion, and the subfloor shook. Most impressive was Hotel California live, with the deep congas that start the song. Clear as a bell. Second goes to John, with some very clean and well articulated bass lines on a well recorded pop album. Biggest disappointment goes to Back in Black. I know from past experience with my own equipment, this can be an impressive album. But the Sig 15 + Alnicos and AC/DC are not a marriage made in heaven.

Overall, on a not fully broken in unit, and very brief audition, I’ll give the Sig 15 a 7 to maybe 8 for loud rock. Best in my room so far goes to the 100 watt balanced Ayre V3 / AE-2 +Vandersteen 2W, or maybe the original Sig 30 with Omega Compact Hemps and Vandersteen 2W (96 db sensitivity for the Hemps). So if loud SPLs are tops on your wish list… well, you probably aren’t reading this thread anyway.

What does this mean?

At $1,500 I don’t expect an amp to be the very best at everything, so it’s matter of picking your poison. Or possibly more aptly put, picking your seduction.

This is an amp whose seductive allure rests in its ability to draw you into the performance – especially for trios, quartets and vocals (based on my listening preferences). Rockers need not apply, or save your bucks for Liliana monoblocks, and get it all to our collective envy.

[Alwayswantmore]

P.S. ... to be fair on the previous post, the Ayre V3 and a Sig 30.2 run 2x price compared to a Sig 15, so not exactly apples to apples. But if you listen like I do, price is not the final word in which amp wins my heart or vote.

[Alwayswantmore]

…  the reviews are coming …

This out today: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/redwine14/1.html

So other owners and possibly some of the professional reviewers may weigh in before my amp reaches the 100-hour mark. But I’ve heard enough to answer this question: Could the Signature 15 actually sound better then the Sig 30.2?

The short answer is YES. And for those who want insight into how much better, keep reading…

My music system reached a pinnacle sometime in late 2008. My Omega Compact Hemps had been replaced by the then newly released Omega Super 6 Alnico single-drivers, and I had just purchased an Isabella preamp to mate with my Sig 30.2.

[For perspective, my Isabella purchase came prior to 6moon’s Srajan Ebaen very positive review and prior to my joining Vinnie’s marketing team.] 

But a year or so ago, to pocket some cash for other needs, I sold the Isabella to be replaced by my current Isabellina HPA LFP-V Edition. Acquisition of the HPA came partnered with an LFP-V upgrade for my Sig 30.2.

At the time I knew my path had diverged from the best Vinnie had to offer. But I was hoping the LFP-V upgrades might fill the void created by selling my Isabella. But such was not the case.
 
After selling the Isabella, and even with the LFP-V upgrades, my system was just not the same. It sounded great by most standards, but I had been spoiled by the level of flesh and blood Isabella could hang on the performers.

Enter the Signature 15

As owner number one, I have the unique position of writing the first impressions of this product. An honor I don’t take lightly. And unlike the professional reviews to come, I am not in a position to do direct A/B compares, rather I must rely on my memory. That said, here it is...

For my tastes in music, my system, and my listening room, Sig 15 is the better sounding amp. The obvious areas of improvement:

- More transparent – by a surprising margin
- Brighter, sound (as I’ve said before, in a good way)
- More extended and sweeter highs
- Performers are more solidified and distinguished from their counterparts on the soundstage

So where does that leave me? Now with an HPA and a Sig 15 I'm feeling like the sound is in the same general league as what I had with the Isabella and Sig 30.2. Not to lose perspective, my Isabella and Sig 30.2 were pre LFP-V days. So I have never heard the best Vinnie has to offer. And maybe given the budget constraints I live with, that’s a good thing.

Considerations

- No one component, especially at this price point is expected to be the very best at everything. If the Sig 15 was as good as it gets, there would be no market for Vinnies new mono-blocks about to be released @ $6K / pair. But I dare say, for many audiophiles, and even at this relatively modest price point, this amp has the potential to spoil.

- For anyone on a limited budget, this amp will rise to the level of associated components. Said another way, save a few bucks on your power amp and put the difference into a better DAC or speaker upgrade.

Your mileage may vary

In my case I want to hear the felt come off the strings when Diana Krall pushes a foot pedal. I want to hear saliva crack as Linda Ronstadt opens her mouth in anticipation of her next phrase (the Nelson Riddle recordings). I want to hear each instrument clearly defined in space, with depth and positioning easily identifiable. I want natural tone and timbre, instruments that sound real and not etched or hard. I want the speakers to completely disappear, and for musicians on the soundstage to appear in three dimensions, including front to back depth.

Others may look to impress with shear volume or power, so good is relative to a person's tastes. For my taste, Vinnie hit a homerun with this one.

[fallbalance]

Thanks for the excellent review.  I was already committed to the Sig 15 after much research and talks with Vinnie.  You verified what I am hoping for... extreme accuracy and detail without the need for massive power.  I too find myself in a small listening space and a fairly close listening position... that coupled with fairly efficient speakers and no need for ear-busting SPLs puts the sig 15 at the top of my list. 

Regarding the 6moons article... I really hope there is more to come, as the two pages that are available right now are not really a review... more of a 'product awareness' piece.  Don't get me wrong, there's good information there, but its not as thorough as the full-blown reviews with comparisons that we are used to from 6moons...

[roscoeiii]

Those first 2 pages are pretty standard for a 6moons preview. Largely a communication of info from manufacurer and putting the product in context. Then come the critical impressions as more time is spent with the unit...