[TjMV3]

This past Wednesday I placed my order for a Van Alstine T8 Pre Amp

This will be my first owned AVA gear piece and I'm very much excited!

Mr. Van Alstine was a pleasure to speak with and I patiently await the 6-8 week lead/build time.

The 6-8 week lead time works well for me,  as I hope to be ready to order the FET Valve Ultra 350,  at the same time I'm contacted of my T8 being completed,  tested and ready for shipment.  So I don't mind at all if Mr. Van Alstine takes his time with this.  Usually better when builders take their time and are not rushed,  anyway.

Eventually,  sometime towards the middle or end of the summer;  the Utlra DAC will also be ordered.

I know there are other threads with T8-related discussions,  but I would enjoy further discussions of  your experiences with the T8 or even the Ultra 350 or Ultra DAC. 

[TomW16]

Congratulations on the T8 purchase.  I have not heard it myself but everyone that has seems to rave about it.  I have a FetValve 350 EXR6 that I am very pleased with.  It is smooth, detailed and powerful.  I do not want for more watts and I do not have terribly efficient speakers.

Enjoy the AVA components and welcome to the club 

Tom

[Wayner]

You will go through your entire music collection, listening to how the T8 reveals things you never heard before. I don't know if your into vinyl or not, I am. The T8 comes with an all tube phono pre-amp section (which is an option and you won't get it unless you ordered it) and the vinyl playback throught this pre-amp is awesome!

I'm using the T8 to power an AVA 170EX which in turn runs a pair of Dynaco A25XL's. It will be worth the wait! Welcome to the club.  

W

[Wayner]

I also own the OmegaStar Pre-amp and it too is very musical. If you can't scrimp up the do-ra-me for a T8 or the Ultra, you can still enjoy the OmegaStar for a lower cost. I run the 260ex with this pre-amp into a pair of paradigm 40v.3's and need I say "explosive"!  aa

[TjMV3]

Thanks guys!

Yes,  I did get the Phono Stage with my T8.

 Back in 1987 I lost 700+ vinyl records in a flood.  My albums sat under water for two weeks,  while I was on vacation.  I came back home to find my basement listening room ( and my vinyl collection) under roughly 3-4 feet of water.  My floorstanding speakers were destroyed as the rush of water knocked them over.  

Now,  I only have a hand-full of vinyl records and I plan on slowly building another (but modest) vinyl album collection.  But I have over 1,300 CDs and 30-40 DVD-Audio and SACD discs.  So I wanted a nice,  quality Pre Amp that would make listening to two channel CDs and vinyl,  as musical and pleasant experience.  I feel confident the T8 fills that role!

Honestly,  I never seriously considered any of the other AVA Pre Amps.  My attention and salivation was always on and for the T8 aa .  I work from home in my office and I listen to a lot of music while I'm working.  A lot of it Classical,  Jazz,  classic rock,  New Age,  World Music,  Pop and so forth.  No Rap or Hip-Hop...never...ever.

Until I can order the Ultra 350,  I'll match it up with my Butler Audio TDB 2250 Hybrid Amplifier (2 channel).  The speakers in here will be Alain Courteau's Revelation Audio Lyra 7.   The CD Player is the Rega Saturn. Although I have several CD Players,  so there will be another CD Player hooked up to the T8.  Just not sure yet,  how I will distribute my disc players between my Living Room 2 channel/HT system and my office system where my T8 will be.  I'm sure I will be tempted to try the T8 in my Living Room system with my Wharfedale Opus 2 speakers.   AVA gear goes nice with the Wharfedale Opus series.

I'm not all that knowledgable of turntables,  cartridges and needles.  For years I had two inexpensive (one Sanyo and one Pioneer) turntables that only required a new needle......once in a while.

Now I'm looking around and all this stuff regarding turntables makes my head spin.  

I'm seriously considering the Rega P3 or P5 because from what I understand they are nice entry level turntables and easy,  no-fuss to assemble (or should I say very little to assemble).  I'll need something fairly simple because I haven't a clue about cartridges,  tonearms,  counter-weights or what ever you call them or any of that stuff.  But getting back into vinyl,  to go with my nice CD collection,  will be a lot of fun.....I hope  

Any suggestions,  tips or opinions would be appreciated.

I didn't get a remote control because the Pre Amp and gear rack will be right next to my work desk.  So,  only a slight roll of the wheels on my desk chair,   will be required to reach the volume button.

[tonyptony]

This past Wednesday I placed my order for a Van Alstine T8 Pre Amp

This will be my first owned AVA gear piece and I'm very much excited!

Congratulations! I have been running with an AVA FetValve 550EXR5. I was happy as a clam, but in the phone conversations I'd had with Frank - plus all the enthusiasm here on the Circle - I bit the bullet and sent it in to be upgraded to an Ultra. Not having heard an AVA pre I can't say I know what it'll sound like, but I'll bet it's going to make you very very happy indeed! 

The 6-8 week lead time works well for me,  as I hope to be ready to order the FET Valve Ultra 350,  at the same time I'm contacted of my T8 being completed,  tested and ready for shipment.  So I don't mind at all if Mr. Van Alstine takes his time with this.

As long as I get my Ultra before you get your T8!   

[Wayner]

I cccccan't wait 'till you get yours!!!!!!!

[Listens2tubes]

I have written about my love of the T8 in a few posts. I am reminded of a friends comment that I must have a better CD player than he did, when all he heard was the Trancendence Eight making music.

[randyr]

just last week i hooked up a t8 to a fet valve 350.  very nice.  i just sit and listen and smile.  now i need to upgrade my turntable. suggestions are appreciated.

[TjMV3]

BTW,  does anyone know how much the T8 weighs?

[mark funk]

Hi, If you go to the avahifi.com every thing you need to know it there, shipping weight 17lbs 

[weirdo]

Would anyone care to comment on the difference between the Omega Star ss pre and the T8? in terms of texture, separation, tube warmth, vocal, mucic types . anything would be useful. I will be keeping the Omega SS power amp.

[Wayner]

I have both the T8 and the newly upgraded OmegaStar. I certainly love them both but for different reasons. The OmegaStar has bass and treble controls as well as phono and tape buffer options. I like to use this preamp to record vinyl to CD-R and It does a fantastic job. I use the T8 for purely vinyl playback. I could go on and on describing what I think are the virtues of both, but that would be very subjective on my part. Yes, I give the edge to the T8. It is a very smooth sounding pre-amp that is capable of driving any amplifier/speaker combination to what ever level you want. Vinyl playback is heavenly. The T8 also has the remote control option, which is very nice. However, at a substantial savings, the OmegaStar should please almost all except the most demanding people. I have not played alot of CD's through either so I have no comment on that.

W

[weirdo]

Thanks wayner.  I'm starting to get an idea what it sounds like.  I used to think the tone controls were important. Not so much for me anymore. I noticed that pre amps without tone controls sounded fine and didn't need them. That may sound a bit naive but I always thought that manual manipulation was necesssary. Now all I need is a tape loop and dual outputs in back. If I need extra bass, I can kick in the sub. I guess I was looking for that practically undefinable tube tone or mellowness that comes with tubes. It seems to give classical music a more realistic sound. When you attend a symphony performance, the orchestra is not enhanced or exaggerated at either end of the audio spectrum and before long you are caught up in the music the way it is supposed to sound. I want that to the extent practical from a pre amp. I feel some spousal expenditure justification coming on...perhaps I can reciprocate and get her that gas powered post hole digger she has been asking for.

[ricmon]

I guess I was looking for that practically undefinable tube tone or mellowness that comes with tubes. It seems to give classical music a more realistic sound. When you attend a symphony performance, the orchestra is not enhanced or exaggerated at either end of the audio spectrum and before long you are caught up in the music the way it is supposed to sound. I want that to the extent practical from a pre amp. I feel some spousal expenditure justification coming on...perhaps I can reciprocate and get her that gas powered post hole digger she has been asking for.

I strongly suggest you try changing the tubes.  I have a pair of Telefunken tunes in the line stage and it made a big difference achieving that more mellow tube sound.  The whole sound scape is beautifully rendered and at loud volume levels it sounds amazing close having the performers in the room.  It's truly so much fun to listen to and too watch the expression on people faces when they experience systems of this caliber.

[TjMV3]

I was under the impression that changing tubes in the T8 or any of Frank's gear requires shipping the piece back to him,  so he can adjust the bias?  Is this correct?  Or is it okay to roll/ change tubes with the T8?

[ricmon]

I think that only applies to using different spec tubes in the amps.  There have been may threads on this board about the effects of using different tube's in the preamps.

[avahifi]

There are no bias adjustments on any of our vacuum tube or hybrid preamplifiers or DACs.  You can tube roll all you want, but it would be great to do it with tubes that you know work in advance.

A client recently went tube rolling on one of our tube preamps with a tube with a shorted heater element.  He kept it energized (but non functional of course) for so long that the 12V regulator supplying that tube failed, causing the heater voltage to go up to about 20 volts!  Then he proceeded to try all his other pet NOS tubes, and was amazed to see all of them light up so bright!  Like the star on top of the Christmas tree, but will less positive effect.

The fix was easy when we got the unit back, but there was no fix for all the tubes he tried in the circuit and far over-voltaged their heater elements.

In the Fet Valve hybrid amplifiers, the overall gain of the signal tube used will affect the bias current setting.  In general if you stay with the same brand of tube the adjustment will not change enough to be of concern.  If you change tube brands, you may change the bias setting enough to affect overall performance.  The adjustment is simple if you have the correct equipment and skill, but really difficult and dangerous if you do not.  Our advise is that any performance gains you might get by tube rolling in the hybrid amplifiers are likely to be more than offset by the need for bias readjustment.

If you call me at 651-330-9871 I will provide detailed bias adjust info, but cannot guarantee you can do it without frying yourself or the amplifer or any small pets nearby.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[TjMV3]

There are no bias adjustments on any of our vacuum tube or hybrid preamplifiers or DACs.  You can tube roll all you want, but it would be great to do it with tubes that you know work in advance.


Frank Van Alstine

I really don't have much intentions on tube rolling with the T8.  I basically want to listen to it the way you have designed, first,  and for quite some time.  But it's nice to know that I can,  should I decide to give it a whirl.

I don't have many NOS tubes,  just a few.  Mostly I have a nice personal stash of the new production Tung-Sol 12AX7,  because I really like these tubes and I have gear in another system in my house that utilizes the 12AX7.  I also have several different kinds of 6922 tubes (mostly new production) and some 12AU7.

I don't have any of the 12AT7 that the T8 utilizes.  But I guess I can always buy some,  if I want to roll.

Frank,  is there a fairly inexpensive tube tester I could buy that would allow me to test each tube (to make sure it works ),  in advance;  before installing them in any of my equpiment?  Not just AVA gear,  because I have several CD Players that are tubed.

[jrebman]

Taking a slightly different turn here...

I am considering a T8 but have space restrictions and wonder if the T8 can be built into a smaller chassis with the remote control, but with no provision for the phono stage?  If so what would the dimensions of that box be?  I need something that is preferrably no more than 8 or 9 inches deep.

In another scenario, could I buy a used t7 and upgrade it, add the remote and meet the size requirements above.

One problem is that I have no idea how small the smaller chassis is.

Thanks for any answers or ideas.

-- Jim