This is the second pair of V4's I've owned.Mike Sanders of Quicksilver has made an absolute classic amp that can power almost any speaker.The V4's can use use the el34,kt88,kt90,kt120 tubes.I use the kt120's.The best way I can describe this amp is it has the virtues of a singe ended amp and a powerful 200 watt plus amp.The highs and mids are truly revealing.Low passages grunt with authority.I mainly listen to classic rock,but I have quite a bit of different music.Jazz,symphonies,opera, rock,metal have all been played on my amps and all sound really good,as long as it is a good recording.I have owned many amps,tube and solid state,but find that a good tube amp sound is more natural.If you have any reservations about buying these amps new or used,Don't.It is really hard to find these amps used and for good reason.I bought mine used from Deetes Sound Room in Carmichael CA.Another thing,these amps are easy to bias,no meter needed.Do yourself a favor and audition these monoblocks,you will be glad you did! My system includes Canary audio 801se preamp,Musical Fidelity KW DM 25 dac and transport,King Sound Prince 2 speakers.Ananysis plus silver interconnects as well as power cords.

I have had this amp new for 4-5 years. It is not just the last tube amp I will buy but the last amp period! It does almost everything right. The midrange is the star but the highs are right behind. The bass is solid but not room shaking. But it is not designed for that purpose. For any classical piece (jazz, rock, etc.) the bass is more than sufficient. A cello has a richness that has to be heard to be believed, and don't ask me about the Verdi Requiem!

Now to the mechanical aspects. This is a tube amp for those of us who hate the fussiness of tubes. The main points are multiple tube choices (KT-88, KT-90, El-34 & 6550's), low bias (I still have my original tubes with no loss in quality that I or my friends can hear) and that bain of most tube amps...biasing. With this baby all you do is press the button next to each tube, if it says 40ma you are good to go. If not take a slot screwdriver and turn the screw behind the tube and that's it! At the beginning I would check the bias once a month and that has gradually gone up to 6 months presently. No bending over to get underneath the amp in this design.

Huge, dynamic sound with clarity, richness and depth. Words are not adequate to describe the sound. A visitor looking at them commented "these are art". Mike Sanders has answered all E-mails promptly although an example of breifness.

It was difficult to identify a weakness, but we do experience a very MINOR "hum" coming from the units' themselves (not through the speakers). The "hum" is audible only between songs and does not interfere with music quality.

Always striving for the best sound is our main priority, with affordability not far behind. Reading various reviews of available tube amps and doing comparison studies for our specific needs, we decided to purchase the Quicksilver V4’s without ever hearing them. We were and continue to be overwhelmed with the incredible improvement in our listening pleasure. The V4’s sound much more powerful and richer; with a smoothness and clarity that invites/encourages high listening levels. Bass was softer, richer, however, seemingly lower in level, but still an incredible delight. The V4's sound much more powerful than the more powerful solid-state amp they replaced. We decided to experiment with various tubes, understanding that each have their own unique qualities. We recently replaced the Chinese-made KT88’s with Russian-made Svetlana SVKT88’s (although we discovered later we could have requested the Russian tubes at time of purchase), we now understand what reviewers mean when using the word “involvement.” Listening to Eva Cassidy singing “Imagine” or a Miles Davis tune softly in the background, my wife commented, walking from the back of the house, that with the Quicksilver’s it sounds as if they are in our front room, performing a private concert. System: Denon DVM 4800 DVD-A Quicksilver Remote Line Preamp & V4's Vandersteen 2CE Signatures & 2Wq Subwoofers All Cabling Chris VenHaus DIY's

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This is our first (and last) tube amp purchase. Doubt that we will ever be compelled to replace them.

Timbre, presentation, MIDS

none that I notice... perhaps no dinasaur footfalls, but this ain't made for home theater!

Once I finally made the jump to tubes, there has really been no going back. This purchase is the culmination of my search for amps that do most everything right. I have worked my way up the Quicksilver line, and have been pleased with each step forward. As with any amp, musical preference plays a considerable role in selection. That said, I think these are fantastic jazz and classical music amps, which is 85% of what I listen to. The main strength here is the midrange! It is just soooooo right. I opted for the KT-90 version (vs 88s), but have also listened with EL-34s. Voices and timbres are superb (good wire helps)... bass with the V-4 is excellent, but won't shake the foundation, nor was it meant to. This is a music lover's amp all the way. Guitar, female voice, piano, acoustic bass are all presented honestly, and with plenty of power to transport you into the music. Jeff Buckley is a great example... his guitar just sounds sooo right "there," and with all the resonance and truth you'd expect. Marian McPartland and Bill Evans are in my living room, and the DaPonte String Quartet sounds ALMOST as good as when they play in south Bristol. These amps will hold their own with rock... Son Volt's "Drown" is powerful and grungy, just like they are in concert. Bias is simple to adjust, and everything I've had from QS has been rock solid, and has never needed any kind of repair. Top quality all the way. system includes: Vandersteen 3A signatures Audible Illusions 3A w/gold phono Heart 6000 tubed CD AudioLab Premier turntable w/Benz SCHEU TMC cables (incredible value:performance)