VTL TP-6.5 Signature Phono Preamplifier

The VTL exhibit room exuded hospitality and charm. Luke Manley and his wife, Bea Lam, walked me through their latest offerings, including the $33,500 S-400 Series II Reference stereo amplifier. Even newer was the $18,000 TP-6.5 Signature phono stage with moving-coil step-up transformers. The circuit design includes a single-ended input with balanced outputs. Luke explained its hybrid design that offers two options for the moving-coil owner: a hybrid JFET-and-tube head amplifier, or the silver-wired transformer. The remainder of the circuit includes a 12AX7 for RIAA compensation, and 12AT7s that serve as phase splitters and buffers to support the balanced outputs, with a precision-regulated power supply. Bea Lam (that's her hand in the photo above) demonstrated the VTL phono preamplifier's varied display options.

X