WITHDRAWN OR RELISTED: Vitus SIA-025 Integrated Amplifier - RRP US$27,000

[alexb]

Item: Vitus SIA-025 Integrated Amplifier - RRP US$27,000
Location: Adelaide
Price: Relisted
Item Condition: Mint condition in original box
Reason for selling: Need the funds so my system needs to go!
Payment Method: Local pickup or direct deposit for interstate buyers
Extra Info: 

Basically the best integrated amp money can buy and better than most separates! Pure class A 25Wpc switchable to class AB 100Wpc. Don’t be fooled by the numbers, the solid state electronics provide immense power but with tube-like holographic imaging. This is a preamp and monoblocks (SM-010 moaural amplifiers) in a single box. The result is five inputs (balanced and unbalanced), a preamplifier output for bi-amping purposes and balanced speaker outputs.

         

At 40kg, it is built like a Bentley and feels extremely refined with no expense spared in its construction. Beautiful remote that is only available with the Signature and Masters series products. Also includes the original Vitus power cable which is better than many commercial audiophile cables and Vitus packaging.

Dimensions: 43.5w x 43d x 13h cm

 

The reviews speak for themselves:

 https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2012/12/20/mini-review-vitus-audio-sia-025-integrated-amplifier/

 

http://www.kogaudio.com/pdf/SIA025TAS.pdf

 

 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2017 by alexb

[djb]

@Point source@generichs Was it a power amp from this company you were discussing recently?

[Rori]

Is that a US plug? If so would that indicate this is not an AUS retail version? 

[sir sanders zingmore]

Superb amp !

[PKay]

@doomigee2 this integrated would be well worth considering in your search. 

[Guest scumbag]

Seems to be conceptually similar to a pass labs int-60.8 but with a computer to control everything. 25watts of sweet class-a. Though I'm sure it's more than that. GLWS. 

[alexb]

10 hours ago, Rori said:

Is that a US plug? If so would that indicate this is not an AUS retail version? 

 

Yes, this has the US plug and the unit is the 230v version from Singapore. I am the second owner and I know the original owner.

 

 

[WorkinClassAudio]

16 hours ago, djb said:

@Point source@generichs Was it a power amp from this company you were discussing recently?

I wasn't discussing this one.  Can't remember what I was discussing.  Will have to record my conversations. 

[Guest scumbag]

17 hours ago, generichs said:

I wasn't discussing this one.  Can't remember what I was discussing.  Will have to record my conversations. 

Why bother, everyone else is recording them. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by scumbag
Typo

[djb]

You do begin your "juice" regimen rather early some mornings.

[c0redumpt]

Very nice amplifier have heard this in action and is a very very sweet amplifier... great seller too ... glws

Edited July 17, 2017 by c0redumpt1553552726

[darthlaker]

Impeccable seller. GLWTS

[tubularbells]

Consider me interested however what im trying to find out is how the Class A/AB switching arrangement works in that if your in Class A mode do you still have the full 100w on tap (with just the first 25w being Class A) or are you strictly limited to just 25w?

 

Also I understand that it defaults to AB on turn on and you have to physically switch it over to Class A correct? Can this be done on the fly via remote or is there more too it?

[Guest scumbag]

Mr tubular,  a useful reference might be Nelson pass' white paper entitled "leaving class a". My understanding is that the output devices (mosfets)  are fed current (referred to as bias) to keep them active. All class a and ab amps have to do this to keep the output devices on the boil. An amplifier might use 2 mosfets per channel and a higher output like this many paralleled devices per channel. The mosfets are generally grouped into two types.  If you set the idle bias higher the output devices supply both the positive and negative voltage swings up to a higher output than a more common class ab amplifier. A budget amplifier will most likely operate in class-a but only for perhaps a fraction of a watt. In this case the amp stays in class-a until at least 25 watts. When the devices are doing both the negative and positive you are in class-a.  As output increases, the devices slide into class-b so that one device supplies the negative voltage swing and the other the positive. There is no descernible switch. 

The thing about designs like this is they are fairly inefficient at idle but get more efficient as output increases. The other thing is they sound amazing at low outputs. Generally these sort of designs favour even order distortion - this is where listeners make comments about them being tube like because valve amps tend to have that sort of distortion signature. Yeah, a good amplifier designer also designs how their amplifier distorts. 

You also get massive grunt due to the amount of paralleled mosfets and a big ass power supply. 

Finese with balls. Fist in a silk glove etc. I am guessing that like the pass labs gear, the specs are understated. Subjectively this will sound like a much more powerful amp and it should be able to supply huge amounts of current. 

Any electrical engineers please feel free to tell me if i got any of the above wrong! 

Edited July 17, 2017 by scumbag
Typo

[Assisi]

1 hour ago, Tubularbells said:

Consider me interested however what im trying to find out is how the Class A/AB switching arrangement works in that if your in Class A mode do you still have the full 100w on tap (with just the first 25w being Class A) or are you strictly limited to just 25w?

 

Also I understand that it defaults to AB on turn on and you have to physically switch it over to Class A correct? Can this be done on the fly via remote or is there more too it?

My previous Amp was a SIA-025.  The default setting at turn on is AB Class.  From my memory it can be programmed to turn on in A class if that is preferred.  It can also be changed from either class to the other from the remote.  My understanding was if it was in A class it stayed there until it was changed to AB or vice versa.

There are many setting that can be changed from the default through programming.  It is worth buying just to feel the remote.

John

[alexb]

1 hour ago, Tubularbells said:

Consider me interested however what im trying to find out is how the Class A/AB switching arrangement works in that if your in Class A mode do you still have the full 100w on tap (with just the first 25w being Class A) or are you strictly limited to just 25w?

 

Also I understand that it defaults to AB on turn on and you have to physically switch it over to Class A correct? Can this be done on the fly via remote or is there more too it?

 

Scumbag has kindly given a much more thorough and insightful answer than I could have and I agree completely with all of the comments.

I can add that the class can be switched between A and AB at anytime using the remote from the comfort of your lounge. Because of the amps ability to slide into class B seamlessly, there is no lack of power at all in class A mode - conversely there is plenty of power!

 

The fist in a silk glove description is spot on, and it gets better and better as you keep listening. Easy to loose track of time and wake up tired in the morning!  

[alexb]

2 minutes ago, Assisi said:

My previous Amp was a SIA-025.  The default setting at turn on is AB Class.  From my memory it can be programmed to turn on in A class if that is preferred.  It can also be changed from either class to the other from the remote.  My understanding was if it was in A class it stayed there until it was changed to AB or vice versa.

 

There are many setting that can be changed from the default through programming.  It is worth buying just to feel the remote.

 

John

 

Thanks Assisi, the remote is a work of art...!

[Guest scumbag]

59 minutes ago, alexb said:

 

Scumbag has kindly given a much more thorough and insightful answer than I could have and I agree completely with all of the comments.

I can add that the class can be switched between A and AB at anytime using the remote from the comfort of your lounge. Because of the amps ability to slide into class B seamlessly, there is no lack of power at all in class A mode - conversely there is plenty of power!

 

The fist in a silk glove description is spot on, and it gets better and better as you keep listening. Easy to loose track of time and wake up tired in the morning!  

I guess that type of selectable operation is where this unit gets it over the Pass Labs which are quite low-tech in most respects. The ability to switch to whichever mode of operation is interesting but personally I'd just leave it to its own devices and let it decide. But either way, as Nelson Pass was at pains to point out in his whitepaper, sliding the bias setting between A & B should not be perceptible.

[tubularbells]

Thanks to all those who responded to my questions. Only two remain.

A) can I afford this?

B) will it properly drive my speakers considering my last two failures ( Line Magnetic 219A which went into clipping as soon as the music nudged past 90db and my Pass Labs x150.5 which was much better but still my JBL's got the power meter on the front panel flapping a bit)

 

Just wish there was an easy way of knowing whether an amp will work well or not as we all know sometimes lower wattage amps do better than higher rated ones and with my JBL's being 97db efficient and an easy 8 ohm load you'd think they wouldn't need more than a handful of watts but unfortunately this does not appear to be the case.

[Guest scumbag]

41 minutes ago, Tubularbells said:

Thanks to all those who responded to my questions. Only two remain.

A) can I afford this?

B) will it properly drive my speakers considering my last two failures ( Line Magnetic 219A which went into clipping as soon as the music nudged past 90db and my Pass Labs x150.5 which was much better but still my JBL's got the power meter on the front panel flapping a bit)

 

Just wish there was an easy way of knowing whether an amp will work well or not as we all know sometimes lower wattage amps do better than higher rated ones and with my JBL's being 97db efficient and an easy 8 ohm load you'd think they wouldn't need more than a handful of watts but unfortunately this does not appear to be the case.

A) Yes of course. Actually no idea.

B) That's a tough one. Perhaps a trip to SA?

[PKay]

40 minutes ago, scumbag said:

A) Yes of course. Actually no idea.

B) That's a tough one. Perhaps a trip to SA?

Speakers might be a bit heavy to lug around. I don't know why this hasn't sold yet. 

[Guest scumbag]

30 minutes ago, Nap250 said:

Speakers might be a bit heavy to lug around. I don't know why this hasn't sold yet. 

Yes, I meant that tongue in cheek. Given that the X150.5 is 190 watts RMS into 8ohms and 300 into 4ohms the only way you'd know if it has the necessary is to try it out with the speakers in question or ones as similar as possible.

[PKay]

5 minutes ago, scumbag said:

Yes, I meant that tongue in cheek. Given that the X150.5 is 190 watts RMS into 8ohms and 300 into 4ohms the only way you'd know if it has the necessary is to try it out with the speakers in question or ones as similar as possible.

I got it. 

[Rob181]

@Tubularbells...Speakers @ 97 db & hard to drive...

Something does not sound right to me...

Edited July 18, 2017 by Rob181

[PKay]

11 minutes ago, Rob181 said:

@Tubularbells...Speakers @ 97 db & hard to drive...

Something does not sound right to me...

Perhaps it is the sound level that @Tubularbells listens at. Rock Concert is my guess.