AAVIK THE BEST KEPT Sereat IN DIGITAL

I know Aavik doesn't get a lot of love on these forums. IMO, it is very unfortunate.

A few months ago, I bought  Aavik U-280 (integrated + DAC) and the streamer (S-280). After owning several integrated amps from the likes of Luxman, Audio Research, VTL, etc., I can safely say that the Aavik integrated and their DAC is in a league of its own. I was a die hard tube amplification fan boy, but Aavik is the only SS amp that does not make me yearn for the tube sound. Their tesla coil-based technology is really cool and the improvement in SQ is very evident.

The streamer is also one of the best I've owned. It is very musical and analog-sounding. The only down side is that it doesn't do DSD, but what it does do, it's done so well that I don't miss DSD playback one bit.

I worked with Tyler over at Next Level Hifi. This was by far the best dealer experience I've had in my audiophile journey so far. He let me audition the U-280 at no cost to me and never put any pressure on me to decide. Whatever Aavik is doing with their new line of integrated amps, they must be doing something good. You get the usual tube sound attributes (lush, holographic, density, soundstage) with the clarity, bass slam, and dynamics of a very good SS amp. Aavik has really found the perfect blend of these qualities.

@tomcy6 The S-280 does have a built-in DAC which is actually quite good. I will put it up against any DAC in the ~$2-3K range. However, the DAC in the U-280 is substantially better. I preferred it, by a substantial margin, over Denafrips Terminator II and T+A 200. The DAC in U-280 easily competes with anything up to $5-7K based on my experience. Besides the U-280 (which is what I have), they also have an I-280 which is basically the same as the U-280 sans the DAC.

I have owned Luxman 590AXII, Naim Supernait 3, Audio Research GSi75, VAC 160i, VTL I-85, and few more integrated amps. I recently took my Aavik to a friend’s house who has a Pass Labs INT-250. We compared the Aavik and Pass in his system. He was quite shocked to hear how much the SQ resembled -- same level of heft, warmth, imaging, etc. The Pass had a little more bloom (for SS standards) and the Aavik had more transparency and much lower noise floor. Of course, the Aavik is much much lighter in weight and doesn’t put out as much heat.

I know it is class D and does not have the same brand name recognition in these forums, but at least for me, it is one of the best integrated amps I have owned.

@phastm3 IMO, it's better than the Denafrips Terminator Plus (which I had briefly and traded in) and the Terminator 2 (which I had for a long time). Similar sound signature but you get a lot more of everything -- bigger, wider, deeper soundstage, more air around instruments, and just a bigger, more impact presentation. I briefly auditioned (less than 10 days) the T+A DAC 200 and preferred the Aavik DAC but only by a very slight margin.

IMO, it is a solid dac but only if you get a 20% (or more) discount off of retail. However, the real improvement comes when used with other Aavik equipment. This is where it makes a huge impact. The noise reduction technology that Aavik has been employing in their new line of amps, dacs, and streamers is really something. 

Unless I'm mistaken, @dbagstrick 's post was a reply to an earlier post by jeffstrick, not audiotroy.

As an aside, I totally agree with dbagstrick's retort. I don't know why certain posters have the need to just blurt out something nonsensical when they know it very well that it's not adding any value to the conversation. It's like they have verbal diarrhea that has to find a way out. 

@sagur80 Just to be clear, I own the Aavik U-280 which is basically I-280 and D-280 in a single chassis. I’ve never heard the Aqua La Scala so not sure if I can offer my opinion when it comes to that particular dac.

When compared to Denafrips Terminator 2 and Plus, I preferred the Aavik DAC by quite some margin. It brings out more detail and has better instrument separation and transparency, i.e. I feel that I can see deeper into the music and the instruments and singer just sound a little more fleshed out and real. The Denafrips Terminator Plus tended to sound more hifi’ish but I can see how some might actually prefer that type of presentation.

Compared to the T+A DAC, the differences are much more subtle. I thought the T+A DAC had a little more air and the treble region was slightly better than the Aavik DAC. But, to my ears, the Aavik has a bit more weight and oomph. It allows the notes to linger in the air just a little bit longer. It kinda paints the music with a broader brush, compared to the more chisel-like character of the T+A. Also, it tends to present the music in a bolder fashion. I can see how this might sound a bit ’over animated’ to some. For me, this is actually a quality that in the end made me choose the Aavik. The other thing that might have affected my decision is perhaps better synergy between the Aavik amplifier and DAC. It is quite possible that T+A might sound better with a difference mix of components.

The D-280 is almost twice as expensive as the D-180 and from what I hear the primary differences lie in two key aspects: more transparency and a more organic (smooth) sound compared to the I-180. But I’ve not owned the 180, so feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt.

@sagur80 

Do you find the U 280 musically engaging, immersive in the music experience , non fatiguing ?. Aavik claim their low and mid tiers DACs to be warm , musical with good soundstage. Would you agree given your own experience with the U 280 DAC section?

The U-280 is the first amp where I don't miss tubes in my system. I have always loved tubes and owned several tube integrated amplifier (Audio Research GSi75, VAC 160, Audio Hungary Qualiton a50i, Rogue, Raven, and a few more). I also tried SS amps a few times, with the more recent ones being Luxman 590AXII, Naim Supernait3, etc.. But I always went back to tubes. The U-280 is the only amp where I don't miss the familiar tube sound. I feel that it takes the best of both worlds and creates its own unique sound signature.

I can't really say how the D-280 sounds by itself since I haven't tried it, but the U-280 combo is definitely very musical and has a warmth which I never expected to find in a class D amp to be honest. I was actually very skeptical and planned to return the amp to my dealer after a few days of auditioning. But please keep in mind that, despite the warmth, it's not lush sounding like many tube amplifiers. It takes the holographic imaging, the dense cut-with-a-knife palpability of tubes and marries it with the resolution and bass response of a very good SS amp. But it does not masquerade as a tube amp by any means. If someone wants the lushness of tubes then they're better off with tubes. The Aavik focuses more on the purity of sound and lets you peer into the music and present every bit of detail albeit in a very layered, smooth and non-fatiguing way. Last night I listened for 4 hours straight and had to force myself to turn it off so I could get some sleep. So, no I don't find it fatiguing at all.

Hope this helps. Good luck in your search :)