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Now, I'll be the first to concede that I would not give up tonal accuracy and emotional connection for the ping-pong effects of early multi-channel SACDs. But I've already established that the VRE-1 excels at tone and soul. In addition, the perfect preservation of signal phase, timing and fragile signals allows the music and ambient cues to fully blossom in three dimensions. That's the cherry on top. The better controlled bass also contributes to enhancing the feeling and experience. Great and solid bass provides a foundation, a physical boundary that defines the musical space. It would seem from this experience that the more precise this foundation, the more realistic that space becomes. That may explain why I have always struggled with ported bass and always settled for sealed speakers. I just can't enjoy as much the slightly blurry contours coming from ported enclosures. Try Gorillaz vs. Space
Monkeys one day. If you don't feel surrounded by a heavy blanket of pulsating bass, then something's not right. It took the Genesis amplifier and VRE-1 for me to understand how much energy this disc held down below - fully addictive once you get it. Without the VRE-1, the bass blanket was there, around me. With the VRE-1, it took shape and started pulsating as if animated by its own mind. I am not sure which of the generally accepted musical terms explains the animation and pulsation of bass but hopefully you get the general idea that what was static and monotone became suddenly alive.

Normally at this point in the review, I point out the weaknesses of the gear under review and illustrate them with a few musical samples where the shortcomings were more obvious. My problem today is that I have yet to find a weakness to report. Whatever I found slightly off balance in my system traced back to either cable or source, never the VRE-1. That may be its only true limitation. The VRE-1 won't fix what's wrong in your system. Worse, it will make sure you hear it. The VRE-1 shows no mercy for imperfection. Be it from associated gear or the record, it puts it in plain light. When all distortion is gone, bringing some back just sticks out like the first pimple on a teenager's face.


To summarize, the VRE-1 does not provide a clear window on the music. Instead, it tears down the window frame and panes, grabs you and sticks your head deep into the recording event, into the reality of the creative moment. Virtual reality perhaps but for just an instant your reality in your listening room. At any price that would be an accomplishment. Well below ten grand it's just unheard of.

If I had any doubt about what the VRE-1 and GR360 might achieve together as I was putting the final touch to this review... I had planned to send them back to their respective manufacturers and therefore reintroduced the McIntosh MA2275 into my main system. Simply speaking, the magic went away. The music shrunk back between the speakers and lost most of its organic feeling. I was listening to reproduced music again - a good reproduction no question but no longer the real thing. Sometimes being a reviewer sucks. When you know just how good it gets but can't afford to keep the gear, being a reviewer truly sucks.


So Steve McCormack's VRE-1 is getting a Blue Moon Award for hands-down bridging irreconcilable worlds in more ways than one: passive and active qualities, resolution and emotion, transparency and tonal veracity, absolute truthfulness and gut-wrenching involvement. Could it be a Lunar Eclipse? Possibly. I just have not heard enough of the top preamplifiers of the world to know whether Steve McCormack has broken new grounds with the VRE-1 or 'just' made exalted performance a bit more affordable for discerning audiophiles. In either case, Steve McCormack's VRE-1 is a true masterpiece.

Quality of packing: Adequate.
Reusability of packing: Multiple uses.
Ease of unpacking/repacking: No particular issues.
Condition of component received: Flawless except for light scratches from previous uses.
Completeness of delivery: No issue.
Quality of owner's manual: Detailed and informative.
Website comments: Complete and informative.
Global distribution: Purchase direct from SMc Audio.
Human interactions: One of the most courteous, open and responsive persons in this industry.
Other: Unique ability to turn each RCA input into a true balanced input via an adaptor (works only with VRE-1).
Pricing: Direct distribution and a "Robin Hood of audio" attitude put the VRE-1 at the top of any chart in terms of value.
Application conditions: The key decision to make is whether to go with the unity, +6dB or -6dB gain version. The VRE-1 represents paramount transparency and musicality, allowing intimate connectivity with the recorded event but it will also reveal any weakness in the rest of the audio system or record. Matched with other low distortion, high transparency components, the resulting system can be absolutely magical.
Final comments & suggestions: Steve McCormack called the VRE-1 Virtual Reality Engine because of its ability to create this intimate connection with the recorded event. Going down that path is far more challenging than building a euphonic system that will deliver a pleasant, sweet flavored reproduction of music. Yet it will also deliver something hard to imagine until experienced directly.


SMc Audio responds:
Dear 6moons and Mr. Beudot,
I realize that a manufacturer's reply is not required, but I have always found it useful to add some commentary that expands on the reviewer's observations, or addresses some point that may have been overlooked. In this instance, though, I find myself in the happy position of not feeling the need to add a single thing. Mr. Beudot has captured the exact essence of what I have worked to convey in designing the VRE-1 preamp. I have only to add my thanks to 6moons for their interest in my work, and to Mr. Beudot for taking the time (and energy!) to delve deeply into the VRE-1 and its musical persona.

Well, let me expand on at least one point... Frederic did make one particular observation that resonated very strongly with me: "...true transparency as delivered by...the VRE-1 is actually warm, smooth yet ultra-intimate and detailed like live music can be. What a system like that won't do is fix poor recording quality, but if some of the magic of that instant has been captured, then components of that rare caliber will give it back to you and they will need no distortion whatsoever to make that very instant a pure moment of bliss."

That is exactly what the VRE-1 is all about, and I offer my profound thanks to Frederic for understanding and illuminating this point. Those of us who are interested in true transparency and neutrality have a sometimes difficult path to tread, but the payoff is the direct connection we get to enjoy with the musicians, at that time, in that place. This is bliss, truly.

Finally, I will continue to hold the price at $7500 for a bit longer, but it will have to go up to at least $8000 before the year ends.

With appreciation,
Steve McCormack
SMc Audio
Vista, CA
SMc Audio website