[iclark]

The OmegaStar EX Integrated Control Amplifier has been available for some time now, someone must have bought one. Any coments? I am very interested! I am currently using an Ultimate 70 and an older Omega Pat 5 pre-amp.
Any comments on the OmegaStar EX Integrated Control Amplifier would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Ian

[Wayner]

You certainly have a nice combo.

Wayner

[iclark]

I am more than happy with the Ulitmate 70, The Pat 5 Omega is good, but I find the output level is a little wanting. Cd's are great but the the phono section level is a little low. I am using a Grado Gold cartridge and I find I really have to crank up the level to get any decent output from my speakers. ( Aurum Cantus Leisure 2's). I love AVA products and I love music. The two seem to go hand in hand. The cartridge according to specifications is 5 mV. I don't know what a cd player outputs.
Cheers,

Ian

[gjs_cds]

I've not heard one, but I seem to recall Frank saying (at one point) that the pre-amp section actually has some benefits from being in the same chassis. 

I've been thinking of picking one up for my office.  I like tubes--but at this point, I just don't think they're worth the hassle for me.  And w/ the 30 day in-home audition, I can't see why one wouldn't give the CA a shot.

[martyo]

This was my comment after RMAF last October

Oooohhhh! In my own "we're getting new speakers" excitement I completely forgot about the integrated.
On my first trip to the room someone asked to hear it. Frank swapped it out. I was still settling in to the environment, sitting with a bunch of people you don't know  in a packed hotel.........It wasn't real critical listening on my part, but going from the top of the line AVA gear to the integrated the only thing that jumped out at me was a little less depth, a little more up front with the sound, someone else commented on the obvious change in dynamics going to 1/3 the power from the 550. It still had the overall characteristic "musicality" that is AVA. I was impressed. Alot of sound for the money, very rich, IMHO.

[Wayner]

The OmegaStar integrated amplifier has the same amplifier as in the Dynaco Stereo 120 chassis mod known as the 170ex. It boasts 85 watts per channel @ 8 ohms and for it's lesser wattage (of the AVA amplifier family), is very musical. I have the 170ex driven by a T8 preamplifier and it is extremely detailing in its soundstage presentation. It is also a very fast amplifier. It will drive any average bookshelf or smaller floor stander to exciting levels.

Wayner 

[Legendlime]

Here's something to watch:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280229015876&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

[avahifi]

This is an early and rather low powered version of our control amp circuits built into a Dyna SCA-50 chassis.  It has an unbreakable 25-30 watt per channel power mos-fet output circuit set and our earlier but still excellent IC preamp section.  It does have tone controls and an excellent phono section.  For a small or second system, it is a really nice performer.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[mark funk]

I just saw that on Ebay, That would be a nice upgrade from the Dyna SCA-80Q in my wife's crafts room. We well see how much it goes for? I say $350 to $375 what do you think?

[rlee8394]

He also has an Omega III 260 power amp S/N:010597 listed as well.

[Brett Buck]

This is an early and rather low powered version of our control amp circuits built into a Dyna SCA-50 chassis.  It has an unbreakable 25-30 watt per channel power mos-fet output circuit set and our earlier but still excellent IC preamp section.  It does have tone controls and an excellent phono section.  For a small or second system, it is a really nice performer.

   Mine (from about 1984, Jensen's Stereo Shop vice AVA) has worked perfectly from day one to day now. I recall that I took it with me listening to speakers to some HiFi Salon. They just looked at it and laughed, and left the room for a whlle. All those B&W speakers (like to DM3000!) that "wouldn't play bass" with the $2500 Macintosh and Threshold amps, were suddenly cured. When they came back, they got angry because I had "hooked up that subwoofer (Janis), we didn't say you could do that!". Then *I* laughed.

    The current AVA stuff is noticeably better, top to bottom, but the little SCA-50 is still better than a lot of the insanely overpriced "salon" stuff even today. Certainly blows the crap out of any of the 1.5 watt/5% distortion SET amps in any objective sense.  My brother has it (with some KEF 104/2's) and he just loves it. The only ding as far as sound quality goes is that it's not a clean at high frequencies as later amps. The other issue that you could have is sound *quantity*. It's pretty punchy and seems to have decent drive, but it *is* only 25 watts.


      Brett

[jrtrent]

Since it's a low output level when using the phono stage that is your primary dissatisfaction, you should probably check with AVA about the phono sensitivity of your Omega Pat-5 vs. the integrated and other newer options before spending your money.  I wouldn't expect to find a big difference there, but you never know.  I use a 4.0mV cartridge with my OmegaStar PAT-5 with no sense of low output.  A volume control position of between 9 and 10 o'clock is all I want, but my speakers are a bit more efficient than yours (though less than 3dB difference).

I strongly considered the integrated because a one-box solution would be a big help in my space-limited apartment, but in the end decided that I simply couldn't do without the control features of my OmegaStar PAT-5 (I get a lot of use out of the EPL and tone controls).  To get effectually a one-box solution, I ordered a 240EX in a compact chassis and plan, when funds allow, to trade in my PAT-5 towards an OmegaStar EC to gain stackability, and thus free up a shelf.

[oneinthepipe]

Here's something to watch:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280229015876&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

I purchased the SC-50/Omega 50 that was listed on ebay.  I'm very happy.  The build quality is exceptional, and it works very well.  It's only 25 watts/channel, and my speakers are rather inefficient, but my room is small, and it isn't a problem. 

The sources are an AR EB-101 turntable (as pretty as when I bought it from George Merrill over twenty years ago) with an AT30E MC cartridge and a JoLida CDP with Amperex 7025 tubes.  The speakers are Spendor S3/5.  The turntable had been sitting in its box for years because my children were very young, and they would inevitably have destroyed it.  I replaced the motor, which had stopped working and was not re-buildable.  The cartridge uses a snap-on replaceable stylus (like MM cartridges), and I had a spare, which I installed. 

Eventually, I hope to acquire an AVA PAS preamp, an Ultra 70, and a DAC, for which I'll need a transport.  When you folks switch to the Differential components, maybe some of the older equipment will show up for sale!

[Wayner]

Welcome to the world of Audio by Van Alstine and AudioCircles! First I must say nice purchase for the AVA. The I would also say nice turntable. I would suggest replacing the old cartridge with a new Audio Technica AT440MLa as I am the official pimp of said cartridge. It will be a very pleasent upgrade from your older AT.

I'm sure when Frank's Differential components are released for production, there will be some trade-ins avalible. Check in once in awhile at http://www.avahifi.com/root/equipment/used/used.htm

In the mean time, enjoy the "circles". We are a fun bunch (most of the time). Actually most of us are old farts with kid brains, so it's perfect.

Wayner