Audio by Van Alstine Debuts Three New Products at AXPONA 2026
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Audio by Van Alstine (AVA), the Minneapolis-based manufacturer of high-performance audio electronics, today unveiled three new products at AXPONA 2026: the FVA1 Monoblock Power Amplifier, the L1 (Linear One) Stand-Mount Speaker, and an updated AVA DAC 2. Preorders open in early summer 2026 at avahifi.com. Pricing is subject to change prior to final release and customer configured options.
FVA1 Monoblock Power Amplifier - $2,499 per unit*
The FVA1 is AVA's flagship monoblock amplifier and the first product to employ the company's new Fet Valve Advanced (FVA) hybrid architecture. The design pairs a tube input stage - using an ECC83/12AX7A dual triode - with a high-performance class AB solid-state output stage, bridged in a differential (monoblock) configuration.
AVA describes the challenge of tube/solid-state hybrids directly: conventional approaches typically require coupling circuitry between the tube and solid-state domains that compromises the performance of one or both stages. For the FVA1, AVA developed an entirely new translation approach that allows each stage to operate under ideal conditions while itself contributing minimal distortion. The overall feedback scheme is described as closely related to AVA's proprietary ANA (Advanced Nested Architecture) topology.
The result is approximately 150 usable watts RMS per monoblock, with both RCA and XLR balanced inputs. A chainable 12V trigger input supports automated installations.
Key Specifications
Power output: ~150W RMS (FTC ratings pending)
Inputs: One RCA single-ended; one XLR balanced
Input impedance: 100kΩ (RCA), 180kΩ (XLR)
Gain: 29.3 dB
Tube complement: One ECC83/12AX7A dual triode per monoblock
Price: $2,499 per unit (sold individually)*
Link to FVA1 Monoblock Power Amplifier
L1 (Linear One) Stand-Mount Speaker - $2,199 per pair*
The L1 is AVA's first fully branded loudspeaker, and it arrives with serious engineering ambitions for its price class. The two-way stand-mount design centers on four key technical choices that work together to produce what AVA calls a smoother, more transparent, and more imaging-focused result than conventional speakers in this range.
The cabinet's large rounded corners minimize diffraction - the phenomenon where sound waves bend around edges and create coloration. A 25mm soft-dome tweeter is mounted in a custom waveguide that controls high-frequency dispersion and also improves the driver's own linearity. A 170mm (6.7") mid/bass driver with an extra-long throw voice coil delivers bass output comparable to larger drivers without sacrificing midrange resolution. And high-slope, phase-coherent crossovers at 2.8kHz keep the transition between drivers clean both on- and off-axis, reducing intermodulation distortion and preserving transient accuracy.
The result, per AVA's specifications, is a frequency response of 40Hz–20kHz ±2dB in free space, with a -3dB point of 40Hz under typical room conditions.
Key Specifications
Frequency response: 40Hz–20kHz ±2dB (free space); –3dB at 40Hz (room)
HF driver: 25mm liquid-cooled soft dome, waveguide loaded
LF/MF driver: 170mm long-throw, mineral-loaded polymer cone, 35.5mm voice coil
Crossover: High-slope, in-phase network at 2.8kHz
Nominal impedance: 4 ohms
Recommended amplifier power: 25–150W RMS
Dimensions (H × W × D): 420mm × 284mm × 284mm (16.5" × 11.2" × 11.2")
Price: $2,199 per pair*
Link to L1 Stand-Mount Speakers
AVA DAC 2 - $2,499*
The AVA upgraded DAC 2, now updated for Spring 2026, is AVA's statement digital-to-analog converter and preamplifier. Built around a famed AKM DAC IC and custom discrete class-A gain cells, the DAC 2 retains a fully differential signal path from input to output - meaning the balanced architecture of the digital-to-analog conversion stage is preserved all the way through to both the XLR and RCA outputs.
AVA describes the design philosophy as "minimal analog processing": each of the DAC IC's differential outputs passes through a single reconstruction stage, with no unnecessary circuit elements between the conversion and the output. The variable-level outputs - 5.5V peak on XLR, 2.8V peak on RCA - make the DAC 2 suitable for use as a full digital preamplifier, driving a power amplifier directly.
Connectivity covers the full range of modern digital sources: galvanically isolated USB (UAC2/class-compliant, supporting PCM up to 192kHz and DSD128 via DoP), two transformer-isolated coaxial S/PDIF inputs, and two optical TOSLINK inputs. Operation is via touchscreen and included remote control.
Key Specifications
DAC IC: AKM (with discrete class-A gain cells)
Inputs: 1× USB (galvanically isolated); 2× coaxial S/PDIF RCA (transformer isolated); 2× optical TOSLINK
Format support: PCM up to 192kHz (coaxial/USB), 96kHz (optical); DSD128 and DSD64 via USB (DoP)
Outputs: XLR balanced (5.5V peak); RCA unbalanced (2.8V peak); both variable
Control: Touchscreen + remote control
Price: $2,499*
Availability
Preorders for all three products open in early summer 2026 at avahifi.com. AVA products are sold factory-direct and include the company's satisfaction guarantee.
*Pricing is subject to change prior to final release and configuration options.
About Audio by Van Alstine
Audio by Van Alstine has been designing and manufacturing high-performance audio electronics in Minneapolis, Minnesota since the 1970s. The company is known for its pioneering hybrid tube/solid-state designs, direct-to-consumer model, and commitment to engineering value at every price point. All AVA products are designed and built in the United States.
Jim Stitt
Audio by Van Alstine
Minneapolis, Minnesota
(651) 330-9871
avahifi.com