VTL TL-5.5 sII Tube Pre Amp & Phono Pre Amp

This VTL 5.5 II has the preamp line stage and the phono stage.  The line stage

comes with 4 upgraded Mazda 12AT7 tubes installed and the stock tubes

boxed.  The rest of the tubes are stock.  I love the sound of this preamp, 

amazing bass and midrange and stereo imaging.  This is still VTL's most

current and expensive all tube preamp.  If you are looking for a tubed Phono Stage,

than this is like receiving a free one that can do MM & MC with full adjustability. 

I've owned it for about 2 years having bought it directly from a California dealer. Cosmetically and operationally the 5.5 II is excellent.  However there is a minor blemish on the front top (see photos) and the right side top edge has 2 minor imperfections, if you run your finger along the edge. Technically it's an 8 or Very Good on Audiogon's scale.

The only reason for the sale is that I have expanded my system and have purchased a separate phono pre-amp, so I no longer need the VTL's phono stage.  I am, however going to be using another VTL unit for preamp duties.

This unit has a fully balanced output, rca output, multiple balanced inputs,a recording output and a cinema bypass.  I was able to run a pair of subs from from the xlr outputs while driving a pair of mono solid state amps with the rca's. 

The phono stage allows for adjustments of gain and loading and can be switched from MM to MC cartridges.

The VTL 5.5 II has been on Stereophile's A Class list and is well reviewed:

Stereophile 2013, Robert Reina says:

"The TL-5.5 Series II Signature has a detailed, liquid, uncolored sound, a wide dynamic range that mirrors that of live music, rugged construction, and a long list of features—in short, a good value for the price."

Absolute Sound 2015, Wayne Garcia says:

"But beyond this sensation of the musicians’ presence is another kind of harmony created by these designs, the kind that, taken altogether, creates a seamless sense of bottom-to-top tonal coherence, dynamic push, and resolution to create a thrilling sense of aliveness and of the music-making process. These things are hard to articulate, but most of you reading this magazine have most certainly experienced that sense of being transported while listening to great music over great gear."

With this unit your are getting a lot of the VTL reference technology found in their VTL 6.5 preamp and VTL 6.5 stand alone phono stage in one compact chassis.

Wayne Garcia writes:

The optional phonostage is derived from VTL’s standalone TP-6.5 phono preamp, and Luke Manley believes the performance of the 5.5 version comes close to that of the pricier separate unit. Indeed, during a visit from Manley and his wife, Bea, Luke popped the top on the TL-5.5 Series II in order to adjust (via jumpers) the load of the phonostage, revealing just how much space the phono section occupies within the chassis. It’s a surprising chunk of real estate, but as Manley said, “We felt it was important to have as much of the TP-6.5’s sound as possible.”

Included is the factory box, pc cord, factory instructions and the remote.  

The remote has a small ding to it's corner. (see photos) 

Please don't email me offers, if you want to send me an offer, 

use Audiogon's system.  Please do ask any questions.

Paypal fee's not included in listing price.

Specs at a Glance:

TL-5.5 Series II Signature Preamplifier 
Inputs: Two pairs balanced XLR or single-ended RCA (optional mm/mc phono cards); six pairs single-ended RCA
Outputs: One pair single-ended RCA, one pair buffered RCA (tape)
Tube complement: Two 12AU7, four 12AT7 (line stage), two 12X7, two 12AX7 (mm), two 12AU7 (mc)
Dimensions: 17.33" x 3" x 15.5"
Weight: 30 lbs.
Price: $8000 (linestage only), $10,500 (with internal phonostage)

Main Features: 

• _Almost half the price of the TL-6.5 Signature Preamplifier 

• _Renewed cosmetics to match with Reference and Signature models 

• _Fully balanced differential linestage with increased functionality 

• _Optional internally retrofittable phono stage, with user adjustable cartridge loading and gain options 

• _Engineering from TL/TP-6.5 applied to power supply and circuitry: Precision-regulated B+ and B- supplies 

• _Tube life extender circuit with B+ delay and soft filament ramp on power on 

• _Balanced design, low-radiation power transformer 

• _Quiet logic: Microprocessor sleep mode, quiet non-matrixing LED display with latching shift registers 

Line Stage: All-tube, with lower gain high current 12AU7 circuit and 12AT7 buffer, minimal negative feedback 

• _2 balanced /single-ended inputs, 5 single-ended inputs, 1 tape in, 1 bal / Single-ended out, 1 buffered record out 

• _Soft-touch relay input select 

• _128-step chip-based differential volume control, with 3-digit display 

• _Higher resolution via single higher-resolution attenuator, and software control for balance and offset 

• _Switchable gain between normal and low gain 

• _Mono control on front panel 

• _Fully bi-directional RS-232 control: programmable input offset, any input programmable as pass-through, and input disable, tape monitor and Mono control on front panel 

• _Two programmable trigger outputs 

• _Full function aluminum metal remote 

• _TP-6.5 chassis size with all precision machined aluminum cosmetic 

Phono stage: 

 JFET/parallel 12AU7 design from TP-6.5: 68dB gain balanced

 (23dB MC, 45dB MM) 

• _Split-pole Passive RIAA with paralleled 12AX7 and 12AT7 gain stage 

• _MM / MC select via jumper 

• _MC Gain settings via jumper: 3 steps of 6dB: 68dB, 62dB, 56dB. 

• _Loading: MM 47kΩ, MC: 100Ω, 220Ω, 470Ω, 1kΩ, 47kΩ _

• _Enhanced RIAA (selectable via jumper) 

• _Rumble filter setting via front panel 

• _Selectable bal/ S/E output via jumper 

• _Dual-use buttons on front panel for phono-only functions 

• _MC and MM gain trims