Audio by Van Alstine Vision Q Phono Preamplifier

Tucked away under the products section on the Audio By Van Alstine website is an odd-man-out option titled “For Vinyl Lovers,” containing just one item: the $579 Vision Q Phono Preamplifier. In black metal and relatively inconspicuous, it weighs just 2.5 lbs, with dimensions of only 7"(L) x 5"(D) x 2.5"(H). I say “odd man out” because my previous experience with Audio by Van Alstine products has been with their remarkable and well-priced larger and heavier power amplifiers, such as my current reference for the last four years, the DVA SET 600 Mono Blocks (discontinued now with a newer version in the works), and the smaller DVA M225 Mono Blocks.

I would never have known about the existence of the Vision Q except for having visited my friend and Audiophilia colleague Martin Appel some months ago after he needed some help with some settings on a phono stage. When I arrived at his apartment, I asked if the small item in black metal (which I had never seen before in his system) was the power supply for the phono stage in question. Nope, it was a Vision Q. (He had bought it to replace his way more expensive phono stage that had broken down and could not be fixed anytime in the foreseeable future.) Actually, the power transformer of the Vision Q is supplied in a separate, very small, "wall wart," and as stated on the website, “The plus and minus 15-volt analog regulated power supplies are built on an isolated section of the audio board. There are no noisy switching power supplies.”

Before leaving Appel’s apartment, we listened to several LPs, and I quickly became enchanted with the sound quality at such a low price, so much so that upon returning home I contacted Frank Van Alstine to ask for a review unit. He readily agreed to supply one, and I am grateful—within weeks it arrived for this review. So here we are. 

It turns out that the Vision Q is not only available as a free-standing unit but also as an option that can be built into all of their currently sold preamplifiers for an additional cost of only $379.

Basic functions/controls

The Vision Q is an RIAA solid-state direct-coupled (from input to output) stereo phono preamplifier with a single input (RCA pair only), and single output (RCA pair only) that accommodates both MC and MM cartridges. MM mode gets a fixed 47K Ohms impedance loading with a gain of 40dB, while MC mode offers three gain settings (54dB, 60dB, 66dB) and a variety of impedance loading settings up to 1K Ohms, including standards 47, 100, 220, 475 and 1K Ohms. Other loads can be obtained using the classic resistance in parallel formula with those five loads. All load and gain settings are dealt with using ten (10) dip switches inside the unit.

The only other control is the power button on the front which engages a small blue light when on. Etched in white on the front near the bottom is the classic Audio by Van Alstine logo ending with “Audio by Van Alstine”.

On the back, from left to right is a ground post, inputs, outputs, and the 15V input (for use by the included wall wart). 

Using the internal dip switches

To set the appropriate loading and gain settings for your cartridge, you must do it manually and do so by removing the top cover of the unit. It is an easy process; I provide here (with photos) more details to help.

Always disconnect the AC power while modifying the dip switches. The top/sides cover of the Vision Q comes off with four (4) small Phillips screws, two on each side.

On the inside top of this cover are the instructions with a diagram for setting them (see photo below).

What is inside?

As can be seen inside the unit in the photo below, the Vision Q uses four Linear Technology LT1028 Integrated Circuits (for the first and second amplification stage) which are known to be ultra-quiet: the voltage noise is less than the noise of a 50Ω resistor. For those interested, details of the LT1028 are presented here. Moreover, instead of a third stage of amplification, the Vision Q uses two Texas Instruments LME 49600 current buffers to isolate the second passive EQ section from the outside (they too can be seen in the photo below). This design by Van Alstine is stated to yield “low noise and grain-free dynamic range”. (I must agree that Van Alstine succeeded.)

My use

I used an Allnic Audio Rose MC Cartridge ($2,900), one of my references, for its lightness, ease of setup, quiet personality and great sound.

It turned out to be an excellent pairing with the Vision Q.

Settings: 100 Ohms, 66dB gain.

For a preamplifier, I used my reference PS Audio BHK Signature.

NOTE: I only needed 56dB of gain when using balanced (XLR) out to my PS Audio preamp from phono stages that offer balanced cabling (Vision Q uses RCA only). I definitely needed 66dB in my system with the Vision Q. Balanced cables are typically 6dB–10dB louder than RCA unbalanced. In fact, this was the originating problem that Appel had asked me to remedy: raise the gain for his system when using the Vision Q.

Music and sound quality

I was very impressed with what the Vision Q offers in sound quality at a price of only a mere $579, and with such a small size/weight: It captured the very essence of what a decent phono stage should sound like in dealing with dynamic range, soundstage, imaging, and noise; they were covered remarkably well.

In general, the mid-range and bass frequencies sounded better to me than the high frequencies (which at times sounded a dash sharp and thin). Considerably more money would be required, however, to beat it, I think. Using some much more expensive reference phono stages (such as my main reference, the Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Stage at $4300), yielded particularly better results for the high-frequencies, more body in general, and more accurate imaging. But at $579 no whining is allowed!

Note: What it does lack for some audiophiles are mainly non-sound quality options such as allowing for more turntable inputs, allowing balanced cabling, allowing for control of load and gain by knobs/buttons on the front, having a mono mode, a subsonic filter, or allowing for high-loading carts that also require high-gain such as Grado Labs moving iron carts.

Here are some music examples I found compelling:

I discovered—hidden in my admittedly totally unorganized LP collection—

Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass, Whipped Cream & Other Delights, A&M Records LP110, SP4110 (1965). Packed with so much fun and joy, an album that can cheer up anyone, I would think.

[The world’s greatest album cover is included here for scientific purposes—Ed]

The trumpet was palpable and clean sounding; all else followed suit. Delightful.

The above motivated me to listen to next:

Gilberto & Jobin, EMI ST 2160 (a reissue of Brazil’s Brilliant João Gilberto (1960)).

Another feel-good recording from decades ago, the beginning of what we refer to as “bossa nova”, it is a short album with each song about only 1.5 minutes. Gilberto’s soft voice is captured very naturally by the Vision Q, as is his guitar playing. The clean sound quality displayed by the Vision Q was very apparent.

Kraftwerk, Autobahn, Kling Klang Digital Master, Parlophone Records LTD, 180gm (2009; reissued/re-mastered from original 1974 recording).

This classic I wanted to hear mainly for one thing: In the beginning, that car engine from the right channel catches one by surprise and sounds so real when played on proper equipment. Would the Vision Q get it right? Yes, it captured it with some depth. The soundstage too was as it should be: it sounded like the car was outside in the street.

Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 101 in D major, Robin Ticciati, Scottish Chamber Orchestra. (2015) Linn Records. 180gm 45 RPM  LP.

The timpani and lower stringed instruments, in particular,  sounded impressive on the Vision Q with great power, timbral accuracy and textures; a great recording. 

Summary

Only $579. With well-thought-out engineering, while retaining simplicity, the Audio by Van Alstine Vision Q preamplifier performs well above its price point. It exhibits a nice dynamic range, with an overall very clean/quiet sound, and the soundstage is ample. For those thinking of purchasing a standalone phono preamplifier for their vinyl setup for the first time, the Vision Q should be given serious consideration. You just might find yourself as enchanted as I was—and save a lot of money. A reviewer in high-end audio perhaps should have one as a sobering low-priced reference and backup unit to keep in their arsenal as the starting point for what a worthy phono stage should sound like—count me in.

NOTE: Van Alstine informed me that a new version, named Vision Q+, will be replacing the current Vision Q soon. According to Van Alstine, it has the same dimensions, weight, and price, and he mentioned that it had  “a prettier silver face plate and an improved audio board resulting in an even quieter, more linear device”. I expect to give a short follow-up review when it is released.

Further information: Audio by Van Alstine