VAC + Von Schweikert = Wow!

Once again, VAC paired four of its amplifiers with Von Schweikert loudspeakers in a huge room sponsored by The Audio Company. Distinguished by sophisticated lighting design and fabulous sound, this system, which can fill rooms far larger than the Dutch & Dutch 8cs that so impressed me at PAF, vied with them for my personal Best of Show.

(Re: Best. Not only did I visit considerably less than half the active rooms at the show, but Brian Damkroger and I also did our best to avoid duplicate coverage of systems Stereophile covered at previous shows in 2023. In case of VAC and Von Schweikert, however, different speakers and cabling than I encountered at T.H.E. Show plus the promise of good sound made a visit irresistible.)

Von Schweikert’s Leif Swanson (left) and VAC’s Kevin Hayes (right)

On display were Von Schweikert Audio Ultra 7 loudspeakers ($180,000/pair) with two VSA Shockwave V12XS subwoofers ($16,500/each) “used as room compensation/active bass trap.” Bad me for not asking for an explanation at the end of a long day. VAC provided four Master 300 Amplifiers ($42,000/each) that were released in November 2022, a Statement line stage ($80,000), and Statement phono stage ($80,000). Thrown in a Kronos Pro turntable with Black Beauty tonearm and Ultracap power supply ($60,000) with a Hana Umami Red cartridge ($3995), an Aurender W20 SE ($23,000) and Esoteric K-01xD CD/SACD player/DAC ($24,000), and Masterbuilt Ultra cabling, and there goes your trust fund or inheritance.

The Master 300s can use eight KT-88 tubes, which VAC supplies because they feel they sound the best with the largest range of speakers, or KT-90, 99, 120,150 and 170. That’s another way of saying that one size may fit all, but another size may better fit one.

First up, a 24/96 file of “Chocolate Chip Trip” from Tool. The system moved quite fast, and filled the large space like no other system I encountered in the hotel. Soundstaging was equally fabulous on a Red Book file of Rickie Lee Jones’s delightful “Date Dere” from her Pop Pop album. I regret that I didn’t have sufficient time to hear analog.

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