AVA does have the 30 day satisfaction guarantee, so that's always an option if no one chimes in on this. That way you could form your own opinion, and really, who's opinion is better than your own

? Frank would tell you the same thing...as an aside, I love the combination of a tubed pre with a solid state amp, that's the direction I'll be going in the future, most likely with a T8 and one of the Synergy amps, or what ever is comparable at the time.
Cornelis