[WarOfTheTrees]

I had a bad Sunday back in the month of July.

It was a typical sunday, coffee, perusing the news, relaxing.  Of course that also means music, and i believe Leonard Cohen was waxing poetic in the background.  All was well until i heard a strange racket coming from the living room, and my wife screaming for my immediate attention.

I had purchased a used 550ex about a year before, and it had really grown on me. A solid performer, it had given me no pause.   I even thought it would be silly to upgrade it any time soon seeing how pleasing an amp it really was.     

Something was amiss this day though.  The amp had failed somehow, and  because it really is a brute it also managed to take my speakers down as well. Not a good sunday now!

I didnt really know what i should do.  There are options when something like this happens.  After the initial shock wears off it becomes a time to really ask yourself what you want to do.   Should i just get a new amp and speakers?  As more time passed i realized that i really couldnt function without my stereo.   Even just doing dishes seemed impossible.

I have Dali grand coupe standmounts, a conrad johnson pv7 preamp rebuilt last year by Bill Thalman himself, and a cary 303 cd player.   Its a nice system that took me 10 years to get right.  I knew what i needed to do.

Sourcing the speakers was easy.  Cost me a bit, but no problem.   So i made a call to Frank.  We went through some ideas to try to pin down what happened, and thats when he told me about the 600r, and what a nice new piece of kit it was.    I mulled over the idea of a new amp other than Van alstine i must admit.  When you have a bad thing happen like this, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.   Everything was either really used, or out of my price range.     When it came to spending a large amount of money (at least to me), i came to the conclusion that having basically a new amp with a warranty was a good idea.     Picked up the phone.

It takes a long time to get an amp rebuilt! About 5 or 6 weeks i think.   Thank god i had a NAD 2200 lying around.   My time with it wasnt so bad.  Its actually a pretty good, very reliable amp.   I was expecting to take a half day at work tomorrow, but the amp showed up a day early!  Nice surprise.   

Now.....this is the review part.

When i got my speakers, i was blown away.  There perfect to me.

When i heard what a good tube preamp can do, and ive owned a few, I realized the importance of the front end.

But Amplifiers arent supposed to make much of  difference? Are they?  Its one of the reasons i didnt want to go over board with cost.

I'm sorry..really...But you have to be fucking kidding me!!!  This fricken amp is putting tears in my eyes.     I cant believe what a difference 4 generations of upgrades can make!!

I have heard some nice amps, and to think that i have this kind of quality for what i paid is insane.     Air like you cant describe....Accurate bass, not the bloaty kind like i get with my NAD.   Most of all is the incredible sense of balance.  Never heard a more accurate acoustic guitar sound from my system, and im a musician!!

Imaging is astounding.  Depth and width is huge.  No grain....none.  So smooth.

I have never experienced an amp make such a difference.  Its a 350lb ballerina!!  Strength and grace.

My hats off to you Mr Van Alstine.  You have exceeded my expectations, and your a gentleman.   Im very happy!!!

Thanks   Les

[avahifi]

Thanks for your kind comments about our new Fet Valve 600R amplifier.  You are not alone, another client also got his amp yesterday, a 400R, and essentially said the same things you did (fortunately without the bad Sunday history).

I am training another skilled tech to build these amps right now.  It looks like about 20+ hours of skilled time for either a new amp or an upgrade.  This means the price won't be able to stay where it is for very long as we get a better handle on the labor costs.

It certainly is the most sophisticated project we have ever done.

I am so happy you are enjoying the Fet Valve 600R.  We will be shipping more of them very soon.

Best regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[WarOfTheTrees]

Thanks Mr Van Alstine!

I should make mention that i thought the turn around time was reasonable.  It took Bill Thalman 8 or 9 weeks to rebuild my preamp.   Good things are worth the wait.


Its a great amp, at a good price point considering value.   I dont want to come across as a fanboy, this is for anyone who might be sitting on the proverbial fence.   I auditioned some big name amplifiers trying to figure out a plan of attack.  I also listened to some things i could not possibly afford like, Ayre, Krell, etc.    Now im not gonna say the Alstine slayed them, on the contrary, there is better to be had WHEN you consider the application, and ignore cost.

What the 600r does, which puts it in the same league, is balance, and the ability to stay out of the way.  A good component doesnt clobber you with bass, or sheer volume.    The 600r sits comfortably atop of the law of diminishing returns curve, and it does it without pretense. If your looking for boutique sound in a plain wrapper...here you go.   Still waters run deep.

I couldnt be happier!