Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Mr. P's new amp

  1. #1
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    St. Paul, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,421

    Mr. P's new amp

    I am letting the cat out of the bag. Mr. P has bought a new Van Alstine 400R amp and really likes it. He also just ordered the new Van Alstine FET Valve Preamp because he thinks it will have more synergy with the AVA amp than his CJ preamp. I have been emailing back and forth with Mr. P. He is still having trouble posting on AR. Here is a link to his review on the new amp on the Audio Circle forum, scroll down to the bottom of the page. His review echo's my reivew that I posted there earlier (for the most part).

    User reviews of our new Fet Valve 600R & 400R amplifiers
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

  2. #2
    frenchmon frenchmon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    St. Charles Mo
    Posts
    3,271
    Well I finally got a chance to listen to Peabodys new 400R amp today. And I now know what all the fussing that Blackraven has been doing over the years is about. And I might just start doing some fussing about it my self. The thing is the real deal in my book. All Peabody did is remove the Conrad Johnson mono blocks from his system and put in the AVA 400R amp and change out a few cables and to my ears the AVA sounded much better. And when I say much better I mean it. The Conrad is very warm...Im talking thick warm. Enter the AVA and the thick warm tube sound is gone and a lively tube sound with a very rich luxurious mid range, deep bottom and a very nice top end is what you hear. Very transparent and natural sounding. We played all types of music and the AVA seems to add nothing to the music but a great harmonic tube distortion that you really don't notice unless you listen for it because you know the difference in the tube/solid state sound. So once again the AVA is the real deal....if its in your price range it has to be on your short list.

    The only thing I can say that the Conrad Johnson did better than the AVA 400R was to give a darker back ground which makes the music seem to have a better front to back depth. But other than that...the AVA was better in all of areas of the presentation. Now dont get me wrong....the AVA has a dark background...only that the C-J is darker.

    Anybody in the market for some Conrad Johnson mono blocks? If so, look online at Audiogon.


    Where are all these people who say that Power amps don't have a sound?
    Last edited by frenchmon; 01-28-2012 at 08:53 PM.
    Music...let it into your soul and be moved....with Canton...Pure Music


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    W10 i5 Quad core processor 8GB RAM/Jriver 20/ Fidelizer Optimizer/ iFI Micro DSD DAC-iUSB 3.0/Vincent SA - T1/Vincent SP-331 MK /MMF-7.1/2M BLACK/MS Phenomena ll+/Canton Vento 830.2

  3. #3
    Forum Regular
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Helotes,TX
    Posts
    771

    Mr. P., congrats on the system synergy

    Quote Originally Posted by frenchmon View Post
    Well I finally got a chance to listen to Peabodys new 400R amp today. And I now know what all the fussing that Blackraven has been doing over the years is about. And I might just start doing some fussing about it my self. The thing is the real deal in my book. All Peabody did is remove the Conrad Johnson mono blocks from his system and put in the AVA 400R amp and change out a few cables and to my ears the AVA sounded much better. And when I say much better I mean it. The Conrad is very warm...Im talking thick warm. Enter the AVA and the thick warm tube sound is gone and a lively tube sound with a very rich luxurious mid range, deep bottom and a very nice top end is what you hear. Very transparent and natural sounding. We played all types of music and the AVA seems to add nothing to the music but a great harmonic tube distortion that you really don't notice unless you listen for it because you know the difference in the tube/solid state sound. So once again the AVA is the real deal....if its in your price range it has to be on your short list.

    The only thing I can say that the Conrad Johnson did better than the AVA 400R was to give a darker back ground which makes the music seem to have a better front to back depth. But other than that...the AVA was better in all of areas of the presentation. Now dont get me wrong....the AVA has a dark background...only that the C-J is darker.

    Anybody in the market for some Conrad Johnson mono blocks? If so, look online at Audiogon.


    Where are all these people who say that Power amps don't have a sound?
    Frenchmon, is Mr. P utilizing a power conditioner?
    My audio lab:
    Qinpu A-6000 MK ll Integrated Amp
    Blue Marble Audio Speaker Wire
    Tannoy Mercury V4
    HHB CDR-850
    Grant Fidelity DAC-11/Phillips 7DJ8 tube

    Parasound Zamp V.3/Parasound ZPre2 Preamp
    Signal Cable Analog 2 Speaker Wire
    Dali Ikon 2 mk 2
    Marantz SACD/DVD DV6001
    Stello DA 100 Signature DAC

    HT:
    Arcam AVR 200
    Signal Cable Classic Speaker Cable
    Mirage Nanosat
    Rel R-528 Subwoofer
    Marantz SACD/DVD DV6001

    Various power cords, I.C.'s, optical, coax, and analog cables.

  4. #4
    frenchmon frenchmon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    St. Charles Mo
    Posts
    3,271
    I think he has some power conditioner from PS Audio.
    Music...let it into your soul and be moved....with Canton...Pure Music


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    W10 i5 Quad core processor 8GB RAM/Jriver 20/ Fidelizer Optimizer/ iFI Micro DSD DAC-iUSB 3.0/Vincent SA - T1/Vincent SP-331 MK /MMF-7.1/2M BLACK/MS Phenomena ll+/Canton Vento 830.2

  5. #5
    Forum Regular harley .guy07's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Springfield, Mo
    Posts
    1,594
    He has the same one that I have. The PS audio Quintet

    Marantz SR5008(HT)
    Nu Force P8 Preamp (2 channel)
    Pass Labs X150.5(2 channel)
    Adcom 545 mk2 power amp(rear channel amp)
    Spatial Audio M3 Turbo S Mains Speakers
    Dayton 8" HO custom sealed subwoofer(2 channel)
    Yamaha NS-c444 center channel
    Emotiva ERD-1 surround speakers
    JBL e250p subwoofer highly modified
    Samsung 46" LED TV
    OPPO BDP-83 blue ray/multi format player
    ps-audio NuWave dac (2 channel)
    Dell I660 music server running fidelizer windows 8 audio optimizer
    PS Audio Quintet power center



  6. #6
    frenchmon frenchmon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    St. Charles Mo
    Posts
    3,271
    Harley! Where you been? Peabody and I where wondering if you where ok?
    Music...let it into your soul and be moved....with Canton...Pure Music


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    W10 i5 Quad core processor 8GB RAM/Jriver 20/ Fidelizer Optimizer/ iFI Micro DSD DAC-iUSB 3.0/Vincent SA - T1/Vincent SP-331 MK /MMF-7.1/2M BLACK/MS Phenomena ll+/Canton Vento 830.2

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •