After a considerable lapse, I have decided to continue my AVA adventures. This is copied from another fora I terrorize.
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Sat Mar 13, 2021 5:53 pm
One ejaculatory audio review seduced me into a new Class A/B amp. Yup, some magic happened at the last minute and I resolved to stay with the AVA SET120 amp.
In the beginning, I auditioned it for nearly two weeks using only my Tab 10's. I talked to Frank about the return and he acted incredulously about me sending it back. "These things just don't come back." Yeah, yeah. Told him they weren't giving the Tabbies the soundstage width I wanted, rolled off treble, etc. Then I said, "To be fair, I will pull my Souls forward and give them a shot for a day or two."
RAMA-LAMA-DING-DONG!
I have never liked my Zu's and regretted buying them but the SET120 made a hell of a difference. I guess Zu's don't like Class D. Now the Zu's had a lower and more visceral bass, there was more treble, and the soundstage started opening up! Had I achieved break-in? Or, was this the magic of MOSFETs outperforming NuPrimes Class A/D? The Souls finally had a more upfront sound that I had never heard.
So's the SET120 be a keeper, the Tabbies are shoved back, and audio begins anew. If the Schiit boys knew their gear was pushing an older design they would kick me off the Schiit pile. The NuPrime has twice the power (120 per side) and features balanced connectors whereas the AVA has 60 per side and is single-ended. None of that seems to matter, the AVA is gutsy and visceral with a good soundstage and plenty of reserve for the 99db Souls.
Frank really pushed his preamps saying that I would get a fully balanced (frequency) sound with one of his. I find nothing wrong with the Freya so I just "nodded" and said maybe later.
So, I am a happy camper with my "new" Souls and SET 120. Time to retire and enjoy for a while.
Recess over, there's more.
For yuks, I decided to try no preamp. I've thought about it and when I discovered the Apos website I became fixated on DAC/preamps and the chips they use. Apos is a very slick organization that shills the best of dacs and headphone amps from the Yellow Peril. I bought a Class D amp from them using a German power chip and got it in about six days! I was very impressed with its sound and the Tabbies loved it.
Why not go minimalist and try an inexpensive DAC/preamp? After hours of glorious research, I ordered an SMSL M200 DAC from Bezos in case I need a quick return. The M200 used the formerly top-of-the-line AKM4497. My Schiit DAC was using the AKM4490 which sounded good.
Once I got the 200 installed I started with some music and was not impressed. Closed-in, kind of a constipated sound. I was already shopping for a more expensive DAC when "the breakthrough" occurred. The sound stage started opening up and getting deeper. The upper mids and lower treble punched forward and the M200 added to the SET 120 the same qualities as before only more so. The system provides vivid channel separation, a wider soundstage, and great imaging. I am mesmerized by the sound that has no tone control input and sounds just right without them. Now, these are the "happy times" and I will not make any changes for a long while.
For less than $1500, I saved a pricy pair of speakers, got a minimalist system going, and am Schiit free for the moment. The Chinamen can make nice sounds out of chips over $99. US manufacturers can make wicked-sounding stuff for under $999.
The SET 120 is all black and crinkly to the point of disappearing in a cabinet. It's invisible and that's good because purdy it ain't. The M200 is a small black aluminum case with a large display on the front. It is slanted (like the Parthenon?) but not noticeable at listening difference. This becomes a small package not requiring real estate. The SO will never know until she spit shines the cabinets and shelves.