I’ve already alluded to the successful pairing of the VTL electronics with the Wilson speakers. The presence and power delivery of the amplifiers might be a natural fit for the load and dynamic demands of the Wilsons, but it’s easy to overdo it. Get the speaker positioning wrong and suddenly all that bottom-end potential becomes an embarrassment of riches, with bass that’s slow, ill-defined and disconnected from the rest of the range. And what applies to the Wilson’s applies to other wide bandwidth speakers too. You’ll need to work if you are going to get the best from any such system, the nature of the S-400’s bottom end making it genuinely agnostic, just as able to demonstrate faults in set up as it is to embrace the music when you get it right.
Like any amplifier – getting the right speaker and the right set up elevates the performance to a whole new level. The Sasha DAW is the perfect case in point. One of the latest generation Wilsons, it’s more benign load, larger cabinet and increased sensitivity mean that it’s no longer the exclusive preserve of the Siegfrieds or the MB-450s. Instead, it’s perfectly placed to exploit the added musical subtlety and articulation of the S-400. Hooked up to the TL-7.5 and S-400, it’s a pairing that delivers scale, power and impact, but still achieves delicacy, intimacy and above all, musical presence. But don’t go thinking that Wilsons are the only option. As I’ve already demonstrated, the Stenheims are a great match, as are Focal, Magico and any number of other serious speakers.
By now it should be obvious that I love these amps as much as I respect them – and as much as I depend on them, day to day. After all, I wouldn’t have relied on them for over a decade if that wasn’t the case. But whether or not I love them isn’t the question. What matters is whether you (and your system) might love them too. A bit like the amps themselves, that comes down to the issue of how and why. I love the VTLs for their unflappable sense of stability, presence, purpose and musical authority. Their midrange immediacy and body makes music as compelling as it is engaging. They give you all of the performance, all of the time. You are never left wanting for power, substance or scale. But as obviously impressive as they are on huge orchestral showstoppers, they do small too. The acoustic intimacy of Janis Ian, or the fluid musical authority of Lisa Batiashvili’s playing is just as compelling and affective. It demonstrates their ability to scale a performance naturally, but more importantly, to get the small things right and then build on them…
More linear across a wider bandwidth than more ‘traditional’ tube amps, more practical, versatile and far more capable, the VTL TL-7.5 and S-400 are also never less than musically rewarding. It’s a ‘Can Do’ combination that really does deliver on the promise of tube amplification – without the angst that so often goes with it. Do Vacuum tubes still make sense in the 21st Century? These do!
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