# Rare Blade Avanti VTH100 Tube amp



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

Today I went to a local thrift shop and found one of these Blade Avanti VTH100 Tube amp. It's in near mint shape.
Should I get it ?
One of the hardest amps to come by.
There was *only 25* of them ever made before the company went bankrupt.
Made in Canada. Retail was $3000 Back in 1993.

Blade Avanti VTH100

This one sold last year for $1026 ! 

Blade Avanti VTH100 RARE Oldschool Tube Sound Quality eBay


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 12, 2008)

I would say to get it. If it sold for that much and is that rare. If I was there, I would have owned it by now.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

BeatsDownLow said:


> I would say to get it. If it sold for that much and is that rare. If I was there, I would have owned it by now.


ok. Im gonna go tomorrow and make an offer on it to see if I can get a better price.


----------



## jcorkin (Jan 26, 2012)

id offer $200 for it and see what they reply with, you might walk out of there with it for $200 but for $350 id still buy it being as rare as it is.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

jcorkin said:


> id offer $200 for it and see what they reply with, you might walk out of there with it for $200 but for $350 id still buy it being as rare as it is.


They probably paid $150-$175 for it.


----------



## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

Business is business and they need to make $$. Damn if I were local I would scoop it up,


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

Picked up the amp today. Bargained hard for it, also swapped a few things as well.
Works perfect, few blemishes ontop, nothing big.

*Will have pictures tonight or tomorrow.*

I dont know how many are left, but only 25 were made. Retail was $3000 Back in 1993.
A few made in to China and Japan.

Mine has the fuse cover like this as seen on these pics. 
The ebay one has different fuses.

Blade Avanti VTH100










vs


----------



## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

Lucky cat


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

Pics coming tomorrow.
Already have 3 buyers for this amp !!


----------



## RNBRAD (Oct 30, 2012)

I'm sure it's a sweet amp, but retail for $3,000 dollars and it's a 100 watt amp? It's easy to see why they only made 25 of them and went bankrupt, lol. Nice find though!!!


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

RNBRAD said:


> I'm sure it's a sweet amp, but retail for $3,000 dollars and it's a 100 watt amp? It's easy to see why they only made 25 of them and went bankrupt, lol. Nice find though!!!


umm, wattage isnt a feature a buyer of this amp cares about.
Its a tube amp, it has a distinctive warmer tone, more natural than a sold state amp. The sound that it produces is amazing. That 100 watts is so clean that it sounds much more powerful than it is. Remember that is 'old skool' 100 watts.

Here is a review on it (need google translation)

http://yp.pcauto.com.cn/jbgz/yxgz/0803/640649.html


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

I Didnt even know what the amp was. I walked into the swap shop and was looking for car amps.
they had 2 displays full of amps, lotsa cheap low end stuff, an this amp along with a Phoenix Gold MS50.
Went home the same night and did research on it. To my astonishment, I read that only 25 were made then the company went bankrupt.
I also found out how much these are selling for now ($1000+)
The company Blade Technology corporation was actually located and manufactued these minutes from where I bought this amp.
I wonder how may others there are floating around in these parts ! lol
Word has it that these amps were built and sold to pay off alot of employees severance, thats why they cost $3000 back in the day.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

Hi heres some pictures of the amp.


----------



## porscheman (Jan 1, 2012)

good find, I've got 3 of the m series sitting in the basement


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

porscheman said:


> .. sitting in the basement


Amps shouldnt sit in basements, that's where floods occur ! :surprised:


----------



## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Lucky bastard  Wondering how good this amp compares to the 1st gen US Amps TU-4360  

Kelvin


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

I think they made 2 versions of this amp as the BLADE LOGO was replaced by Avanti or vice versa.


----------



## normalicy (Jun 30, 2009)

Nice catch there. One in a million type thing.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

normalicy said:


> Nice catch there. One in a million type thing.


You mean 1 in 25. :laugh:


----------



## MACS (Oct 3, 2007)

Yup. Those VTH100 are pretty rare amps. There is one or two more of these around somewhere, but so far they have not turned up .


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

Speechless.. 

LoL

Arent those Tristans ?

Why were these never posted before ?


----------



## MACS (Oct 3, 2007)

There are many goodies I have yet to post. Tristan never had this many.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

You forgot one. LMAO


----------



## MACS (Oct 3, 2007)

Tristan's tile is different. Close but not the same. BTW the pics I just posted were taken today.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

MACS said:


> Tristan's tile is different. Close but not the same. BTW the pics I just posted were taken today.


LoL.
You just owned this thread... uhh.. forum! :surprised:

You bought them from Tristan ? Jeez !
Why do you want mine ?
Are you going to try and find all 25 ? :laugh:

Is mine the earlier made model or later ?


----------



## MACS (Oct 3, 2007)

Tristan had one VTH100 and it is in the pics I just posted.

Must......own........them........all.


----------



## ou812 (Oct 25, 2008)

MACS said:


> Yup. Those VTH100 are pretty rare amps. There is one or two more of these around somewhere, but so far they have not turned up .


OMG..... How bout a nice big group shot of all the goodies?


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

The man behind the Blade Avanti VTH100


----------



## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

I know a certain someone in Japan that has one or two. However you'll need some deep pockets.


----------



## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

RNBRAD said:


> I'm sure it's a sweet amp, but retail for $3,000 dollars and it's a 100 watt amp? It's easy to see why they only made 25 of them and went bankrupt, lol. Nice find though!!!


TRU / Abyss made a 13.5w tube amp that retailed for well over $2000. They also made othert true TUBE amps that retailed for well over $5000. Last time I checked TRU is still in business.


----------



## trotter13 (Dec 2, 2012)

I know the feeling finding something rare. I once found a poison bottle(1920s) in a yard sale for a buck, sold it to a collector in N.C for 5,000. The bottle was the only one known to exist in the size I found(12 oz) and only 3 in the 1-2 oz sizes.
Tom


----------



## RNBRAD (Oct 30, 2012)

starboy869 said:


> TRU / Abyss made a 13.5w tube amp that retailed for well over $2000. They also made othert true TUBE amps that retailed for well over $5000. Last time I checked TRU is still in business.


Was TRU having financial difficulty when they focused on the "niche' buyers? My piont is a $3,000 dollar car audio 100 watt tube amp isn't something you design and develop to pay the bills. That's not their "bread and butter" amp model or line. Most all company's in financial difficulty pull their "niche" lines and focus on the masses and what they want to keep profits up, at least the ones that want to keep the ship a float. No doubt it's probably an outstanding amp, but company decisions like that are easy to see why they didn't make it. Anyway was just an interesting observation that a company didn't try to like downscale, they went out on top with a big bang. Wonder if they had investors and what they thought? Anyway if I had a big investment in them I would of been like wtf you all thinking? Is my observation way off, or am I missing something here? We see company's do it all the time. Just my observation, would be nice if the company was still around making some fine amps.

If your Ford in financial difficulty, you don't focus on Lincoln to pull you out, you focus on the Focus.


----------



## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

RNBRAD said:


> Was TRU having financial difficulty when they focused on the "niche' buyers? My piont is a $3,000 dollar car audio 100 watt tube amp isn't something you design and develop to pay the bills. That's not their "bread and butter" amp model or line. Most all company's in financial difficulty pull their "niche" lines and focus on the masses and what they want to keep profits up, at least the ones that want to keep the ship a float. No doubt it's probably an outstanding amp, but company decisions like that are easy to see why they didn't make it. Anyway was just an interesting observation that a company didn't try to like downscale, they went out on top with a big bang. Wonder if they had investors and what they thought? Anyway if I had a big investment in them I would of been like wtf you all thinking? Is my observation way off, or am I missing something here? We see company's do it all the time. Just my observation, would be nice if the company was still around making some fine amps.
> 
> If your Ford in financial difficulty, you don't focus on Lincoln to pull you out, you focus on the Focus.


You should look at Milbert - they have been around for what? 40 years or something doing tubes... 2 x 30 tube watts was $2.500 
Milbert is still around and just released a smaller amp that has a drop in cost, only $1.950 

Kelvin


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

starboy869 said:


> TRU / Abyss made a 13.5w tube amp that retailed for well over $2000. They also made othert true TUBE amps that retailed for well over $5000. Last time I checked TRU is still in business.


ya but BLADE was the first, so I hear.
Not sure if Milbert made tube car amps in the 80's...
Planet Audio made some tube amps too.


----------



## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Robb said:


> ya but BLADE was the first, so I hear.
> Not sure if Milbert made tube car amps in the 80's...
> Planet Audio made some tube amps too.


Blade and Planet Audio = Hybrid Tube  

Milbert released their first car audio tube amp in 1986

Kelvin


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

subwoofery said:


> Blade and Planet Audio = Hybrid Tube
> 
> Kelvin


Yup. 
Was there a full tube car audio amp made ?


----------



## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Robb said:


> Yup.
> Was there a full tube car audio amp made ?


Don't understand the question... 

Milbert isn't hybrid, Tru had one that wasn't hybrid - same with Abyss... 

Last company to release one is HSS Fidelity 

Kelvin


----------



## Booger (Apr 27, 2007)

Butler Audio Tube Driver Blue TBD 2150 $549 One Only | eBay


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

Booger said:


> Butler Audio Tube Driver Blue TBD 2150 $549 One Only | eBay


umm, not even a comparison. There were only 25 Blades ever made in 1993.
How many are left is another story.
There should be a Blade Amp registry. :laugh:


----------



## shell.shock (Jan 1, 2011)

subwoofery said:


> Don't understand the question...
> 
> Milbert isn't hybrid, Tru had one that wasn't hybrid - same with Abyss...
> 
> ...


DD also made a fulltube ;-)

http://www.ddaudio.eu/products/amplifiers/DDZT


----------



## ou812 (Oct 25, 2008)

shell.shock said:


> DD also made a fulltube ;-)
> 
> Digital Designs Europe-Products


Ya learn something new everyday. I never would have associated DD with tubes.


----------



## sqchris (May 27, 2013)

Blade gave me 3 VHT100 to be installed in my car by C.A.R., build never happened and I was crazy enough to trade it back in exchange for 3 modded Blade Series 3 with matching 3 way xover. I wanted to remain in my power class at that time. Only thing left with me is the orig manual pictured here...The amps and crossover are still sealed in plastic/box


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

I ended up selling mine to a collector in Japan. He has 9 of the VTH100 now.


----------



## sqchris (May 27, 2013)

I am tempted to use these amps on my next build. Are they worth anything now, still sealed/unopened.model 225 but the owner told me the insides were modded to give me a level playing field at the time were cheater amps was the norm.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

sqchris said:


> I am tempted to use these amps on my next build. Are they worth anything now, still sealed/unopened.model 225 but the owner told me the insides were modded to give me a level playing field at the time were cheater amps was the norm.


They are worth something to a Blade amp collector.
The car audio amp collector market is very very niche and is soft right now.
I recently got my mint in box Alpine 7909 deck and thats probably the last piece Im gonna collect for now.


----------



## sqchris (May 27, 2013)

I will keep them sealed for the moment and use the other amps I have laying around. Just loved that the xover are exactly the same match with the rest of the amps. 
Great find on the 7909.. I had 2 at one time, still have a mint 7949.


----------



## Porsche (Jun 29, 2008)

I will keep my adcom 4702's, best amp made IMO


----------



## sqchris (May 27, 2013)

Robb said:


> They are worth something to a Blade amp collector.
> The car audio amp collector market is very very niche and is soft right now.
> I recently got my mint in box Alpine 7909 deck and thats probably the last piece Im gonna collect for now.


Let me know if you decided for some reason to let the 7909 go. 
Nice that Blade has it own following. I could have any model I wanted at the time cause the guys that were helping me out were good friends with the owner.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

sqchris said:


> Let me know if you decided for some reason to let the 7909 go.


It took me 2+ years to find someone to sell it..for a good price I might add !
No way will I sell.
Made the mistake before !
It is like new, complete in box 

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...-discussion/146415-alpine-7909-291-300-a.html


----------



## sqchris (May 27, 2013)

Robb said:


> It took me 2+ years to find someone to sell it..for a good price I might add !
> No way will I sell.
> Made the mistake before !
> It is like new, complete in box
> ...


Nice! One of my old time favourite receiver that I wish I kept....


----------



## soundhertz (Apr 26, 2011)

Back in 1999, my friend and I were heavily into high end car audio gear. He had a connection with Blade and as a result, got a ****load of the gear they were dumping when they went belly up. I bought 6 of the VTH 100 tube hybrid amps from him. 5 were sealed in their boxes. Only the one used one had the Blade logo, all the rest were Avanti labelled. Stupid me sold them all years ago. For about $550 a pop! They were a very nice sounding amp. Great for midbass and up. They didn't care too much about quality control back then because one brand new sealed amp didn't work, right out of the box.
I also owned a few of the DSP-1 servo controllers, A SE Series 3 3250, and a 1175 monoblock.
And to Robb, the VTH 100s didn't retail for $3000. They were around $2000 or a little under. The VTH 200 sold for around $3000. Now, I heard they didn't even make any of those but the picture you have of the one with dual 30 amp fuses leads me to believe that they did!!! Now that would be a rare amp!!!

Ben (Serious car audio nut since 1991.


----------



## Robb (Dec 5, 2008)

soundhertz said:


> And to Robb, the VTH 100s didn't retail for $3000. They were around $2000 or a little under. The VTH 200 sold for around $3000. Now, I heard they didn't even make any of those but the picture you have of the one with dual 30 amp fuses leads me to believe that they did!!! Now that would be a rare amp!!!
> 
> Ben (Serious car audio nut since 1991.


The MSRP were $3000 (Canadian). I spoke to the amp maker himself.
Here's pics Of mine which I sold to a collector in japan. He now has 9 of them, if memory serves me.


----------



## GSlider (Jun 11, 2009)

Nice find! I've never seen this particular amp, so it was good to learn.


----------



## eurypides (Mar 5, 2019)

Not to take anything away from Mark Mason as he was/is a sharp engineer, but if anyone was "the man behind the VTH100" it was David Russell.


----------



## eurypides (Mar 5, 2019)

Robb said:


> The man behind the Blade Avanti VTH100


No disrespect intended and not to take anything away from Mark Mason, he was/is a sharp engineer, but if *anyone* was "the man behind the VTH100" at Blade Technologies it was David Russell.


----------



## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

A BIT OFF TOPIC and digging up bones posting to this old thread.

BUT do any of you have any BLADE SE amps? I'm looking for the 250x2 or SE2250


----------



## eurypides (Mar 5, 2019)

Rare as hen's teeth now. There was one on eBay Australia for a decent price last week but I missed the closing time.


----------



## gavin28 (Feb 20, 2019)

eurypides said:


> No disrespect intended and not to take anything away from Mark Mason, he was/is a sharp engineer, but if _anyone_ was "the man behind the VTH100" at Blade Technologies it was David Russell.


 David Russell had nothing to do with the VTH100 design. The amp was a skunkworks project designed off company time by Mark Mason because he had a personal interest in tube amps. There wasn't enough time during regular hours due to many higher priority projects.


----------

