Audio by Van Alstine
  If you can read this, the neato menu isn't working. AOL users, try opening with an external browser. Or use the site map.




 

 

Where the state of the art is affordable

  
   

 

    
 

Audio by Van Alstine offers you true state-of-the-art high-fidelity at prices you can afford. We have been designing and building truly musical systems for over thirty-five years.

We sell direct so you can avoid high prices and high pressure. We avoid frivolous accessories. We want you for a long-term client, not for just a quick buck.

Our engineering staff is continually busy developing new designs and improving existing designs in our attempt to bring you the very best new audio equipment in every price range. In many cases we are able to offer affordable upgrades to your existing AVA equipment as well. And our upgrades to classic Dynaco and Hafler equipment are classics in themselves.

How good is our equipment? Our customers are our best sales people. Check the AudioREVIEW.com or AudioAsylum.com websites and search for “Van Alstine.” You will see what our customers think.

Our clients get our ongoing expert consultation and guidance. If you call us we will take the time to listen and give you the best guidance we can. You get to talk to a real person, not an electronic switchboard.

Our equipment is custom built to your order in Minnesota by our skilled technicians who still remember what "high fidelity" means.

Products
We have high fidelity equipment to suit your every need. Rugged power amplifiers, crystal clear DACs and preamps, breathtaking speakers, and more...

Ordering Information
For help with your order, look here. Price lists, order forms, shipping information and everything you need to know to get the stereo equipment you want.

Used Equipment
Factory inspected used gear! Check out the savings.

About Audio by Van Alstine
Learn more about this family owned business that's been bringing people and music together since the '60s.

Do some background research
We love educated consumers! There's way too much fluff and magic in the audio industry - still freezing your CDs? For over 15 years we wrote a newsletter chok full of primers, essays, and the occasional tirade. For the first time, all of the Audio Basics issues are available online, free for the looking.

AVA Award

Transcendence Eight just received
The Absolute Sound's Editor's
Choice Award for 2008

Recommended Loudspeakers
salk

RECENT AVA CUSTOMER COMMENTS Click here>>

AVA announces the new Insight solid-state series.
New Preamplifiers, Amplifiers, Control amplifiers, and DAC. Read all about them on this website right now!

Announcing the newest AVA musical upgrade:
The 6N1P upgrade for all AVA hybrid and tube preamplifiers and DAC

Insight Integrated Control Amplifier is ready now! click here to learn more about this product

A new downloadable version of the AVA catalog will be available soon.

INSIDE AVA
Download Inside AVA Newsletter now, its full of informations that we occasionally update. Download Inside AVA now, its full of new information.

AVA has an ongoing and interesting USERS' FORUM at www.audiocircle.com.  Visit us there now for the most up to date opinions, advice, and information about AVA products.

 

AVA remote control is now available (February 10, 2005)
 

Updated used equipment list (November 13, 2009)
 

Ultimate 70 tube amplifier (January 11, 2005)
 

 
 

Golden Ear AwardThe Abso!ute Sound awards our Omegastar DAC their prestigious Golden Ear Award. (December 2002)

 

  

FREE ULTIMATE 70 AMPLIFIER UPGRADE

If you have an Ultimate 70, here is all you need to do:

1. Make sure the amp is cold and unplugged.
2. Locate the six wires connected to the PC board at the hole in the chassis where the quad filter cap once was located.
3. Disconnect the two red transformer leads from the eyelets marked RED.
4. Disconnect the wire from the eyelet marked B+.
5. Connect the B+ wire to either of the eyelets marked RED.
6. Connect the two red transformer leads to the eyelet marked B+ (two wires need to go into one hole together).
7. Readjust bias.
8. Listen again. :)

This makes a major sonic improvement by connecting the power to the audio board regulated power supplies after the choke instead of before the choke.

Simple and very effective.

Regards,
Frank Van Alstine

If you are uncertain of your soldering skills, have someone local do this for you please. We will do it free for you of course, but your cost of round trip shipping will certainly be higher than having a local do it for you and not risk shipping damage.

News

Announcing the "Insight+" low cost circuit upgrade!
We have made the Insight preamplifiers and DACs better than ever simply by a change in the basic op-amp used in some of our circuit configurations.

The change is to replace the AD817 op-amps to Burr Brown OPA627AP op-amps where applicable. The affected circuits are the line and phono stages in the Insight preamplifiers (two chips each circuit), and the current to voltage amplifier section in the Insight, T8, and Ultra DACs, (and in some older OmegaStar DACs too) again two chips each.

The cost is $35 per chip plus $10 shipping for do it yourselvers. You will need to carefully locate and remove the 8-pin AD817 ICs from their sockets and replace them with the OPA627AP devices without bending any pins over and being sure to get them installed with the correct orientation. if you are uncertain of your ability to do the chip swap yourself, we will do it for an additional $50 charge for the installation and bench testing. Return shipping is $30 in the continental USA.

All new applicable AVA products are now shipping with this improvement. If you purchased within the past 30 days the upgrade is free. Its your choice to do it yourself or to send it in for the upgrade. However we are not responsible for chips damaged by incorrect installation. No satisfaction guarantee on this project.

You may be able to find the Burr Brown OPA627AP chips elsewhere at a lower price, but all of the ones we supply will be in-circuit tested before shipping.

Call me for more details at 651-330-9871. The result is lower noise, removal of the last trace of sold state dryness, a nicer sound stage, and even better transparency and real detail.

The improvement does not apply to any current AVA power amplifiers as these do not use op-amps in their circuits.

Shipping right now.

Annoucing the Ultra and Insight power amplifiers "Double Die" option.

This option uses the newest Exicon "double-die" mos-fet output devices. Each device is rated at 250 watts, 16 amps, and 250 volts. The power and current ratings are twice that of the standard production devices. It is the same as using twice as many standard high current mos-fets in each amplifier. The result are even more powerful amplifiers with stunning dynamics and purity. Recommended for very difficult loads and for those that want to play unreasonably LOUD. The option price is approximately $22 additional per output mos-fet at the time of new production, or $42 per device as a retrofit to existing AVA Insight or Ultra amplifiers.

Insight 170, 200, 240, and Insight control amps use 4 devices each total.

Insight 250, 260, 400 and 440 amps use 8 devices each total.

Insight 260H, 440H, 500, Ultra 350, and Ultra 550 use
12 devices each total.

Insight 600 amps in Hafler 600 chassis use 16 devices each total.

Each amp will be renamed "Insight Double 170. Ultra Double 550, and so on and the AVA three year parts and labor warranty will be extended as if the amp is brand new for upgrades.  The double die upgrade does not include any other necessary out of warranty repairs other than output device replacements as required.

Please call us at 651-330-9871 for more information.  Available right now!