Tag Archives: Phonostages

Inserting a brand new element right into a well-considered audio system is type of like getting an organ transplant. Cables and different accent “tweaks” can to a point act as anti-rejection medicine, however principally, the system both welcomes the invader or fights it. For a reviewer, if the sonic outcomes are harmonious, nice!

If the system sound takes a flip for the more severe, it doesn’t imply the brand new element shouldn’t be worthy. It could very properly be that the piece beneath assessment doesn’t work properly within the context of the reviewer’s system. That complicates the job, however an skilled hand can isolate the element’s contribution to the system’s sound, describe its specific sonic traits, and even perhaps advocate the context during which its addition may be helpful. A shopper on the lookout for an improve often is aware of the place she or he needs to take the sound. A reviewer often does the set up to cowl an project.

The job right here is to assessment the VTL TP-6.5 Series II Signature phonostage—a fortunately accepted project. I’ve reviewed positively and loved listening to quite a lot of VTL merchandise and as soon as owned a pair of VTL 300 energy amps designed by Luke Manley’s father David, once I first wrote for The Absolute Sound three many years in the past. The two outboard phono preamps I personal, the CH Precision P1/X1 and Ypsilon VPS-100S plus outboard Ypsilon massive step-up transformers, price significantly greater than the VTL TP-6.5.

Behind the unique 6.5’s acquainted cosmetics and working system are a sequence of great circuit upgrades to the hybrid tube/JFET design newly derived from the top-of-the-line TL-7.5 Series III Reference linestage preamplifier, in addition to, in response to VTL, “newly designed, extra sturdy energy storage for the energetic mc stage.” VTL claims the newly upgraded Series II “considerably improves upon the efficiency of its predecessor.” Since the unique 6.5 has not been in my system, I can’t vouch for that, however regardless of.

Other design highlights embrace specifically designed, radiation-cancelling energy transformers situated as far-off as potential from the mc stage, fast-recovery low-noise diodes, achieve trims for correct channel steadiness, low-noise metal-film resistors, “reference high quality” coupling capacitors, and a rigidly braced, shielded in opposition to EMI and RF, steel-and-aluminum chassis.

Though VTL stands for “Vacuum Tube Logic,” phono preamp logic suggests solid-state quiet—not less than within the first amplification stage— to cope with at this time’s low-output moving-coil cartridges. Thus, the hybrid JFET/tube circuitry right here, which mixes the advantages of first-stage solid-state quiet with the actual sonic qualities and electrical traits that entice many to hoover tubes.

The zero-loop-feedback 6.5 circuit incorporates, amongst different options, passive RIAA, a number of low-noise cascaded regulators, and shielded energy provides, all packaged inside a single, comparatively compact, high-mass chassis. The mc enter can produce as much as 68dB of achieve from its balanced outputs. VTL claims a “design breakthrough” is the usage of shunt regulation within the Series II’s energy provide, which maintains fixed voltage for superior ripple rejection by shunting extra present to floor.

While you may not have an interest on this necessary “technicality,” what is going to in all probability be of nice curiosity is the ensuing claimed decrease background noise, elevated picture stability, and improved delineation of midrange and midbass frequencies. VTL claims that this produces extra “air” round voices, larger extension, and extra “nuances” that create “an general extra lifelike impression” with larger pace and dynamics within the all-important energetic mc stage. The energetic mc stage advantages from the most recent gel-capacitor expertise, which allows far larger capacitance in a lot smaller packages.

The TP 6.5 Series II Signature phonostage is available in two “flavors.” One, costing $15,000, contains the aforementioned energetic hybrid J-FET enter that drives a high-current 12AU7-based mc achieve stage, in addition to a standard 12AX7-based mm enter that drives the passive, hand-selected, tight-component-tolerance RIAA stage. The circuit’s different tubes are a 12AT7 part splitter for the +6dB balanced stage and a 12AT7 buffer that {couples} to the output utilizing massive, bypassed coupling caps. The 12AX7/12AT7 combo is pretty mm normal circuitry, distinguished right here extra by execution than by novel design.

The second 6.5 “taste” provides $3000 to the worth and replaces the mm enter with a second mc enter, this one step-up-transformer-coupled by way of high-quality Lundahl transformers that produce a hard and fast 65dB achieve from the balanced output and 59dB achieve from the single-ended output. Loading by way of the transformer secondary, applicable for low-output, low-internal-impedance cartridges, is entrance panel switchable to 47, 100, 470, and 1k ohms. In addition to producing required achieve, transformer-coupling improves mechanical damping, which may tremendously profit the monitoring efficiency of some moving-coil cartridges.

Luke Manley despatched each variations. With both one, switching between the 2 single-ended inputs happens after amplification to keep away from losses in any other case produced by switching the miniscule low-voltage cartridge outputs.

Operating System

In addition to the purple entrance panel energy button, six others choose enter (mc, mm), mono, part, RIAA, and mute. Buttons on both facet of the numeric show regulate achieve and loading. The normal moving-coil enter load selections, which you toggle by, are 100, 250, 470, 4.7k, 47k, and “User Defined” (you possibly can solder in your individual resistors on the circuit board). Moving-magnet load selections are 10k, 22k, 47k, and “User Defined,” which is a welcome choice for mm aficionados who know that 47k is simply an arbitrary and never typically correct worth adopted as a “normal” for comfort’s sake. Moving-coil achieve selections are 44dB, 50dB, 56dB, 62dB, and 68dB. The transformer-equipped model’s enter is fastened at 59dB from the single-ended output and 65dB from the balanced output. Transformer secondary loading choices are 47, 100, 470, and 1k ohms.

Despite the entrance panel’s obvious simplicity, nested capabilities abound, hidden “behind” the buttons. They can be utilized to disable an enter (unsure why you’d wish to, as there are solely two), lock and unlock load and achieve settings for every enter, put the 2 channels out of part with each other, interact or not the rumble filter (curiously, no specs supplied), and the (spurious, IMO) “Enhanced” RIAA so-called “Neumann Pole.” LED colour adjustments for all these capabilities apprise you of their settings. VTL provides a small, however very useful multi-function distant that out of your seat lets you choose amongst all the fundamental capabilities and toggle by their numerous settings.

I ran each 6.5s balanced out, and whereas I’ve obtained a pleasant provide of “Bugle Boy” 12AX7s and different extremely regarded tubes, I reviewed the 6.5s inventory as suppled and didn’t bask in “tube-rolling.”

The Countdown

When you first activate the TP-6.5 Series II, the numeric show counts down the warm-up from 180 to 0 after which the purple energy button turns blue and thus begins your hopeful journey into sonic ecstasy, whether or not or not you hearken to Steely Dan.

Mine started with the transformer-equipped model, which implies I listened to each inputs. For this assessment I primarily used the brand new $9999 Ortofon MC Diamond cartridge (assessment forthcoming). With its low 0.2mV output, I felt it a good selection and problem for a tube-based phono preamplifier. Plus, Ortofon cartridges, for no matter purpose or causes, like transformer coupling. I additionally listened with the Lyra Atlas Lambda SL ($11,995, additionally 0.2mV) and a far less expensive ($2695) Luxman LMC-5 (assessment at TrackingAngle.com), which outputs 0.4mV.

Thanks to Jacob Heilbrunn, who studied trumpet at Oberlin faculty (and who additionally enjoys blowing his personal horn), I realized about A Festival of Trumpets (Nonesuch H-71301), an exquisite Marc Aubort-engineered recording mastered at Sterling Sound by Bob Ludwig (Aubort engineered lots of the nice Vanguard “Stereolab” recordings). These Aubort/Ludwig Nonesuch records are virtually all sonically and musically very good and in no way pricey. This one options The New York Trumpet Ensemble directed by trumpet virtuoso Gerard Schwarz accompanied by timpani, violins, cello, bassoon, harpsichord, and organ enjoying compositions principally written within the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

Giovanni Gabrieli was the one composer acquainted to me. The one I got here away most appreciating was Johann Christoph Pezel (1639-1694), whose Sonatina No. 62 for 2 trumpets and continuo (bassoon, harpsichord) informed me that whereas each the transformer-coupled and hybrid enter delivered the piece with assured textural delicacy, microdynamic precision, and particularly vivid three-dimensionality on an ethereal, huge, and deep soundstage, the hybrid tube/JFET enter was clearly superior—not less than for the MC Diamond. The hybrid tube/JFET enter produced a sweeter, extra clear image that alleviated the transformer enter’s slight trumpet glare—even loaded at 47 ohms. The bassoon sounded rounder, extra distinctively woody, and thus extra plausible. Either enter although, produced probably the most delicate “kiss of liquidity” and musical movement that distinguishes a tube-based phono preamp from a solid-state one.

The just-released double album Monty Alexander The Montreux Years (BMG BMGCAT573DLP) confirmed that earlier statement. The considerably tinkly piano heard by the transformer enter was remodeled right into a timbrally and texturally extra complicated and plausible instrument, wealthy with woody overtones, particularly when the pyrotechnical Alexander tickled the higher keys. Side one’s second monitor, Nat Adderley’s acquainted “Work Song,” demonstrated the 6.5 Mk II’s muscular, well-controlled bottom-end extension and particularly its management within the space the place tubes typically produce a “plummy” impact that some folks like and I don’t. Alexander is backed by the Harlem Kingston Express, that includes each acoustic and electrical bass, guitar, and two drummers. Alexander’s piano was merely “there” between the audio system, the Casino Barriére’s atmosphere filling the house between, behind, and to the perimeters of the audio system. This file by this phono preamp produced most listening pleasure in each manner.

Since the mc enter was equivalent within the different 6.5 MK II “taste,” I put in it and did the entire remainder of the assessment listening by it, beginning with Mel Tormé and Friends (Finesse W2X 37484), a very realistic-sounding small membership recording (Marty’s, a now defunct Upper East Side New York cabaret) with Mel skirting the jazz and cabaret boundaries, backed by a trio plus visitor “associates,” together with Janis Ian and Gerry Mulligan.

Mel’s tackle Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” takes the tune to a degree Billy can’t have imagined when he wrote it. The late Apogee founder Jason Bloom turned me onto this one so a few years in the past. The tape has gone lacking, so I purchase each copy I discover, although at Record Surplus in Santa Monica I handed on an expensive autographed copy.

I’m listening for Mel’s “velvet fog” voice to be mellifluous, gentle, and ethereal, however alarmingly well-focused between the audio system with not a touch of synthetic etch or, conversely, midbass bloom. The assault of Jay Leonhart’s bass needs to be clear and exact, totally expressing the finger pluck adopted by a satisfying woody maintain. You ought to hear and see the instrument on the stage. The applause ought to sound as pure and plausible as recorded applause can sound in a small house and in no way like rain hitting a tile roof. The 6.5 Mk II’s supply of this reside album put me within the membership and saved me there for 4 sides. At the tip of facet 4 I mentioned to myself “profitable transplant.”

But there was extra listening to be completed as a result of I’d not but switched to the moving-magnet enter utilizing one in every of my Ypsilon step-up transformers. I selected the MC-26NL SE. Okay, it’s silver-wire wound, includes a proprietary amorphous core materials amongst different options, is massive and heavy, and prices $19,200, however this transplant demonstrated the TP-6.5 Mk II’s appreciable strengths in addition to its minor deficiencies.

The large transformer enlarged the Marty’s stage, clarified Mike Renzie’s chording and stylish glissandos, and added macrodynamic expressiveness to each the piano and particularly to Donny Osborn’s drum hits. Perhaps due to its extra achieve, background black turned extra pronounced because the 6.5’s mm part had much less to do. The transformer higher gripped the notes and tightened every little thing with out in any manner damaging the image’s delicacy and textural expressiveness.

Jay Leonhart takes an prolonged bass solo on “Pick Yourself Up,” Renzie does some Bach, and Tormé scats. The transformer/6.5 combo reproduced this monitor—particularly the microdetails of the bass and piano assault—as successfully if not higher than I’ve heard earlier than. The transformer driving the VPS-100 produced max efficiency from the MC Diamond, which I’ve now listened to with a half-dozen phono preamp combos. This combo produced a type of “Why not cease right here and be completed?” moments all of us search.

The nice recording engineer Jim Anderson posted a photograph on Facebook from the session that produced the duvet for Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session!!! (Capitol SW 1491). So, in fact, out got here an unique urgent of the album recorded in 1960, together with many sonic expectations, all of which have been wildly surpassed. I hadn’t performed it in years, so every little thing within the system has modified together with the Wilson XVX audio system and the OMA K3 turntable. What a rocking Nelson Riddle orchestra full with string part and that includes high L.A. session males, together with reed males Buddy Colette and Plas Johnson and trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison. This group was explosive and will deal with each curve Riddle’s preparations threw at them.

I’ve by no means heard the entire thing cling collectively dynamically, spatially, and even timbrally fairly in addition to it did this play. Frank’s voice too, was locked heart stage, sibilants cleanly rendered with simply the best steadiness of chest and throat to create a “residing voice,” whereas typically earlier than he’s sounded disjointed, with extra midbass and a considerably skinny, laborious higher register. This was an “within the studio” expertise.

You aren’t seemingly to purchase a $19,200 transformer to go along with a $15,000 phono preamplifier so what’s the purpose right here? The level is that have been I shopping for the TP-6.5 Mk II, I’d go for the model minus the transformer enter. That manner you possibly can benefit from the wonderful mc enter and go by yourself transformer quest.

Before switching again to the mc enter, I listened to the primary two actions of Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony with Otto Klemperer conducting The Philharmonia Orchestra from The Electric Recording Company’s nine-symphony field set (ERC 046), initially issued in 1962 on U.Okay. Columbia Records. Then, switching to the mc enter, I listened to the ultimate two actions.

“Eroica” is my favourite Beethoven symphony, and it wasn’t ruined by a school music-appreciation professor, who used the phrase “toy” to elucidate the melodies. So, he’d lay out the Eroica’s opening, as an example, by going “toy, toy toy…toy toy toy TOY.” He “toyed” us by all 9 symphonies, however someway my thoughts can principally put away the toys.

Well, sure, the $30,000+ SUT/mm opening actions have been offered on a large and particularly deep stage; the massed strings had gossamer delicacy and by no means turned laborious; there was a vivid and wealthy show of instrumental colours; and macrodynamic swings had energy and drama. Into the mc stage, the ultimate two actions had a lot of the identical—particularly the vivid colours and the liquidity and movement that tubes produce— simply in a considerably diminished kind and, in fact, for an awesome deal much less cash.

Following the “Eroica,” I performed by the mc enter a 3^rd U.Okay. Island urgent of Nick Drake’s Pink Moon (ILPS 9184). Even although it’s a later and lighter-weight press, the “1U” matrix quantity makes clear that it’s the primary lacquer minimize. His records didn’t promote all that properly. Drake’s recognition got here solely after his demise.

Listening to the acquainted file by the VTL 6.5 Mk II introduced forth all its strengths. John Wood’s Sound Techniques was a small studio situated in London’s Chelsea space. The 6.5 Mk II delivered Drake’s dazzling finger selecting with convincing and exact delicacy of assault, the confines of the modest studio house seeming to materialize behind the singer. It was a completely realized efficiency.

Conclusion

I listened for nearly two months to the 2 variations of the TP-6.5 Mk II VTL despatched, by no means switching again to my references to get a comparative pay attention, and never as a result of I used to be slacking off. I used to be totally having fun with what I heard and didn’t really feel I used to be lacking something, not even on the underside—even on electrical amplified bass—the place tubes can typically miss the tight grip supplied by solid-state. So, why play the swap recreation? Most importantly, the 6.5’s timbral steadiness—its general tonal persona—was pleasingly impartial and prevented imposing upon the music any type of identifiable character.

Review full aside from this wrap-up: I nonetheless haven’t returned to both reference phono preamp. Grant Green’s Feelin’ the Spirit (Blue Note ST-84132/B0033488-01) performs at average degree within the background, and each the “Tone Poet” and VTL’s 6.5 MK II nail this one. Transparency, transient precision and delicacy, harmonic richness (RVG obtained Herbie Hancock’s piano excellent on this 1962 recording), and an enveloping sense of the big, open Englewood Cliffs studio house produce a “you might be there” sensation (and I’ve been there!).

I tremendously most popular the energetic JFET/tube enter to the transformer-coupled enter, although I most most popular my pricey transformer into the mm enter. A distinct cartridge or a distinct system would possibly produce a distinct consequence, however I don’t assume so. My solely grievance in regards to the 6.5 Mk II was that there was extra background noise (“tube rush”?) than I like to listen to, and I want it had been quieter. But that’s it. Successful transplant. In an e-mail, Luke Manley (whose signature couldn’t be discovered anyplace on the “signature” phonostage) wrote that “we’re promoting all we will make of this design.” I consider it.

Specs & Pricing

VTL TP-6.5 Series II Signature Phonostage
Type: Hybrid JFET/vacuum tube phono preamplifier (with optionally available Lundahl step-up transformer for second enter)
Tube complement: 2x 12AU7 mc; 2x 12AX7, 2x 12AT7 mm; 2x 12AT7
Outputs: 1 pair balanced out XLR, 1 pair single-ended out RCA
Maximum achieve: Moving coil: 62dB single-ended, 68dB balanced; shifting magnet: 34dB single-ended, 40dB balanced; transformer coupled mc: 59dB single-ended, 65dB balanced
Output impedance: 150 ohms
Input impedance (cartridge load): Selectable mc: 100, 250,470, 1k, 2.5k, 4.7k, 47k ohms, person outlined; selectable mm: 10k, 22k, 47k ohms, person outlined
Transformer coupled mc: 47, 100, 470, 1000 ohms
Frequency response +0/–1dB: 1Hz–100kHz
Maximum output voltage <1% THD: 10VRMS@1kHz (10k ohm load)
Channel separation: >70dB @ 1kHz (>65dB @ 20kHz)
Dimensions: 17½” x 4″ x 14¾”
Weight: 50 lbs. totally packed in a single field
Price: $15,000 (mc/mm), $18,000 (mc/transformer-coupled mc)

VTL
4774 Murrieta Street, Suite 10
Chino, CA 91710
(909) 627 5944
vtl.com

Associated Equipment (for this assessment)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Chronosonic XVX
Turntable: OMA K3 (totally spec’d prototype)
Tonearm: OMA/Schröder 12″ SLM aluminum tonearm
Preamplifier: darTZeel NHB-18NS
Power amplifier: darTZeel NHB 468 monoblocks
Phono preamplifier: CH Precision P1/X1PSU, Ypsilon VPS100, MC-26LS SUT
Phono cartridges: Ortofon MC Diamond, Lyra Atlas Lambda SL, Luxman LMC-5
Cable and Interconnects: AudioQuest Dragon, TARA Labs The Zero Evolution, Analysis Plus Silver Apex, Stealth Sakra and Indra, and Dynamic Design Neutron GS Digital
Accessories: AudioQuest Niagara 7000 (line degree), CAD Ground Controls; AudioQuest NRG Edison A.C. wall field and receptacles, ASC Tube traps, RPG BAD, Sklyline and Abffusor panels, Stillpoints Aperture II room panels, Stillpoints ESS and HRS Signature stands, HRS XVR turntable base, Thixar and Stillpoints amplifier stands, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Furutech Record demagnetizer, Orb Disc Flattener, Audiodesksysteme Vinyl Cleaner Pro X, Kirmuss Audio KA-RC-1, KLAUDIO KD-CLN-LP200T, full suite WallyTools.

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