AVA Vision SET 120 Review

Nocturne79 · « **Reply #40 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 01:38 am »

Hello I can chime in,. I have a pair of those omega speakers and i just got a ava set 120 amp. I use my marantz reciever as the preamp and these speakers sound fantastic with this amp, soundstage big and nuances in the music clearly heard, no glare or harsh sounding. I have also used my decware 2 watt tube amp with these speakers and they sound great too a little more romantic with the tubes and the set amp has more punch and bite to it.

The set amp is dead quiet and built like a tank. Its got amazing mids and with the amp the bass from the speakers have more authority, not sure about how to describe it as i stick at writing. With the decware tube amp the bass is a little less strong but has the feeling like you are floating in the music a little more. If i had to pick on or the other it would be a tough call to be honest its that close.

retnuh · « **Reply #41 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 02:43 am »

A TRANSCENDENCE 10 RB preamp pairs really well with the SET 120. I’ve got a Marantz AV7703 for video sources and added a transcendence 10 RB and quickly moved all audio only sources over to it, highly recommend.

JackD · « **Reply #42 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 04:05 am »

I'm using a Supratek Chardonnay 6SN7 based preamp with the SET 400 and it is a great combination.

fredgarvin · « **Reply #43 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 05:57 pm »

Quote from: happyrabbit on 9 Feb 2020, 04:27 pm

AvsFan,

The 120 is a capable amp. Using the 120 to drive a pair Electric Studio FSX’s. The Aegir is moving to a new home 😉. Looks like the front panel has been updated compared to the website. Not a big fan of the speaker terminals. AVA has a return policy. YMMV.

Dwight

I remember that Schiit says that the Aegir isn't stable at 4 Ohms, it doesn't seem like a good match for your speakers. The 120 is a better fit.

rlee8394 · « **Reply #44 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 08:41 pm »

Aegir is just fine at 4 ohms in stereo mode. At 4 ohms in mono mode, when driven too hard (loud) it could trigger the over current protection circuit. At sane volumes it should be fine as well.

-Ron

mr_bill · « **Reply #45 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 11:19 pm »

Quote from: happyrabbit on 9 Feb 2020, 04:27 pm

AvsFan,

The 120 is a capable amp. Using the 120 to drive a pair Electric Studio FSX’s. The Aegir is moving to a new home 😉. Looks like the front panel has been updated compared to the website. Not a big fan of the speaker terminals. AVA has a return policy. YMMV.

Dwight

The SET 120 amp on the AVA website looks different - power on button, logo, blue light - did they change as the one in your pic looks a lot better than 120 on website pic.

avahifi · « **Reply #46 on:** 13 Feb 2020, 03:05 pm »

We have been slowly trying to upgrade the appearance of our equipment.

The photo of the SET 120 at our web site is obsolete. Have not had time to display new photo.

The current model uses the faceplate shown above with pushbutton switch and small blue led.

Same surprisingly awesome sound.

Frank

fredgarvin · « **Reply #47 on:** 13 Feb 2020, 04:27 pm »

Quote from: rlee8394 on 12 Feb 2020, 08:41 pm

Aegir is just fine at 4 ohms in stereo mode. At 4 ohms in mono mode, when driven too hard (loud) it could trigger the over current protection circuit. At sane volumes it should be fine as well.

-Ron

That's good to know, I remember now that it was monoblock mode they were discussing.

rajacat · « **Reply #48 on:** 13 Feb 2020, 07:21 pm »

Anybody have a photo of the SET 120 with the hood off?

avahifi_lj · « **Reply #49 on:** 16 Feb 2020, 01:14 pm »

Here you go..

Larry

happyrabbit · « **Reply #50 on:** 25 Feb 2020, 02:19 am »

heywaj10 · « **Reply #51 on:** 25 Jun 2020, 06:16 pm »

Hey SET 120 Owners,

I'm genuinely interested in this amp to power my PSB Imagine X2T towers. Even from the limited professional reviews and forum impressions of this amp, it seems readily apparent that this amp will offer some outstanding performance, especially in terms of transparency, tonal accuracy, soundstaging, and nuance/detail retrieval. However, it's been hard to get a sense of what the low-end is like on this amp. Something like the Schiit Vidar gets a lot of praise for having a vice-grip and guttural bass response. Can the same be said for the SET 120, even with the 60W@8ohm rating? My PSBs are rated at 90dB efficiency, nominal 8ohms / min 4ohms.

I listen to a lot of prog metal and rock (i.e. Tool, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, etc.) - and while timbre and tonal accuracy are paramount, I often worry with sub-$1K amps being "soft" our "round" in the bass. Any insights you can share?

Thanks!

avahifi · « **Reply #52 on:** 25 Jun 2020, 08:36 pm »

Our SET 120 Power amp has a very solid and defined bass response with excellent tonality. It’s easy to follow all the deep notes of a stringed bass bowed or plucked.

Your 90 dB speakers will be an easy load for it.

See the review of our SET 120 control amplifier just posted here today.

Frank

charmerci · « **Reply #53 on:** 26 Jun 2020, 01:04 am »

Quote from: heywaj10 on 25 Jun 2020, 06:16 pm

Hey SET 120 Owners,

I'm genuinely interested in this amp to power my PSB Imagine X2T towers. Even from the limited professional reviews and forum impressions of this amp, it seems readily apparent that this amp will offer some outstanding performance, especially in terms of transparency, tonal accuracy, soundstaging, and nuance/detail retrieval. However, it's been hard to get a sense of what the low-end is like on this amp. Something like the Schiit Vidar gets a lot of praise for having a vice-grip and guttural bass response. Can the same be said for the SET 120, even with the 60W@8ohm rating? My PSBs are rated at 90dB efficiency, nominal 8ohms / min 4ohms.

I listen to a lot of prog metal and rock (i.e. Tool, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, etc.) - and while timbre and tonal accuracy are paramount, I often worry with sub-$1K amps being "soft" our "round" in the bass. Any insights you can share?

Thanks!

I've never run out of power or headroom on my AVA amps in all the decades I've owned various ones. I'm usually more worried about my woofers bottoming out - I'm not a fan of watching those woofers going so far back and forth. Those efficient speakers (if that's an accurate rating) will get stupid loud.

abd1 · « **Reply #54 on:** 10 Jul 2020, 05:57 pm »

I'm looking at using the SET120 amp with a Don Sachs preamp. Does anyone know the input impedance of the SET120? Thanks.

PSB Guy · « **Reply #55 on:** 10 Jul 2020, 06:33 pm »

Quote from: abd1 on 10 Jul 2020, 05:57 pm

I'm looking at using the SET120 amp with a Don Sachs preamp. Does anyone know the input impedance of the SET120? Thanks.

I think Frank has said elsewhere that the input impedance of the SET series of amps is around 60K ohms.

Cornelis

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #56 on:** 10 Jul 2020, 07:46 pm »

Quote from: abd1 on 10 Jul 2020, 05:57 pm

I'm looking at using the SET120 amp with a Don Sachs preamp. Does anyone know the input impedance of the SET120? Thanks.

Call Frank at AVAHIFI. He always answers his phone and is great to talk to.

AvsFan · « **Reply #57 on:** 21 Jul 2020, 03:08 pm »

Damping factor on the 120?

AvsFan · « **Reply #58 on:** 21 Jul 2020, 03:28 pm »

Quote from: avahifi on 7 Jan 2020, 01:21 am

The SET 120 should make about 75W per channel into 6 ohms.

I have one long term Stereophile reviewer (now retired) owning a SET 120 and he keeps reporting back to me how outstanding it is with his highly rated bookshelf size speakers.

The SET 120 is much better than you can imagine.

Frank

I was just going to ask this same question. Glad I read through the thread again.

6ohm Omega's should be super easy to drive with this.

AvsFan · « **Reply #59 on:** 21 Jul 2020, 03:57 pm »

Quote from: avahifi on 24 Jun 2019, 01:45 am

To me, Class D Amps play all of the notes but none if the music. You might like one if you have heard nothing better, such as one if our Vision SET amplifiers. There is really no comparison.

Frank

You haven't heard the right implementation on Class D amps yet Frank.

Talk to Tommy over at DAC and have him send you one of his just to hear. It will change your view on Class D.

But back to the 120. I am VERY interested and am leaning towards this route for my super efficient and crossoverless Omega Super3 HO's. The only concern I have is people are telling me to find an amp with low damping.