Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Mono Block Solid State Amplifiers
As I began writing this review, I remembered as a budding audiophile some 40 or more years ago I sent my Hafler 200 amplifier to Frank Van Alstine for modification, having heard of his ability to improve the performance. I don’t remember what the modification entailed—it was a long time ago—but I do remember being very impressed with the results. My early impression has not changed.
For over half a century Van Alstine has designed and produced some of the most beautiful-sounding electronics. It all began the first time he visited his teacher’s home and heard how good the music sounded emanating from a diminutive tube system. This was the start of an over 50 year journey to bring to the public quality design at a reasonable cost. And he shows no signs of letting up.
Along with great performance he insisted that his prices for equipment be wallet-friendly. To do this, he eschewed the use of the big ads in the slick magazines and decided to use a direct, on-line marketing approach, occasionally placing an ad if conditions were favorable. He is very accessible and will happily address any and all your questions.
Van Alstine informed me he was getting a new pair of mono block amplifiers ready for production and asked if I’d be interested in reviewing them. I told him to bring them on. The new amplifiers, the DVA M225s, at $3398/pair, produce 225 watts/channel @8 ohms and 300 watts/channel @4 ohms. Each weighs 15.5 pounds and has dimensions of only 8.75” wide, 10.25” deep, and 4.25” high.
On the simple and functional black metal rear panel one finds an IEC power jack (120 Volts) and a set of speaker posts than can accept both spade and banana, an XLR input, two speaker fuses that can easily be replaced if need be (+/-), and a grounding switch that can be turned on or off. Unlike the SET 400 or the DVA 600, there are no heat sink grills; the smaller size eliminates their need.
They have the same power ratings as his Vision SET 400 stereo amp that I reviewed in September 2018 but they achieve them in different ways. The SET 400 uses a single-ended Class A/B design topology biased towards Class A for normal listening levels. The DVA M225s rely on a fully differential, balanced topology; only XLR interconnects need apply. They have an elegant look with a no-nonsense, clear anodized aluminum 5/16 inch-thick faceplate. The origins of these stem from the more powerful, larger and heavier DVA 600 mono blocks reviewed in Audiophilia by Karl Sigman in October 2018. Each DVA 600 is essentially a SET 400 modified to be a balanced mono block.
My Use
Prior to any serious listening, my policy is to burn in all new equipment for 100 hours—these amps received the same treatment. Associated gear included Anticables Level 3 Power Cords and Level 6 Speaker Wires, VPI Avenger Turntable with 12 inch JMW Carbon Fiber Tonearm, Soundsmith Paua II Cartridge, Avid Pulsare II Phono Stage and Pass LABS XP-12 Linestage. Digital was handled by an MSB Transport with a Mytek HiFi Brooklyn DAC+.
I noted that the DVA M225s achieved a high level of performance much sooner than the 100 hour burn in.
Listening
My first impression was one of acknowledgment of the design talent that created these amplifiers. I felt the same way when I reviewed his SET 400—the 225s produced detail without a HiFi edge that can be initially exciting and then become irritating. Listening to The Oscar Peterson Trio on We Get Requests, musicality, neutrality and timbral accuracy were on full display. The performers were portrayed with a vivid three dimensionality that was very impressive and their presence was, at times, startlingly real. Ray Brown’s upright bass was reproduced with such clarity and definition that you’d get splinters if you got too close. Ed Thigpen on drums was brought to life with these amps. His cymbal work had snap and sizzle which kept the group in the groove. What a rhythm section. The Trio kept cookin’ and I was realizing how good these amps were.
Orff’s Carmina Burana is a complex melding of orchestra and chorus with wonderful singing and raucous percussion. Dynamics are very wide. The amps delivered with speed and impact and individual musicians were easily identifiable. Individual orchestral parts were extremely discernible. Ensemble voices were created with a greater sense of real individuals singing together in a group rather than a homogenized, smoothed-over sound. Sounds heard live in a live performance—shifting chairs, flipping sheet music, coughing and throat-clearing—were so faithfully reproduced that you might be convinced you were attending a live performance. These amps capture the thrill of being at your favourite venue, anticipating that first thrust of the baton.
Liszt’s Les Preludes is a stirring piece of music that was used as the theme in the 1930s sci-fi serial cliff-hanger, Flash Gordon, as Flash battled Ming the Merciless for control of Earth. The theme music is what turned me on to classical music. I’ll always be grateful to Flash, and hearing it through these amplifiers brought me back to youthful excitement. The power and drama of the music had me cheering at the screen as Flash defended Earth against the evil Ming.
Over the years I’ve acquired a number of performances of this piece but the one I listen to most often is an EMI Classics of Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. These amps highlighted the drama of the performance and hit all the right notes with power and precision. The brass instruments shone with full-bodied power and just the right amount of warmth. Flash, you saved us again.
Frank Sinatra. What can you say about Mr. Sinatra that hasn’t been said already? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have at least three or four of his albums. His artistry is without peer and most of his recordings are superbly done. A classic recording, Sings For Only The Lonely, with Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra, shows off Frank’s ability to set the mood, in this case a sombre, reflective one. The detail and nuance of his voice are captured so completely you want to pull up a barstool and buy the poor guy a drink. We’ve all been down that road before. It’s a quarter to three….
Conclusion
These mono blocks offer performance that is truly superb and for an amazing, and in high end terms, bargain price ($3398/pair). They develop a realistic soundstage that enables the listener to feel he is out for the evening at his favourite venue. Images are well-defined and three-dimensional. In my review of Van Alstine’s SET 400, I was extremely enthusiastic regarding its performance and price. Now, along comes Van Alstine with these new mono blocks. They perform better than amps costing three or four times more. They have become my new reference.
Further information: Audio by Van Alstine
