[jedgar]

I gotta say that my AVA items will stay with me, probably for life. I think my hearing is very good but age will have its way with us all.  So this is probably my ultimate system.   Best choice was getting AVA's multi-option and seldom heard preamp: the Transcendence 10 SLR (c. 2017) tubed preamp w/ included Vision Q+ phono preamp, used from AVA in 2023 $1200.   It plays well with my solid state AVA Synergy 240 (120 wpc) new from AVA in 2017, $1200.   Powering Tannoy DC4000s.

I can hear a difference when compared with a friend's much much fancier system -- but only most of the time is there a noticeable advantage to his.  Not always.  Sometimes mine is better. And his least expensive, least fancy items, are probably his AVA M225 monoblocks (having bested Pass Labs X xxx in head-to-head comparisons at his home) and these go with a newish AR preamp of high repute. Played through very high end Martin Logan speakers and REL subs.  I love listening to his system but my own is so much more convenient!

So likely we preach to the converted but it's worth restating that really high quality and reasonably priced gear is designed and assembled very close to here.  Hats off to Frank, may his memory continue to be a blessing. and his people.

[Bodhi]

Congrats on your AVA amps @jedgar . Prior to reading your thread, AVA and it's Designer, Industry veteran Frank Van Alstine were unknown to me. Their industrial design and direct sales model remind me of deHavilland who have always been a sleeper, and are in a similar price bracket to AVA's flagship amps. They also have a sensational value tape pre. But I digress. I see that AVA's products have garnered positive feedback from reviewers. Though it is inexplicable why they would design their flagship mono blocks to only work with their digital preamp, or via their rca to xlr converter, which to me seems like a convuluted way of doing things. Still, you can't argue their products offer good 'bang for buck'. Personally I plan to go down the high efficiency route & run a flea-powered dual mono SET integrated amp in my next system. Vive la difference!

[SteveFord]

Is deHavilland back in business?
I spoke to Kara Chaffee years ago and she said that she was out of the audio business and try as I might, I couldn't get her to re-enter the fray.

This thread got me to crank up the boob tube system with the AVA FET CF tube preamp, they make good gear.

[Bodhi]

@SteveFord, all I can tell you is their website is still online (albeit with an expired security certificate). I see someone on Audiogon asked the same question a couple of years ago, and one member commented that Kara was still accepting orders at that time. But 2 years is a long time in the audio business, so .

[DecibleDude]

Congrats on your AVA amps @jedgar . Prior to reading your thread, AVA and it's Designer, Industry veteran Frank Van Alstine were unknown to me. Their industrial design and direct sales model remind me of deHavilland who have always been a sleeper, and are in a similar price bracket to AVA's flagship amps. They also have a sensational value tape pre. But I digress. I see that AVA's products have garnered positive feedback from reviewers. Though it is inexplicable why they would design their flagship mono blocks to only work with their digital preamp, or via their rca to xlr converter, which to me seems like a convuluted way of doing things. Still, you can't argue their products offer good 'bang for buck'. Personally I plan to go down the high efficiency route & run a flea-powered dual mono SET integrated amp in my next system. Vive la difference!

Yes AVA Is very good value for money, and an ethical company as well. Of late I've been singing their praises on various Audio related sites, (AudioShark etc) of the AVA gear I've got. It appears that the few people who respond to a thread are very enthusiastic about AVA, but generally most of these sites appear to have assumed room temp, judging by the amount of activity on them.  That's a shame, and it appears to have happened with my other hobby of photography as well.

[AllanS]

@SteveFord, all I can tell you is their website is still online (albeit with an expired security certificate). I see someone on Audiogon asked the same question a couple of years ago, and one member commented that Kara was still accepting orders at that time. But 2 years is a long time in the audio business, so .

I traded emails with Kara a few months back.  She replied that “I am basically retired... So I am not building out any gears and I don't have units in stock.”

…it is inexplicable why they would design their flagship mono blocks to only work with their digital preamp, or via their rca to xlr converter, which to me seems like a convuluted way of doing things. Still, you can't argue their products offer good 'bang for buck'

I don’t fully get it either but resolve that AVA is like family and I certainly don’t get why some in my family do the things they do.

[peter4jc]

Though it is inexplicable why they would design their flagship mono blocks to only work with their digital preamp, or via their rca to xlr converter, which to me seems like a convuluted way of doing things.

Maybe we can get @Mithat to join in someday and explain why a pure differential design is worth the bother.  I called AVA two years back to order an amp and preamp; Frank answered and convinced me to go with the M225's and the converter.  I'm thankful for his advice and convinced they will be the last amps I will purchase.

I tried reading up on what a differential design is, and it didn't take long for my brain to go on 'tilt'.   

Here's a post from Frank in 2017;
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=149749.0

[Bodhi]

Yes AVA Is very good value for money, and an ethical company as well. Of late I've been singing their praises on various Audio related sites, (AudioShark etc) of the AVA gear I've got. It appears that the few people who respond to a thread are very enthusiastic about AVA, but generally most of these sites appear to have assumed room temp, judging by the amount of activity on them.  That's a shame, and it appears to have happened with my other hobby of photography as well.

I get that impression. Audioshark is a higher end forum, so some members would snub AVA amps which is likely unfair. As far as local Australian manufcturers go, the Elektra HD300 is my go to 'bang for buck' power amp. If you've got reasonably inefficient speakers, that amp is a powerhouse, yet musical at the same time. Pair that amp with a pre-owned ARC Ref 2 & you'd have an amazing pairing. Designer Arthur Rappaport also designs a range of HT amps which again, are my go-to amps for HT duties.

I traded emails with Kara a few months back.  She replied that “I am basically retired... So I am not building out any gears and I don't have units in stock.”

Wow that's the end of an era from an iconic valve amp manufacturer .

Maybe we can get @Mithat to join in someday and explain why a pure differential design is worth the bother.  I called AVA two years back to order an amp and preamp; Frank answered and convinced me to go with the M225's and the converter.  I'm thankful for his advice and convinced they will be the last amps I will purchase.

I tried reading up on what a differential design is, and it didn't take long for my brain to go on 'tilt'.   

Here's a post from Frank in 2017;
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=149749.0

I couldn't use a singled ended to balanced converter as it is just antithetical to my audiophile sensibilities. After recently reviewing my system plans, I plan to go with solid state gear in my next system which will all be true balanced (incl: my Panasonic bluray player), so i'll use xlr's all round.

[DecibleDude]

There might be a few audio snobs there, but the folks that did respond didn't seem to be that way at all. In fact they have a section called the thrifty audiophile or something like that. I just think most of these sites are deader than doornails most of the time. Even Audio Karma isn't really that active, although it's big so there's always something going on somewhere on the site. I think Stereophile shut down their forums all together, because I can't find them anymore.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

There might be a few audio snobs there, but the folks that did respond didn't seem to be that way at all. In fact they have a section called the thrifty audiophile or something like that. I just think most of these sites are deader than doornails most of the time. Even Audio Karma isn't really that active, although it's big so there's always something going on somewhere on the site. I think Stereophile shut down their forums all together, because I can't find them anymore.

Stereophile shut their forum down due to stupid and inflammatory comments.   Can't blame them.  ESPN did that a few years ago due to people being aholes.
I joined the Steve Hoffman forum a few months ago and their are quite a few aholes that if they do not agree with you, they will belittle you.  Forums are no place for that.  Forums are a place for discussion, learning and comradery.

[DecibleDude]

 I agree, there's always a few nincompoops on every site, which usually are best ignored.

[SlushPuppy]

I agree, there's always a few nincompoops on every site, which usually are best ignored.

Yep. They are everywhere 

[Bodhi]

There might be a few audio snobs there, but the folks that did respond didn't seem to be that way at all. In fact they have a section called the thrifty audiophile or something like that. I just think most of these sites are deader than doornails most of the time. Even Audio Karma isn't really that active, although it's big so there's always something going on somewhere on the site. I think Stereophile shut down their forums all together, because I can't find them anymore.

On reflection, I was giving you my view of Audioshark forum from 10 or 11 years ago. Since then, a lot of members have been banned (generally those who enthusiastically posted about gear Mike Bovaird didn't sell in his store). As a result a lot of the high end guys have left the forum, and the site is now little more than an informercial for Bovaird's brands. Ironically, I now see he is trying to coax banned manufacturers from WBF and other sites to join AS by offering them the carrot of a free sub-forum in an apparent attempt to change that perception.

[Bodhi]

Stereophile shut their forum down due to stupid and inflammatory comments.   Can't blame them.  ESPN did that a few years ago due to people being aholes.
I joined the Steve Hoffman forum a few months ago and their are quite a few aholes that if they do not agree with you, they will belittle you.  Forums are no place for that.  Forums are a place for discussion, learning and comradery.

I agree. I've been trolled off many audio forums because I can actually think for myself, and am not prone to mass formation psychosis. Sure this site doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the bigger forums. But it's members and sponsors make it the great little forum it is.

[Jeff_From_Michigan]

..Audioshark is a higher end forum, so some members would snub AVA amps which is likely unfair.

I haven't found that to be true at all on AudioShark.  My budget (and therefore my equipment) is far more modest than a lot of the members there, but they haven't talked down to me and the equipment that I talk about at all.  I believe one of the members here also posts there about his recent AVA gear purchases, and nobody has snubbed him or AVA. To the contrary, some have posted positive comments about the company and products.

It seems that Van Alstine is well known and respected in higher-end circles as well as value-oriented ones.

[Bodhi]

I haven't found that to be true at all on AudioShark.  My budget (and therefore my equipment) is far more modest than a lot of the members there, but they haven't talked down to me and the equipment that I talk about at all.  I believe one of the members here also posts there about his recent AVA gear purchases, and nobody has snubbed him or AVA. To the contrary, some have posted positive comments about the company and products.

It seems that Van Alstine is well known and respected in higher-end circles as well as value-oriented ones.

Well that's good. But don't post about Vitus or Magico too much on that forum, or you'll get banned like me.

[DecibleDude]

I haven't found that to be true at all on AudioShark.  My budget (and therefore my equipment) is far more modest than a lot of the members there, but they haven't talked down to me and the equipment that I talk about at all.  I believe one of the members here also posts there about his recent AVA gear purchases, and nobody has snubbed him or AVA. To the contrary, some have posted positive comments about the company and products.

It seems that Van Alstine is well known and respected in higher-end circles as well as value-oriented ones.
[/quote

Yeah, I'm the one who's posted about the AVA DVA SET 500 power amp, and AVA Vision SLR preamp on AudioShark and so far I've been treated well. My only complaint is that the responses are few, but the views are decent in number. But that's what I'm noticing on all the sites, very few responses, but plenty of views. Most likely it's mostly from site visitors. Even here on AVA's own site I got next to nothing in the way of responses, but quite a few views.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I haven't found that to be true at all on AudioShark.  My budget (and therefore my equipment) is far more modest than a lot of the members there, but they haven't talked down to me and the equipment that I talk about at all.  I believe one of the members here also posts there about his recent AVA gear purchases, and nobody has snubbed him or AVA. To the contrary, some have posted positive comments about the company and products.

It seems that Van Alstine is well known and respected in higher-end circles as well as value-oriented ones.
[/quote

Yeah, I'm the one who's posted about the AVA DVA SET 500 power amp, and AVA Vision SLR preamp on AudioShark and so far I've been treated well. My only complaint is that the responses are few, but the views are decent in number. But that's what I'm noticing on all the sites, very few responses, but plenty of views. Most likely it's mostly from site visitors. Even here on AVA's own site I got next to nothing in the way of responses, but quite a few views.

I have been a member of AS for years.  The forum does not get many posts anymore.  Some guys there can be very condescending but for the most part, people are friendly.

[Bodhi]

I have been a member of AS for years.  The forum does not get many posts anymore.  Some guys there can be very condescending but for the most part, people are friendly.

Of course members are going to be friendly when a forum like AS is on life support. But from my pov the owner of that forum should bare most of the responsibility for it's demise into obscurity. Many regular contributors to that forum were either harassed into moving on, or were banned in their inquisition about a decade ago. In the wake of that, most of the high end guys just moved over to WBF. Even Stereonet forum started reinstating banned members recently after it was leaching too many members to forums like WBF. The irony is that the owner of that forum started re-banning those members. Why? I guess it's fun. What's the take away? It's that Audio Circle is an oasis from all that rubbish. And thank God for that.

[mr_bill]

@mithat
If you are reading this forum, would love to hear why the AVA Digital Preamp sounds so holographic as just a dac vs other dacs.  That really interests me.