Audio By Van Alstine Transcendence 10 SL. Any opinions or experience with it or his gear?

Looking at a post on Audio Circle and the avahifi.com website -- It seems like the T10 SL is now history. I think they are replacing it with the T10 SLR ($200 more with a fully functional remote where the SL only had volume and mute) but I don't see it on the website yet. Maybe avahifi can confirm this.

HiFiJeff - Congrats on acquiring one of these. I am waiting on a final build/test and shipment for one myself. Ready to replace a late '90s marantz solid-state preamp with the T10 SL. I am pairing mine with a Parasound HCA-1000A.
 
Yes I saw that the T10 SL is sold out. As they say, you snooze, you lose! Great that you snagged one when you did. It will be very interesting to see how you like it with your Parasound.
 
Took delivery last week. I was blown away on how much difference this unit makes. Cleaned up the upper frequency noise I experienced with my previous set up. I can't stop listening. The tones and detail of the music is awesome. Now my weak point is my old phono pre-amp. I should have ordered the phono option.

The build quality is superb as well. I love the 'silver' face. Very classy.
 
Congrats! I wonder if you could send it back and have them install the phono board? Of course, that would mean you would have to wait some more...
 
Took delivery last week. I was blown away on how much difference this unit makes. Cleaned up the upper frequency noise I experienced with my previous set up. I can't stop listening. The tones and detail of the music is awesome. Now my weak point is my old phono pre-amp. I should have ordered the phono option.

The build quality is superb as well. I love the 'silver' face. Very classy.
That's what a good Tube Pre will do. Congrats and enjoy!
 
Sorry if I missed it, but would you please remind me what you are comparing it to? What your former system is/was comprised of?

For years I used japanese-made integrated receivers with a preference to late '70s pioneer SX series. Had some 80s era Denon as well. I like finding old receivers at garage sales and thrift shops and cleaning them up, use them for awhile and then give them away or sell them. A couple of months ago I decided to go with separates. I bought a Parasound HCA-1000A amplifier, and found an old Marantz AV550 (yes I realized it is a HT preamp) to hold me over until Frank Van Alstine could build me a T10SL. My speakers are JBL 230 but I also have a pair of infinity SL90's and NTH bookshelf speakers.

For digital, I am streaming Tidal and FLAC via Roon from a PC to a Schiit Modi multibit DAC.

2 turntables - a Pro-ject DC with a Sumiko Rainier cartridge and a vintage AR XA (1967) I restored myself with a Grado Black2. These are staged with a simple Rolls VP29 phono preamp.

So this my first plunge into what I consider 'high-end'.

The T10 SL is so dead quiet between notes and then reproduces every note perfectly. I never experienced this in my home gear.

Last night I played an old vinyl copy of Weather Report - Heavy Weather and I heard things I never noticed before.
 
Last edited:
Anyone ever hear of the Transcendence 3 Fet Valve 500 amplifier and "matching" pre-amp? They are hybrid pieces, so...am I still in the right forum? I can't for the life of me finding anything on the intertoobs about these.
 
I use an AVA Ultravalve tube amplifier. It is a beautiful amplifier. If I ever get another tube preamp it may be an AVA .
 
Back
Top Bottom