advice on change

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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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Re: advice on change

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

Cubettes and SSC or SSP Interconnects. Both on offer - Cubettes here and Interconnects at ebay. NVA Interconnects will do the same job for you as NVA speaker cable.

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Re: advice on change

Unread post by Classicrock »

I had Arcam 2+ until a break in 25 years ago. Really good standmounts. I would say from memory that the Cubettes are an improvement apart from bass extension. Even then possibly tighter / less bloom. Actually I suspect NVA use a similar tweeter.
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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Re: advice on change

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

I rebuild my tweeter. It is not the same as anyone elses.

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Re: advice on change

Unread post by Fretless »

I still have a pair of the original version Arcam One speakers from the mid-80's.

Lovely, sweet-sounding boxes.

Cubes are better.

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Re: advice on change

Unread post by savvypaul »

Where you start partly depends on where you want to end up, ime.

Try to hear an all NVA system - amps, cables, cubes / cubettes.

However, if you only want to change one thing - speakers. Again, from experience.
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Re: advice on change

Unread post by Stemcor1990 »

I would advise you to consider the NVA “starter system” A20/P20 and a pair of cubettes. I only have heard the A20 and it is a superb power amp and just staggeringly good value. I ran it with a P90SA into a pair of cube 3s and could easily have lived with it on a permanent basis.

You will need a phono stage. My first NVA purchase was a phono 1 which I bought in the knowledge that I could return it if not happy. I now own a full NVA system (pre/power, interconnects, speaker cables and speakers).

All I can say is that NVA is the best value for money I have ever owned and that the musical performance is also the best I have ever heard.

There are also several people around the country who are willing to host a listening session (see separate thread). It might be worthwhile to have a listen somebody’s system although as we all know, there is no substitute for listening in your own home.

Good luck with your search and have some fun !

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Re: advice on change

Unread post by _D_S_J_R_ »

I don't know what tonearm you're using on the LP12, but an '82 vintage one is woefully out of date and WILL sound as bad today as peeps here say. A paratrace on an AT95 will sharpen and clarify the highs though, but the bass..... depends on the deck's plinth and main bearing if the rest is original. A Rega Planar 6 Neo may well be better today, with same cartridge fitted, as long as you site it right. A Tiger Paw top plate and cross strut may sort the old ringy plinth though...

Of the three amps you list, the Mira would be my choice, as it's basically clean, tidy and pretty honest with some power there. I never ever bonded with a Kandy (lots of noise but where's the music?) and the Cyrus One is a scrappy terrier of a thing which rings harshly when pushed - it's limits are very low I remember and subjectively way lower than an A20 for example I feel. The Cyrus One and Two had basically a built in passive volume control though, as the line inputs and phono stage went to the volume pot with no buffering and then straight to the power amp section... By their demise twenty odd years ago the only one that was competitive was the Cyrus 2 but ONLY with the PSX added I remember...

A thumbs up for the Arcam 2, but how they'd really compare these days I don't know. Back then, I felt them better than the gear they were often used with and old reviewer pal Jimmy Hughes had some for years with great results with his DNM amps before he got Impulse H2's which are 'slightly' larger ;)

I can't really say what NVA amps to look at, as you get more as you go up the range, I still work on the vibe that you can never have too much 'power,' but I have to admit the A20 is so forgiving if stretched compared to other amps, you may not feel you need any more. For myself, the extra 'ease' in a larger NVA is appreciated, but that varies from person to person...
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Re: advice on change

Unread post by guydarryl »

Like you, I listened to and enjoyed the LP12 - still enjoying it after thirty something years ( I think it was one of the last pre Cirkus) so overall cost has been a bit of a bargain. Must admit that current price LP12 would need to be passed on for a few generations to get the same return on investment.
No problem using it with NVA.
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Re: advice on change

Unread post by Quarknosis »

The only amp that I have heard from your kit is the Cyrus and my AP20 and P50sa/A20x easily better it. For me the stepped attenuator made a big improvement and I would always recommend buying one if you can afford to.
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Re: advice on change

Unread post by _D_S_J_R_ »

I can speak about the LP12 because I work with and on them on occasion professionally still from time to time locally and have had the means to hear how it's progressed over the years as well as hearing one or two of the third party updates (as well as absolute effin' after market botches out there) - that's why I keep banging on about them. An '82 one with lighter tonearm than an Ittok say, is doable (I cite a well sorted Basik Plus as one tonearm example), but the Ittok spoils the bass on pre-Cirkus decks and the classic cartridges of the day muffle the top end,making for a highly musical 'sludge,' confirmed up at Linn on a very memorable visit ("Sure it's crap, it's better than everyone elses crap, but yeah, it's still crap!" - said in a highly Glaswegian voice by one of Linn's high-ups back then after the master recording annihilated the vinyl in a direct comparison). The Cirkus bearing plus sub chassis update was a transformation for the better. Such a tragedy the prices are so high. Mind you, since the late 80's they always have been and weren't very good before this time, when wealthy germans used to buy here and take back with them. The local price increases ended that, so we Brits were screwed over yet again.

I apologise, but a Cyrus One has NEVER been a 'musical' amp in any shape or form, even the later ones with solid cast casework. If you think one of these is 'musical' you're going to get your head blown off when you hear a proper amp able to reproduce subtle tonal inflections and the 'emotion' behind a well produced piece of music. Strong words, but I lived with the effin' Cyrus range in our dem rooms for years (our sales director had an annual skiing trip courtesy of Cyrus way back then based on orders placed and sales volume and we were all but forced to sell them regardless). A Two plus PSX is still ok, but not really a One, it's just not powerful enough and it does begin to get unhappy long before clipping is reached - and a Cyrus One tells you in no uncertain terms when it's limit is reached. A Mira, even the toppier-toned recased model of the noughties which isn't as gracious as the original clamshell model I loved so much, should clearly out-perform it I reckon on more dynamically demanding music.

Up to the OP of course. NVA do a trade-up scheme, so if an A20/P20 is tried and found not enough, it's easy to go up the range. Same with the cables...

P.S. I now have a minty GL75 (as well as a GL78 in bits) again, waiting in the wings. I can't tell you much better a serviced one with fresh exit audio cables was over a Linn Axis/Akito, both with same (K9) cartridge. Looking forward to servicing it and getting it going properly. This'll be my fourth GL75 now, although two didn't last long as the main bearings were shagged and this long before replacement sleeves could be obtained and fitted (all on Lenco Heaven). Older 60's decks like the Docs G99 had much better toleranced main bearings with no slop or wobble.
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