[Flashman]

Another trophy for Vinnie!  This link http://www.stereotimes.com/amp072208.shtml is for the original review of the 30.2.  Nice to see the accolades continue for Vinnie's various vintages.  It's been a grand cru year for Red Wine Audio: the terroir in Connecticut (who knew?) produces fabulous results.

[Alwayswantmore]

Another trophy for Vinnie!  This link http://www.stereotimes.com/amp072208.shtml is for the original review of the 30.2.  Nice to see the accolades continue for Vinnie's various vintages.  It's been a grand cru year for Red Wine Audio: the terroir in Connecticut (who knew?) produces fabulous results.

As a fairly early adopter of Vinnie's amp, I'm exited and proud to see him do so well. Where the Sig 30.2 is a killer value, I'm in the process of breaking in an Isabella with Isbellina DAC. I have to say the off-the-grid tube pre / NOS DAC crank things up a very satisfying notch. Even compared to my modified Wadia 830, the loaded Isabella is musically satisfying. Smoother, with more body -- without giving up detail or resolution.

I spent a few hours this afternoon just going back and forth between my two interconnects, to see which I prefer. This rig makes the differences clearly audible. In the end I opted for my copper over the solid silver. Both were good, but the copper is more complementary with RWA's organic sound.

Now having heard RWA's incredible DAC, I'm curious how Isabella's digital side compares to a tweaked-up vinyl rig???

[Mariusz]

You can not compare the two but it will get you a lot closer then anything in its class.

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Flashman,

Thanks for finding this! 

I checked the link and it sent me to the RWA 30.2 review.  This is the link to the Most Wanted 2008 awards: http://www.stereotimes.com/MW2008b.shtml

This is a fun read (mafia innuendos - with a name like Vinnie, someone has to have fun with it  )

I want to thank David Abramson and Stereotimes again for the review, and now for the award!   

Hi Alwayswantmore,

Thanks, and great to hear that you are now enjoying the 30.2 + Isabella combo!   The Isabella takes the entire musical presentation to a whole new level, and the extra inputs (and dac option) are really the icing on the cake!  Sounds like you are hearing sweet music!

Now having heard RWA's incredible DAC, I'm curious how Isabella's digital side compares to a tweaked-up vinyl rig???

Good question:

At RMAF, there was an attendee that drove all the way from Kansas.  He told me he heard many rooms at the show, but he kept coming back to our room.  He really liked how good the Isabella with dac sounded with my Macbook.  Then he brought his Macbook and told me that no other room made his Macbook sound nearly as rich and involving and "anti-digital" as our Isabella with built-in Isabellina dac.  Then I did something that I believe impressed him and many others - I took an LP (it was Careless Love by Madeline Peyroux) and synchronized it with the Macbook (Apple Lossless file).  Both my dac and phonostage prototype were outputting approx. the same voltage) and the rest of the system was the same (same cables, same Isabella preamp, same 30.2 power amp, same speakers, same room) - you would have needed to been there to hear how close they sounded.  The vinyl was a giveaway because of the little "pops" and such on the record, but in terms of the richness of tone, pace, spaciousness, and a overall emotional involvement factor, it was very close and some even told me that if it weren't for the add noise of the vinyl setup, they would have a hard time telling them apart.  While I cannot say they sounded identical, I and many others agreed that they were quite close and the Isabella with Isabellina dac running from the Macbook is as close to analog as they have ever heard from digital.  I have many LPs that I already own on CD - on purpose.  I have compared them many times during the development of the Isabellina dac - this was the sound that I was shooting for and it took much longer than we hoped for, but it was well worth the extra time and effort.  Showing this at RMAF was a pleasure, and the attendee from Kansas ended up purchasing the entire system (except the turntable and phonostage) and drove it home on Sunday evening.  It was a pleasure to meet him and I was humbled because he heard so many systems, and even in our small and less-than-ideal listening room, he clearly heard something special that made him decide to purchase the whole system! 

Thanks again,

Vinnie

[Eadron]

Hi Vinnie,

nice story and glad you made success at the RMAF! Mac+Isabella/Isabellina and 30.2 (integrated at the moment, but I'm going to change it to amp only version)is producing absolutely fantastic music in my home. It definitely reminds me a good analog rig. Tube rolling also gives you much fun and improvement if you're into it. The Amperex NOS 7308 gold pins from Steve that you recommended are absolutely the real deal and well worth the price, thanks! Very organic and coherent presentation  .

Congrats and thanks again Vinnie,

Jouni

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Jouni,

Thanks, and glad you are enjoying the Amperex 7308s from Steve.  He informed me that this is all sold out of them now, but has some Amperex "orange globe" 6DJ8s there are also very good and almost half the price.  I am enjoying them as well...

Best regards,

Vinnie