[2bigears]

  ok,needed to get a 2nd system fired up and thought on kill in' two birds with one you know what. Bought a Avatar Super today hoping it's a good move stead of a pre/amp combo.Anyone have a word on this integrated?? thks 

[Brown]

  ok,needed to get a 2nd system fired up and thought on kill in' two birds with one you know what. Bought a Avatar Super today hoping it's a good move stead of a pre/amp combo.Anyone have a word on this integrated?? thks 

 

  One of the best there is IMO. Love that VAC sound. Try it with your ref. speakers and you may be rethink what your doing.


brown

[2bigears]

   thks Brown,i fully intend on runnin' the Revs with the Super.See what 80 wpc KT88's p/p does with them,just for fun,i think they may need more headroom though.I am a sucker for VAC stuff [maybe just a sucker ] 

[pbrstreetgang]

Im jealous! Please pm me if you ever decide to sell. 

[JAMn Joe]

I've run the SP Tech Continuums in the past with a Jolida 80 watt KT-88 amp and it was more than enough power to fill a room. In fact Bob and I used it at the Chicago Audio Society to drive them in a rather large room with very good results.

I think you will find the VAC Avatar to not only be a far superior contender to the Jolida bu a real joy to own and more than likely a very good companion to those Rev's. If it doesn't work out there will be no shortage of people willing to take the Avatar off your hands.

Enjoy that sweet VAC sound!

[2bigears]

  hey,thks guys,i am glad i finally did right .i can face off the mighty DNA-500 up against 80 watts of tube.this will be a cool little science experiment.what will sound better on Bob's Revs ???? fun times ahead....

[pbrstreetgang]

Hopefully the DNA. Can I start a Layaway with you right now?

[lonewolfny42]

Hello Pat....

From what I read , the VAC is 60 watts/channel ultra-linear; 27 watts/channel triode......Link......still, a good piece of equipment...enjoy !!

                                        Chris

[pbrstreetgang]

   The new Avatar Super is whole new animal. It is not merely an upgraded version of the original Avatar. Rather, the new Super is an entirely fresh new design, which draws upon the new high end preamp and power amp products in the VAC lineup. These newest VAC high end separates incorporate new technologies and new circuit tricks, which can be beneficially applied (perhaps in scaled down form) to an integrated amp. The new Avatar Super reaps the benefits of trickle down technology, to give you better performance in virtually all aspects.
      The Super's sound is even cleaner and more transparent than the original Avatar, revealing even more of music's subtle inner details. The Super puts out 80 watts per channel (instead of 65), and sounds even more dynamic. The frequency extremes are covered with even better extension. There can be even more harmonic richness and warmth (this aspect will depend somewhat upon your speaker's impedance curve, as it does for most tube amps). And the Super has even quieter background noise, which also further enhances musical transparency. The Super also includes an extra set of line level output jacks, with a corresponding set of input jacks directly to the power amp section, so you can easily interface it with a cinema processor (there is also the usual complement of jacks for a tape loop, which brings the signal back in at an earlier point, before the volume control and final preamp stage).
      To obtain its higher power, the Super uses a different output tube, the KT88 beam power tetrode. So the Super is not switchable to triode mode, as the original Avatar is. And, since the output tube is different (not to mention the rest of the circuitry), the overall sonic personality of the Super is somewhat different than that of the original Avatar. Sonic personality differences like this are a matter of personal taste, so it would be best for you to compare the two Avatars before settling on your final choice.

Referenced from this great VAC source http://www.iar-80.com/page68.html

The Super is indeed "Super"

[lonewolfny42]

My mistake....I missed the "Super" part....yes...different.

Link....

[2bigears]

   thks for the words gents. can't wait to light those 88's up.fun-fun-fun 

[davehg]

I owned an Avatar Special Edition for five years, just sold it last month to move to Air Tight Monos and pre.

Avatar SE (EL34 based) was the most musical integrated I've come across, and I demoed all of them (Cary, Manley, MF, BEL, Unison, Pathos etc). I didn't listen to the Super until after I bought the Avatar, and I wanted the SE because it could run in triode. Over the 5 years, I was tempted a few times to part with the Avatar, even buying a WAVAC MD-811 SET integrated, but every time I compared, the VAC just kept winning me with its musicality.

The Super had much better bass and more "oomph". It had that great VAC sound (you know it when you hear it, rich, musical, not syrupy or slow, great PRAT) but the Avatar SE in triode had just more "reach out and touch" SET like presence. I had many a night into the wee hours, and the only good thing about selling it was getting a better nights rest.

A couple of thoughts: I really, really, really hate the Shuguang tubes VAC used in the Avatar SE, and found much better, more dynamic and musical sound with using EH power and linestage tubes and JJ linestage tubes (the 12AU7's). Also, I found that using CArdas RCA caps got rid of stray RF sounds (I actually picked up a radio station once!). Tweaks included using Herbie Halo's on the input and phono tubes, and using Final Labs Daruma isolation devices.  Finally, the biggest tweak besides tubes was upgrading the power cord. A Cardas Golden reference worked well, but a Foundation Research LC2 worked better.

I like my AirTight gear, but if I could have swung it, I would have kept the VAC too, as it was one of those pieces of gear you probably regret selling.

[2bigears]

  good read davehg,i gotta hook that amp to the Revs yet,see what those 88's do with the tunes.i know it drives an old set of B&W 802's like the are standing still,those things are power pig speakers,sooo the Super should drive the Revs ok i think....