[mathgeek97]

For under $4000, I could get

• Vision DAC/Pre combo with remote option
• UltraValve amp

or

• Vision DAC
• T8 Pre with remote option
  
• Insight 240

The wife isn't keen on buying used.  I also wonder about how much of a pain the UltraValve amp would be.  I am pretty much a clueless newbie when it comes to tubes and am a bit intimidated by having to adjust bias, pick tubes, etc.  Plus, with the lights out watching a movie, am I going to be annoyed by the glow of tubes?
Also, I don't need excessive volume, so I'm cool with the amount of power output of the UltraValve.
Anybody have a better combination that they'd suggest at around the $4000 price point?

Thanks,
mathgeek97

[Wayner]

First, the Ultravalve won't be "a pain is the ars", as the tubes should last several years before re-tubing. While the tubes are the weak link in any tube equipment, there are lots of proven reliable years here with other users to chime in, I'm sure. Biasing is not a religious practice that needs to be done everyday. I simply check mine "every once in awhile" and leave it at that. Bias change is directly related to line voltage change, so it is normal for bias to drift above and below the normal 1.56 voltage setting.

Anyone of your combinations will be great. It depends on your budget, as you have stated, but also need and feel good driven. If  you are uneasy with tubes, and they are not for everybody, your Insight 240 might be best for you. It's plug and play, no tube replacement hassels and will have enough power to drive most normal speakers to more then adequate sound levels.

Perhaps the Vision preamp/DAC and an Insight 240 would be the right choice for you. You'll be under your budget and there won't be any tubes to bother with (the T8 is all tube).

I have the Insight EC pre and the Insight 260. I couldn't be more happy with this combo.

Wayner 

[pardales]

For under $4000, I could get

• Vision DAC/Pre combo with remote option
• UltraValve amp

or

• Vision DAC
• T8 Pre with remote option
  
• Insight 240

The wife isn't keen on buying used.  I also wonder about how much of a pain the UltraValve amp would be.  I am pretty much a clueless newbie when it comes to tubes and am a bit intimidated by having to adjust bias, pick tubes, etc.  Plus, with the lights out watching a movie, am I going to be annoyed by the glow of tubes?
Also, I don't need excessive volume, so I'm cool with the amount of power output of the UltraValve.
Anybody have a better combination that they'd suggest at around the $4000 price point?

Thanks,
mathgeek97

Can't go wrong either way here. If you don't mind the occasional biasing of the amp then go for the Ultravalve -- I agree that tube life is not really a concern. Otherwise, as Wayner suggests, you could have a mighty simple/elegant system with just those two units.

With AVA gear I just don't think you can go wrong.

[oneinthepipe]

I think that you should mix tubes and solid state.  Since the Vision DAC is solid state, you only need to consider the preamp and amp.

With your HT2-TL, I think that the T8 preamp with the 6CG7 tube upgrade, the Vision DAC, and an Insight Double 240 would be the best setup if you don't want the minimal maintenance of the UltraValve.

If it were me, I would buy the Vision DAC/Preamp (or the Vision DAC and Insight SL for a little over budget) and the UltraValve, and I would buy a NOS 5AR4 rectifier tube for the UltraValve.

The glow from the tubes looks very nice in a darkened room, IMO.

[ricmon]

For under $4000, I could get

• Vision DAC/Pre combo with remote option
• UltraValve amp

or

• Vision DAC
• T8 Pre with remote option
  
• Insight 240

The wife isn't keen on buying used.  I also wonder about how much of a pain the UltraValve amp would be.  I am pretty much a clueless newbie when it comes to tubes and am a bit intimidated by having to adjust bias, pick tubes, etc.  Plus, with the lights out watching a movie, am I going to be annoyed by the glow of tubes?
Also, I don't need excessive volume, so I'm cool with the amount of power output of the UltraValve.
Anybody have a better combination that they'd suggest at around the $4000 price point?

Thanks,
mathgeek97

I would go with the UltraValve amp, Vision DAC, T8 Pre with phono stage.

[mathgeek97]

I think that you should mix tubes and solid state. 

A mix was definitely what I was going for, but am a bit timid regarding the power tubes for the amp, and I'm way too cheap to buy a hybrid amp.  However, I suppose I am leaning toward the 2-piece solution with all of its WAF glory.

oneinthepipe, please let us know how you like the Vision DAC/Pre -> Ultimate 70 -> Salk HT2-TL combination whenever you get that set up, since that'll be about as close to what I'm looking at as anybody has.

Thanks,
mathgeek97

[ricmon]

A mix was definitely what I was going for, but am a bit timid regarding the power tubes for the amp, and I'm way too cheap to buy a hybrid amp.  However, I suppose I am leaning toward the 2-piece solution with all of its WAF glory.

oneinthepipe, please let us know how you like the Vision DAC/Pre -> Ultimate 70 -> Salk HT2-TL combination whenever you get that set up, since that'll be about as close to what I'm looking at as anybody has.

Thanks,
mathgeek97

A mix was definitely what I was going for, but am a bit timid regarding the power tubes for the amp, and I'm way too cheap to buy a hybrid amp.  However, I suppose I am leaning toward the 2-piece solution with all of its WAF glory.

oneinthepipe, please let us know how you like the Vision DAC/Pre -> Ultimate 70 -> Salk HT2-TL combination whenever you get that set up, since that'll be about as close to what I'm looking at as anybody has.

Thanks,
mathgeek97

Just to be clear there are no power tubes in the Fet-Valve AVA amps which is what the Ultra designs are, so I would not concern myself with tube degradation.  You also mentioned concerns about biasing, this is set at the factory and will never need adjusting unless you change to different type of tubes other than stock.  One last thing.  When the tubes do go bad they are very very inexpensive to replace.  So if I were you I would go with my previous reccomendations. Ultra amp, T8/phono and Vision Dac.

Ric 

[Wayner]

Ric,

You should check the biasing from time to time. I agree that it's something that should not become compulsive/obsessive (as in disorder)!

 

[ricmon]

Ric,

You should check the biasing from time to time. I agree that it's something that should not become compulsive/obsessive (as in disorder)!

 

Wanyer.  Does this apply to all amps, hybrids, SS, and tubes amps?

thanks
Ric

[Wayner]

No. Only the Ultravalve.

Wayner 

[ricmon]

Don't confuse the UltraValve (power tubes) with the Ultra FetValve (hybrid mosfet + line tubes).

Good catch,  I was definitely using the wrong nomenclature.   

[mathgeek97]

Thanks for your input, guys.
Ricmon, the Vision/T8/UltraValve is probably over my budget (read, "my wife's tolerance").
I guess tubes shouldn't really scare me.  I build my own computers, but I haven't touch a soldering iron since I was a kid, and all I need to do to a tube is plug it in.  Too bad my local Radio Shack doesn't have that cool tube testing machine anymore...

[mathgeek97]

I certainly don't want to take business away from AVA but there's some good used stuff for sale right now, so ask your wife what she has against saving a few bucks.

Frank will be happy to know that if I buy something without a decent warranty, I'll be sleeping in the yard, and it's just too cold for that!

[ricmon]

Thanks for your input, guys.
Ricmon, the Vision/T8/UltraValve is probably over my budget (read, "my wife's tolerance").
I guess tubes shouldn't really scare me.  I build my own computers, but I haven't touch a soldering iron since I was a kid, and all I need to do to a tube is plug it in.  Too bad my local Radio Shack doesn't have that cool tube testing machine anymore...

Sorry for the mix up I was actually suggesting one of the hybrid Fet-Valve amps  , which I still stand by (also Frank says that the Ultra Valve and the Ultra Fet-Valve sound very similar).

Ric