[avahifi]

The Transcendence 9 preamp?  Its a bit early to talk about it in detail.  It will be available with either our standard black or extra cost optional silver faceplate.  It is an enhanced cathode follower design, each line stage using a 12AT7 and a 12AU7 tube.  We are still finalizing the new RIAA phono section, three designs for this option are still in the running.  Depending upon its final cost to make (a much more complex mother board than the T8+) it may replace the T8 or simply add another choice to our product line. All we are sure of now is that the finished line stage came out much better sounding then we anticipated.

Stay tuned.

Frank Van Alstine

[Wayner]

Certainly a T9 is better then a T8, because it's 1 better........

Wayner

[dB Cooper]

The Transcendence 9 preamp?  Its a bit early to talk about it in detail.  It will be available with either our standard black or extra cost optional silver faceplate.  It is an enhanced cathode follower design, each line stage using a 12AT7 and a 12AU7 tube.  We are still finalizing the new RIAA phono section, three designs for this option are still in the running.  Depending upon its final cost to make (a much more complex mother board than the T8+) it may replace the T8 or simply add another choice to our product line. All we are sure of now is that the finished line stage came out much better sounding then we anticipated.

Stay tuned.

Frank Van Alstine

The unit at CAF was "singing" nicely, providing tube smoothness without "tubey" colorations or softness, very extended highs... When this thing gets released "into the wild", it's going to be very successful, I predict. Is the phono stage going to be all tube or hybrid?

[charmerci]

Certainly a T9 is better then a T8, because it's 1 better........

Wayner

Especially when you turn it all the way up -

 

[Listens2tubes]

Hmm, back to 12Ax7 and 12AU7 tubes. After I stocked up on and rolled the complete 6DJ8 family through my T8+ Never satisfied to sit on your loins, eh Frank?

  I guess resistance is futile. So will the new MB fit the T8+ case?

[trackball02]

I noticed that the T9 preamp is listed on the AVA web site; however, the text still mentions T8+

http://avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=203

Is the T9 now for sale? Anyone have a chance to listen to this new preamp in their own system?

[avahifi]

Our Transcendence 9 vacuum tube preamp web page is under construction and should be finished by this weekend.  This new preamp replaces the T8+.  It has a brand new mother board with an improved line stage using all polypropylene capacitors in the signal path, a new and much improved headphone amplifier, and a new very high quality split passive EQ RIAA phono preamplifier option.  The price is $100 higher than the old T8+ and the phono section option is $50 higher than previously.  We can build you a new T9 right now.  The new mother board is available as a $899 replacement upgrade for any older AVA preamp in our standard size 17" chassis. Phono circuits are a $249 option either as an upgrade or as an original install.

The T9 uses one dual triode 6CG7 tube per channel.  It has six sets of line inputs, tape in, tape out, and two sets of line outputs.  Front panel controls include selector switch, volume control and balance control.  There are push-button switches for Tape monitoring, mono stereo, low gain, and a filter switch designed to help tame ratty source material.

More later.

Frank Van Alstine

[JerryM]

Sweet   

Upgrade cometh.... 

[martyo]

each line stage using a 12AT7 and a 12AU7 tube

This is a different configuration than the proto-type at the Capital Audiofest?

[avahifi]

Correct, this is a different configuration.

It turns out that the cathode follower design would end up being too expensive to make for us to offer it as a low cost direct replacement for the T8+.  But the T8+ needed a major upgrade in any event. Its mother board layout is eight years old and did not allow making the improvements we wanted to do.  So we did redesign its mother board too, incorporating the same new headphone preamp section, new optional split passive phono section, and improvements to the tube line section, including all polypropylene capacitors in the signal path.  We are able to offer this much improved and updated preamp for a price as close to that of the orginal T8+ as possible.

We still wanted to offer the astonishing new cathode follower unit too, and this is now available as the Fet Valve CF preamplifier at $1899 with the standard black faceplate.  The Fet Valve CF uses 12AT7 amplification tubes and 12AU7 followers.This unit is nearly identical to the one shown at the Capital Audio Show that got such nice comments except for two useful improvements.  First, a really nice split passive optional phono circuit is now designed into the new mother board.  Second, it too uses all polypropylene capacitors in the signal path.  This is an improvement over the one heard at the show as we had not designed in the polypropylene capacitors into that preliminary mother board yet.

Both of these preamplifiers, along with almost all other new AVA units are now available with our thick machined silver faceplate as an extra cost option.

There will be much more info at our website very soon.  www.avahifi.com

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[martyo]

Thanks Frank, sounds exciting.

[Tone Depth]

What advantages do the polypropylene capacitors provide, as compared with other types of capacitors?

We still wanted to offer the astonishing new cathode follower unit too, and this is now available as the Fet Valve CF preamplifier at $1899 with the standard black faceplate.  The Fet Valve CF uses 12AT7 amplification tubes and 12AU7 followers.This unit is nearly identical to the one shown at the Capital Audio Show that got such nice comments except for two useful improvements.  First, a really nice split passive optional phono circuit is now designed into the new mother board.  Second, it too uses all polypropylene capacitors in the signal path.  This is an improvement over the one heard at the show as we had not designed in the polypropylene capacitors into that preliminary mother board yet.

[martyo]

I know it isn't this simple but it seems that every preamp I have heard with the 2nd set of "AU" tubes has had a rich full-bodied sound.

[trackball02]

 Wow, the Fet Valve CF sounds great! I wonder if is time to replace my Avastar with the new model.

[JerryM]

Can a standard T8. 17" chassis be upgraded to a Fet Valve CF? If so, what is the estimated cost?

[Lefty052347]

To upgrade to a Fet Valve CF it would be $1399 plus $249 for the phono option.

To upgrade to a T-9 it would be $899 plus $249 for phono.

To upgrade the phono section only it would be $349.

Regards,
Dean