NVA and the remote volume control convenience

All things NVA
wackyraces
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:06 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Great Britain

NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by wackyraces »

I like the idea of trying NVA amplification - perhaps the starter P20 / A20, but I really do use r/c volume control quite a bit which is the only thing putting me off NVA pre-amps.

I run digital only front-end, perhaps a DAC (on your recommendation which performs really well) with digital volume control will help me keep my couch potato status. A DAC directly plumbed into an A20 for example. Or even a good streamer with digital volume control (again a nice sounding one).

Thanks.
System: AURALiC Mini - SPS DAC 3 - NVA P50sa / Croft 7 - Role Audio Enterprise

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

You can run a DAC straight into a nva power amp and many do and get away with it, some don't as some DACs especially the latest programable expensive ones can give out amp killing signals. The safest way is to buffer with a P20 passive between DAC and power amp to be the master volume control preset and use the DAC for finer adjustment, that seems to work and be safe.

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by Fretless »

I have on one system a Sonos Connect running through an NVA pre/power combo. The volume pot on the preamp is set to the maximum level I would normally use and for the rest I control the volume via the Sonos unit.

I have had troubles in the past running a variable output DAC directly into NVA power amps and found that a passive preamp generally improves the system's SQ.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by Latteman »

As above, tried both a Tibo Smart streamer & a Denon Streamer as the main pre amp control but always seem to go back to the nva pre amp buffer as said above-
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

montechristo358
Posts: 278
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:35 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 19 times
Great Britain

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by montechristo358 »

since a passive Pre or at least an SA version, is effectively a bunch of resistors would some in line attenuators achieve the same thing?
Bedroom Rig
PiCorePlayer Squeezebox clone, Allo Boss Dac, NVA AP10H with Stepped Attenuator upgrade and external PSU, Audioquest Nightowl Cans, NVA mini BMU

Office Rig
PicorepLayer Squezeebox clone with HifiBerry DIGI+, NVA SSP Digital, Arcam AV9. NVA SSC, NVA AP10P, NVA LS5, NVA Cubettes, NVA Mini BMU

Kitchen Rig
PicorepLayer Squezeebox clone with HifiBerry DAC+, NVA SSC, NVA P50, Project AMPBox, Sonance Ceiling Speakers

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

No. you have no control.

montechristo358
Posts: 278
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:35 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 19 times
Great Britain

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by montechristo358 »

so if my active preamp allows the setting of output voltage signal level would that be an option?
Bedroom Rig
PiCorePlayer Squeezebox clone, Allo Boss Dac, NVA AP10H with Stepped Attenuator upgrade and external PSU, Audioquest Nightowl Cans, NVA mini BMU

Office Rig
PicorepLayer Squezeebox clone with HifiBerry DIGI+, NVA SSP Digital, Arcam AV9. NVA SSC, NVA AP10P, NVA LS5, NVA Cubettes, NVA Mini BMU

Kitchen Rig
PicorepLayer Squezeebox clone with HifiBerry DAC+, NVA SSC, NVA P50, Project AMPBox, Sonance Ceiling Speakers

wackyraces
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:06 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Great Britain

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by wackyraces »

I do have some rothwell attenuators and a -11dB kimber interconnect if that’s what you mean.

Any recommendations for a really good sounding streamer and / or DAC with variable volume?
System: AURALiC Mini - SPS DAC 3 - NVA P50sa / Croft 7 - Role Audio Enterprise

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

You asked my advice and I have given it, if you do something else then you take responsibility for it, my opinion will not be changed.

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: NVA and the remote volume control convenience

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

I have been at this lark for over 40 years I think I have tried every combination it is possible to try and that is why nva is nva. It is not a universal product you can do what you like with, it is very much a synergy and the posts by users that have come to same conclusion should be enough to confirm this. But if people want to go through the process themselves and ignore all the experience of others then of course they can, but in that case there will be returns and maybe even failures. I am accused that this process is just marketing mostly because of cables, but it is not, it is what works, nothing more. NVA products used together make a musical synergy that IS NVA, you see it in the customer reviews, you want something else then the end result is pot luck.

Post Reply