I like Big VU's and can not lie

[BigVU's]

Is the universe talking BIG VU's again? Am I sensing some movement to bring back Big VU's. I really hope so!

Amir has reviewed an optional work around in the Neohipo ET30s and gave it the swinging pink panther. Heck, even the Jeep Grand Wagoneer has stepped into the world of McIntosh. Are VU's making a come back?

I often ramble through EBay and craigslist for potential BIG VU amps. Recently, I came across the Advance Paris line. Hmmm not much on them aside from a couple you tubers. I am not finding a review of them on this site. Then I happened into my local vintage record shop and low and behold, they have the AP Classic A10 now. It looked great! It sounded great. It was real.

It appears there are some compromises in comparison to say the McIntosh but at1800 or so dollars could this be acceptable? Tubes+ A/B? With Big VU meters? All together? What?

Does anyone on the forum have one of these Advance Paris Integrated Amps who can share their pro-con opinion?

Thanks!

 

[Rednaxela]

VU Meters: Let's See 'Em!!

If you got 'em, post a pic. Or just post a pic of your favorite VU meters. Here's a Luxman 700u. I'll post the Luxman 900u later on.

www.audiosciencereview.com

Can anyone explain the VU Meter renaissance?

Why is appearance so important in audio, even for objectivists. :facepalm:

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[restorer-john]

I often ramble through EBay and craigslist for potential BIG VU amps.

Go mid 80s to early 90s Japanese if you want some of the most beautiful power meters ever made on some of the best power amplifiers ever made.

Warning: These meters are BIG.

Denon POA-8000 monoblocks

Denon POA-3000Z

Onkyo Grand Integra M-510

Onkyo M-504

Sony TAN-77es

Technics SEA-5

Technics SEA-3

Technics SEA-1

Any of the Yamaha M-xx series (M-85)

Yamaha's Centennial Year (1987) Anniversary MX-10000

Luxman M-05

Any one of those amplifiers is an end-game product. Hang the expense build, performance, reliability and simply gorgeous to behold. And most of them have switchable meter ranges/dimming and sometimes ballistics. The meter movements and drive circuitry are truly excellent and most of them also have bevel edge glass, not perspex over the meters on solid aluminium panels. Find a good one and keep it forever.

 

[jeffaegrim]

What restorer-john said! I‘d love to add the Luxman M7, M7i and M7f power amps to the list.

I myself have a Technics SH-9020 peak/average meter unit. It’s a pretty cool gadget, albeit with smaller windows.

 

[Sokel]

Audio Resarch,the nicest VU's in the multiverse:

 

[dualazmak]

- My nostalgia and preference for large glass-face VU meters: DIY of (IEC 60268-17 compatible) 12-VU-Meter Array in multichannel multi-driver multi-way multi-amplifier stereo audio system: #535 on my multichannel audio project thread.
and,
The latest system setup of my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio rig, including updated startup/ignition sequences and shutdown sequences: as of June 26, 2024: #931 on my project thread.

Spoiler

 

[Old_School_Brad]

John had covered the ones that came to my mind, but I'd like to add these great models to the list.

Proton D1200:

Proton AA-1150:

Proton AA-2120:

 

[BigVU's]

I wish I could commit to those Denon 8000 Mono's. And the Yamaha M series are also sweet looking. The Onkyo's 508 around 1K and the Sony ES if you can find em around 2K.

Sometime back I found the Hitachi 7500 below and went for it. And have it in the shop now because one of the channels went out. but for 450.00 bucks I think it's pretty cool.

Now there is the new Advance Paris A10 Classic which I have got to see in person and has all the looks I like for sure but wondering if anyone has one and what their thoughts are on them.

 

[Old_School_Brad]

I wish I could commit to those Denon 8000 Mono's. And the Yamaha M series are also sweet looking. The Onkyo's 508 around 1K and the Sony ES if you can find em around 2K.

Sometime back I found the Hitachi 7500 below and went for it. And have it in the shop now because one of the channels went out. but for 450.00 bucks I think it's pretty cool.

View attachment 410744


Now there is the new Advance Paris A10 Classic which I have got to see in person and has all the looks I like for sure but wondering if anyone has one and what their thoughts are on them.
View attachment 410746

I feel that the Advance appears poorly designed and lacks clarity and sophistication. In my view, it falls short of the elegance, refinement, and cohesiveness seen in the amplifiers it aims to emulate.
I haven’t even checked its price or internal components, but to me, it comes across as cheap and could easily be mistaken for one of those generic Chinese amplifiers found on platforms like Temu or Alibaba.

 

[pollock0424]

Nak 582

Studer A810

Nak 550

Yamaha M80

Here are my favourite VUs from my collection. 550 and the M80 were restored/recapped by me.

M80 meters saved my speakers one day from a faulty preamp (Schiit Freya), Preamp was sending a massive signal which pegged the M80 meters.. as per my habit I turn the pre amp, amp, and then speaker switch. I caught it before the M80 could mercilessly wreck my speakers...

PS: Bose 1801 has pretty meters..

 

[Randyman...]

If @restorer-john keeps posting about TA-N77ES', I'm going to have to whip my pair back out for some fun!

Another fave from my young days (and still have one in storage I bought out of nostalgia!), the SAE A502. It didn't have true VU's, but had the bold LED's that spread out L/R from the center - all the way to a "Peak" LED just outside the "400W" LED! I had that driving 4x 15" Punch mobile subs in my room when I was a youngster - until one of the high-school punks broke into our house and stole the lot (and left a trail of blood from breaking a window).