My new AVA Ultra SL preamp arrived Tuesday afternoon. While many Circle members may not particularly care about how improved it is over the previous version, I thought I’d write a posting anyway.
When he called me to say that it was ready to ship, Frank predicted that I would be “astonished” at the improved sound. Sorry, Frank, but I can’t say that I am. There are several adjectives I can come up with to describe my early impressions, but “astonished” implies being surprised, and I’m afraid I am not that. I’m old and jaded, having been an AVA fan for going on 30 years now. With the track record AVA has, I would have been amazed if what I was hearing was anything less than transcendent. That Frank has once again produced an incredible piece of audio gear for a fraction of the price of anything that might even begin to compete with its sound quality… well, that’s just what he always does.
I began by playing several pieces of music that I am very familiar with and use for reference through my “old” Ultra preamp, fixing in my mind as best I could their sonic attributes. Then I swapped out the old preamp for the new, and went back to the same pieces. Initially, for just the first few minutes, the high end somehow seemed a tad hard, but after that time it settled in to a smooth, extended sound that was truly marvelous. What I heard was better dynamic range, more definition, and better depth.
To be more precise, there is definitely more “air” around instruments, better separation that results in decidedly improved definition, and most noticeable, I am hearing more depth and width to the soundfield. I am more drawn into the sound and am listening into the music – not listening to my audio system. I find myself making minute adjustments to the toeing in of my speakers and to the settings of my woofers. On some particularly intricate and delicate passages I hear not only better detail than I have ever heard, but even some instrumental accents that I have NEVER heard before. I find myself digging in to my collection for old favorites to listen to, appreciating nuances and textures in the music that were not as audible before. I haven’t gotten around to trying out the phono section yet, but hope to soon.
So – is the “new” Ultra preamp a quantum leap over its predecessor, the “old” Ultra? Well, that’s probably a bit strong – the “old” is, after all, a great piece. The new is at least a significant and audible improvement, and is certainly another superb audio achievement for AVA. I don’t know why Frank doesn’t call it an Ultra II – in my humble opinion this is more than just a minor upgrade.
I’ve an audiophile for many years, and have heard a lot of great equipment and systems, though those have admittedly been in many different environments. There are doubtless many more “golden ears” than mine, but – as I guess we all must – I tend to trust what my ears and instincts tell me. In sum, there may be a better preamp or two out there somewhere, though as I sit listening it’s hard to imagine what they could improve on over this. If in fact they exist at all, you can expect to pay many times the price of this terrific-sounding AVA piece.
THANK YOU, Frank!
And by the way, please put me in line for an Ultra 550 amp upgrade as soon as you get around to putting one into production!
Just a few reference (and highly recommended) CD’s: Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kije Suite (London); Mary Black – The Holy Ground; Nanci Griffith & the London Symphony Orchestra – The Dust Bowl Symphony; Chet Atkins – Sails; Pete Townsend – Psychoderelict (remastered).
Associated equipment: Quad ESL 2905 speakers, B&W 825 subs, Arcam CD72 CD player, Electrocompaniet ECD1 DAC, modified Dahlquist LP1 crossover, and AVA Ultra 550 amp. (Interconnects and cabling are a high-end make which Frank would disapprove of and I would therefore be embarrassed to name – though to my ear they allow his gear to sound their best.)
