vacuum state SVP-1 User manual
va c u u m s tat e
SVP-1
Preamp User Manual
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• An sonically absolute state of the art unbalanced full preamp, in a minimalistic chassis, offering huge value for money
• Using a hybrid (tube & jfet) MC & MM phono section, and an all tube line section
• Zero negative feedback in both phono & line sections
• Two stage passive RIAA equalization in the phono section
• Extremely low output impedance and high current drive for a tube preamp
• Exceedingly wide bandwidth: 5Hz to 1MHz minimum
• State of the art low noise levels
• Extremely accurate RIAA equalization, and channel matching
• Extremely accurate matching of channel to channel RIAA equalization for superior stereo imaging
• Externally adjustable gain (three positions) to suit low, medium or high output MC/MM cartridges
• Externally adjustable cartridge loading by extra RCA plugs containing the desired resistance.
• Internally adjustable (by Dealer) line section gain, if needed to match the remainder of your system
• Hand built in Switzerland after 20 years of extensive listening test oriented design & development, as documented in
The TubePreamp CookBook
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Line Section
• Gain 15dB
• Distortion 0.014% @ 1VRMS output. H2 (2nd harmonic): 0.013%, H3: 0.005%, H4: 0.001%, H5: 0.001%
• Frequency response 5Hz to over 1MHz (–3dB)
• Noise –100dBV
• Maximum output level 40VRMS
• Input overload level Essentially infinite
Phono + Line section
• Gain High: 65dB Medium: 55dB Low: 45dB (Internal adjustment range 40dB to 70dB)
• Distortion 0.018% @ 1VRMS output. H2: 0.016%, H3: 0.006%, H4: 0.002%, H5: 0.002%
• Noise High gain MC setting: –96dBV @ 1kHz Medium gain: –100dBV Low gain (MM): –105dBV
• Maximum output level 40VRMS
• Input overload margin
high gain: 45dB with respect to a 0.3mV low output MC cartridge
medium gain: 45dB with respect to a 1.0mV MC/MM cartridge
low gain: 45dB with respect to a 3.0mV MM cartridge
• RIAA phono accuracy +/– 0.1dB from 10Hz to 50kHz
• RIAA Channel match +/– 0.05dB from 10Hz to 50kHz
N.B. These are actual measured figures from production units—not just theoretical design goals!
How do I connect it up?
• All the external connections are shown above, and there’s nothing
unusual except perhaps Line Input #1—which is shown as being
Attenuated. What this means is that this input’s sensitivity is reduced
by 6dB to allow a better match to the 2VRMS output of convention-
al CD players. hence your volume control setting for all loudness
levels will be in a more usable region of it’s rotation—and not
crushed down into the first 30° between 7 & 9 o'clock!
• The gain and loading values to match your cartridge are adjustable
from outside the SVP-1. The default loading is 47kΩ, and the default
gain is ‘High’ as most SVP-1’s will be used with top MCs.
• Most manufacturers (and experts) recommend a low value load for
MCs—but in our experience many (but not all) MCs sound far more
alive with a 47kΩloading that’s normally used with MMs!
So please do not automatically load down (and perhaps choke) your
wonderful MC—try 47kΩas well as the 470Ωand 100ΩRCA
loading plugs supplied, and choose which you prefer in your system.
• The Medium & Low gain settings are adjusted by plugging the
small black jumper plugs onto the relevant pins in the two squarish
holes found underneath the SVP-1, as shown here:
There are no dangerous voltages accessible—so you can make these
changes while it’s on, but please, only with the VC right D-O-W-N!
How do I ensure it’s performing at it’s best?
• Your unit has been individually test run, and carefully listened to in
our factory reference system—but it will need many more hours of
usage to fully ‘burn–in’ and reach it’s best performance.
• We strongly suggest it is left on all the time (24/365) so it will
always be at it’s correct operating temperature and best sound. Unless
we are away for a week or more, we never turn ours off.
• Please don’t think that this will shorten it’s life—the opposite is actu-
ally true, as what generally kills electronics (especially tubes) is the
hot/cold thermal cycling of repeated on/off switching.
Ever have a light bulb burn out, except at switch on or off?
N.B. If allowed to fully cool, it will take at least two hours to reach
good performance, and many more to be back at it’s optimum.
Tweaking?
• There is nothing we know of that can be done inside the chassis to
improve it’s performance without raising it’s price astronomically—
because if there was we’d have done it already. Most normal tweak
tricks are irrelevant here, as the capacitors and resistors are already
very special and chosen especially for their sonic qualities, and all cru-
cial parts are matched channel to channel to better than 0.1%! And
why no gold connectors? These ones may look low rent, but sound
way better than gold! So real gains have to come from tube selection,
or from outside the box, which means cables or vibration supports.
• The SVP-1 uses ECC88/6DJ8/6922 tubes, and you will certainly get
different sonic signatures from using different brands —perhaps even
with different brands in phono and line sections. Expensive NOS tubes
may sound better (and maybe not) but if you do use them—please read
our NOS tube tips on our website before inadvertently damaging them,
which is easy to do just by using them before the are rejuvenated!
• You are invited to play with differing line cords, cones, air supports
etc to find those that best suits your system and sonic tastes.
• The biggest gains will come from using very high quality intercon-
nects between the sources and SVP-1, and between the SVP-1 and the
following amplification. And here, may we suggest our Vacuum State
SilverWire or SilverFoil interconnects? Our electronics could never
have been developed to sound as good without their maximum signal
transfer quality and minimal added colourations. They are really quite
special. Ask your dealer for a demonstration or a loaner…
va c u u m s tat e GmbH
Büsingerstr. 5, 8203 Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Outputs to poweramp,
electronic crossover or
subwoofer, etc.
Recording
Outputs
Line level
Inputs #4
Normal
Line level
Inputs #3
Normal
Line level
Inputs #2
Normal
Line level
Inputs #1
Attenuated
Phono
Inputs
Cartridge loading
socketsPhono
ground
Outputs Inputs
With the phono gain set, everything connected up but with the poweramps OFF—turn on the SVP-1 using the power switch under the right side
front corner. A bright red LED will light—this indicates the output muted warm–up phase. After some 2 minutes this red light will turn to blue,
the outputs will be un–muted and the SVP-1 will be fully operational. Then turn on your poweramps and begin to explore the qualities of your
new addition to your system. We at Vacuum State wish you great music, and will always be interested in hearing about your experiences!
Low gain:
No jumpers
Medium gain:
Jumpers only
on the inner
pins
High gain:
Jumpers in all
four locations
Line cord
entrance
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