Quad VA-One valve integrated amp / DAC

[chebby]

I spotted this in the 'news' section a few days ago ...

http://www.whathifi.com/news/quad-launches-va-one-valve-amplifier

... and it piqued my interest a bit ... until I got to the bit about the price (£1400) and then the power output "2x12W amplification". (Max? Peak? Continuous?)

My Quad Vena has a better equipped DAC, and four times the power, for less than half the price.

In terms of value for money it's a already a train-wreck even before I get to looking at significantly more sensitive speakers than the ones I currently use.

So why do I want to borrow one from my local hi-fi shop after Quad launch it?

Can anyone - over on the valve side of the valley - tell me what i'd gain in return for losing £1400, losing an optical connection, losing three-quarters of the power and having to buy more efficient speakers? (And having to periodically 'change the bulbs'.)

Will there be magic?

Thanks.

 

[jmjones]

If you use it like a radiator to generate heat. I will be very interested to see the responses. 12 watts? £116 per watt makes interesting reading.

As does my reading of what little information I can find. Apart from a fair degree of connectivity, can anybody figure out what is making this worth the money?

 

[Al ears]

I spotted this in the 'news' section a few days ago ...

http://www.whathifi.com/news/quad-launches-va-one-valve-amplifier

... and it piqued my interest a bit ... until I got to the bit about the price (£1400) and then the power output "2x12W amplification". (Max? Peak? Continuous?)

My Quad Vena has a better equipped DAC, and four times the power, for less than half the price.

In terms of value for money it's a already a train-wreck even before I get to looking at significantly more sensitive speakers than the ones I currently use.

So why do I want to borrow one from my local hi-fi shop after Quad launch it?

Can anyone - over on the valve side of the valley - tell me what i'd gain in return for losing £1400, losing an optical connection, losing three-quarters of the power and having to buy more efficient speakers? (And having to periodically 'change the bulbs'.)

Will there be magic?

Thanks.

I can only suggest there might be. Audition and let us know your thoughts.

 

[tino]

There is magic ... a sense of weight and body to the sound that I get with my 12W Unison Research valve amplifier and 89dB speakers that I don't get with my Wadia or other amplifiers I had before. It may not have the utmost fidelity or pace of the Wadia, or have any digital inputs but I like it all the same. Factor in a huge slice of pride of ownership, a sense of warmth (literally) and the possibility of being able to keep it working ad infinitum in case anything breaks and you might be hooked. You could get the same amplifier I have, and add a decent DAC for less than the price of this Quad. The Quad looks nice though.

 

[Infiniteloop]

There is magic ... a sense of weight and body to the sound that I get with my 12W Unison Research valve amplifier and 89dB speakers that I don't get with my Wadia or other amplifiers I had before. It may not have the utmost fidelity or pace of the Wadia, or have any digital inputs but I like it all the same. Factor in a huge slice of pride of ownership, a sense of warmth (literally) and the possibility of being able to keep it working ad infinitum in case anything breaks and you might be hooked. You could get the same amplifier I have, and add a decent DAC for less than the price of this Quad. The Quad looks nice though.

+1. I had a Unison Research Preludio (14W) that produced the most glorious sound from a pair of Sonus Faber Concerto's (86dB). I know this isn't the ideal partnering, but the sound was superb. I upgraded to a Unison Research S8 (24W) and just could not part with it when I bought a Devialet 200.

For me, there's just something about the sound of Valves that makes music sound 'right'. Some call it colouration, distortion, whatever... It simply does not matter when they make your music sound the way they do.

 

[Vladimir]

12 watts is not exactly small. Somewhere in the middle actually, and should do well with efficient speakers. When you go under 8W it starts going flea sized.

 

[chebby]

12 watts is not exactly small. Somewhere in the middle actually, and should do well with efficient speakers. When you go under 8W it starts going flea sized.

I already have 'medium' efficiency speakers (90dB, 6 Ohms nominal, 5 Ohms minimum) but I would need to jump to 93dB - at the very least - surely?

I'll have to wait.

However it is the closest approach to my budget (and to my 'all in one', remote controlled, amp/DAC requirements) that the world of valve amps has come so far. (That I am aware of.)

 

[Vladimir]

12 watts is not exactly small. Somewhere in the middle actually, and should do well with efficient speakers. When you go under 8W it starts going flea sized.

I already have 'medium' efficiency speakers (90dB, 6 Ohms nominal, 5 Ohms minimum) but I would need to jump to 93dB - at the very least - surely?

Well bigger ANs would be ideal. Eventually.

 

[chebby]

12 watts is not exactly small. Somewhere in the middle actually, and should do well with efficient speakers. When you go under 8W it starts going flea sized.

I already have 'medium' efficiency speakers (90dB, 6 Ohms nominal, 5 Ohms minimum) but I would need to jump to 93dB - at the very least - surely?

Well bigger ANs would be ideal. Eventually.

My plan - eventually - was Audio-Note AN-Ks (or a perfect set of Snell Ks), but they are also rated at 90dB.

I am going to start digging again. This time for information on affordable 93 - 96dB speakers.

 

[Al ears]

12 watts is not exactly small. Somewhere in the middle actually, and should do well with efficient speakers. When you go under 8W it starts going flea sized.

I already have 'medium' efficiency speakers (90dB, 6 Ohms nominal, 5 Ohms minimum) but I would need to jump to 93dB - at the very least - surely?

Well bigger ANs would be ideal. Eventually.

My plan - eventually - was Audio-Note AN-Ks (or a perfect set of Snell Ks), but they are also rated at 90dB.

I am going to start digging again. This time for information on affordable 93 - 96dB speakers.

If you can find them the Zu Audio Omen Bookshelf might be worth a look at 97dB, however not too easy to get hold of being American.

 

[Vladimir]

Coincident Triumph Extreme. 94dB and 1500GBP MSRP. There are versions mark I and II, so these are probably around second hand as well.

 

[Al ears]

Coincident Triumph Extreme. 94dB and 1500GBP MSRP. There are versions mark I and II, so these are probably around second hand as well.

Hifiaudiosound.co.uk list the mark 2 @ £1395 but this may be each as in the U.S. they are $2599 a pair.

 

[Vladimir]

Coincident Triumph Extreme. 94dB and 1500GBP MSRP. There are versions mark I and II, so these are probably around second hand as well.

Hifiaudiosound.co.uk list the mark 2 @ £1395 but this may be each as in the U.S. they are $2599 a pair.

I saw $2599 Canadian dollars. What I gather from prices on that Hifiaudiosound.co.uk site, the price is for a pair. GamuT L-3 is listed as £3,350. MSRP on WHF review is £4,400.

 

[Al ears]

Coincident Triumph Extreme. 94dB and 1500GBP MSRP. There are versions mark I and II, so these are probably around second hand as well.

Hifiaudiosound.co.uk list the mark 2 @ £1395 but this may be each as in the U.S. they are $2599 a pair.

I saw $2599 Canadian dollars. What I gather from prices on that Hifiaudiosound.co.uk site, the price is for a pair. GamuT L-3 is listed as £3,350. MSRP on WHF review is £4,400.

Well if that is for a pair it's pretty good value.

So much easier to find efficient floorstanders isn't it.

 

[MykhailM]

I agree that Tube DACs sounding pleasant, natural and analogue like. All the nuances are reveals and the music just involves a listener. I highly recommend to audition a well made Tube DAC design I think one can be surprises by naturalness and a clean detailed sound. I personally had a few Op-Amps DACs and to me Tube DACs where sounding more open almost 3D sounds that hangs in the air. Of course all there audio components in a musical chain needs to support and maintain the clarity of the sound, but to have a good DAC is definitely worth it. Once you experience that sound you wouldn`t go back to other choices. But I have to say that the tube DAC needs to we genuine tube output stage, another words from the processor to the tubes out into your RCA sockets. Have a look at handmade Malbru Tube DACs also, I use it myself for a good reason.