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Hi again SoCal Sam, as I mentioned in the thread you refer to, this amp is voiced as a tribute to the 299D, but there the similarity ends. I doubt, for example, that an original 299D will accommodate KT150s. Following the kind guidance of the amp's designer Steve Leung, I'm now running a quad...

I think Kevin's up front style means that he's probably a guy that divides opinions, so maybe that accounts for some of the reviews. Anyway I couldn't be happier with my choice. These tubes sound wonderful and are so, so stable. I'm thrilled.

Well just to complete the circle here, I eventually decided to go with Upscale and I have to say it appears to have been a good decision. I reasoned that the eBay seller's feedback, great as it undeniably is, doesn't really relate to long term performance as we all tend to give feedback on...

On the rattling remote buttons that's one of those things that either bothers you or it doesn't. I hadn't even noticed the very slight "loose" noise of the buttons until you pointed it out, an effect I don't hear unless I move the remote in such a way to invoke the noise, it just doesn't matter...

Thanks for everyone's contributions. Interesting that no one using Upscale has come forward. He charges a big premium and I'm just not comfortable with some of his feedback. All looks wonderful on his website feedback that he obviously controls, but you go to Google, where he can't control it...

Firstly I'm certainly pleased that your generally very positive impressions match my own. On your phono stage noise I absolutely don't hear this in any clear manner and maybe MurrayLives is right that my less than super sensitive speakers (89dB) may be masking it, but I still think it would be...

I still think you're missing the point here. This is a homage to the voicing of the original 299D with a very modern twist using some great components. In no way is it a replica. This was a one off, in the realms of a vanity retirement project that kind of got into very very limited production...

I doubt they would. This was a "retirement" project for Harry Weisfeld that Mat Weisfeld didn't want to go into production with, so there's no been no real marketing of what is, at the end of the day, a strictly, never to be repeated, run of 100 amps. In any case published tests don't mean a...

Hi Everyone, Some advice please. Where is the best place (US) to buy Tung Sol KT150s? Were I to just listen to Upscale Audio there is no other decent option, and yet this place seems to get some very mixed online reviews. The other issue is that he seems to be charging a lot more than anyone...

This isn't a replica of the 299D, it's a homage to it with the best modern components, including a big power supply and output transformers (toroidal). Have a look at the online reviews and you'll see how well received it's been.

Thanks for letting us all know. I think you'll be delighted with it. Keep us posted on this thread if you will.

Fair enough, but I think this discussion on the phono stage is in danger of adversely affecting the OP's opinion of what I would regard as a great amp. I'm sure you'd generally agree on that point at least and we've both said that the performance of the phono stage is an asset/liability, delete...

Possibly. Interesting that you're the only owner who complains about this though, isn't it. As Steve owns three pairs of Tannoys, I suspect much of the voicing has been done with high sensitivity speakers. I'd strongly recommend giving him a call.

89dB and I don't have to use a lot of juice at all to drive them with this amp. Never have taken it above about 11 o clock.

You're welcome. I shall await your eventual decision with interest.

Personally speaking the phono stage was irrelevant to my purchasing decision, but I would observe in general that this is one of the quietest, very likely THE quietest, amps I've ever owned, tube or solid state. It's basically silent on all inputs other than the phono stage, which if I press my...

Very interesting, but again not anything I'm noticing. Maybe you should give Steve a call?

Fair enough, but it's not a repeatable issue on my amp.

OK, just off the phone from a great discussion with Steve. He says that, the phono stage is solid state, however it's far from being an after thought and a lot of design and time went into it, including power supply and high quality wiring. It was designed to be very quiet also, so that again...

I can confirm that this is something I hear with my 299D. Very believable. This happens equally well on digital recordings too. Another good word might be seamless.

If you fancy negotiating, looks like Upscale Audio does a price beat guarantee. And he has three left. https://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/vpi-299d-limited-edition-tube-integrated-amplifier?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=retargeting&utm_campaign=lowerfunnel

Thanks for responding. Don't hear that hiss myself so maybe system specific? Agreed on cost of the KT150s but I'm pretty sure it's easily going to be a $400 improvement and as mine aren't the most sensitive speakers (89dB) probably a good match. That said the stock EL34s sound magical and not...

Agreed that's a great deal. And how about this in the product narrative: "This amp is so good, I bought one myself!" -Seth Frank, Owner of Soundstagedirect"

This is definitely an important comparison point with the Primaluna Dialogue and Prologue integrated amps. Neither of them have tube rectification. That's something reserved for their preamps, probably to help give some product feature differentiation. It's also another rolling option in the future.

To give my take on your question to MurrayLives about the importance of phono stage to price, I'd say irrelevant in that I treated having one as a bonus. That it works so well in my system is definitely a plus, but I suspect I'll still experiment with other external stages somewhere down the...