VAC doesn't reply to emails.

I do mods to widgets in another hobby. I’m the only person who provides this service in the country. I don’t consider this a business so much as a service. I don’t advertise but my reputation spreads by word of mouth. I get inquiries on a forum devoted to that hobby. I try not to give out my phone number or email since I’ve learned that people will want to chat with me continuously. I answer questions about installing the upgrade but generally ignore or shut down idle chatter. I get a lot of messages that would like to go on-and-on. A couple of guys have gotten my phone number and called frequently just to chat until I learned not to answer their number.

My point is a businessman working 60 hours a week can get 59 hours or work done and spend 1 hour a week answering questions or he can get 40 hours of work done a week and spend 20 hours a week answering questions.

Generally you’ll get better answers to an email that is one paragraph long, has a simple greeting, a well-worded and clear question, and a thank you. If you write a novella, he may not even get around to reading it.

One thing I have noticed is that most customers act like they are the only cutomerer out there.  they assume you remember everything they ever told you, even though 40 others may have chatted with you since then.  they often don't even put a note in the box telling you who they are, what their symptoms are, or what work they want done.

Jerry

Ditto the effectiveness of Deoxit into switches and knobs.  I recently dripped Deoxit into the series-wired mini-switches of my Atma-Sphere MP-1 preamp, which had become noisy to the point of frustrating dropouts in the balanced signal phases.  After standing the preamp on end, dripping a fairly generous amount of liquid into each switch, then exercising the switch a few dozen times, the problems are all gone and good to go for another twenty years...      

@jond 

+1

jond, you are probably right. There must be someone around here to do it.

inna sounds like a dirty pot any competent local tech should be able to clean it for you in minutes no need to ship the amp back to Vac.

pdreher,I have owned the Avatar SE for a year and a half. I really like the sound and it is a very good match with my warmer sounding two way floor standing 89db speakers. I use it exclusively in ultralinear mode, in triode mode there is not enough power and I hear no advantages. After I bought it I replaced all tubes with NOS. Using Mullard 12AX7 longplates in preamp, RCA blackplates 12AU7 in the driver position and SED Svetlana Winged C EL34 power tubes. For the moment, Brimar 12AX7 are in the phono stage, but I don't like them and will replace them with either same Mullard or perhaps RCA or Raytheon blackplates later.

I intend to keep this amp for a long time, until I can go into higher level tube separates realm. But then I would have to upgrade the speakers as well, seriously upgrade.

This is a warmer but not artificially warm sounding amp, I think it's the right balance, I like this VAC sound a lot.

@inna  how do you like the Avatar and how long have you owned it?

Yeah, it's a remote model, I'll just leave it alone for now. In a few years I may send it to VAC for service. In fact, I don't change the volume too often, so it's minor.

Yeah, it can happen as pots age. Years ago, I had a local tech work on a couple of my vintage amps and vividly remember him boldly spraying a healthy dose of (probably) dexoit into a couple pots. So that could possibly be done without sending the amp to VAC, though it looks like you’ll have to get past at least an outer canister.

Not sure what pot they used here, but it would have to have an integrated motor if it’s a remote model. These days, that usually means a motorized Alps RK27 at this price point, and even up to $10K or more. I HATE that pot; it’s always been notably worse sounding than alternatives like from TKD (they are more expensive).

If it were me, and I really liked the amp, I might ask VAC about bypassing the pot and using a Khozmo passive preamp upstream - though it’s no guarantee that’s a good option here (impedance matching, etc).

The noise come out of the speakers when you rotate the knob.

No, it doesn't scrap the faceplate and it rotates very smoothly as it should.

Is the sound you're hearing because the volume knob is pushed in too far and scrapping the faceplate?  If so, loosen the set screw and pull the knob out just a smidgen, so it clears the faceplate completely.  This has happened to me several times.

mulveling,

I see. Nothing appears to be wrong with the company.

My Avatar's SE volume control knob makes slight scratching noises, I don't know it is a wear or dirt or both. It doesn't bother me much and I am not going to ship the amp to VAC only for that.

Email has always been hit or miss there. Recently it’s more of a "miss". Shows, like the one going on right now in FL, are a lot of prep work and overtime for such a small company, and everyone there shares the burden.

I emailed last week asking about stock PCs for their amps and frankly, they should ignore that one (I didn’t realize the upcoming show at that time). I can always call later. If it's important enough - always call. 

Then there are ever-evolving spam / junk filters - this one hits me a lot, trading on that other site. I guess a good audiophile trading site with decent on-platform messaging can only exist in heaven (Facebook has good messaging but is rife with scams).