Vitus integrated amp v 552/500

Hi Peter,

No problems with the Krells but they have been serviced by Absolute Sounds. Reasonable cost, perhaps a bit on the steep side.

The main drivers in the Wilsons (System V Puppies) perished around the rims. These, and the foam grills were replaced about 2 years ago by Absolute Sounds as well. Again, reasonable price. Advice and details as to various options was supplemented by Wilsons who were extremely helpful throughout.

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I had a Musical Fidelity p270 which ran the first several watts in class A, and had similar continuous power consumption. When it was about 25 years old I sent it for a service, thinking that at its running temperature where the metalwork was about 60C at least the electrolytic caps would be may past their best, and I as the most recent owner had used it for probably an average of about 4 hours a day. MF tested replaced about 8 or 10 small caps, but didnā€™t change the reservoir ones, saying that they (and the amp) tested within spec.

If you read my post again youā€™ll see I was talking about continuous operation in class A mode. Thatā€™s a very different proposition to a few hoursā€™ use per day, and was in response to a post by the OP suggesting that he needed to leave the amp on in continuous class A mode as otherwise it took too long to sound right.

You dont want to leave it in class A all the time, just when you are using it, its easy to switch between the different classes, just push a button on the remote.
It takes around 30 minutes to warm up between classes, i have been told.

So far going great, but i am sort of missing the naim look, all the boxes look impressive, but last night enjoyed the delights it brings.
One thing i havenā€™t quite made my mind up on is very low volume listening, here i think the naim has the edge, as i feel that the bass is better and the vitus can sound a bit lean in comparison, but i am talking low listening volumes and more background music, rather than sit down and listen, but it could be a concern for some, if say you had it on all day in the background, just thinking that it could be different in class A/B, but havenā€™t tried it.

The heat i havenā€™t been thinking about, since i learned how to use it better and so is not a concern now.
The power this thing has in reserve is huge, it certainly has more than the 500 and its control off the speaker is far better, the funny thing is, i am having to once again learn my music as it sounds quite different, certain notes, instruments and especially voices are now much easier to pick out and follow, its quite strange and some tracks i play regularly really highlight it, it like they have been hiding away.
But certainly interesting going forward and i begin to get more used to it and start to delve deeper into it

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I had read and understood your post - but the continuous power consumption is much the same (actually IIRC mine was slightly higher, maybe 180W) and so heat is likely to be much the same (more heat produced in mine, but of course heat build up depends on construction and heat dissipation to the room). And 25 years of, say, 4 hours a day is equivalent to 4 years of 24 hours a day, which is the scale of things you cited.

My point was that it may not necessarily pose such a need for early re-capping as your estimate. But I certainly concur with suggesting not running continuously, for reasons of running cost, excessive room heating (other than in a cold location), and potential negative environmental impact depending on the electricity source. And warm-up to full operational temp and is not likely to be long.

well low listening volumes is quite key for me, if the vitus doesnā€™t do as well as Naim and also the bass, thatā€™s another negative against this 10K integrated.

also 30 minutes to warm up is quite a long time, this isnā€™t foreplay after all.

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Youā€™re 9k out on the price.

Back ground levels i said, like if you had it on all day listening to the radio etc, while you were doing something else. The naims forward, aggressive sound at these low levels, especially on the 500dr over the lesser naim amps is more announced, its more like having a loundness button switched on, this is a crude way to explain it, but probably explains it best.
Once you turn it up a touch to say normal listening levels that you you sit down and listen too, then its a completely different ball game.

More often than not I have some idea of what Iā€™m going to do in the evening or at the weekend, so, for example, if Iā€™m thinking of listening to music after dinner, Iā€™ll switch on before dinner. I still do that even though my non class-A amps donā€™t get as hot, leaving them off the rest of the time. On the occasions when I hadnā€™t turned on first, any difference in sound quality between cold and warmed up (which would be across the first album) has never drawn attention to itself.

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thanks for the reply - but seriously this is a 19K integrated, it was never on the cards for me, and to be honest neither was 552/500 as itā€™s just too much cash.

The good thing about Naim is that I could sample the delights of a 252 or 52 with a Supercap at second hand prices if I were so inclined.

As I mentioned earlier (and as Naim and Linn have always advised) the true value is in the source, and for that I am willing to pay top dollar (and GBP), but for amplifiers - well beyond 282/250 levels it is law of diminishing returns, and if I had to do it all over again, I would be looking at the same sources (Chord DAC) but with a good preamp and active speakers from Dynaudio, ATC or Acoustic energyā€¦

30 minutes is fine and doesnā€™t bother me one bit, already doing a similar thing with the rega aura, as that is powered off all the time, until i want to use it.
Another thing that is great is completely silent, no hiss or anything from the speakers, no hum from the power supplies, no popping etc when you switch things on or off, or mute etc. Its very nice and you tend to forget how noisy the naim gear is in comparison

I have an all tube preamp. It needs 45 minutes to really be ready for serious listening.
I have to switch it off every day for tube life reason.
However for me itā€™s not a problem.
As Dunc, I have had all Naim system for many years. Enjoyed it a lot but was often feeling that something was lacking, specially when I heard some fine tubes electronics or other solid states. The all Naim system can sound a bit bright, forward, and lacking some refinement.
I have searched during 2 years the right preamp to go with the Naim amps, without loosing involvement and prat, but adding some nicer tones and colors.
I finally found the ear 912. It replaced the 252 , and added also a wonderful tube stage which comes with it.

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Sure FR but I havenā€™t got time for foreplay in hi fi :joy:

I need to press play and the system should play music with engagement right away

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Even though I leave my Naim kit on 24/7, I still play a disc at very low volume before I go up for a ā€œproperā€ listen. It always seems to sound better after its been playing for a while.

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Well if you want proper engagement, you had better sell the naim then, as just hitting play wont do it lol

Not sure I follow. I use my Naim rig daily and itā€™s great. No delays no warm upā€¦

even if I did sell the Naim it would be for a pair of reasonably priced active speakers, no way would it be for a 19 k integrated.

in my case, to my ears, my Chord DAC (Dave and Mojo) are providing the engagement, and these do sound great regardless of the set up, even in my carā€¦ itā€™s my ears, my opinion, but the real core of a system is the source, not the preamp or ampā€¦

I love my Naim gear but Iā€™m not going to get partisan. Thereā€™s more than one party in town. In fact Iā€™m going to audition a Vitus SIA-300 to satisfy my curiosity. Who knows? And certainly no one does until they listenā€¦

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Yes i heard you was going to try one, the big boy as well
Sia030

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If this all-in-one box can better my 6 boxes then Iā€™ll be very interested.But the minus side is that it runs hot,consumed too much electricity, have to wait 30 minutes before itā€™s optimum and the 25 or30 watts output ( sia25\sia30) might be on the lower side to drive the speakers.I might be tempted to audition them at my dealer as he sells everything that I own.Will do it when everything gets normal.

And of course it may still sound pretty good before sounding optimalā€¦ :wink: