VTL MB450 MK II Signature Monoblock Amplifiers

Powerful, dimensional, and delicate, the MB-450 Signature uses the same classic VTL circuit design as the MB-1250 and MB-750. Featuring eight 6550 tubes,  Signature Output Transformer, and a single-decked chassis, the MB-450 Signature carries the same "sonic character" as the Reference series and can drive the most demanding speakers with the utmost ease. A new "Super Balanced Input," derived from the Siegfried, provides superior common mode noise rejection, lowers the noise floor significantly and eliminates ground loop hum completely, resulting in a very open sound with a sweeter top-end, tighter bass control and more focused and well-defined images. Listening is believing. Bring your favorite music to us today and ask to be convinced.

The Ultra-Wide Bandwidth, Low-Loss Output Transformer

VTL continues a tradition of emphasis on simple elegance and design innovation with our high fidelity, ultra wide bandwidth Signature output transformer.

• Multiple tight layering and coupling for extended frequency response
• Custom winding for clean square wave response, precise impedance matching to output tubes
• High efficiency with low insertion loss for optimal current transfer, set for 5 ohm ideal speaker load, utilizing whole secondary

The Soul

Behind the sleek new cosmetics of the VTL Signature Monoblock Amplifiers, a revolutionary new component is added to further improve the resolution of the amplifier. The Signature Transformer, an ultra-wide bandwidth, low loss output transformer, now comes standard with all VTL Signature Monoblock amplifiers. The Signature transformer's major strength is that it can deliver the current in the bass, while at the same time maintaining the speed in the high frequencies, dramatically improving the square wave response of the amplifier, and translating to a far cleaner sound.

The Innovation

Traditional output transformers cannot match the performance of the VTL Signature transformer. The biggest challenge with designing a big output transformer is that it needs to be as big as possible to be able to handle the bass current, but it gets harder and harder to keep the speed in the top end as the size of the transformer increases. If the coupling is not watched carefully, the capacitance and leakage inductance will roll off the high frequencies.

Technically, the design highlights of the Signature output transformer are a substantial increase in the number of interleaved sections over VTL's previous output transformers, dramatically improving the coupling between the primary and secondary windings (and even the individual wires) and increasing the efficiency (by lowering the insertion loss) of the transformer. The multiple sections and better winding to winding coupling of the Signature transformer gives the amplifier the capability to pass full power right out to the frequency extremes, which is the major reason for the wider frequency response and improved resolution, particularly in the top end.

An additional feature of the Signature output transformer is that the primary impedance of the transformer is more precisely matched to the plate impedance of the output tubes, and with the impedance set for optimum speaker load of 5 ohms gives the most efficient current transfer from the output tubes to the speaker load. This allows the VTL amplifiers to better handle the fluctuations in loudspeaker impedance and gives much more flexibility to handle a wider range of loudspeaker loads.

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MB450 MK II Features

• Super Balanced Inputs and Single-ended Inputs.
• Tetrode - Triode Switching
• MIT Multicaps used in the signal path
• Individual bias settings for each tube.
• 600V B+ fuse for added protection.
• VTL custom gold-plated RCA Jacks and binding posts.
• Signature Output Transformer 

MB-450 Signature Monoblock Data Specification

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