Vinnie Rossi, Harbeth and the VR120 – RMAF 2015
Ever since the release of his know-it-all integrated, Vinnie Rossi’s show room presentation has been set to stun. The high end modular system sports capabilities from phono stage to headphone amplification and everything in-between. Very well received among the review circuit, the ultra capacitor powered system lets you add or subtract features as your needs/budget see fit. Pricing for the LIO starts at $2,495 and moves up from there.
Rounding out the room on the 4th floor of the Denver Tech Center Marriott was a pair of Harbeth 40.2 reference monitors ($14,990). Making their US debut, the combination was extremely transparent and lively, even for the close proximity that was dictated by the size of the room.
The big news on the scene was actually the release of a complementary power amplifier to the LIO. Dubbed the VR120, this ultra capacitor amplifier features a class “A” JFET input stage and class “AB” MOSFET output stage. It is capable of pushing 120 WPC into 8 ohms and can be bridged into a mono configuration for 250 watts. The new VR120 will set you back $4,995 for the stereo amp and $9,595 for a mono pair.
The simplified presentation and upfront demeanor of the rig was a welcome alternative to the complex and showy stereotypes that saturate the high end of shows like RMAF. The plug and play-ish nod to compact systems with marginal compromise works well in this scenario. Even with the mid range price tag the proposition still touts the siren call of value. Securely tethered to an output that feels very much high end, the result is inherently refreshing. Good stuff.
De-grunge-ing the near-field capabilities of Harbeth? Always a good thing! I have to look into (apropos for Harbeth) the near-field enhancing of my Harbeth C7’s.