Soundbaron
New member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2025
- Messages
- 10
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- #1
This preamp is Solid state and less frequently talked about than AVA's tube preamp offerings. I've had it long enough now to characterize it's sonic qualities and utility as exceptionally good, and not just for it's modest price point. If memory serves it's about $1400. and has matched up well as one might expect with their DVA SET 500 amplifier. It's likely to match up well with most amps as there is a button to lower or raise gain making it somewhat flexible in that regard. It has high and low filter buttons for rolling off harsh highs from poor recordings and a low which can reduce problems from your turntable/LP's that might need it. There's a mono button which some might find useful as well. And finally there's a traditional balance control knob.
On the back you have a grounding nut for your turntable and as I recall a fairly generous number of source inputs. There's also a pretty unique feature which is a switch you can flip if you find you have some sort of ground loop hum. Most if not all their gear has this feature, and in my own circumstances it doesn't seem to matter if it's on, or off, as there's no hum I can detect. It's a nice feature to have nonetheless. I believe the volume pot is a Blue Alps which are considered to be among the best of their type. My one caveat would be that these types are not the most precise in balance control at very low listening levels although things seem to even up nicely at louder levels.
So, I hate to sound like a broken record, but the sound quality in my opinion is as good as anything else of it's type, and for relative peanuts in comparison to most other analog stereo preamps. If sound quality which is wonderfully open and just shimmers with Lp's or cd's is the goal, than I can recommend this preamp to anyone, with the possible exception of tube aficionados. AVA has those as well, but I can't really speak to them, not having heard them.
The build quality is decent, not at all flimsy or lightweight as you might suspect for the very reasonable price. I'm happy to write about this preamp because the solid state preamps seem to get less love than the tubes almost everywhere. I personally don't understand that, because both have their own equally good sonic character, while being different. If your interested, AVA has equally reasonably priced tube gear.
If you've never heard of this company there are reasons. First, I'm told they don't advertise or have dealers. All their sales are direct to you, and apparently have been only word of mouth, for decades. Another little peculiarity which might turn some off, is that they don't provide much beyond the most basic specs for their gear. I don't believe this has anything to do with them hiding anything, but has more to do with a personal philosophy their founder had. I myself don't subscribe to that philosophy, but on the other hand, I've heard their stuff, and it sounds fantastic at all levels for as long as you listen. So, it comes down to what's most important to you.
Lastly, the founder of AVA passed away a few months ago leaving the company to a couple of his employees which is nice. On their site they mention somewhere what I presume was Frank Van Alstine's philosophy of design, which is as simple as possible, but no simpler, or words to that effect.
On the back you have a grounding nut for your turntable and as I recall a fairly generous number of source inputs. There's also a pretty unique feature which is a switch you can flip if you find you have some sort of ground loop hum. Most if not all their gear has this feature, and in my own circumstances it doesn't seem to matter if it's on, or off, as there's no hum I can detect. It's a nice feature to have nonetheless. I believe the volume pot is a Blue Alps which are considered to be among the best of their type. My one caveat would be that these types are not the most precise in balance control at very low listening levels although things seem to even up nicely at louder levels.
So, I hate to sound like a broken record, but the sound quality in my opinion is as good as anything else of it's type, and for relative peanuts in comparison to most other analog stereo preamps. If sound quality which is wonderfully open and just shimmers with Lp's or cd's is the goal, than I can recommend this preamp to anyone, with the possible exception of tube aficionados. AVA has those as well, but I can't really speak to them, not having heard them.
The build quality is decent, not at all flimsy or lightweight as you might suspect for the very reasonable price. I'm happy to write about this preamp because the solid state preamps seem to get less love than the tubes almost everywhere. I personally don't understand that, because both have their own equally good sonic character, while being different. If your interested, AVA has equally reasonably priced tube gear.
If you've never heard of this company there are reasons. First, I'm told they don't advertise or have dealers. All their sales are direct to you, and apparently have been only word of mouth, for decades. Another little peculiarity which might turn some off, is that they don't provide much beyond the most basic specs for their gear. I don't believe this has anything to do with them hiding anything, but has more to do with a personal philosophy their founder had. I myself don't subscribe to that philosophy, but on the other hand, I've heard their stuff, and it sounds fantastic at all levels for as long as you listen. So, it comes down to what's most important to you.
Lastly, the founder of AVA passed away a few months ago leaving the company to a couple of his employees which is nice. On their site they mention somewhere what I presume was Frank Van Alstine's philosophy of design, which is as simple as possible, but no simpler, or words to that effect.