AudioCircle
Industry Circles => Audio by Van Alstine => Topic started by: avahifi on 2 Aug 2012, 02:32 pm
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It has been sad to see so many small audio companies bite the dust during this rotten economy. Nobody just has to have high end audio equipment when they can barely afford gasoline and groceries.
Audio by Van Alstine has easily weathered the economic storms over the years by being true to a really simple business model:
Don't ever take orders or customer's money unless you are absolutely sure you can fill those orders. Put customer service ahead of filling new orders because your old customers are your most important ones. Keep overheads as low as possible. Design metal parts that will stand the test of time and make every piece multifunctional. Always pay your vendors promptly and never use borrowed money. Run the business because you enjoy it, not just to make money. The profits are secondary to the love of the music.
Finally, never be satisfied with the the status quo. We always are exploring new and better audio circuits, and always try to make our equipment obsolete proof by, when designing new circuits, doing our best to make sure that they will allow economic upgrades to existing units.
We have two great new power amplifier designs available for you now, the Fet Valve hybrid amplifiers and the Synergy solid state amplifiers. Both have great positive reviews coming very soon. We still know what we are doing and still do it at a price many of you can afford. It is still fun.
Best regards,
Frank Van Alstine
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:thumb:
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congratulations, Frank. Many companies have made the same claim but rarely enforced.
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I'll give another reason. Any company, whose owner answers the phone, takes orders, gives advice and seems genuinely interested in his customers is going to get my business.
Doc
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Best customer service of any product I've ever owned, audio related or not. :thumb:
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I took two weeks off and going back Monday and not really happy about it! I can't take too much more of this! I could really run with this! All I well say is thats all I hear where I work is more more more money, money, money, make more save more, do more for less! You know, I started in 1975 and give the better part of my life for them and belive me I made a lot of money for them doing the stuff only a few could do and I did not stick it to then! But that does not matter any more working Sundays, Saturdays, 2nd shift, grave yard shift and countless other times I had to come in! I'am not on call!
I well not be a Chinamen!!! Sorry! See what I said? I could run a long way with this one!
I wish I could work at a place I could be happy!
Frank keep up the the ways of the USofA :thumb:
Help me out here. It's a little more then 40 years ah?
Any way how many US HiFi people are still here since 1970 let alone 1965?
Maybe I should go back to work Ah?
:smoke:
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Congratulations on 40 years, and here's hoping for at least 40 more (not sure if that's a blessing or a curse! :lol:). I love the look and the sound of the amp that I recently purchased from you. Looking forward to hearing your newest offerings.
All the best!
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Frank,
I'm glad to hear you're still having fun. :thumb:
I, too, find it pretty cool that you answer the phone, and intelligently chat about all things audio like an old friend.
Just about everybody who has entered the audiophile arena knows of Frank Van Alstine. Your business model explains a lot. The music through your gear explains the rest.
Thanks for everything you've brought to the party, for so many years. :beer:
Have fun,
Jerry
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Frank,
Congratulations on 40 years!
One of the major factors in your business model has been your highly effective direct sales system. Besides keeping your prices down by avoiding retail distribution and markup, it kept you in direct contact with all your customers, boosting customer service and brand loyalty. It also avoided the "audiophile store" flakery where fad of the hour and margin are the driving principles. Others have tried and failed at direct sales, but you have honed it to perfection.
Glad that you're still having fun!
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Best customer service of any product I've ever owned, audio related or not. :thumb:
Amen to that. I feel very fortunate to own five AVA units. I love 'em so much I can't even bear to part with the units I've replaced with newer models!
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"Don't ever take orders or customer's money unless you are absolutely sure you can fill those orders. Put customer service ahead of filling new orders because your old customers are your most important ones. Keep overheads as low as possible. Design metal parts that will stand the test of time and make every piece multifunctional. Always pay your vendors promptly and never use borrowed money. Run the business because you enjoy it, not just to make money. The profits are secondary to the love of the music."
Frank, those are words of wisdom and experience that I will take to heart. Congratulations on your 40 years!
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Really happy to have found AVA when I did. Frank's advise was the tipping factor during that first contact. He is the "real deal". :thumb:
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I think I owned FetValve 350 for around 15 years now. Never wanted to change the amp. Trouble free. Really happy with it.
Amp has been driving variety of speakers over the years.
Thanks for the great product Frank! To me, that's a big part of the business model.
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This might not be the best spot but I saw this on my Facebook feed and thought Frank, Wayner, and any other Minnesotans around here might get a chuckle out of it
Jeff Foxworthy on Minnesota:
If you consider it a sport to gather your food by
drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day
hoping that the food will swim by,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you're proud that your state makes the national
news 96 nights each year because International Falls is the
coldest spot in the nation,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you have ever refused to buy something becausebit's "too spendy",
You might live in Minnesota.
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,
You might live in Minnesota.
If someone in a store offers you assistance -- and they don't work there,
You might live in Minnesota.
If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time,
You might live in Minnesota.
If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you know how to say...Wayzata...Mahtomediâ?¦Cloquetâ?¦Edina... and
Shakopee,
You might live in Minnesota.
If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy,
You might live in Minnesota.
If vacation means going "up north" for the weekend,
You might live in Minnesota.
You measure distance in hours,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know several people who have hit deer more than once,
You might live in Minnesota.
You often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again,
You might live in Minnesota.
You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching,
You might live in Minnesota.
You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events,
You might live in Minnesota.
You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked,
You might live in Minnesota.
You think of the major food groups as beer, fish, and venison,
You might live in Minnesota.
You carry jumper cables in your car, and your girlfriend knows how to use them,
You might live in Minnesota.
There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm at any given time,
You might live in Minnesota.
You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit,
You might live in Minnesota.
Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and of course, road construction,
You might live in Minnesota.
You can identify a southern or eastern accent,
You might live in Minnesota.
Your idea of creative landscaping is a plastic deer next to your blue spruce,
You might live in Minnesota.
If "Down South" to you means Iowa,
You might live in Minnesota.
You know "a brat" is something you eat,
You might live in Minnesota.
You find -10 degrees "a little chilly",
You might live in Minnesota.
You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Minnesota friends,
You DO live in Minnesota.
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Foxworthy stole it from Vermont. :nono:
Doc
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Good to hear these pearls from a veteran..
-A satisfied owner of an AVA preamp in Bangalore, India, probably one of the few here in India, have had it for the past 12+ years and am passing it on to my son next month for more years of happy listening.
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Have a very old Van ALstine Hybrid amp that just keeps performing. Despite the apparent inconsistency, that does keep a good company in business.
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I have enjoyed many hours of music from my 4I preamp and have, now, all the mods I think Frank does, with the upgraded tranny and opamps. It really does amaze me on phono and with CD, and I know it is not nearly the best he has. Recently retired, I hope, one day, to take a buying vacation to MN. But, if it doesn't happen, I know that I have in my system, something remarkable. Certainly not a parsnip, please forgive my absurd sense of humor, I meant no harm.
When I sold hi-end audio, in the mid to late 70's, my boss, who went to CES, and some of the more astute sales reps in the industry, talked of Frank, even then, as if he were some kind of secret. A no BS secret. It took me years to get my first AVA piece and I enjoy the h-ll out of it.
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It is the year 2020 and it has not been a Very Good Year.
So today I give thanks wherever it fits and so I thank Frank, Mary, Daniel and all others at Audio by Van Alstine for providing such a beautiful service over the years.
I thank AVA for sending me a remarkable solid state amplifier and preamplifier, with circuits as pleasing to my eyes as to my ears.
I thank AVA for sending me the best extension cord that I will ever have, the beautiful Humdinger.
I thank AVA for sending me a beautiful Comparator, the most frightening piece of audio equipment that I have ever owned.
I thank Frank for counseling me away from so many errors, and forgiving my lapses where I forgot said counsel.
Most of all, I thank you for continuing to answer the phone when we call. :hyper:
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frank, you are a treasure as much as your company and your products - good value, excellent performance, common sense, no b.s.
you have brought much happiness to our lives in what you do and how you do it, giving us the ability to play lovely music in our homes so we and our loved ones can enjoy
happy thanksgiving
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Amen! Frank is the best.
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Yes indeed. I've never experienced such a combination of great products and customer service with any other business!
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The continuation of a fine tradition is a good reason to stay in business, right?
In 1984, vol. 7, No. 2, Stereophile published its list of recommended components, and on page 84 that list includes this passage.
"Dynaco PAS-3X$
Owners of this old classic should not immediately
throw it out; if you come across one at a garage
sale, snap it up. Removal of capacitors, upgrading
of the rectifier and power supply, and replacing
resistors can turn the old PAS-3X into a respectable
preamp. In the Van Alstine-modified version ($160),
it can rival some of the better modern units. "
37 years later, happy audiophiles are still discovering for themselves this affordable road to sonic bliss. I'd bet a dollar that 37 years from now, the T10 will still sound great...
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I'd love to buy one for $160.
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Frank, I'm wondering if you ever seriously considered making a 3 or more channel amp with a 12v trigger for home theatre or putting a trigger on your current line of amps as an option?
Many years ago I had my Hafler 600 rebuilt into an Omega amp and later had that amp upgraded to a later generation Omega 3. No comparison between the Hafler and the Omega. Every aspect of the sound was better.
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We had a 3 channel Synergy for a while...nobody bought it. MAYBE a couple units in as many years. No where near the interest needed for the product to make financial sense. You can buy three M225 mono-blocks, some people have done that (I think).
As for 12v trigger, same answer...very low interest and high cost to implement. You can accomplish the same goal with a remote control outlet at a fraction of the cost it would take us to implement it. This is the one Frank has, and its on sale now for under $13:
https://www.amazon.com/DEWENWILS-Wireless-Weatherproof-Electrical-Grounded/dp/B077Q78LSJ/ref=sr_1_22?crid=2S3RN7FWKQK0F&keywords=remote+control+outlet&qid=1659302863&sprefix=remote+control+outlet%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-22 (https://www.amazon.com/DEWENWILS-Wireless-Weatherproof-Electrical-Grounded/dp/B077Q78LSJ/ref=sr_1_22?crid=2S3RN7FWKQK0F&keywords=remote+control+outlet&qid=1659302863&sprefix=remote+control+outlet%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-22)
Dan
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I actually was thinking to try my Furman 15 PFI to do exactly this switching with the M750’s but the website states the following which made me think I shouldn’t.
“It is OK to use a power strip with an AVA preamp or DAC. Do not, however, use a power strip with an AVA amplifier! All amplifiers should be plugged directly into your wall AC jack. Also note that amplifiers should not be plugged into "switched" AC jacks. If you use a power strip with an AVA preamp, don't use the power strip to turn the preamp on and off; use the preamp's power switch.”
Was there an issue in the implementation in the past that caused issue but is maybe resolved now or should I continue to not give it a try? Obviously it’s easier to have the furman turn the amps on when triggered but I don’t want to put the amps at some known risk. Thanks!
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The Furman 15 PFI is rates at 15amps as is the remote control outlet mentioned above that Frank has been using successfully with a pair of M225 and, more recently, a pair of M750's. The M225's are not all that power hungry and the M750's have a new "soft start" power supply board that makes them very easy to power up. I actually had a 5a fast blow fuse installed by mistake in an M750 during testing and it never blew under multiple power up cycles, something that our older "big" amps would never have been able to do. A pair of either M225's or M750's ought to be able to be powered by a 15a device without any problem.
That said, a pair of M750's does have the capability of drawing more than 15amps (over 7.5 amps each). This will occur at power levels above 250w, continuous, rms. At that power level you will more than likely have more issues with heat than with power input, however if you are pushing these amps that hard a pair of 15amp power conditioners/remote control outlets plugged into different 120vac power circuits would probably be the way to go.
Dan
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I see, thank you Dan for explaining for me! Very helpful info and will probably give it a try then. Thanks!
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I called AVA technical support this morning and Frank answered. Another secret of his company’s success. He knows his customers on a first-hand basis. I am a fan.
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Post/Publish/Let me know if you learn of a remote control outlet that can be controlled by a smartphone app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, rather than yet another hardware remote control. I've been unsuccessfully searching for those.
We had a 3 channel Synergy for a while...nobody bought it. MAYBE a couple units in as many years. No where near the interest needed for the product to make financial sense. You can buy three M225 mono-blocks, some people have done that (I think).
As for 12v trigger, same answer...very low interest and high cost to implement. You can accomplish the same goal with a remote control outlet at a fraction of the cost it would take us to implement it. This is the one Frank has, and its on sale now for under $13:
https://www.amazon.com/DEWENWILS-Wireless-Weatherproof-Electrical-Grounded/dp/B077Q78LSJ/ref=sr_1_22?crid=2S3RN7FWKQK0F&keywords=remote+control+outlet&qid=1659302863&sprefix=remote+control+outlet%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-22 (https://www.amazon.com/DEWENWILS-Wireless-Weatherproof-Electrical-Grounded/dp/B077Q78LSJ/ref=sr_1_22?crid=2S3RN7FWKQK0F&keywords=remote+control+outlet&qid=1659302863&sprefix=remote+control+outlet%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-22)
Dan
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Having been retired from the AVA organization for a couple of years now, I often am reminded of the products and the people behind them. I have 4 VisionQ phono preamps, 1 proto-type tubed phono preamp, 4 power amps (one is the original proto-type Ultravalve), the other is one of the first Ultravalves) a DAC and 3 preamps (2 are EC SS, the other, tubed. I still have many of the drawings that I made for parts over the years and have back-ups of the drawings on my computer. I have a scrap book of the product lineup on a shelf. I have a picture of Frank and myself working on the Ultravalve in the early days of the product hanging on the wall. I have a couple of parts drawers full of knobs and feet and other associated parts from the product line used to "fit" things just right.
All I can say is that there is more to AVA than meets the eye. Many talented and dedicated people helping make the prodcuts come to life. I sometimes can't believe that I was even a small part of it. When I was about 20 years old, I blew up my Dynakit Stereo 120 (yes there was smoke) and little did I know, the guy that fixed it up back then (from Jensen's Stereo Shop) would be the same person 30 years later that I did work for.
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