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Avondale Grad One

What you have (102) is the basis of great listening. Better hifi is the icing on a big cake and it sounds as if you have much more important issues confronting you right now.
Enjoy the music, get the job you deserve and revisit your plans when finances allow.
The very best of luck.
 
On the general discussion about the Grad 1 / TPX2 performance, you'll realise I have vested interest, but nevertheless I'll share my experience.

I think Avondale power amps are excellent but can be bettered if you pay enough money - I had a pair of Avondale M2 monoblocks that were outperformed by their replacement Sanders Magtech - but this has a superb reputation and a list price of $5500. On the other hand, I never heard a pre-amp that outperformed the Grad1/TPX2, which is why I've used it for so long and upgraded everything else before not needing it. I can hear no audible improvement between using my Linn Klimax DSM/2 as a source into the Grad 1 and bypassing it and using the DSM pre-amp facility direct to the power amp (fortunately no detriment either), which shows just how transparent the Grad 1/TPX2 is. This definitely wasn't the case when auditioning a last spec Linn Klimax Kontrol (with a list price around £6K I think), which sounded constricted in comparison.

It took the step up to Vitus to usurp my then Grad 1/TPX 2, M130s.
 
Then on the change from Avondale it was dipping the toe in with an Ri100. That amp has since been superseded.

In terms of the difference, I think I can sum it up by saying: more of everything in the sense of detail and soundstage, and the ability to drive the then PL300s effortlessly. They really responded positively to the change in amp. Don’t get me wrong, the Avondale combination made damn fine music but this was the next level up. A less forward presentation, I would call it more even handed, more detail and a certain creamy air to the overall sound. I am struggling to put that into words because it is a subtlety, maybe a deliberate voicing. The control over the bass, which was more apparent when I moved over to the Sasha’s, is something to behold. Again, in the move to the Sasha’s, the extra detail became even more apparent, especially the sound stage ie the space between instruments etc.

I will sum it up by saying Vitus makes music.

The Vitus range has some rather interesting paths but their integrated amps represent possibly the best value for money, especially when you venture into the Signature range.

Which Vitus did you go for? How does the sound differ?
 
I would love to hear a Grad 1 in my system, but I am a very happy owner of a 72 equipped with 821A boards powered by TPX1.5 power supply and 250 with Qudos and HCR boards installed. Speakers are ATC SCM19 v2s all connected with Witch Hat Morgana and Phantom cables. The set up as a whole just works, and I have no intention of changing anything, and that is first time I have felt that I can honestly say no more upgrades for me.
 
A very nostalgic subjuct that brings nice memories. Avondale audio was I guess my entry ticket to the high end that did nt cost a fortune.
Coming from Naim I thougth the constant itching of upgrades beeing to expensive in the end. So I had another hifi friend in Sweden who helped me
with assembling the A260Z poweramp. He acually had a Grad 1/SPX and I a NAC 82. We swapped and both where happy.
I then upgraded to a TPX2 later on.
Was very happy whith the Avondale sound. After a few year I changed this for a Teddy pardo PRE and monoblocks. TP where also sounding very nice and it got the
remote that I was missing with the Grad 1, but you can`t have it all I guess.

As four sound - yes I could agree that Avondale has a valvey type of soundsignature.

Cheers/ Magnus
 
I believe that an M130 was a CAP6 supplying an NCC200 amp board. This is definitely a sweet spot, but is clearly surpassed by adding front-end regulation (a.k.a. "Voyager"). The NCC220 (QUDOS) boards are a big jump from the NCC200, and those running in Voyager configuration are better again. And of course, their NCC300 amp boards are a revelation, with onboard front-end regulation. You can power those with a single supply, or separate ones for the input and output stages.

I guess what I'm saying is that the M130 was very good, but it's definitely not the pinnacle of Avondale amps.
 


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