Just wanted to do a quick impressions post since I had some time today to listen to my new used Fet Valve 550 which arrived today.
I have it hooked up to HT2-TL's, AVA Insight DAC and Insight EC, all 2009 vintage. Source is a SB Duet. Note that I'm swapping out a 2009 Double 440, which is before the "+" upgrades, so I'm strictly looking at a jump between Insight and Fet Valve, without any complicated upgrade factors due to newer circuits or the like.
I just have to say that I *love* this amp. I didn't really know what to expect, was it going to be a night and day change, was I even going to notice, and in what ways etc... Initially, I can't quite put my finger on it, this amp just does it for me. I don't want to go out and say this is a night and day change because the 440 is so good, but it is significant to my ears. Thats not to say that the 440 was a bad amp, it had a great sound in my system, but there are 3 things I notice about the Fet Valve that make it *the* amp to have for me.
One is the airy highs, very crisp and alive. I've spent 5 years trying to figure out how to recreate the sound of cymbals that I have in my head (I'm a drummer). The Fet Valve has ended that search, I love the attack and decay, the shimmer, and how high frequencies are present but balanced within the spectrum. This alone makes it a done deal for me.
Secondly is the authority and control of the bass. The 440 was good in the dept as well, but I definitely noticed a difference in terms of controlling the low end and eliminating some of the boom and putting more definition into it. The HT2-TL's will still shake the walls if called upon.
And lastly is the "live is there" feel to the vocals. Live is there is very much present in the entire range, but man, I coulda swore Owl City and Dave Matthews were singing next to my couch when my wife was listening to them earlier.
I don't want anyone to take these comments as the Insight 440 is a bad amp, its a great amp. I love it to death and its going to drive my SongTowers. It probably does 95% of things right, but the extra 1 or 2% that the Fet Valve gets you is just so right to me. Just as soon as I move into my house next week, I'm listening to my entire catalogue again. A very fun and musical amp, many kudos to Frank and his talented engineering team. I'm a Fet Valve guy for life now. So maybe I'll have to find 500 bucks so I can go to Double + upgrade.
Oh, I guess I should say that I'm not running the stock tubes. I have TFK's in there right now, which is how it shipped from the previous owner. I have the original JJ's that Frank provides, and I think a set of GE's in the box as well. I quite honestly probably won't mess with tube rolling in this thing since the TFK's seem to be universally hailed as the best choice, although the amp doesn't seem to be so sensitive to tube rolling from what I hear.
Nuance, if you're reading, you have to check this amp out. There are zero recessed highs, time to find a buyer for that Butler.
