[fsimms]

I just bought the digital issue.   Nice write up.   However, here again we have a reviewer that can’t tell the difference between a bass reflex box and a mass loaded transmission line.   I guess there aren’t any reviewers that know that difference! 

Bob

[Construct]

There was a reviewer like that.  His name was Julian Hirsch. 

[rlee8394]

However, here again we have a reviewer that can’t tell the difference between a bass reflex box and a mass loaded transmission line

I was immediately struck by that same realization. They seem to understand the idea of a transmission line with respect to line length. They just can't seem to grasp the concept of a mass loading port. To them, all ports operate the same!!

[turkey]

I was immediately struck by that same realization. They seem to understand the idea of a transmission line with respect to line length. They just can't seem to grasp the concept of a mass loading port. To them, all ports operate the same!!

Not every reviewer can be a Keele or a Heyser. Unfortunately, too many of them are Harleys.

[TONEPUB]

Nice review, here's to hoping that it translates into some sales for you!

[Eric]

Nice review

[Rocket]

Hi,

I signed up and bought the download version of the magazine and here is a quote from the amplifier/speaker review:

'Music lovers rejoice! In my estimation, the Salk Sound SongTower and Ultravalve combo represent
the most musical audio dollars you’re ever likely to spend during a lifetime of consumption.'

I'm all for supporting smaller companies and its great to read a very positive review.  I sure wish I had bought an ultravalve amplifier instead of my current one that I imported to Australia.

Regards

Rod

[simon wagstaff]

I thought it was a nicely written review and very positive and hopefully will result in lots of sales for AVA.  However, I don't feel like the reviewer touched on any of the things that make the U70 (I haven't heard the ultravalve but am guessing it is at least similar) special. In my system that it the micro-dynamics in the upper midrange and percussion. The big cymbal splashes. the depth of the midrange. Didn't seem to be anything descriptive of the sound.

Good review though, congrats!

[Listens2tubes]

It is great to have a review like this to tell prospective buyers about when discussing my own liking for Frank's excellent work. Not to mention the recognition by others who read TAS when mentioning my T8 as part of my system.

[boycephoto]

I am still waiting at the mail box antisipating the arrivial of TAS issue #204, I hope it will show up soon.   
I guess it's not August yet.   

[avahifi]

I think the review's lack of specificity in describing the musical characteristics of the Ultravalve amplifier is because there is no audio vocabulary to describe it accurately.

We have found something pretty intangible - - - a big electrical engineering step forward.  An unmasking, so to speak, of what is there in the recording that has been previously simply obscured by distortion effects very hard to identify and eliminate.  So hard to identify and eliminate that it has never been done before.

Fortunately for us, once we know what has to be fixed, we are pretty certain we can discover and fix the same issues with other products. At this time, we have certainly made the Avastar preamp and Vision DAC keep up with the Ultravalve.  Our much more powerful Insight+ and Ultra+ amplifiers have made great advances in this direction too.

It certainly is not the cables, power cords, magic passive parts, or any of the other flood of audio voodoo out there stealing your audio resource dollars from good electrical engineering.

Where would we be if we concentrated on wonderful sounding power cords instead of learning what are and then fixing worse case engineering problems?

All those pushing wonder wires and gob-stopping dingleberries as their road to selling you, at your high cost, audio bliss, have one thing in common, they know zilch about audio engineering, and we suspect are simply out there to defraud you from as much money of possible, not much different than those buying Manhatten from the Indians for a few pretty colored beads.

Think about it please.  And, of course, the best answer is simply to try an Ultravalve amplifier in your system and experience what it can do for you that all the expensive audio add-ons simply can not.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[Listens2tubes]

Its worth a subscription as there is more to come in a future issue.

Best regards,

Frank

I'm hoping this teaser will come to fruition soon!  

[jimdgoulding]

I think the review's lack of specificity in describing the musical characteristics of the Ultravalve amplifier is because there is no audio vocabulary to describe it accurately.

We have found something pretty intangible - - - a big electrical engineering step forward.  An unmasking, so to speak, of what is there in the recording that has been previously simply obscured by distortion effects very hard to identify and eliminate.  So hard to identify and eliminate that it has never been done before.

Fortunately for us, once we know what has to be fixed, we are pretty certain we can discover and fix the same issues with other products. At this time, we have certainly made the Avastar preamp and Vision DAC keep up with the Ultravalve.  Our much more powerful Insight+ and Ultra+ amplifiers have made great advances in this direction too.

It certainly is not the cables, power cords, magic passive parts, or any of the other flood of audio voodoo out there stealing your audio resource dollars from good electrical engineering.

Where would we be if we concentrated on wonderful sounding power cords instead of learning what are and then fixing worse case engineering problems?

All those pushing wonder wires and gob-stopping dingleberries as their road to selling you, at your high cost, audio bliss, have one thing in common, they know zilch about audio engineering, and we suspect are simply out there to defraud you from as much money of possible, not much different than those buying Manhatten from the Indians for a few pretty colored beads.

Think about it please.  And, of course, the best answer is simply to try an Ultravalve amplifier in your system and experience what it can do for you that all the expensive audio add-ons simply can not.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

Oh my, bravo!  Yes, indeed.  Don't know what the reviewer had or didn't have in mind but I love what FVA has in mind.  It's about the fundamentals, lads.  Every boy scout should know that.