Fet Valve compared to Synergy?

ernest787 · « **on:** 18 Jan 2015, 10:33 pm »

I'm interested in opinions on the differences between the two amps. I currently have a Crown XLS 2500 powering my Salk HT3s. I've been thinking of upgrading my power amp.

Originally, I was looking at the Fet Valve line, but recently saw a Synergy 450 on sale for $1200. I'm sure the Synergy would be an upgrade over my current amp, but being that I've been eying the Fet Valves for awhile I'm not sure if I should wait and save or just pull the trigger on the Synergy.

Any comments/opinions would be appreciated.

firedog · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 12:13 am »

Haven't heard both but the FET is so good you will never want to upgrade...unless you win the lottery.

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 01:01 am »

I was able to hear both side by side at Franks place. Both are excellent amps but the FET's are in another league. The FET is more dynamic and musical. It presents great transparency, depth and detail. Bass is tight, deep and fast. Plus they sound great at low volume and they keep their dynamics. The FET reaches far above its price point. It is just a tremendous amp and a bargain. The Synergy amps are a totally different flavor. They sound a bit warmer to me but and are very good for their price point.

I hope this helps some.

Larry

mresseguie · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 02:05 am »

I can't tell you how the 450 compares to your Crown, but I have the 240/3 for my HT system and the 400R for my two-channel
system. Both are excellent amps. I bought the 240 first just to see if it was as good as Frank claimed. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a big jump in SQ, but boy was I wrong. My left, right and center speakers really hop now.

I absolutely agree with what Larry said above. If the 400R (or 600R) is in your budget, definitely go for it. The FET Valve amps are clearly superior. That said, if you can get a 2nd hand 450 for $1200 (and the 400R is a little out of reach), run....don't walk to snap it up.

Before I bought either AVA amp, I had a SimAudio i3.3 integrated amp for 2-channel. My 240/3 amp paired with a NuForce AVP-18 pre/pro blew past the i3.3. I had not expected that. I had placed the SimAudio on a pedestal. Imagine my surprise when an amp that costs less than 1/2 of the cost beat its pants off and sent it running. Granted, we're comparing an integrated with separates, but this gives you an idea.

I was so impressed that I knew I'd move up to the 400R much sooner than I had planned. I'm so happy that I did. Some day I will upgrade my T8 preamp to the FET Valve Hybrid preamp. I nearly did so a month ago, but financial reality got in my way. (Sorry, Frank.)

Michael

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 02:20 am »

Both the AVA amps will be better than the Crown just based on the reviews and and a friends opinion who has heard one of the Crowns and owns a pair of 600R's being used as mono blocks.

I own a Pass Labs X250 amp that sold for over $6K and I can tell you that the R series amps are in the same league as the Pass.

Go for the FET and don't look back!

ernest787 · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 02:56 am »

Thanks for all the great replies. You guys kind of confirmed what I was thinking. The synergy sounds like it'll be an immediate upgrade over my crown but the fet valve sounds like it could be the amp to sustain me for many, many years to come.

I'll probably hold out for fet valve then.

Minn Mark · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 10:14 pm »

Guys,
I don't know much about hybrid designs. I have an Insight 440H. With the FET Valve amps, does the sound character change at all as the tubes come up to operating temp? Do you turn them on say, 30 min before 'serious' listening?

Thanks,

Mark

mresseguie · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 10:55 pm »

Hello, Mark.

That was one of the questions that I wondered about back when I was first interested in upgrading. I may not have the world's most critical ears, but I do not notice any change between the first five minutes and 30 minutes of warm up. I do believe I remember Frank's saying no warm up is needed. There's no need to run the amp 24/7 just to maintain that 'perfect' SQ.

My 400R (combined with my AVA T8) sounds wonderful all the time. I am delighted with my music.

Michael

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 11:09 pm »

When I took home a 600R, I did not notice any change in sound after 1 hour of listening, unlike my Pass amp which sounds better after about 20-30 minutes of play time.

I own an AVA hybrid preamp and dac and both sound great from the get go.

Larry

gadfly · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 05:35 pm »

Hello,

Ideally you would listen to both amps in your system long enough to burn through
any expectation bias. Unfortunately ideally usually isn't practical. So here's my
2 cents based on a yr.+ living with the 600R.

I've had HT3s since 2010. They are finicky beasts that have had me both frustrated
and elated. After yrs. of wondering where is the magic I bit the bullet and bought
the CF Pre and 600R. What tilted me was a conversation with Jim Salk and the
observation that when the HT3s were featured at audio shows they were most
often powered by the 600R.

There's magic in dem tubes..........

gad-

ernest787 · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Mar 2015, 08:33 pm »

Well, I'm glad I waited and didn't jump at the synergy. A good deal came up on in the trading block for the 600r. I had to be really, really nice to the wife, but she agreed that the price was too good to pass up.

I will hopefully be a member of the AVA family on Friday. I'm really excited to hook my HT3s up to this bad boy. I also just purchased a Wyred DAC2 that should be here on Thursday.... soooooo... I'm going to be in for a fun weekend.

mresseguie · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Mar 2015, 08:43 pm »

Earnest,

Awesome deal! Congratulations. I'm sure you will be very delighted with its performance.

I'll hop on a plane and be down there on Saturday for the party.

Okay. Maybe not.

Enjoy!

Kwebb · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Mar 2015, 02:34 am »

Ernest,

You are going to love the 600R combined with the Fet valve CF driving your HT3's!!! The HT3's really get down with pure dynamic musical business in all their glory with this combo.

Kyle

ernest787 · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Mar 2015, 04:46 pm »

I was able to get the amp hooked up Friday evening. Played it for about a minute and the amp stopped. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Thankfully Kyle, recommended checking the fuses, and sure enough after replacing those I was up and running.

I spent a few hours listening to music on Saturday and WOW... This amp is fantastic. It's almost a night and day difference between the Crown I was running and the 600r. I expected signficant improvement, but I was floored by the difference.

My wife, who tells me she can never tell a difference in sound, even said she had to admit that it was a drastic difference in sound.

I cannot wait to put more listening time in, but based on my initial impressions I don't think I will have a need to upgrade this for a VERY long time.

mresseguie · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Mar 2015, 06:34 am »

Hi, ernest.

I'm glad you like your new amp (not a bit surprised). I continue to love mine. You get so much bang for the $$ with these.

My son is back from university this week. He brought his two-way monitors back to listen to them on my system. He's been complaining about lack of bass and low volume. I hooked them up and played some
Pink Floyd....After he reconnected his jaw, he exclaimed his Denon amp just doesn't cut it. He had to look to make certain we were listening to his speakers.

Some day, perhaps next year, I will upgrade to the CF preamp to get to the next level.

Michael

reillyzing · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 Aug 2016, 01:57 am »

I'm interested in the 400r and Synergy amps. Is there a preference for one over the other for 60s-90s rock? I haven't bought anything yet but the speakers and DAC I'm considering probably have a neutral sound.

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 Aug 2016, 03:13 am »

The Synergy amps have a slightly warmer, darker sound compared to the R amps. The Synergy amps would be more forgiving IMHO of poorly recorded and brighter music. The R amps have more detail, resolution, air and transparency. I have heard both side by side. Both are excellent amps.

WGH · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Aug 2016, 04:39 am »

The Synergy amps and the Ultravalve 35W all tube amp sound very similar when the volume is kept within the limits of the Ultravalve, it's when music has deep powerful bass and/or the volume is increased that the Synergy really struts it's stuff. The Synergy sounds like a very powerful tube amp but without the tubes.

The old FET Valve pre-amp and the Synergy amp compliment each other perfectly, I think of the combo as the yin and yang of AVA electronics.

Connect the AVA FET Valve pre-amp and Synergy amp with a pair of Zenwave D3 interconnects and you have something special. Not dark sounding at all, the speakers disappear and it just sounds like music.

Mike-48 · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Aug 2016, 05:15 am »

The last amp I compared the 400R to was priced at twice as much. The 400R was clearly superior. It is only when I have compared it to some amps with MSRP of $7k to $10k that I felt there was competition.

ernest787 · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Aug 2016, 08:06 pm »

I have not heard the Synergy but I can say that I'm still really happy with my purchase of the 600r. Since then I've had a few upgrades to the system and have never felt the need to upgrade the 600r at all.... well until I saw the mono blocks that AVA just released. There is a part of me that would love run those in my system, but honestly there is no real reason for me to change from the 600r.