[Spirit]

The description of this product on the AVA website is quite interesting.
Does anyone have any personal reviews of this product?
Love to know your thoughts.

[avahifi]

Personal review:  Mine is just wonderful. 

Frank Van Alstine

[Spirit]

Personal review:  Mine is just wonderful. 

Frank Van Alstine

Should have mentioned.....reviews must be unbiased!!!!!!!

[Airheads4Ever]

Does anyone have any personal reviews of this product?

Search for DAC in this circle and you will find may personal reviews and discussions of this product.

(The "Search" menu item is right up at the top of the page.)

[Spirit]

I had the pleasure of speaking to Frank yesterday about the UltraDac and he is very enthused about the product.  Why shouldn't he be, he designed it!  Frank seems like a very knowledgable and obviously experienced engineer and I am sure that all his products are well designed and sonically excellent.
But, as a consumer, it is important to obtain feedback from our peers who have actually listened to the product.  I am not one of those guys who likes to order an expensive piece simply to take advantage of the 30 day trial.  That would entail hefty shipping and custom charges to Canada.  It also would be a pain for Frank, who wants to see his gear out the door and  not coming back in!
I have concluded that a Digital to Analog Converter is one of the most essential pieces in the audio chain.  I find that the differences that I have experienced betweeen DACs can be quite substantial and that is why I am trying to garner as much learned information as possible.

[Zheeeem]

Personal review:  Mine is just wonderful. 

Frank Van Alstine

Mine too! 

[Spirit]

Personal review:  Mine is just wonderful. 

Frank Van Alstine

Mine too! 

Zheeem:
could you elaborate on what it is that makes this DAC so special?

[Charles Calkins]

Spirit:
 Hearing is believing.

                               Cheers
                               Charlie

[Zheeeem]

Personal review:  Mine is just wonderful. 

Frank Van Alstine

Mine too! 

Zheeem:
could you elaborate on what it is that makes this DAC so special?

Sure.  That's easy.  As I type this, I'm listening to Furtwangler's 1944 Bruckner 8 with the VPO.  It's a brilliant performance, and absolutely all of the emotion comes through.  In fact, my system simply disappears and there's... the music.  Oh, if I listen for it I can tell that it's from an old tape made on less than perfect equipment, and the bass and high end are rolled off, and it's mono.  But really, I have to stop listening to the music and instead listen to the recording to hear all of that.  No, this DAC won't cure all bad recordings or mixes, but given half a chance, the "recording" simply gets out of the way.

[Zheeeem]

Sure.  That's easy.  As I type this, I'm listening to Furtwangler's 1944 Bruckner 8 with the VPO.  It's a brilliant performance, and absolutely all of the emotion comes through.  In fact, my system simply disappears and there's... the music.  Oh, if I listen for it I can tell that it's from an old tape made on less than perfect equipment, and the bass and high end are rolled off, and it's mono.  But really, I have to stop listening to the music and instead listen to the recording to hear all of that.  No, this DAC won't cure all bad recordings or mixes, but given half a chance, the "recording" simply gets out of the way.

Yeah, but how does his 1942 radio broadcast of Bruckner 5 with Berlin sound?

More to the point, what were you using before you got the DAC?

I was using an Omega 3.  Really good DAC.  In fact, that was the DAC that finally convinced me that CDs don't suck. But the Ultra just flat out disappears.

[Zheeeem]

I was using an Omega 3.  Really good DAC.  In fact, that was the DAC that finally convinced me that CDs don't suck. But the Ultra just flat out disappears.

Zheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem,

You don't seem to quite get the exact point of this discussion.  Folks are trying to get feedback, first and foremost, about a Van Alstine DAC vs. DACs or CD players by other manufacturers.  It's nice to know that the Ultra is better than the Omega (which it ought to be for twice the dough).  But the followup question naturally is now, what were you using before you got the Omega Dac?

Um, well Brian, unless I've not followed this thread correctly, you're the one that took it from Spirit's original premise (any personal reviews of the Ultra DAC out there?) into the broader comparisons.  My original reply to Spirit was simply a tongue-in-cheek reply to Frank.  Then, in my last post,  I simply replied to your question - "what were you using before you got the DAC?"

So, now, to reply to your new question - "what were you using before you got the Omega Dac?" the answer is - a Van Alstine modified Magnavox CDP.  I think it dates from the late 80s and, wonder of wonders, it still works and is plugged into my wife's HT.  It compared very favourably to the unmodded Magnavox.

So now you've got the whole story from me:  Ultra > Omega 3 > AVA modded magnavox.

Hope this helps.

[daveshel]

I don't think anyone doubts what a great product the Ultra DAC is, but then, I don't have one and I'm also not convinced CDs suck, as you were.  Good CDs sound really really good in my system as is, which is why I'm looking for inspiration that the AVA DAC is worth shelling out another $1600 for (i.e. more than an incremental improvement).

CDs don't suck on my system, either. I have a pretty good Phillips 9536SA playing through my AVA Super PAS Three and Ultimate-70. My other source on this rig is a Roksan Radius 5 turntable with a Clearaudio wood body cartridge, so I think I have a pretty good baseline for not sucking. Of course I have considered an AVA DAC but cannot conceive of an improvement that justifies the hefty price tag. I've been keeping my eye open for a used one for the past year but no luck. While I have been quite satisfied with my AVA equipment and therefore trust Frank's ear and judgement, it would be nice to have more to go on.

[Zheeeem]

Well, for you guys who are really thinking about getting one of Frank's DACs, all I can really say is that he's got a 30-day money back guarantee.

I've been running one of Frank's DACs for near on 15 years.  The first one made a night-and-day difference, and the Ultra is simply outstanding.  Maybe mass produced onboard DACs have improved considerably in 15 years.  Maybe not.  I just don't know because I don't listen to them.  Well, I did once listen to the DAC in my HK CDP, and it really really sucks (as in, it's bloody unlistenable).  But that's hardly a fair sampling.  As they say, once you've been to gay Paree, it's hard to go back to the farm.  Or something like that.

Anyhow, if you want a review, read Suzy's in TAS, and consider that she ended up buying an Ultra DAC for her own use after reviewing it

[avahifi]

Daveshel, the Ultra DAC will beat your Philips CD player as much as, if not more so, than your Ultimate 70 beats a stock Dyna St-70.  Believe me, I did most of the work on both AVA pieces. With the stock CD player you have no idea as to how good your Ultimate 70 amp is yet. 

Regards,

Frank

[Wally King]

I'd love to read a report from anyone who's been able to compare the Ultra DAC with any of the following:

Paradisea DAC
Benchmark DAC-1
Lavry DA10
Lite DAC 62 or 68
Ack DAC
Rega Apollo or Saturn CDP

[daveshel]

I'd love to read something that had some analysis behind its conclusions. I can't afford to spend that much with so little to go on.

[richidoo]

I'd love to read something that had some analysis behind its conclusions. I can't afford to spend that much with so little to go on.

Isn't the TAS review enough assurance for your hard earned money?      Frank had his lie bone removed so you can rely on his no bullshit advice, except about speaker wire.     hehe

Money back guarantee protects you as long as you don't take too long to decide. You're risking only shipping fee.

If you get it, please post your analysis! The review list for UltraDAC is not long enough!
Rich

[Wayner]

I have the older OmegaStar DAC that is wonderful. The high end of CDs have that "vinyl" sound, percussion and vocals have an airiness and natural decay that stand-alone CD players never seem to reproduce. The sound stage is extremely wide. Instruments are in pinpoint positions. Reverberation in the recordings sounds natural. There is zero listening fatigue. There is no need to go back and forth for comparisons between the CD players' DAC and Franks DACs. I have heard Frank's Ultra DAC with his T8, 550ex and HT-3 speakers at his factory showroom. Zowieee!

W