Talking of longevity, the real issue is how such well-established products stack up against more recent offerings. Of course, they’re well-established for a reason, but it’s useful to examine what that reason is. With that in mind I lined up the CH Precision L1 and A1.5, products that are currently riding a wave of critical acclaim and are broadly price comparable with the 7.5/S-400 combination, depending on where in the world you do your shopping. What makes the comparison even more interesting is that whilst the VTLs are definitely a different kind of tube amp, the CH pieces aren’t exactly your average solid-state designs – either in terms of sound or functionality.
Keeping the process manageable, I made this a straight comparison between the pairs, rather than switching pre-amps. Cabling and support (Nordost’s Odin 2 and Acouplex platforms/shelves – a material that continues to impress) were also consistent between both sets of electronics: not an issue as both work well with those ancillaries. Sources were the Wadax Reference Streamer and DAC, but for direct comparisons I ran the GPA Monaco v2.0 with the Kuzma 4Point and Lyra Etna Lambda SL. Phono-stage was the CH P1/X1 but I also had the VTL TP-6.5 on hand to keep things fair.
And in the Red Corner…
With both combinations being long-term residents, which have been used in multiple systems and equipment combinations, their relative strengths and weaknesses are familiar. The trick here – in fact, the trick in most reviews – is to find the musical example(s) that best sum(s) up the distinctions. In this case, I settled on Shawn Colvin’s Steady On (CBS 466142 1) and the track, ‘Shotgun Down The Avalanche’. With its layered production and mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation, intimate vocal and intensely personal lyric, it covers a lot of musical and sonic bases.
Played on the CH Precision, the subtle layering of the intricate production is laid bare, the elements easily separated and identified. The characteristic clarity and transparency of the electronics allows you to hear right into the production, with an explicit sense of the shape and articulation of the different musical strands, the way they build together to create the whole. There is a delicacy and dynamic discrimination that gives a human side to the playing and singing, showing the way in which the musicians are working their instruments and voices. This is never clearer than on Colvin’s lead vocal, that has a slightly dream-like, wondering quality that, together with the sheer intelligibility of the lyric cuts right to the heart of the song. That lyric and the song’s opaque title suddenly make perfect sense. The rhythm is crisp and the drum beat solid enough, but this is a musical presentation that unfurls, a dance of the seven veils.
In stark contrast, the VTL pairing delivered a more direct, far more insistent performance, full of body and an almost physical presence. The drumbeat that underpins the track is best described as meaty – but maybe also spring loaded. There’s a real sense of coiled energy to the beats, a propulsive quality that drives the song along. The production itself becomes a denser and more holistic entity, pushing forward, spatially and musically, while Colvin’s vocal has greater presence and body, a chest behind the voice, a more emphatic delivery, albeit one that lacks the clarity and intelligibility of the CH amps. The sense of the lyric isn’t as clear – although the emotional intent is certainly clear enough.
