The Greatest Bargain at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest
Greatest Bargain at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest
Frank Van Alstine has been making super-affordable high-performance gear for decades, but he might have outdone himself with the UltraValve, a 30Wpc stereo all-tube amplifier for just $1695. The amp uses a pair of EL34s per channel and features excellent build quality. The UltraValve sounded wonderful driving another bargain of the show, the $1800 per pair Salk Sound SongTower QWT. This is a full-range, floor-standing loudspeaker in a transmission-line enclosure with very nice fit ‘n finish. Even with the Salk’s moderate sensitivity (88dB), the system was dynamic and clean at high levels. The bass extension and definition defied belief for a $3500 amp/speaker package.
Below is the UltraValve followed by designer Frank Van Alstine.
Comments
Robert:
I recently acquired a pair of Salk's SongTower QWTs (base version) direct from Jim Salk and they are paired with a Melody I2A3 (18wpc) and I can unequivocally say that the combination meets your description and much more. The bass extension and definition does, as you say, "defy belief." I would add...that it makes you believe!
Both Jim Salk and Frank van Alstine answer their emails and phones - and are wonderful to deal with. And as a disclaimer, I'd like to add that I am not related, work for, or represent either party! My only sin is to have undergone a recent re-initiation into the lesser temples of audiophilia, and to be a happy subscriber to the Absolute Sound.
David.
Thanks for the note, David. We're definitely going to take a look at the UltraValve and possibly the Salk speakers. I love discovering great-sounding high-end gear that costs no more than mid-fi products.
That amp has been around for years as a rebuild kit for the Dynaco ST-70 (Van Alstine calls it the Ultimate 70). There was a new tweak or two going into the new chassis, but existing Ultimate 70s are upgradeable to be identical to the UltraValve. So until recently DIYers can get the sound you heard at RMAF, in a less attractive package, for well under $1000. (I heard he will still sell the kits but has had to raise the price.)
It was probably high time Van Alstine released it as a "new" bespoke unit because that gets people's attention and, of course, saves people the extra trouble of finding and rebuilding old Dynacos. $1695 is indeed a bargain and not I think a price that will last. I have an Ultimate 70 and it's ace. I bet the UltraValve + Songtowers sounded about as good as anything at that zoo.
Oh, and don't discount the gear further upstream contributing to that sound. The Van Alstine DAC is smokin.
This amplifier is a brand new design. There is really nothing similiar to the old U70 design. It has a new chassis, new circuit board and new unbelievable sound, with enough power to drive any medium efficent speaker to wonderful levels.
Thank you
Wayner
Audio by Van Alstine
According to "avahifi_lj" on the Van alstine forum:
"the U70 and the UltraValve share the same circuit. There are, however, a couple of changes in the board grounding on the UltraValve to further reduce idle noise."
To me this says the ultravalve is a slightly more refined version of the same amp (in a new chassis) and not a "brand new design." Depends on your definition of 'brand new' I guess.
My understanding from speaking with Frank Van Alstine at the show is that the UltraValve is a new design.
From what I can piece together it's 'new' in that there have been some minor modifications to the PC card which is now mounted underneath the chassis (unlike with the U70 where it is exposed) and grounded differently, as well as a recent rewiring of the transformer leads that was first implemented on the U70 and immediately incorporated in the UltraValve. also, the new chassis has apparently enabled a more logical layout in the guts of the amp. I don't know whether they have found power or output transformers that perform significantly differently from what you'd find on Dynacos or not. Then of course the new chassis and the addition of 16ohm pots...Finally, the UltraValve is rated 30wpc and U70s are rated 33wpc.
I still doubt the Van Alstine technician quoted above would call it the 'same circuit' if it wasn't essentially the same circuit. It comes down to whether the redesign/repackaging provides a noticeably different, improved sounding amp, compared to an updated U70. My guess is it would be somewhat quieter, and of course reliably so, given that the condition of old Dynacos can vary.
The old and new share some of the same topography, but they are far enough apart that the old can not be upgraded to a new version as the board is also hidden in the chassis and there are other changes that make the seperation. The new amp is completely different in sound as well.
Thank you
Wayner
Looks nice, but why go with a PCB design when you can get point to point from someone like Eastern Electric and their M520 Integrated ($1695 I believe is the list) based on the Mullard design of 5 decades ago....it also uses EL34's, and having lived with one for a couple of years, there is NOTHING that I've compared it to up to $3k that can touch it.....but then again TAS doesn't like reviewing products that don't have a 'brick and mortar' store front, so many people will miss out on the opportunity to look at a great product!
As Frank works out of his house - as he has for at least thelast 30 years - it's obviously false that TAS limits their reviews to "Brick and Mortar" store front businesses. I know this as a fact since I supplied Mr. VanAlstine with lots of Dyna products back in the 70's and 80's and his current business location as shown in the Audio by VanAlstine website is still a residence.
As for point to point wiring versus PCB design, each has their advantages.
I think by now Frank's got it worked out fine just as he has for the last decades.
Thank God, for Fank VanAlstine, whose PAS-3 and Stereo 70 modifications brought me so much pleasure years ago, especially when I moved up to Maggies. What fun we had conversing, and how Frank's hand-penned replies indicated genuine interest in his clients. (No convenient internet then.)
My FVA PAS-3 is still working but in the attic, now replaced by Denon. Don't know that the Denon sounds any better, it's just a different age, with equipment maintenance down to zero compared to tubes and probably the light bill is less, but those tubes do add their romantic glow and warmth to a listening room; whereas, the solid state stuff is just nicely utilitarian.
When looking at today's prices of those Stereo-70 Mods makes me recall how relatively little I had invested in the pair I owned, and could kick myself for ever turning them lose thirteen years ago upon retiring and relocating. (What they'd be worth today! And I could still be updating them for fun, thanks to the stalwart, devoted Frank Van Alstine, who unlike me, kept the faith.)
Bruce Erwin
Sainthood for guys like these. Affordable beauty and integrity to the music (and principles) deserves it more than cost is no object. Thanks, TAS main man. Nice to see you spread some of that love around.
Robert -
Thanks for the kind words and for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit our room at RMAF. I'm glad you enjoyed what you heard. And if you have time to take a closer look at our SongTowers, just let me know. I'd love to build a pair for you to put through their paces.
- Jim
I would second the motion to review the Salk Songtowers.
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