VAC Phi-200

VAC Phi-200 stereo power amplifier in excellent condition, conservatively rated as an 8. The only blemish I see is the very small chip in the finish on the back panel by the speaker posts shown in the rear photo.

Reviews of this amp are universally positive. VAC's reputation speaks for itself. Has both balanced and single-ended inputs, switchable stereo/mono operation (buy another one and have monoblocks!), switchable faceplate logo illumination, and three sets of transformer taps - 0-2 ohm, 2-4 ohm, and 4-8 ohm, so it can accommodate just about any speaker load. 110 W/ch in stereo mode.

Uses four KT88s and four 6SN7s. It will ship with Gold Lion reissue KT88s and Tung Sol reissue 6SN7s. Biasing is a simple process requiring only a thin blade flathead screwdriver. Bias remains nicely stable as long as output tubes are in good shape. This amp is a no b/s, no bling component that is all about sounding good. It is quite ruggedly built. Be aware that it takes up some real estate - its footprint is about 18 inches square and weighs in at about 75 lbs. You need at least 16 inches of shelf space front to rear for the unit's feet to be completely on the shelf. Also, in single-ended operation, gain is somewhat high at 37 db, so a passive or lower gain preamp works best. I imagine driving it directly from a CD player with adjustable volume would work well, too.

I haven't been active on the site in awhile, but I have been an Audiogon member since 2001 or so. Check my feedback. I am not a dealer, just an audiophile that occasionally buys or sells. I'll split the Paypal fee with you. Thanks for looking.