[Minn Mark]

Gang,
I am currently using AVA Insight EC pre-amp  (not the 'plus' version) with Frank's nice phono stage. I would like advice or experience of anyone of you using a tubed front end for vinyl. Is it worthwhile for me to upgrade to a AVA hybrid pre-amp w/ phono into my AVA Insight 440H and Maggies? What are the improvements?  Other ways I can get improvements for listening to vinyl via AVA equipment? Am contemplating replacing the Insight with an AVA Ultra+EC w/phono (I likes the tone controls). Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Mark

[WGH]

I would think changing to the Ultra would be more of a lateral move. The 'plus' upgrade is affordable, you can do it yourself, and it really improves the original Insight's sound; it may be all you need to do to get the sound where you like it.

Tone Depth and I compared the Insight+ phono to a Hagerman Cornet2 tubed phono pre-amp here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=83433.0

Wayne

[avahifi]

For your info, we will be announcing a very nice upgrade to both the Ultra series preamps and Ultra DAC (the Ultra SL preamp and Ultra DAC are now discontinued but the Ultra EC preamp remains in production.

The upgrade will go into new Ultra EC preamps at no increase in price and will include upgrading the optional hybrid phono section too.

The upgrade will be available at $300 for existing Ultra preamp line sections and the Ultra DAC, and $200 in addition for the Ultra hybrid phono sections.

The upgrade replaces the Hitachi J79 mos-fet in the transimpedance circuits with a much better performing active part and the necessary biasing changes to set the biasing for it correctly.  We will have the parts available in about a week.

The improved Ultras come very very close to the performance of our newest AvaStar preamp and Vision DACs (both completely different technologies) and will provide our previous clients with a much lower cost upgrade path.

Best regards,

Frank Van Alstine