Hi,
Just wanted to raise a couple points about the above discussion. I don't believe the standard Avatar has been redesigned, although VAC may have made some minor changes since its introduction several yrs ago. VAC has come out with an Avatar Super, which I believe retails for $6000 versus the standard Avatar's $4000 price. The Super is a complete redesign, using diff. tubes and circuits, so the standard Avatar cannot be upgraded to a Super. And, yes I am a satisfied standard Avatar owner.
I have no technical knowledge with which to comment on the disagreement expressed above. However, with one exception noted below, I've never had any major problems with my Avatar, while using w/ Spendor S3/5s and 2/3s, Reference 3A de Capos and now Living Voice Auditoriums. I have listened in the shop to several SS amps versus the Avatar, including Creek, Roksan, Sim and Marsh, and never felt the Avatar deficient compared with them. However, I will mention one potential short-coming. When I had the de Capos, even though they were a fairly efficient speaker I found that in triode (27 W) they often simply didn't have enough power with large-scale classical & rock music to produce the low frequencies with sufficient authority, and that I had to switch to ultralinear (60W). This was never a problem with jazz, blues, etc., and my LV speakers, while they have better LF response than the de Capos, are also more efficient so it is less of a problem. However, my experience suggests that the Avatar esp in triode simply may not have enough power to drive a "full-range" speaker of average or even above average efficiency, in a larger room, esp. with large-scale music. I can understand that some people would view this as a serious flaw in a $4000 amp. However, I believe the Avatar, when used in a moderately sized room, with fairly efficient and "tube friendly" speakers, and with good supporting equipment, is a very neutral sounding amp, and delivers some of the best reproduced music i've heard, esp. jazz/blues/"classic" rock, etc. Just my two cents.
TH
Just wanted to raise a couple points about the above discussion. I don't believe the standard Avatar has been redesigned, although VAC may have made some minor changes since its introduction several yrs ago. VAC has come out with an Avatar Super, which I believe retails for $6000 versus the standard Avatar's $4000 price. The Super is a complete redesign, using diff. tubes and circuits, so the standard Avatar cannot be upgraded to a Super. And, yes I am a satisfied standard Avatar owner.
I have no technical knowledge with which to comment on the disagreement expressed above. However, with one exception noted below, I've never had any major problems with my Avatar, while using w/ Spendor S3/5s and 2/3s, Reference 3A de Capos and now Living Voice Auditoriums. I have listened in the shop to several SS amps versus the Avatar, including Creek, Roksan, Sim and Marsh, and never felt the Avatar deficient compared with them. However, I will mention one potential short-coming. When I had the de Capos, even though they were a fairly efficient speaker I found that in triode (27 W) they often simply didn't have enough power with large-scale classical & rock music to produce the low frequencies with sufficient authority, and that I had to switch to ultralinear (60W). This was never a problem with jazz, blues, etc., and my LV speakers, while they have better LF response than the de Capos, are also more efficient so it is less of a problem. However, my experience suggests that the Avatar esp in triode simply may not have enough power to drive a "full-range" speaker of average or even above average efficiency, in a larger room, esp. with large-scale music. I can understand that some people would view this as a serious flaw in a $4000 amp. However, I believe the Avatar, when used in a moderately sized room, with fairly efficient and "tube friendly" speakers, and with good supporting equipment, is a very neutral sounding amp, and delivers some of the best reproduced music i've heard, esp. jazz/blues/"classic" rock, etc. Just my two cents.
TH