By far the best power amp I've ever had in my system for the simplest of reasons: It makes you forget it's there and lets you enjoy the music. We sometimes tend to over-analyze the sound instead of listening to music itself. I'm currently running it with LS2B line and PH3 phono stages powering Cary Silver Oak One speakers. I'd like to upgrade to Ref 3 pre-amp and Avalon speakers just to justify the VT100's capabilities. Wish me luck with the upgrades but my VT100 II is here to stay. I wouldn't trade it for any current Audio Research amp. It's just that good.

Before I got this amp, like many people I associate tube amplifiers with low power output and a sound best described as "nice", but somewhat coloured.

However, when you use tubes to make a high-powered, neutral amp like the VT100 things get pretty interesting. This thing simply sounds wonderful - it has plenty of power, attack, drive, and detail (things not usually associated with tube amps) while being very smooth, natural, and musical at the same time. Basically it manages to combine the best sonic attributes of transistor amps and tube ones.

I've never had an amp that excelled so much with all kinds of music, You can listen to AC/DC on it really loud and then it will handle a violin concerto or acoustic guitar with grace.

I am using it with the AR LS25 Mkii linestage, and Magneplanar 1.6s. By the way, this large tube amp is a great match for the maggies.

Tube replacement comes every 2K hours, costs $300 if you do it yourself or up to double at a dealer. I just completed a DIY tube replacement using online instructions and it's not too hard.

This is a definite lifetime keeper. I paid 2K for it 4 years ago, and it shouldn't ever really be worth much less. Beats paying less for a new mainstream amp and having it half in value overnight.

Detail, tranparent, bass definition, musical.

None.

I have owned this amp for 4 years. All I can say is it is an incredible amp. It is very transparent and detailed without losing music. I used to own several different amps, but none of them can compete VT100 MK-II. I pair it with ARC LS-15 and Thiel CS2.3s, and found that it is an excellent audio system. I also use it to drive Rogers LS3/5A. It really makes the speakers disappear. No doubt about it, ARC VT100 MK-II deserves 5 starts all around. Highly recommended. James

Similar Products Used:

ARC 100.2

Sound,built quality & ARC support.Very powerful for the 2x100 WRMS rating

None

This VT-100 is my first tube amp;it is paired with an ARC LS-2B.Both has been buy used & represent a big improvement over my Conrad Johnson PV-10A & Odissey stratos.The sound of the VT-100 bring some kind of magic to the music!The voices are amazing without the SS effect. On a technical point of view this amp is VERY WELL built but huge & HEAVY!Ventilation is very important because it is running hot.A good PC is recommend & a dedicated electrical line.Do not plug this amp in any A/C line cond.this will affect the performance. Of course you have to used it with quality inter. & speaker cables for best results.The balanced mode is better than single end & improved the 3D image.

Makes the speakers disappear, sounds great on vocals.It sounds great and I can''t see myself going back to a solid state amplifier.

Large in size and it does need ventilation. I put a small variable speed chasis fan on top for better ventilation .

My first time going down the tube amplifier route. I was using the Bryston 4B-ST amplifier for five years. With that said I wish I could have that listening time back using the ARC VT 100 mkII. The Bryston did a fine job and it had the ability to fill the room with sound. From dropping down to 100 watts per channel from 250 watts that the Bryston offered has not been a problem. The sound now is very smooth and makes my speakers disappear. Many people have the fear of tube amplifiers and the maintence that is required to keep them working,this is an over exageration for the units. I found a tube store in Chicago that sold me all the same tubes for this amplifier for $307.00 including shipping, not bad compared to the price from Audio Research that would cost $900.00 with shipping. I even found a web site that has photographs of retubing the amplifier. That made the job much easier when I could visually see where to place my Ohm meter connections and not to question myself. But back to the sound of this amp,it does wonders on vocals on maybe it is me but I hear a better bass response with the audio Research compared to the Bryston amplifier. The tube life is around 2000 hours ( if you listen to your stereo for 4 hours a week as I do then you should have close to 9 years of tube life) My setup 1. Speakers Proac 3.8 Response 2. Preamplifier Audio Research Reference 1 3. Amplifier Audio Research VT 100 mk II 4. CD player Classe CDP.3 5. Cables MIT Terminator 2 Biwire speaker and Terminator proline XLR component connectors 6 Power conditioner Monster HTS 1000

Similar Products Used:

Bryston 4B-ST, Belles 350a

Musical, life feeling

Not good looking enough for my lady.

Better than I expected even read many nice reviews. Other tube amps have nice warm sound and good for some old jazz vocal. But this VT100 has a huge soundstage and it really make orchestra shine. All big symphonies sound as magnificent as they can be, which, I think, outbeat other tube gears at the same price range. Resonance of harp or guitar is the best I ever heard. Don't think it is good for classical music only. I can dance with pop music on this baby too. I put VDH cable (Reval.) for Jazz, with this cable, you are going to get the usual warm mid freq out of this tube amp. For orchestra, I double audioquest (argent+midnight), and they put me into a symphony hall directly. Of couse you need good souces for this amp but not my topic. Above set is for dynamic speakers. For other types of speakers, setup may be different. But I am not a fan of ML or Magg so....

I seldom put review on internet but this VT100 MKII definitely deserves to share with other audio fan. Life-time keeper!

Similar Products Used:

CJ, VAL, ARC's ss, ....

strong, clean, controlled sound

maintenance of tube gear

I recently went shopping for a new amplifier to drive my new Ariel 10T’s. The 10T (Stereophile Speaker of the Year a few years ago) is a great speaker, but really needs a strong amplifier to deliver the stunning transients of which they’re capable (I’m a drummer and know transients, and these speakers still scare me). They also need upstream equipment that provides a smooth midrange or they can play a little hard. I’d already eliminated the Mark Levinson etc. types as too mechanical sounding, and was figuring “big tube amp”. Then I heard that the designers at Ariel were partial to Audio Research tube amps and Classe, so I found a dealer that had both and ran a Classe 301 against an ARC VT100MkII. The result? The solid-state Classe was just as smooth as the tube amp from ARC, and did everything well. The ARC didn’t give up much of anything in bottom end control, noise level or detail (like tube amps are said to do), and came across as super clean, controlled, and musical. Of course, every 2000 hours you have to replace the tubes in the ARC, for a cost today of $570 for the set, but some people don’t mind that. The big difference was that the VT100 came across as more forward and in your face, whereas the Classe was more laid back. I thought the Classe would be great for acoustic jazz and vocals (sounds like I’m describing a tube amp), and the VT100 would be better for more dramatic material. I personally liked the punchier sound of the VT100, and was going to buy it, when for fun I substituted a Classe 401 for the 301, and the result was startling. The 401 is not just 100 watts stronger, but has a different character that is immediately apparent. Its just as smooth as the others, but the soundstage opened up from being mostly in between the speakers to occupying the whole front of the room, and the impact from something like a Dave Mathews CD went from good to Oh-my-God. This amp changed the experience from listening to a great stereo to getting completely lost in the music. I was not planning on spending $6,900 for an amp, but after hearing the CA-401 there’s no way I could leave with anything else.

Similar Products Used:

Classe 301, Classe 401, VTL, Motif

It plays music.

Size, tubes, draws lots of power.

I'm not going to write about how good this amp is, enough said already. I do want to point out a couple of things:
This amp generates harmonic noise at the AC power source. When I measured the AC power source before turning the amp on, the AC harmonic distortion is about 1.6%. Turning the amp on gets it up to 1.9%. I recommend powering this amp with a dedicated circuit, away from the source equipment.

I tried this amp with Harmonic Technology power cable and AudioPrism Foundation III line conditioner, both caused the soundstage to shrink and flatten. The amp works quite well with the BrickWall surge suppressor (2 outlet 20amp AUD version). At that price, you better protect your investment. It's not fun to send the amp back to the factory.

Finally, remember about garbage in garbage out. It's important your source is up to the challenge also. I used a Rega Planet to feed this amp for more than six months. The sound is a bit on the warm side, and is very non fatiquing. I just upgraded the source to a Meridean 508.24, and I've been going to concerts almost every night since.

Similar Products Used:

Bryston 3BST, Conrad Johnson 11A, Classe 100

All the good things have been said.BUT this amp is really that good!!!
MK1 owners should upgrade their units to the MK2 status - the difference is almost like earth and heaven!

Everything

None for this price and tube

It sounds better than all mcintosh at any price. I had replaced MC275 to this amp. It works well with LS2B MKII, LS 15 & 16 through balanced. VT200 if play LOUD.

Similar Products Used:

Mcintosh MC series