[Charles Calkins]

Frank:
 I tried sending you email at info@avahifi.com but it keeps on getting returned to me. Anyhow I was wondering if you could add a phono stage to my T7ECR preamp.

                                                    Thanks
                                                   Charlie

[martyo]

Try avahifi@comcast.net

[avahifi]

Your preamp is a 6/05 production Transcendence Seven ECR with remote control.  This is built in the big AVA chassis, but is before we went to the one big mother board design allowing 8 active regulators. Your unit has separate audio and power supply boards.

We can add the Transcendence hybrid phono board of the same vintage as the the line and power supply circuits.  The cost is $499, $100 more than the option costs when ordered as a part of new production because the install labor time as a retrofit is much more complex to do.

Probably a more cost effective upgrade for you would be a complete Ultra EC upgrade; new mother board, eight regulators, 6N1P line tubes, new phono section, new higher current power transformer if not already installed, a new full vented cover and more.  The upgrade price is $1299 and includes a new three year parts and labor warranty.  Compare this price to that of a new unit with the same options, $2497.00

The music?  Note what Dan Kolton just had to say. 

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[Toka]

Frank,

Any potential benefit to getting the phono stage separate from the preamp? Say, getting an Ultra EC without the built-in stage, and adding the Ultra phono in its own chassis?

[avahifi]

The only benefit of this (two chassis solution) is to us, as the price then is much higher.  All you get is redundant hardware.  The phono section is and performs the same whether it is in a separate chassis or sharing one with the rest of the preamp.

Frank

[Toka]

Heh, I appreciate the candid response!  Thank you.

[WEEZ]

I see (2) additional advantages to a separate phono stage in addition to Frank making a bit more money:

1) Separate power supply
2) Not burning up the tubes in the phono when listening to cd/fm/etc.

FWIW,

WEEZ

[rlee8394]

Not to mention being able to move the phono stage to another rig, different preamp and turntable, if one has the need for that sort of thing.

[avahifi]

WEEZ is not quite right.  Aside from the power transformer, the phono sections in the Ultra and T8 preamps do have separate power supplies, four high current, high voltage, high speed analog power supplies each to be exact. One for each plate of each tube.  Not to worry about poorer performance when the phono section in in the preamp.  I also suspect not many people will worry about "using up" the phono section 12AX7 tubes, especially those that leave the equipment on all the time anyway (not recommended or useful with AVA equipment, just an energy waste).

Frank Van Alstine

[lazydays]

WEEZ is not quite right.  Aside from the power transformer, the phono sections in the Ultra and T8 preamps do have separate power supplies, four high current, high voltage, high speed analog power supplies each to be exact. One for each plate of each tube.  Not to worry about poorer performance when the phono section in in the preamp.  I also suspect not many people will worry about "using up" the phono section 12AX7 tubes, especially those that leave the equipment on all the time anyway (not recommended or useful with AVA equipment, just an energy waste).

Frank Van Alstine

the one thing that's not come up here is "flexability". I've always used a seperate phono stage, and have been known to change one twice a week. I also like the idea of having my phono stage close to the turn table, yet away from tuners and other generators of noise. Still this can bring in another problem with cables becoming a good AM antenna.
I also will assume that one cannot change the cartridge loading as easy as with the seperate unit (maybe I'm wrong here).
    I come from a school of thought that if I know that there is a phono preamp in the system; "then I'm still searching for that perfect sound." Frank's phono stage is so quiet and open that I'd almost think that there wasn't one. Spend the money and go with a seperate piece. Two years from now you'll never look back and say I wish I did.
just some thoughts
gary