VTL MB 100 tube monoblocks

[Bunky]

I just negotiated the purchase of a pair of these amplifiers from a Audio dealer in New Jersey who got these from the original owner with boxes and manuals as a trade in. VTL has a pretty good reputation. does anyone here have any experience with owning or listening to VTL tube Gear ? can anyone here describe thier house sound ? thanks....WCW III

[richidoo]

VTL smaller amps used to be on the warm side, but lately clearer esp in the top models. I think you will have some good fun with them!!

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ramps&1028236861&openusid&zzMarakanetz&4&5

Avg used price is $1330.

[Bunky]

Thanks Rich, I saw them on Audiogon for $1250.00 in 8/10 condition and after i called the guy he agreed to $1100.00 + $40 to ship them to me....WCW III

[richidoo]

Awesome. Can't wait to hear how you likey.
Rich

[bpape]

Nice snag Bunky.  I have a friend who runs Maggie 3's actively biamped with 4 VTL amps.  Best sound I've ever heard from that model of Maggies.  Surprisingly tight bottom end for tube amps.

Bryan

[Bunky]

I am getting a picture that these amps should be slightly on the warm side with decent bass.  I heard someone else describe the earlier VTL sound as not as warm as CJ or Cary audio but not as cool and clean sounding as Audio Research and falling somewhere in between the two camps. it sounds like it may be a good match with my AI Modulus 2B or at least i hope so. thanks....WCW III 

[bpape]

I'd say that's a good description.  They're not absolutely neutral by any stretch but not sloppy and euphonic as some might expect.

Bryan

[djbnh]

I just negotiated the purchase of a pair of these amplifiers from a Audio dealer in New Jersey who got these from the original owner with boxes and manuals as a trade in. VTL has a pretty good reputation. does anyone here have any experience with owning or listening to VTL tube Gear ? can anyone here describe thier house sound ? thanks....WCW III

Bunky,

I take the above as a sign that things are full back to normal! LOL

[Bunky]

I just negotiated the purchase of a pair of these amplifiers from a Audio dealer in New Jersey who got these from the original owner with boxes and manuals as a trade in. VTL has a pretty good reputation. does anyone here have any experience with owning or listening to VTL tube Gear ? can anyone here describe thier house sound ? thanks....WCW III

Bunky,

I take the above as a sign that things are full back to normal! LOL

Hey Dave, I dont know if my obsession with Audio could be considered normal or not ?  

[richidoo]

Back to normal insanity

[Bunky]

I was pulling up to the house and i was very suprised to see the UPS man parked in front and at my front door handing my daughter Courtney a box containing one of my VTL MB-100s  . I opened one of the boxes and pulled out a really cute little monoblock with a black anodized faceplate with a red anodized engraved badge recessed in the center of the faceplate proclaiming MB-100 VTL vacuum tube logic designed by David Manley-handbuilt in California  the dealer shipped them from NJ yesterday and they were due here 11-6-08 so i am very happy that they came a day early  they are rated @100wpc in tetrode mode and 50wpc in triode mode. they came with matched quads of "winged c" EL34s matched pairs of Sylvania gold pin 6350 driver tubes and a matched pair of Ei elite 12AT7 goldpin input tubes.The original owner provided a service invoice from 2005 and he had replaced the power switches,installled new IEC connectors and new input RCAs and thoroghly cleaned the chassis and the chrome covers on the transformers. These babys were very well kept and as clean as a whistle. i installed all of the tubes and armed with my trusty multi meter and the original manual i rebiased both amps to 285 mv and hooked them up to the Modulus 2B and played some Tori Amos to see how they would sound doing the female voice and piano thing. they sound very nice thanks....WCW III

[dangerbird]

WCW,, how do you like the SED's's ? Also, in addition the individual tube bias, do you have a "master" bias adjustment for each monobloc?

[Bunky]

WCW,, how do you like the SED's's ? Also, in addition the individual tube bias, do you have a "master" bias adjustment for each monobloc?

Hey George,I like the SED Winged -C- EL34's and i liked thier 6550's in my Sonic Frontiers SFS 80 when i had that amplifier too.My VTL MB-100's have individual bias pots and a master bias pot as well.The Genelex Gold Lion KT77 Reissues are the best EL34 varient that i have ever heard  and exceed all of the hype these tubes are all of that and then some.thanks....WCW III

[richidoo]

The Genelex Gold Lion KT77 Reissues are the best EL34 varient that i have ever heard  and exceed all of the hype these tubes are all of that and then some.thanks....WCW III

Good to know, everyone seems quite impressed with them. Thanks

[dangerbird]

WCW/Rich   I'm tube shoppingfor my VTL Compact 100 mono's,,any advice will be appreciated,I know that I do not want the JJ's,as I have already lost three,,one was my fault. WCW,, have you experimented with the master bias?After re-biasing mine upon delivery(story in iself,,from MFSS Hi FI),I started tweaking the "master bias" and the sound change was immediately audible, very sweet,,according to Bea from VTL,this is a no-no,,anyway,this weekend I''m retubing them with some second stringers,and I'll let you know the results,,WCW,,are your bias measurment points external or internal?