vsa owners favorite speaker cables and amps

rlw3 · « **on:** 20 Dec 2010, 11:25 pm »

what are you using?? what do you like about them? what others have you tried and what didnt they make the cut? what amp are you using?? it would be interesting to see if there were any often repeated favorites that could be copied.

Delacroix · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Dec 2010, 11:30 pm »

Check out the earlier discussion on cables used with VSA:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=61606.0

and the even longer one on amps:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=59450.0

Enjoy

JackD201 · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Dec 2010, 11:32 pm »

For me? As far as 5s and up go I'd say......

1. Lamm
2. VAC
3. BAT

These show off what VRs do so well, effortless and natural space and deep, deep bass.

What I've always wanted to try

1. KR
2. The big MACs
3. Karan

varsharun · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 12:34 am »

Quote from: JackD201 on 20 Dec 2010, 11:32 pm

For me? As far as 5s and up go I'd say......

1. Lamm
2. VAC
3. BAT

These show off what VRs do so well, effortless and natural space and deep, deep bass.

What I've always wanted to try

1. KR
2. The big MACs
3. Karan

And for us down to earth mortals (meaning 4s and down

)

Primaluna and Moscode for tubes, NAD, Parasound for SS.

I am currently trying to incorporate Cary Cinema 11a processor in my system to do double duty for both 2-channel and multi channel. I will test with both tube and SS amps if possible and report sometime within the next few weeks. Should be interesting.

-Arun

es347 · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 03:40 am »

Jack, I'm surprised you haven't tried the Big Macs. Don't you have the golden arches over there??

JackD201 · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 02:49 pm »

I'm a half-pounder kind of guy brother

fplanner2000 · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Dec 2010, 05:01 am »

For my modified 7's, VAC gear works very well. As far as cabling, Synergistic Research active Tesla series works wonders on ics, scs and pcs, as those who were at my house during RMAF can probably attest.

BTW, the crossover mods done 6 mos ago (by the Skiing Ninja at Albert's direction) have totally transformed my speakers. They are now pretty amazing. I would definitely do a VSA speaker mod if it fits within your budget.

azhtnut · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 Dec 2010, 04:49 pm »

I have very long speaker cable runs from a back audio rack to the front of my media room. I would need about 30 meters of cabling that makes a $500+/meter cable not feasible. What would you recommend for such long runs that would be in the $50-100/meter?

Thanks.

Equipment
MX135 pre-amp
MC402 amp
MC205 amp
VSA LCR-15 Center
VSA VR4-MKiii Front and Left
Oppo BDP-83SE
DirecTV HR23 DVR

varsharun · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 Dec 2010, 05:42 pm »

In that price range, I'd say Kimber 4PR, or Transparent Wave cables would do fine. I use the latter for running my surrounds.

-Arun

Quote from: azhtnut on 31 Dec 2010, 04:49 pm

I have very long speaker cable runs from a back audio rack to the front of my media room. I would need about 30 meters of cabling that makes a $500+/meter cable not feasible. What would you recommend for such long runs that would be in the $50-100/meter?

Thanks.

Equipment
MX135 pre-amp
MC402 amp
MC205 amp
VSA LCR-15 Center
VSA VR4-MKiii Front and Left
Oppo BDP-83SE
DirecTV HR23 DVR

douglesc · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Jan 2011, 04:12 am »

I am going to vote for my Classe Omicron Stereo Dual Mono, awesome Power Amp. Also Hard to find anymore, those that have them must be keeping them.

jrun · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Jan 2011, 01:18 pm »

For me cables are the hardest to appreciate. I have used several cables over the years....Tara Labs, Cobalt, and others. At the time, I thought they all sounded fine. It wasn't until I began to converse with Albert about replacing a Llano Designs SS amp that great things began to happen. First was the Audio Space ref.3.1 integrated that was modified by VS before shipping. Then the upgraded NOS tubes (except for the KT88's) took things to another level. Finally, the last bit was VS speaker cables and the new VS subwoofer. I know a lot of people shy away from subs (me too), but Albert assured me that if I took my time and made small adjustments and listened a lot, the sub would integrate fully..................and he was right. In the sweet spot my system is amazing. Due to the sub placement if I get to the far right side of the room, the bass can be a bit too pronounced. By many standards my system is modest, but in my room with the right software, it can be magic.

Happy New Year everyone................JR

JackD201 · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Jan 2011, 02:57 pm »

Quote from: azhtnut on 31 Dec 2010, 04:49 pm

I have very long speaker cable runs from a back audio rack to the front of my media room. I would need about 30 meters of cabling that makes a $500+/meter cable not feasible. What would you recommend for such long runs that would be in the $50-100/meter?

Thanks.

Equipment
MX135 pre-amp
MC402 amp
MC205 amp
VSA LCR-15 Center
VSA VR4-MKiii Front and Left
Oppo BDP-83SE
DirecTV HR23 DVR

By 30m of cabling do you mean 4 speaker runs at 7.5m each?

If that is the case I heartily recommend moving your amps to the front and send Balanced cable runs to them from your preamp out back. It will save you a whole lot of money, give you better sonics and best of all give you a nice view of your shiny blue meters

In my experience long speaker runs eat up a lot of headroom. In a test I did with a 5m run of 14 gauge copper spool wire vs a 12m run of the same cable, The speaker with the 12m run was 8dB down in output.

azhtnut · « **Reply #12 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 03:14 am »

I have (3) separate runs of about 25' to LF, 35' to C, and 45' to RF.

Moving amps to the stage makes sense costwise if it's only (1) MC402. If I get a 2nd and move both to bi-amp the VR4-MKiiis, I would need (2) Interconnects to each MC402 for (4) in total, correct? There would be 2 X 25' to LF and 2 X 45' to RF. At the cost of quality interconnects, I don't think I'd be saving to move (2) amps to the stage, one maybe. The sound would be better by bi-amping, but likely more cost for the long Interconnect runs.

The MC-205 would need to stay in the rack where the surround speaker leads are. I would still have a speaker run of 35' from MC205 to C speaker.

JackD201 · « **Reply #13 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 04:00 am »

I believe the MC402 can be bridged for double the power so if you get another unit, you have the option of running them as mono blocks instead of as a bi-amp pair. So no additional cost for interconnects in that scenario.

Yeah the 205 is really best where it is.

azhtnut · « **Reply #14 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 05:51 am »

Quote from: JackD201 on 3 Jan 2011, 04:00 am

I believe the MC402 can be bridged for double the power so if you get another unit, you have the option of running them as mono blocks instead of as a bi-amp pair. So no additional cost for interconnects in that scenario.

Yeah the 205 is really best where it is.

Excellent, good point. I'll look into that setup when I get the 2nd MC-402. Thanks.

McTwins · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 06:08 am »

Hi
Remember that you can only operate in 1, 2 and 4 ohm in mono. You schould connect from amp 8 ohm taps to recive 4 ohms load.

Other than this it schould work great.

About speaker cables, if you have 9 AWG wire in 4 ohm load then you can run up to 100 ft and you will get a maximum power loss of 5%, or approximately 0,25 dB. It's all about line losses.

Thanks

JackD201 · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 06:40 am »

Good news for Azhnut is that the SR Mk3s are 4ohms nominal as opposed to the Mk1 and Mk2's 6ohms

McTwins · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 06:56 am »

Hi
True, and he will have a lots of current as well.

JackD201 · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 09:55 am »

Yes indeed! 800watts of MAC muscle.

McTwins · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Jan 2011, 02:36 pm »

Hi
Yes it is lot of power. Can the MkIII handle so much power. It only say's up to 300W.
It is little bit differen't than the MkI.
Well, be carefull with the volume knob.
Thanks