Insight+ Amp wins Stereo Mojo Best Value Amp of the Year Award!

avahifi · « **on:** 14 Feb 2011, 08:45 pm »

Read all about it here! Scroll down a bit.

http://www.stereomojo.com/Products%20of%20the%20Year%202010/Stereomojo2010ProductsoftheYear.htm

The full review is here.

http://www.stereomojo.com/Audio%20by%20Van%20Alstine%20Insight%20240%20Power%20Amp%20Review.htm/AudiobyVanAlstineInsight240PowerAmpReview.htm

Frank Van Alstine

timjthomas · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Feb 2011, 08:52 pm »

Congrats! Makes me proud to be an owner.

And on a side note, congrats to Fritz and his Carbon 7s. Again, I'm proud to be an owner!!! The two are a wonderful and affordable combination.

martyo · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 09:19 am »

Congrats to Frank and the crew.

JLM · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 10:55 am »

Congrats Frank

, but I'm a bit surprised.

Although the reviewer had owned AVA amps for years and absolutely loved the Insight+ with Fritz Carbon 7 speakers, his praise seemed to be couched in comparison with the Monarchy SE 100 delux monoblocks. OTOH the Monarchys reported were sensitive to signal and power cabling (and we all know what Frank thinks of such "nonsense").

Note that I was shopping for a new amp at the time and studied these reviews in particular quite closely.

Afterimage · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 02:36 pm »

Congrats on the award. However, one thing that Peshkin said that stood out was the Insight let him know just how bad one of his CD's sounded. A lot of people have poorly recorded material in their collections. So based on his observation does that mean people should just not play a portion or in some cases a good portion of their music library because it sounds so bad with this amp?

martyo · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 03:18 pm »

Quote from: Afterimage on 15 Feb 2011, 02:36 pm

Congrats on the award. However, one thing that Peshkin said that stood out was the Insight let him know just how bad one of his CD's sounded. A lot of people have poorly recorded material in their collections. So based on his observation does that mean people should just not play a portion or in some cases a good portion of their music library because it sounds so bad with this amp?

That is only half the story.

Quote

Avoidance of the onslaught from a poor sounding CD is impossible, especially with an amp that LOVES to reveal faults. Thankfully, it equally reveals a great recording.

A poor recording is a poor recording.
You clean a pair of dirty glasses and you see better, the good and the bad.

Afterimage · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 04:46 pm »

martyo, a dirty recording is a dirty recording, they will never sound outstanding. However, there is some gear that gives these types of recordings some air, some life, some space, some wt. ect... and so potential buyers know, it sounds like from the review the Insight is not that type of gear.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 05:28 pm »

Quote from: Afterimage on 15 Feb 2011, 04:46 pm

martyo, a dirty recording is a dirty recording, they will never sound outstanding. However, there is some gear that gives these types of recordings some air, some life, some space, some wt. ect.

I agree, there are some types of equipment - actually, a lot of it - that will significantly alter or modify the sound. That means it's very poorly designed. People might like the effect but don't confuse it with proper audio reproduction. And I guarantee that it won't work the same for every sort of bad recording, meaning you will be on an endless quest to find particular equipment that happens to make an inaccurate "correction" of the bad source material you happen to like for each type of bad recording.

For example, a stock PAS3/ST70 will certainly give you a warm and nostalgic sound. Whether the source is supposed to be warm and nostalgic, or not! The *only* thing you can ask of a high-end audio system is that it accurately passes the source material on to you *exactly how it is*.

Brett

martyo · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 05:31 pm »

Quote from: Afterimage on 15 Feb 2011, 04:46 pm

martyo, a dirty recording is a dirty recording, they will never sound outstanding. However, there is some gear that gives these types of recordings some air, some life, some space, some wt. ect... and so potential buyers know, it sounds like from the review the Insight is not that type of gear.

Oh, you mean the gear that let's everything through on good recordings and also improves poor recordings.

I remember in the '70's when I got my first piece of high-end gear, Dahlquist DQ10's. Most of my rock albums sounded thin and bright and compressed, even though I was hearing things I hadn't heard before on the albums.
Finding that balance given the varying quality of source material is where personal preferences really come in.

trebejo · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 08:24 pm »

Congrats Frank, I guess! I started to scroll down as instructed, but could not get past this here,

Marketing, marketing, marketing...

Afterimage · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 08:26 pm »

Yes guys, and I would say that is one of the most frustrating things about audio. The good gear makes our good recordings sound heavenly, but can make our other stuff sound like crap. I just wish the recording studios would put out good material to begin with and then this wouldn't be such a big issue.

JLM · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 09:13 pm »

I really need to pull together another vinyl rig.

I've found pieces that do enhance resolution and add forgiveness. It happens when imaging focus is improved or from tube palpability (and I'm sure lots of other ways). And there is such a thing as detailed sound without being ruthlessly detailed. OTOH audiophile taste as a whole has been shifting for the past 20+ years to being more ruthless (like a recording studio) versus "cozy" (the sound has thinned out and bass has tightened up).

Too often good music and well engineered recordings don't come together and I eventually learn to like the music that is well recorded (we've all heard such from other folks collections and wonder how they stand listening to that stuff).

Brett Buck · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Feb 2011, 05:27 am »

Quote from: trebejo on 15 Feb 2011, 08:24 pm

Congrats Frank, I guess! I started to scroll down as instructed, but could not get past this here,

Marketing, marketing, marketing...

Check the Bottlehead website. I think they have the right idea. " If you buy our gutless 10% distortion SET amp, naked ladies will appear in your home".

Brett

Minn Mark · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Feb 2011, 03:57 pm »

Congrats to Frank and the crew !

Best Regards,

Mark

Sherlock · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 Mar 2011, 10:16 pm »

Can anyone tell me does this unit have an IEC plug for a power cord or is there an attached power cord?

Thanks for any info.

jtwrace · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Mar 2011, 10:21 pm »

Quote from: Sherlock on 26 Mar 2011, 10:16 pm

Can anyone tell me does this unit have an IEC plug for a power cord or is there an attached power cord?

Thanks for any info.

Captive of course!

srb · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Mar 2011, 10:25 pm »

orthobiz · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Apr 2011, 02:03 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 26 Mar 2011, 10:21 pm

Captive of course!

Meaning, Frank is a captive cord kinda guy.

Paul

hifigeezer · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Jan 2014, 03:53 pm »

I presume it is Stereo Mojo pasting in the cheescake pictures with the equipment photos -- I never saw an AVA ad like that. I'd like to look at their reviews but my wife will think I'm looking at porn on the web! Someone should tell Mr. Mojo to focus on substance.

avahifi · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Jan 2014, 04:03 pm »

By the way, all new AVA equipment has IEC AC plug in three conductor power sockets and three conductor removable power cords for the past several years now.

Frank Van Alstine