[avahifi]

You really gotta read these before investing more in high end audio equipment.

Start at the top for our M225 amplifier report. Scroll down for Fet Valve preamp evaluation.

Frank

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2021/12/17/best-value-of-the-year-2021/?utm_source=PTA+Full+Mailer&utm_campaign=8a0ffe01cb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_12_04_55_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5454ba75df-8a0ffe01cb-608340234

[dlparker]

You really gotta read these before investing more in high end audio equipment.

Start at the top for our M225 amplifier report. Scroll down for Fet Valve preamp evaluation.

Frank

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2021/12/17/best-value-of-the-year-2021/?utm_source=PTA+Full+Mailer&utm_campaign=8a0ffe01cb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_12_04_55_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5454ba75df-8a0ffe01cb-608340234

There you go again Frank - fomenting early morning audio lust and envy.

[Jeff_From_Michigan]

There you go again Frank - fomenting early morning audio lust and envy.

True, dl.  But I would venture to say that while lust is appropriate, envy is unnecessary. Considering the affordability of Frank's products, both feelings can be satisfied for a lot of people on a budget with a little time and discipline for saving up. 

I know this - if the Vet Valve CFR is twice as good as my amazing T10RB (the CFR being roughly twice the T10RB's price), it is a screaming bargain.

[dlparker]

True, dl.  But I would venture to say that while lust is appropriate, envy is unnecessary. Considering the affordability of Frank's products, both feelings can be satisfied for a lot of people on a budget with a little time and discipline for saving up. 

I know this - if the Vet Valve CFR is twice as good as my amazing T10RB (the CFR being roughly twice the T10RB's price), it is a screaming bargain.

Anything coming out of AVA is a bargain. I'd been lusting after his stuff since the Jensen's days when Dynaco mods were offered. Wanted to get in on the action but... The excuses don't matter. Finally got a modded PAT-5 around 2003-2005 or so. I had long assumed that with my hearing loss that the improvements in sound would be lost on me. I couldn't have been more wrong! I was running the pre into the line inputs on a  low-end Onkyo 20 or so watt receiver into a pair of H.H. Scott 166 speakers. Night and day. I've since upgraded to whatever I could afford from the used eqpt page. The only thing I've purchased new is the latest VisionQ phono preamp. I've got a Vision EC DAC and an Insight control amp. The amp was I believe designed and built by an AVA engineer and not a production model. Speakers are the last version of Dennis Murphy's Affordable Accuracy Monitors. I'm a happy camper. I'll upgrade piecemeal as I can afford it, but can't imagine ever getting anything other than Frank's products.

[trebejo]

I'm a happy camper. I'll upgrade piecemeal as I can afford it, but can't imagine ever getting anything other than Frank's products.

Heck yeah. It's ok to lust (we're human) Gotta say though, you must already have a sweet system there!

Frank, that's a great article, very much worth reading, I would say not only for audiophiles but even for a broader audience. Not everyone is familiar with the wonderful Van Alstine Quality Theorem, and they should be! Here's an updated proof:

Theorem (Van Alstine): Let E be the set of all relatively expensive gear, and let T be the set of top-level gear. Then the intersection of E with T is a proper subset of T.
Proof: M225, Fet Valve CFR, Vision Pre, Vision Phono, DVA Digital Pre, 600R (*), Ultravalve (*).

(*): Currently unobtainium.

Congratulations, Dan, you have "updated" the proof, it could not have been easy! And a very special mention to Mary, we have it on good authority that it just does not happen without her.

I'm very happy about the arrival of Part-Time Audiophile as well, it is the first publication to have the ears and the guts to get it right. I'll be keeping an eye on all the other items that made it to the same page--as I see it, their credibility is Solid.

[rcag_ils]

Impressive, but the thick aluminum front face plate and the big AC cable in the back? Would it have trimmed the cost by going back to the old black chassis?   

[avahifi]

I suppose we could have saved $100 each with our standard black faceplates.

However the M225 amps are among our premium products and the appearance needs to reflect their musical performance. They are not just another very nice high value product.  They are special and the looks need to be special too.

The power cords we supply are normal OEM cords, nothing exotic.

If you want to pick nits, just try and do this about their sound.😏

[rcag_ils]

I mean no offense. I've always been impressed by the AVA sound, and I am sure it's an outstanding product. It just seems breaking from the tradition that's all.