HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

savvypaul wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:52 am

zebbo wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:20 pm I agree that the Cube grilles are a bit meh, but they certainly protect the drivers. I did actually have a search round on'tinternet myself but couldn't find anything much better. Bespoke items would be expensive to implement I would have thought. My biggest bug-bear has always been the nasty "Maplins" knobs on the P90sa, would some nice, slightly bigger, (and with a clear ident), knobs be too difficult? Other units in the range have them.
On the whole though, I wouldn't want to see the core designs altered.

Will look into both.

Thanks, Zebbo.

Audio Note (as mentioned in upgrade components) do a nice selection of big knobs (excuse me vicar) silver or a rather fetching gold too I believe.

Provided it did not compromise the amplifiers power supply and obviously sound quality, maybe a 5v dc out to power all these USB DAC's etc. I know there are many (myself included) who have specific power supplies for this purpose, but the utility of ditching a box if a high quality dc out could be provided - without compromising the amp, might appeal to some in this age of iThings and possibly be a USP.

When, in the future, I get round to upgrading my P50 I was going to ask if it was possible to have a mono switch added just as a one off however it may be something that other folk may like too.

Hemmo1969 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:12 am

savvypaul wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:52 am

zebbo wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:20 pm I agree that the Cube grilles are a bit meh, but they certainly protect the drivers. I did actually have a search round on'tinternet myself but couldn't find anything much better. Bespoke items would be expensive to implement I would have thought. My biggest bug-bear has always been the nasty "Maplins" knobs on the P90sa, would some nice, slightly bigger, (and with a clear ident), knobs be too difficult? Other units in the range have them.
On the whole though, I wouldn't want to see the core designs altered.

Will look into both.

Thanks, Zebbo.

Audio Note (as mentioned in upgrade components) do a nice selection of big knobs (excuse me vicar) silver or a rather fetching gold too I believe.

Lol.

Here are the Audio Note knobs - only £32.23 each (plus postage): https://www.hificollective.co.uk/knobs/ ... knobs.html

We are going to look at having acrylic knobs made with more visible indents - hopefully we can beat the Audio Note price

Please educate me. Why can't a remote volume control be powered by an external "wall wart". The rest is just switching. That way most of the noise could be well away from the passive innards and a commercial unit (tested for minimum noise) could simply be plugged into the back of the pre-amp.

TheMadMick wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:37 pm Please educate me. Why can't a remote volume control be powered by an external "wall wart". The rest is just switching. That way most of the noise could be well away from the passive innards and a commercial unit (tested for minimum noise) could simply be plugged into the back of the pre-amp.

It can be done that way but, to our minds, it partially defeats the objective of using a passive preamp...and we strongly dislike switching type power supplies. It would also add at least a few hundred pounds to the final product...and it couldn't have a stepped attenuator.

Where we can remove inconvenience without negatively impacting sound quality (and especially if we can improve sound quality at the same time), we will - such as with the smooth and quiet stepped attenuators we are now using. Where adding convenience will negatively impact sound quality, we'd rather make the product that prioritises sound quality.

A remote volume would make (a little) more sense in an integrated...

Around the time of Richards passing, I bought a P90SA to replace my old P80.

The volume attenuators are really noisy, particularly the left channel, especially going down in volume. Also, the attenuators feel somewhat vague, and the also point slightly at different times (imagine a clockface) at the same volume.

I know I got a pretty good deal in a new unit, but I actually prefer the P80. Much nicer to use in operation.

I know you do a good value upgrade for it, but having only owned it for a few months, I’m a bit disappointed with it.

At the price you paid, I think that's a tad harsh.

TheMarlin wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:21 pm Around the time of Richards passing, I bought a P90SA to replace my old P80.

The volume attenuators are really noisy, particularly the left channel, especially going down in volume. Also, the attenuators feel somewhat vague, and the also point slightly at different times (imagine a clockface) at the same volume.

I know I got a pretty good deal in a new unit, but I actually prefer the P80. Much nicer to use in operation.

I know you do a good value upgrade for it, but having only owned it for a few months, I’m a bit disappointed with it.

The new attenuators are much, much nicer to use, and they are quiet between steps. Have a look in the reviews section to check out what is being said by those who have had the upgrades done: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=46556&p=199259#p199259

If I throw in the wiring part of the upgrades for free (so £400 instead of £460) would that help?

TheMarlin wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:21 pm Around the time of Richards passing, I bought a P90SA to replace my old P80.

The volume attenuators are really noisy, particularly the left channel, especially going down in volume. Also, the attenuators feel somewhat vague, and the also point slightly at different times (imagine a clockface) at the same volume.

I know I got a pretty good deal in a new unit, but I actually prefer the P80. Much nicer to use in operation.

I know you do a good value upgrade for it, but having only owned it for a few months, I’m a bit disappointed with it.

I've read a few posts now which refer to noisy stepped attenuators, although this is the first to add vagueness. When I had my P90sa it was not noisy at all and had very well defined steps.