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The newest addition to our Reference line, the S-400 Reference Stereo Amplifier adapts the outstanding technical achievement of Siegfried to a single-chassis stereo design. At 400 watts per channel, the S-400 packs plenty of power for the most demanding musical passages while retaining a remarkable ability to resolve the finest details. With the same precision-regulated power supply and highest quality components as the monoblocks, users can expect a fast, articulate and unusually vivid sound that comes very near to that of Siegfried.

The luxurious looks, “smart” functionality and user-friendliness of Siegfried are duplicated in the S-400. Convenience features include:

• Automatic bias adjustment - the amplifier always maintains optimum bias without user tweaking.
• Automatic fault sensing - front panel display shows if a tube needs to be changed or if an internal fault occurs in the amplifier.
• On-board diagnostics - all operating parameters are displayed on the front panel readout.
• Tetrode/triode switching - accomplished with a touch of the “mode” button on the front panel.
• RS-232 interface – all diagnostic functions can be controlled remotely via the amplifier’s RS-232 interface, enabling easy integration with modern home theater systems. User can query the status of the amplifier and run all the diagnostics remotely by entering commands on a PC via the Hyperterminal window.

While the technical facility of the S-400 makes it virtually foolproof, ultimately, it is the surprising sound that will make you a believer. Like Siegfried, the S-400 reveals the inner details and overtones of music, which results in a much more lifelike experience. Live music’s harmonic complexity and richness is fully revealed without a trace of harshness or electronic edginess.

Most listeners have traditionally agreed that the various types of amplifiers available—tube, solid state, single-ended triode, push-pull—each possess characteristic strengths and weaknesses. The advanced engineering of the S-400 succeeds in extracting the best qualities of each of these designs into one unit. The immense power reserves provide a foundation for music on the level of the best solid state amplifiers; the warmth, agility, and rich timbral presentation of the midrange recalls the best of single-ended triode designs, yet the S-400 remains completely unfazed during dynamic, complex passages like a top-quality push-pull. To be able to get this kind of astonishing performance—so close to Siegfried at only half the cost-- makes this amplifier a truly great value. The S-400 will redefine what you thought possible in a stereo amplifier.

» TUBE MANAGEMENT

• Fully logic-controlled automatic tube biasing: Re-biases between music passages, to keep tubes in optimal operating condition
• Tube life: Front panel display shows hours of operation of the tubes—no more guesswork on when to change tubes
• Switchable on-the-fly between tetrode and triode modes with built-in circuit protection
• Logic-controlled soft-start sequence - extends tube life

» SMART FAULT-SENSING

• Front panel fault display alerts user if any of the following conditions are sensed:
  • inadequate line voltage
  • power surge
  • any tube is operating out of its parameters
• Automatic shutdown after fault is sensed

» USER DIAGNOSTICS

• automated fuse testing
• line voltage display
• amplifier operating time (since new)
• serial port for remote diagnostics

» ELECTRONICS

• Precision regulated power supplies: For consistently musical performance and deep bass
• Balanced input stage: For dynamic sound and superior noise rejection
• Fully remote controllable and RS-232 Interface: For integration with centrally controlled systems
• Phase switch

When VTL introduced its awe-inspiring 1250-watt Wotan amplifier in 1996, Luke Manley, VTL’s President, called it “the culmination of all we know about amplifier building at VTL.” But even as he spoke those words, change was brewing—both in the audio industry and at VTL. The growth of home theater meant that amplifiers were being called on to perform an array of new functions. Meanwhile, VTL was confronting the question of how tubed equipment would fit into modern home entertainment systems. Reliability and consistency of tubed components were issues that had to be decisively resolved. With these questions in mind, Luke began formulating ideas for a new Reference amplifier; tubed to be sure, but packed with technological innovations and breaking new ground in sonic excellence. After five years of intensive R&D, designing, testing, refining and listening, VTL’s newest addition to the Reference family is ready… Siegfried 800-Watt Reference Monoblock Amplifier has arrived.

When Luke began developing the concepts for a next-generation Reference amplifier, he laid out the following design goals:

• The Reference amplifier should deliver a new sonic standard worthy of its marque as a member of the Reference family – it should provide unsurpassed sound quality as well as excellent measurements on the test bench
• The amplifier must be able to drive a wide range of speaker types to their optimal performance, with consistent performance under all conditions
• The amplifier must be self-optimizing and provide a full range of diagnostics for sustaining peak performance
• The operation of the amplifier must be intuitive and user-friendly while providing flexibility in its control functions, for integration with modern home theater systems

From the outset, it was apparent that Siegfried would not be a business-as-usual design. “The R&D process ended up being an intensive cross-disciplinary collaboration between multiple teams of engineers in different parts of the country,” says Luke Manley. “Tube circuit designers, power supply experts, software engineers, control circuit experts, and industrial design specialists all had a hand in shaping Siegfried.”

The quest to make Siegfried “smart” was a major part of the design process. VTL was committed to eliminating the continual tweaking and guesswork that usually come with owning large tube amplifiers. Automatic self-regulation was understood to be the key to keeping Siegfried operating at peak performance. To that end, engineers embedded a logic-controlled automatic tube biasing circuit inside the amplifier to ensure that Siegfried is running optimally at all times. A full range of diagnostic functions were also included to let users know which tubes need to be changed, amplifier operating time, tube life, real-time AC voltage and more.

Siegfried’s sound quality took a significant leap forward, due in part to the use of new precision-regulated power supplies. Benefits heard include increased dynamic headroom and a tighter, more tuneful bass. Listening tests also revealed a new vividness, with a noticeable increase in agility and articulation within the music. A balanced input stage keeps the noise floor vanishingly low.

Siegfried’s physical package received special attention in the design process. The thick and extremely rigid chassis (provided in a tower configuration) is clad in non-magnetic material and rests on large non-resonant feet to banish mechanical interference. The sleek, modern appearance of Siegfried matches the cosmetics of VTL’s TL7.5 Reference Preamplifier. A curved fascia is inset with a digital readout and three buttons. With its subtle interplay of brushed, ribbed and polished aluminum, Siegfried has a commanding yet refined visual presence; unmistakably a product for the most serious and discerning music lovers.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the way our new ‘smart’ amplifier has turned out,” says VTL’s Luke Manley. “Siegfried has surpassed everyone’s expectations with respect to sound quality and ease of use. This is an amplifier you can turn on and forget about; allowing you to sit back, relax and simply enjoy the music.”

» Feature Summary

• Fully logic-controlled automatic tube biasing: Re-biases between music passages, to keep tubes in optimal operating condition
• Smart fault-sensing: Alerts user to all faults, with automatic shutdown and front panel fault display
• User diagnostics: For information on tubes and operating parameters, with tube change time reminder, automated fuse testing, line voltage display
• Precision regulated power supplies: For consistently musical performance and deep bass
• Balanced input stage: For dynamic sound and superior noise rejection
• Extended tube life: Logic-controlled soft-start sequence and optimized operating conditions
• Tetrode/Triode and Phase: Automated switchover with circuit protection
• Fully remote controllable and RS-232 Interface: For integration with centrally controlled systems

Recent engineering breakthroughs have resulted in a major upgrade to one of VTL’s most important products - the TL-7.5 Reference Line Preamplifier. Four years after introducing the TL-7.5 to universal acclaim, VTL has revised it for an even higher level of performance. The new design, known as the TL-7.5 Series II, adapts current gain technology developed for the new TP-6.5 Signature Phono Stage. The upgrade results in a lower overall gain (20dB-balanced, 14dB single ended), as well as a dramatically lower noise floor. Luke Manley, President of VTL, credits the improvements to intensive ongoing R&D at the company. “While working on the forthcoming TP-6.5 phono stage, we developed a high current circuit to resolve with very low background noise the small distances that a phono cartridge travels, and we have applied this thinking to the TL-7.5 Series II.” The new circuit delivers even wider frequency response as well as superior musicality and transparency, while maintaining the neutrality that the TL-7.5 Reference Line Stage is famous for. Also included in the upgrade are new parts selected to enhance the resolution with even more speed and presence in the critical top end and midrange. For increased compatibility with modern home theater systems, the Series II adds a fully bi-directional RS-232 control.

The original thinking behind the design of the TL7.5 came from VTL’s goal of creating a preamplifier with the very finest resolving power. To this end, VTL engineers decided on a dual-chassis design. One unit contains the multiple regulated power supplies and audio switching controls, while the other carries only the amplified audio signal, uncontaminated by AC line or control microprocessor noise. This “clean box/dirty box” approach, the balanced mode of operation, and the ultra high resolution volume control all ensure an audio signal of utmost purity, unaffected by external influences. Also fundamental to the design is its hybrid tube/solid state circuitry. A pair of 12AU7 tubes provides harmonic opulence in the gain stage while a MOSFET output stage offers high current capability with ultra-low impedance for optimal matching with any amps and interconnects. The result is a component with striking clarity and detail that presents instrumental timbres and textures in an amazingly lifelike way. You’ll find the most elusive qualities of your recordings--spatial size and organization, instrumental separation, and low-level sound decay--newly revealed, exposing previously obscured detail for a more realistic and satisfying musical experience. The Series II pushes the boundaries of what is possible even further, offering a compelling improvement in bass definition, harmonic accuracy, and the ability to identify tonal differences in instruments. The new TL7.5 Series II is unquestionably another significant step along the path to ultimate musical truth.

• Innovative “clean box/dirty box” design to keep musical signals isolated and pure
• Hybrid tube/solid state design—the musicality of tubes with the power to drive any load with any length interconnect
• Fully differential circuits for all-the-way-through balanced operation for superior noise rejection
• 12 fully regulated power supplies to preserve tonal and spatial accuracy
• A simple, short and direct signal path using the highest quality audio parts delivers greater emotional connection with your music
• Programmable switching and triggering functions offer ultimate flexibility for home theater audio management

» Feature Summary of the TL-7.5:

• Tube complement: 2 - 12AU7 tubes
• Fully differential circuit with balanced in and out with mirror-image layout
• Isolated Control Unit chassis with 12 separate fully regulated power supplies
• Separate Audio Unit chassis with zero internal digital activity
• Low noise processor control design for all functions
• Simple circuit topology with low negative feedback for musical purity
• Logical sequenced soft-start power up for extended tube life
• Ultra low impedance output stage to drive any length of cable and any power amplifier
• Shock-mounted gain stage
• Modular volume control and output stages
• All Infini and Multicaps in signal path
• 95-step 70dB discrete relay attenuator for all attenuation functions
• Processor loop – any of 8 inputs can be assigned as fixed unity gain pass through
• Tape monitor function for both tape loops
• 4 separately programmable trigger outputs
• Programmable input offsets
• Selectable padded inputs
• Rear IR receiver for all functions
• Rigid Combination steel and non-magnetic chassis and machined aluminum remote wand