A second review of the new DVA 225 Monoblock amps

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #80 on:** 5 Aug 2022, 03:50 pm »

KLH is correct. The 225's have a fabulous midrange and are very dynamic.

joelmilr · « **Reply #81 on:** 6 Aug 2022, 05:23 am »

Thanks so much for your response. It was very helpful.

audibleguy · « **Reply #82 on:** 23 Oct 2022, 12:33 am »

Interested in knowing how these 225's would drive the Eminent Technology LFT-8b floor standers and Eminent Technology LFT-16 stand mount speakers? They each have db levels in the 83 - 85 range.

avahifi · « **Reply #83 on:** 24 Oct 2022, 12:02 pm »

Our new M750 mono amps would be a better choice for these very inefficient speakers.

joelmilr · « **Reply #84 on:** 25 Oct 2022, 04:43 pm »

Quote from: joelmilr on 5 Aug 2022, 08:25 am

Hello everyone.
I've been diligently following the posts about the M225. Considering upgrading from my British Roksan Kandy integrated amp. Considering the Fet Valve CFR preamp as well. Presently have Salk HT2-TL speakers and a British dac -chord qutest. As you can see I live on the other side of the globe.

Could anyone provide some feedback when listening to classical music with these amps? How do they handle full sized orchestras as well as chamber music? Any added info. will be most helpful.

Thanks so much
Joel

After years of ambivilance and obssessive decision making, yesterday I finally ordered the M225 with the Fet Valve CFR preamp. Must admit I am quite excited and looking forward to hearing the new setup. Will post my impressions once I've heard them.

Tone Depth · « **Reply #85 on:** 25 Oct 2022, 04:56 pm »

Will you be using the DVA R2X to connect them?

https://avahifi.com/collections/accessories/products/dva-r2x

joelmilr · « **Reply #86 on:** 25 Oct 2022, 05:05 pm »

For sure. Ordered that as well.

joelmilr · « **Reply #87 on:** 25 Nov 2022, 08:23 pm »

THEY'RE HERE
I am not able to write up a professional review and relate to many technical details like others here, but I would like to tell my experience the best I can.

First, I have to start off with customer service. What a pleasure. I have been corresponding with Frank Van Alstine once in a blue moon for some thirteen years. He was always so generous with his answers about my questions and never made me feel like I was a bother - or even giving me the feeling that well, purchase something already. Just the opposite. My inquiries were always welcome and related to in detail.

So when I did finally order the new mono blocks together with the Fet Valve CFR amp, everything happened so fast. Mary was always prompt and super helpful with any issues arising, especially concerning the 220 currency in my country, and helping me with the adapter for the DVA R2X. As well as other issues that came up. Generous, prompt, and efficient.

The amps were done and shipped in one week. SInce I live overseas they arrived on November 23. One month from beginning to end. That's quick service.

Came home at night to open up the boxes and start setting up together with a good friend who builds amps and speakers himself. Turned everything on, sat down, picked a song by Dianna Krall to start things off and then..........

WOW!

The magic started. I never thought my Salk HT2TL speakers could get any better. Boy was I wrong. Both of us were amazed as was the wife. My friend turns to me and says - you did good. I realized that I just moved up the high end ladder.
What a presence, a sense of reality of the musicians, wonderful clear separation between instruments, vocals sounding as if they were in the room. And as my wife said, just a bit of softness as compared to before - a softness that made everythiing sound so much more true to the source of the music.

I love listening to jazz and acoustic music. Howe Gelb sounds like he is sitting in my living room. Patricia Barber - A Fortnight in France - a live performance - I felt like I was at the concert listening.

My biggest surprise though came with classical music. I believe this is the frist time ever I have been able to hear a proper presence of the different instrument sections as opposed to a cloud of sound that I heard without these amps on the same speakers. For all of these years I was sure that the Salk HT2TL's were not capable of handling large symphonies distinctly enough. I was wrong - I just needed the proper amps and the Van Alstine amps have really changed that and pleasantly surprised me.

So I can't stop listening to music. I love what has happened to my system with this new equipment.
I just want to say thanks to everyone here for sharing their questions and impressions of these amps, and for being so helpful when I had a query.

My cudos to you Frank and Mary and everyone at Van Alstine. Thanks so so much. You really made me one happy camper in my old age.

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #88 on:** 26 Nov 2022, 12:02 am »

Congrats, enjoy the AVA gear.

avanti1960 · « **Reply #89 on:** 20 Dec 2022, 07:38 pm »

Hello-
considering trying a pair of 225 mono blocks and have the following questions-
note: I am a very particular listener and have tried several power amps and none have met my expectations yet.
The best sounding amp I have had is the Pass Labs XA25, a 25 watt class A that is raved about. it is silky smooth and refined, has excellent speed and micro-dynamics, instruments and musical elements are separate and distinct and most importantly has a sweet midrange bloom and large sound state.
It does not sound identical to other pass amps FYI. the only thing i could ask for would be more power.
I also have a Parasound s21+ in the quest for more power, it sounds very good but not as good as the pass labs. I also had the Prasound JC5 and it was flat sounding and not as sweet as the a21+ or pass xa25.
What is the essence of the 225's sound?
How would it compare to the Pass XA25?
How would it compare to the Parasound a21+
Describe in terms of midrange bloom, refinement, sweetness, micro dynamics and sound stage. Thanks !

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #90 on:** 21 Dec 2022, 02:57 am »

Quote from: avanti1960 on 20 Dec 2022, 07:38 pm

Hello-
considering trying a pair of 225 mono blocks and have the following questions-
note: I am a very particular listener and have tried several power amps and none have met my expectations yet.
The best sounding amp I have had is the Pass Labs XA25, a 25 watt class A that is raved about. it is silky smooth and refined, has excellent speed and micro-dynamics, instruments and musical elements are separate and distinct and most importantly has a sweet midrange bloom and large sound state.
It does not sound identical to other pass amps FYI. the only thing i could ask for would be more power.
I also have a Parasound s21+ in the quest for more power, it sounds very good but not as good as the pass labs. I also had the Prasound JC5 and it was flat sounding and not as sweet as the a21+ or pass xa25.
What is the essence of the 225's sound?
How would it compare to the Pass XA25?
How would it compare to the Parasound a21+
Describe in terms of midrange bloom, refinement, sweetness, micro dynamics and sound stage. Thanks !

I did the initial review of the 225's and compared them to my Pass X250 and I believe my A21. They are as I described in my review. They are dynamic and musical. They have good detail and an excellent midrange. Bass is controlled and powerful. I heard an A21+ in a store, so I can't tell you how it compares. However, the 225's are way better than a regular A21. The amps are not even close. As far as the XA25, I have not heard one, but I am familiar with the sound from the multiple reviews that I have read and the 225's could not be more different.

In my system (a Pass X250 amp, BAT VK51se tube preamp, Luxman DA-06 DAC, Magnepan 1.6 speakers) the 225's were slightly forward due to my preamp. They did not have as much sound stage width as the Pass, but the midrange was full, rich, deep and musical. The 225's held their own against the X250 although I still preferred the Pass. I did bring the 225's over to a friend's who has the Pass XA100.5's, Atma-Sphere MP3 preamp and a pair of $16K Revel speakers. The 225's actually had better bass slam but thats about it. The $16K a pair Pass amps sounded much better.

blindman5 · « **Reply #91 on:** 28 Dec 2022, 04:33 pm »

Hi All, Hope I'm posting this correctly. Since this amp is a fully balanced setup, does AVA have one of his preamps setup as a fully balanced preamp to match this one? Ray

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #92 on:** 28 Dec 2022, 04:53 pm »

Quote from: blindman5 on 28 Dec 2022, 04:33 pm

Hi All, Hope I'm posting this correctly. Since this amp is a fully balanced setup, does AVA have one of his preamps setup as a fully balanced preamp to match this one? Ray

Ray, they have a fully digital preamp that has balanced outputs.

https://avahifi.com/collections/digital-audio/products/dva-digital-preamplifier

They also have an XLR converter that works great:

https://avahifi.com/collections/digital-audio/products/dva-a2d

avahifi · « **Reply #93 on:** 28 Dec 2022, 07:45 pm »

I.Greyhound Fan, you need to take home a pair of our new M750 amps to play with.

Let me know when you would like to pick up a pair.

Frank

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #94 on:** 29 Dec 2022, 04:25 am »

Quote from: avahifi on 28 Dec 2022, 07:45 pm

I.Greyhound Fan, you need to take home a pair of our new M750 amps to play with.

Let me know when you would like to pick up a pair.

Frank

Frank, I may be able to take them home next week.

Larry

leManu · « **Reply #95 on:** 14 Jun 2023, 02:23 am »

I also want to know what is the damping factor of this amp and it use any negative feedback loop.

avahifi · « **Reply #96 on:** 14 Jun 2023, 01:03 pm »

Damping factor: you will be unhappy if you get them wet.

Negative feedback: we rarely get any of this at all from our clients and all published reviews are positive.

MttBsh · « **Reply #97 on:** 14 Jun 2023, 02:53 pm »

Quote from: avahifi on 14 Jun 2023, 01:03 pm

Damping factor: you will be unhappy if you get them wet.

Negative feedback: we rarely get any of this at all from our clients and all published reviews are positive.

Clever answer!

gene9p · « **Reply #98 on:** 14 Jun 2023, 04:23 pm »

do the amps have to be left on all the time or turned off and on each time you use them?

thanks

avahifi · « **Reply #99 on:** 14 Jun 2023, 07:07 pm »

No need to leave them on all the time. AVA equipment is ready to perform by the time you start playback. All new AVA amplifiers have built in soft start circuits to suppress voltage and current spikes at turn on and to protect their power switches and your speakers.

Three main issues with "on all the time" use.

1. It simply wastes electricity.

2. All electrical parts have a rated service life. Capacitors, resistors, transistors, and vacuum tubes won't last forever. Although lots of AVA units are still running great after 20 - 30 years of use, even then there is no use using up that service life in an often empty sound room.

3. If the unit does have a rare failure while in use you will notice it and shut it off to investigate. If nobody is around when this happens, a minor issue can turn into a major issue.

I suspect that it is more likely that you are simply breaking in your ears into the listening mode than warming up the equipment at turn-on.

Frank