Very sad news indeed. I consider him a big player in American audio history. Solid products without the boutique costs. I still have an assortment of Alstine/Dynaco preamps stashed away..I still use my AVA ST70 Ultra pretty regularly. Frank was a great guy. Always helpful with any problems or questions I had. Mary has stepped up & answered any emails I've sent over the year or two. She has carried on with how great AVA/Frank has been with replying, dealing, & helping the public.
One thing I feel I can confidently say is that Frank & team designed well made products. Stable, low noise gear that will work for decades. I feel like he tried to consider the budget of the average worker that wanted quality sound. Frank did great things for the audio community.