Stereophile VAC Sigma 170i integrated amp review

[pma]

If I would call something coloured then it would be this amp

https://www.stereophile.com/content/vac-sigma-170i-iq-integrated-amplifier-measurements

Frequency response flies with dips and peaks +/-3dB into dummy load,
https://www.stereophile.com/images/321VAC170fig01.jpg

superbly high buzz components in 1W/8ohm spectrum
https://www.stereophile.com/images/321VAC170fig04.jpg

rocket acceleration of distortion above 2W
https://www.stereophile.com/images/321VAC170fig06.jpg

and everything one may imagine in the spectrum
https://www.stereophile.com/images/321VAC170fig12.jpg

and all and all at mere $10 000.

No SOTA DSP would be able to imitate this!!

 

[restorer-john]

@pma Wow, really pushing the performance envelope there.

Should have saved it for an April 1st publication date.

 

[Blumlein 88]

You have to admit, for every tone input to this amplifier, you get more tones at the output than most amps provide. On a tone per dollar ratio it probably ranks okay.


But yeah, such limited performance and from a pair of KT88's. Whew! Some design genius to have that output impedance match load impedance. Of course these might work okay with the smaller or older Maggies. They offer pretty close to a pure 4 ohm resistive load.

 

[FrantzM]

Well , John Atkinson diplomatic wizardry failed him this time:

As illustrated in figs.1 and 2, when used from the 4–8 ohm and 8–16 ohm transformer taps, this amplifier will change sonic character with every loudspeaker it is used with

Bold is mine