After 12 days of use I decided to return the A5-VL. It was just too smooth and romantic sounding. It lacked the minimum amount of transparency and presentation I could live with. Not saying it wasn't detailed but the overall "roundness" of the sound just did not convey a goodly amount of immediacy or presence.
Some people will like its sound, granted, but it wasn't for me.
Pluses: images really well (dual mono), firm bass control, pace rhythm & timing, wide stage.
Minuses: lack of immediacy, runs fire cracker hot, only volume is remote controllable, treble overly polite.
Note: When a manufacturer makes the tone controls +/- 14 db something must be off. I had bass at "0" and the treble at probably "+12".