[marc mc]

I have the model one and model two. I searched the thread and can't find any info on them. I would apprieciate any help.

I run them on one system and really like them, especially how loud they play without getting edgy.
I play them with a Rega P3, RB300, Denon DL103, Dayton Wright MC step-up, Dynaco CDV-1 CDP and McIntosh XRT 18 speakers.

marc mc

[mark funk]

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=51232.0. Here is a short version of a long sad story.

[avahifi]

Thanks Mr. Funk, the short version of a long sad story is still accurate.

I should save this to keep from having to repeat myself again in the future.

Again, the Model One and Model Two are very old and are essentially not economically serviceable.  Treat them with care and maybe you will get a few more years out of them.  They were, after all, outstanding performers for their time (early 1970s).

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[marc mc]

Thanks for the help. Looks like I better baby them

They cost me pennies and both are in fantastic shape.

marc mc

[geezer]

Many years ago I bought the Model One new. We are still using it almost every day on our secondary system. It seems to have an infinite lifetime.

[rustneversleeps]

Frank,

Do you know Al Clark? He claim that he was your partner, but not sure if he's a fake, he claimed the VA company was created in 1976, not in the late 60's.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ramps&1029204595&read&keyw&zzvan=alstine

[Zheeeem]

Frank,

Do you know Al Clark? He claim that he was your partner, but not sure if he's a fake, he claimed the VA company was created in 1976, not in the late 60's.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ramps&1029204595&read&keyw&zzvan=alstine

I don't think Frank talks much about these products because he didn't design any of them.  ...  The model two was an improved modified Dyna Double 400.

Ha.  OK, let's see.  Frank designed the double dyna 400, but didn't design the model 2.  I think it would probably be a bit more accurate to say that Frank didn't design the mods that his "partners" made to his design.

It was always our belief that the Model three was a much better amplifier than the model two.

Which, of course, explains why the company tanked as they moved away from Frank's designs.

I replaced Frank Van Alstine (after I fired him in 1978).

That's rich.

[dB Cooper]

rust just doesn't seem to be happy unless he's picking a fight with somebody. Please don't feed the trolls.

[rustneversleeps]

dB Pooper, back off!!!! What's with this picking fight crap? I didn't put this on the net, so you are the one who's picking fight.

If this story is inaccurate, which I think it is, then it should be corrected. I have high respect for Frank and his product, just need some verification, that's all.

If Frank doesn't want to talk about it, that's fine too.  It's odd for someone (Al Clark) who disappeared from the audio map for years and decided to resurface and discredit his former partner. Well, not quite, he did say Frank was a good evaluator.

[Wayner]

Rusty,

I think Frank started AVA in about 1972-1973 after he got out of the Jensen stereo shop. Was this guy from the Jensen Stereo Shop?

Wayner

[rustneversleeps]

Wayne, I haven't a clue.

I don't know this Al Clark. I was searching for a tonearm on A-gon the other night (bought a ACOS Lustre for my Ariston RD-11 Superieur, by the way), and stumbled across this message.

I heard about AVA in the late 80's, and have no knowledge of it's prior history. I've only learned bits and pieces about the Jensen Stereo Shop from Frank's Audio baisc newsletter, I have no idea when Jensen Stereo Shop got started  or ended, and what year.

I don't want to pry, if Frank thinks that the past isn't important.

[Wayner]

I don't know if it's prying, it's just kind of audio history, like David Hafler, Saul Marantz, Henry Kloss and guys like that. Frank is right up there even with these guys and I think the history would be interesting to know. Maybe Frank will spill all the beans someday.

Wayner  aa

[avahifi]

Well duhh, its kind of hard to be "fired" when you are a quarter owner of the company.

Enough said please.

Frank Van Alstine

[Wayner]

Sorry Frank.

Wayner

[rustneversleeps]

like David Hafler, Saul Marantz, Henry Kloss and guys like that. Frank is right up there even with these guys and I think the history would be interesting to know.

I might have talked about this awhile back. I bought a British audio magazine a couple of years ago, it was their 50th anniversary special edition, a collector's item, it listed top 100 most influential audio pioneers. Needless to say, since it's a british audio mag, majority of the top 100 are people like presidents of LINN, B&W, Quad, BBC, KEF, and so on. They also had Noel Lee, the guy who founded Monster Cable (what a waste of paper). Saul Marantz was up there, Avery Fisher was up there, Henry Kloss was #9, I think, and Edger Villchur was #1. I don't think David Hafler and Bozak were there. Unfortunately, Frank wasn't selected, but of course I think Frank deserves a place in audio history.

[Wayner]

He's there. I don't want to pry into his personal life either, but I think a breif history of himself and partners would be interesting. We don't need to know how things went (good or bad) just a cronology or timeline certainly would be interesting, at least for me. Maybe when I go visit Frank again we'll have a little conversation on AVA history, not digging deep but just who and when, that's all. I know he's got a great bunch of people working for him now.

W

[gjs_cds]

You know--if the list is "most influential"...then why not include Noel Lee?  Don't get me wrong, the magic cable crowd makes me laugh and giggle with the pseudoscience.  But wasn't he influential in the 'magic brick' movement? 

I'm 34, and relatively new to the hi-fi scene.  So can someone give me a brief history lesson?  Was there always a faction of tweako-magic-brickers, or is that a relatively recent phenomenon, started by Mr. Lee (and his ilk)? 

/just curious...

As an aside, Frank's no nonsense approach was (initially) what drew me to his gear.  Then, I read a TAS article comparing the 440HC to the Sunfire...which led me to buy my first AVA unit.  Haven't looked back since...

[rustneversleeps]

Well gjs_cds, you are right about the "most influential" part. I would have to dig out the magazine and see the exact qualification to be on the top 100 list. I think they also have to be an audio pioneer of some sort. Noel Lee did not invent 10AWG copper cable, he just market them in the 80's in the audio industry.

In some earlier audio equipment instruction manuals from the 50's, they did mention to use high "quality cables", but I don't think they meant fancy silver plated 10 AWG cable, I think they meant cables that were not corroded and too small.

I guess finally in the early 80's, Mr. Lee took advantage of the market, and created Monster Cable for speakers, then later, for interconnects. Many fancy cable companies have follow Mr. Lee's footstep ever since. I remember Stereophile in the 90's had what seemed to be at least one cable review in every issue.

I will find that magazine when I have time.

[Zheeeem]

Maybe Frank will spill all the beans someday.

Well, most of the story (and many others) can be found by reading through Audio Basics.  Oh, and there's some great audio design-related stuff in there, too.  Well worth the time to plow through front-to-back.

[Wayner]

I'm taking Frank out to breakfeast tomorrow......perhaps a story or two will be told then. Not always revealed, though.