Ross B. Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 This will be my last post on this subject, I promise, but I'm narrowing down my options for a preamp to drive my soon-to-arrive Quatro's. The following are my finalists, based on price and availability: SP-8 Reference One LS-25 MkII LS-17SE LS-26 Everyone waxes romantic about the SP-8 and its lush tube sound, which really appeals to me. On the other hand, I don't want to bottleneck the performance of the Quatro's with an preamp from 1981, no matter how well regarded. Which brings me to the LS-17SE or LS-26 at the modern end. These will be going into an Audio Research VS110 power amp. Any thoughts help. I may end up buying two or more of these anyway and selling the ones I don't like. Thanks to all of you, and especially Richard for answering all my dumb questions 😅 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Vandersteen Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 Ross, some of these options are RCA and others are XLR so be mindful about what M5-HP(B) you are getting. RV 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross B. Posted July 28, 2023 Author Share Posted July 28, 2023 47 minutes ago, Richard Vandersteen said: Ross, some of these options are RCA and others are XLR so be mindful about what M5-HP(B) you are getting. RV The speakers are coming with the RCA version. Is it possible to adapt them to XLR if necessary? Would I have to purchase a new set of balanced filters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Vandersteen Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 M5-HPs are made in RCA (Single Ended) or XLR (Balanced) they cannot be converted. You may be able to trade them in at your Vandersteen Dealer. RV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GdnrBob Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 If you can wait, the M5-HPB's come on the used market a few times a year. You could buy a pair of Jensen adaptors to get you by in the meantime. Or, if you know the impedance, just buy the fixed crossovers. Though I wonder if it makes sense to buy the M7-HP? The include 'better' components. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross B. Posted July 28, 2023 Author Share Posted July 28, 2023 What's the expected battery life for one of these? The 9V in mine has 2014 written on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GdnrBob Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 @Ross B., I think it is 5 years, and 7 for lithium batteries, but I might be wrong. In any case, I think your batteries should be replaced. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Vandersteen Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 Battery life is 7 years for the alkaline and 12 years for the lithium. RV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Vandersteen Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 36 minutes ago, Ross B. said: What's the expected battery life for one of these? The 9V in mine has 2014 written on it. Ross, the date noted is the change by date! RV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GdnrBob Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 Well, he probably should get his batteries replaced, as I doubt he has lithium installed. But, thanks for the clarification Mr. V. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross B. Posted July 28, 2023 Author Share Posted July 28, 2023 43 minutes ago, Richard Vandersteen said: Ross, the date noted is the change by date! RV Oh my! Well, definitely needs a change! What should I put as the new expiration date? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmz Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 1 hour ago, Richard Vandersteen said: Battery life is 7 years for the alkaline and 12 years for the lithium. RV I guess the bi polar ones need the lithium? 😁 5 hours ago, Ross B. said: The speakers are coming with the RCA version. Is it possible to adapt them to XLR if necessary? Would I have to purchase a new set of balanced filters? I prefer the XLR ones, but mostly on technical grounds. Subjectively I am not sure there is much in it. The used XO boxes sell pretty quickly on the usual sites, and they show up every once in a while. So you should be able to trade or sell them easily… personally; I would not use the existence of them in your passion, as a basis to select the new electronics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross B. Posted July 29, 2023 Author Share Posted July 29, 2023 Got one replaced, doing the other now. I just wrote the current year, which makes more sense anyway, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GdnrBob Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 Hmm, I should look at my boxes. I think it is nearing 7 years. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross B. Posted July 29, 2023 Author Share Posted July 29, 2023 That’s probably a good idea! My batteries were down to 1v and 2v! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stringreen Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 (edited) ...just sayin'.... When I change the batteries on my 5A, not only do I change the one in the outboard M5hpb filters, but also have to remove the crossovers in the box and send those in as well. When reinstalling make positive the serial numbers are matched with the speaker they were taken from. Mine are balanced and have never heard the speakers any other way, but even with my volume control way up, there is not a trace of hum, noise, etc. Edited July 29, 2023 by Stringreen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmz Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 9 hours ago, GdnrBob said: Hmm, I should look at my boxes. I think it is nearing 7 years. B I would put a VOM or DMM across the battery. If the voltage is higher than (some number), then I would think that they are fine. Mine looked old, but the voltage was good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Vandersteen Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 7.2 volts is the voltage when the batteries are going downhill quickly, time to change. RV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsooner Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 Richard, do those of us with them built into your a,ps have to concern ourselves with batteries? If so, I assume they are easy to open up and change out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross B. Posted July 31, 2023 Author Share Posted July 31, 2023 2 hours ago, ctsooner said: Richard, do those of us with them built into your a,ps have to concern ourselves with batteries? If so, I assume they are easy to open up and change out. They shouldn't need a battery, since they can be actively biased by the unit power. Either way, it would be quite easy to pop the case open and see if there's a battery in there! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsooner Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 That’s what I assumed, but I’ve learned to never do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 The VS110 is RCA-only for input, so you should plan on the RCA version of the M5-HP. I had a Reference 1 - it was a good preamp. I used it with a VT100MkIII, using XLR cables. The newer References, especially starting with the Ref 5, have a much quieter background/lower noise floor. It has single-ended and balanced outputs. It does not have an internal phono section. The SP-8 does have an internal phono section, if that makes a difference to you. It only has single-ended outputs. The PH-3SE is a good phono preamp. I used one with my Ref 1 preamp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Boom Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 The only preamp of the choices you listed that I had the pleasure of sitting down and listening to was the ARC SP-8. This was my introduction to ARC. This was back at my university years. A former dorm mate had me come over to listen to "upgrades" to his stereo. Last time I visited, he played for me his Magnepan MGAs, driven by an NAD integrated amp. His source was a Rega Planar 3 with Linn Basik arm and cartridge. He played for me Sheffield Labs direct to disc records. I had heard of none of this stuff and it sounded amazing. He corrupted me by introducing me to audiophile and later high end stereo gear. Btw he was the one who told me about Vandersteens. A year and a half later, he shows me the SP-8, he had his Amber amp "modified". It was no longer UL listed after the repair guy at his Amber dealer hotrodded it. He bought speakers no longer made, GNP Valkeries (nicknamed the lead cylinders). Front end was a Oracle Delphi TT with a Dynavector Karat Ruby mounted on a Linn Ittok arm played through a Klyne head amp. I was flabbergasted! I had never heard such a tall, wide, deep soundstage, with the musicians having that magical air around them. He played Chicago 17 in Japanese Press. Great thrill to hear the horn section rock. If you're after the glorious sound of tubes and want to mate to a solid state amp, the SP-8 might satisfy you. I've heard the others at Music Matter events sponsored by the local dealer. It's good to hear and see them, but this is less than ideal listening. My understanding is that with each generation ARC extracts more and more detail from the recordings they reproduce. This may or may not be what you're after. If ARC could recondition the SP-8, that might be very satisfying. Please let us know what you decide and choose to keep. I'm curious. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GdnrBob Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Your dorm mate was really seriously into audio. Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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