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Avondale Audio

Chris Harris

Chris Harris

Active Member
Just to state from the off set I have been involved with "Naim" on both sides of the counter for many years, So after upgrading to a Townshend Audio Allegri passive Pre Amplifier and having not given much thought to adding a Power Amplifier, Just by chance a good friend had available after going Active a Naim Audio power Amplifier with Avondale conversions known as a Zap250. So thinking I must at least take a listen removing any preconceptions I may have had and forgetting I may be racing with the devil and not ignoring the fact that there are many very happy Avondale customers out in the field. So plugging in the Zap250 and with next to no warm up time I realised this was the Amplifier for me. The ease it places on the music in a relaxing ,realistic way (not laid back) is just breathtaking. Also the ultra low noise floor and blackness between instruments and vocals is so very believable in its presentation along with it's great timing and pace which is very important. After living with the Zap250 for a few weeks and enjoying every listening session often late into the night it was suggested to me to further upgrade to the latest / current SE230 modules along with the SSMS soft start module. so it seemed logical to continue my love affair with AA. Having packed and shipped the Amplifier back to their HQ in Hebden Bridge it was returned in under 5 days along with photographic evidence of the work completed which was a lovely touch.I can only say with the new additions in the form of the new modules it's just so much more of the same a real music machine no more no less !! and for any Avondale owners without the latest SE230 / SSMS modules it's a no-brainer I guess there should be some technical back up in this write up but as Avondale themselves say - whatever measurements read you should not ignore what you're actually hearing. This fully blown Avondale Amplifier is now a permanent keeper in my system - Thank you AA.
 
Having owned Naim NAP110, NAP140, and NAP135, I found even the modest Avondale NCC200 to be a significant upgrade. Since then I've built amps with then NCC200, NCC220 (a.k.a. QUDOS), NCC300, SE200, SE230, and soon SE400. All of these have been brilliant.

I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying yours. :)
 
I am the good friend and delighted my old amp albeit now upgraded is working so well As you know Chris, I felt the ZAP250 was a significant improvement on my Naim serviced Olive NAP250, so I can only imagine what it sounds like with SE230 boards. Hopefully I will hear it next week!

I’ll see if I can upload a picture later as it looks so tidy inside.

Cheers

Jez
 
My Avondaled NAP 110 with my TPR4 CB Hicap are definitely keepers for me as well.
My Naim NAP 160BD and 250.2 are outclassed by these little modified shoe boxes.
Thanks again Mike !
 
I have a TPR4 Hicap for my olive amps, quite good I must say.

Five-six years ago Les hinted he would retire soon, hope this was said by April 1.st
 
Before:

14FED39F-370F-406E-83EE-178C20C7B820.jpeg


After!

74195FDB-6A93-4487-AC98-E80BB831EC79.jpeg
 
I feel it’s a shame Avondale aren’t often recognised as a great amplifier & power supply brand in their own right but are always intrinsically linked with being a Naim modification outfit.
I’ve owned both brands over the years, Avondale back in the days of Jon “Zener”. I chose to buy their complete items rather than have a Naim
Modified by them.
Although they’re what I would call a cottage industry, I feel they deserve credit for
making lovely sounding gear in their own right.
 
manicatel said:
I feel it’s a shame Avondale aren’t often recognised as a great amplifier & power supply brand in their own right but are always intrinsically linked with being a Naim modification outfit.
I’ve owned both brands over the years, Avondale back in the days of Jon “Zener”. I chose to buy their complete items rather than have a Naim
Modified by them.
Although they’re what I would call a cottage industry, I feel they deserve credit for
making lovely sounding gear in their own right.
Click to expand...

Most definitely but both sides are great! There is now no Naim in that amp that Chris has and I really like the idea of full twin mono in one case. I think a friends Exposure amp is the same configuration?
 
I've a couple of Avondaled amps - NAP180 internals I got from Les with NCC 200 boards in a custom case I currently use to power my computer speakers, and a DIY “Voyager” type dual-mono with 220 boards I use in a second system in our holiday home. Les has always been great when it comes to helping me out with my DIY fumblings and occasional disasters, & those amps sure do sound fine.
 
Chris Harris said:
Townshend Audio Allegri passive Pre Amplifier
Click to expand...
Interesting that this worked well for you. I tried an Allegri with a 250DR (no mods) and it was really disappointing. I wanted to like it, hoping that I could dispense with my 3 box NAC282 preamp, but it just didn’t cut the mustard.
 
I'd recommend the power supplies also. I have 2 TPX2s and they are very good at reproducing leading edge transients with speed, control and precision.

Being able to hear exactly when a note started helps so much with the flow of music, particularly classical solo piano.
 
Dear all, I have read your thread above about Avondale Amps and Naim inflections/ upgrades etc.
I have an Avondale Amp which to my ears was an improvement on my services NAP250, and has been driving my system since (8 years).
I wonder if any of you can help me identify it? It seems to be a dual mono-block type of construction in one case (each channel having its own power supply). Beyond that I do not know what it is!
I will try and load up a couple of photos which show the very tidy internal layout, and hope that one of you might give me some pointers…..?
I think it is about 85 Watts per Chanel, but again, any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance…
 
sonicspace2 said:
Dear all, I have read your thread above about Avondale Amps and Naim inflections/ upgrades etc.
I have an Avondale Amp which to my ears was an improvement on my services NAP250, and has been driving my system since (8 years).
I wonder if any of you can help me identify it? It seems to be a dual mono-block type of construction in one case (each channel having its own power supply). Beyond that I do not know what it is!
I will try and load up a couple of photos which show the very tidy internal layout, and hope that one of you might give me some pointers…..?
I think it is about 85 Watts per Chanel, but again, any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance…
Click to expand...
It could be a variety of different amps, one that was popular with a few DIYers was a ZAP250 which used two toroidal transformers, two Mini-Cap 6 boards and a pair of NAP250 boards. What the amp that Chris posted above was. People also had 100% Avondale by using Avondales own amp boards such as NCC200’s.

Either way, they are fantastic amps and I had the exact same experience swapping from my old serviced NAP250.
 
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