Man cave system

[TheMadMick]

I simply have to let you guys know how I got on with my A20 for my man cave (garage).

I've posted about the A20 in my main system and how it coped marvelously well. I have now installed it, temporarily, to see how it manages in the man cave. I had a bad experience with a FiiO personal digital player and bought another type on Amazon. This latter works just fine. I'd also plundered Richer Sounds for a pair of Wharfdale Diamond 9's at £39.00 - a real snip in my view. Wired it all up with a 3.5mm - 2 phonos off e-bay and a couple of lengths of multistrand speaker cable I keep as spare. Set it all going and to my surprise it's wonderful. Not HiFi as I know it but music as I love it. It has all the attributes I love. It's articulate, it images like anything despite being simply stuck in the bench.

As some may remember, we have awful mains here in Southport. I found a mini BMU going on HiFi for sale and got a good deal. It opened up the sound even more. I'm over the moon - couldn't wish for better and the whole thing came in just under £300.00.

Just waiting for the DC blocker to arrive so I can get it cased up and plumbed in.

My only problem is mains cables. They are all very long but I'm reluctant to cut them. Maybe I shouldn't be so cautious?

[Lindsayt]

I'm listening to my NVA A20 power amp now. It's not the best sounding amp ever made. It's not even the best sounding amp that NVA make. But for the price I paid, brand new, for it, I'm absolutely delighted. It's one of those amps that makes me think "Why spend more?" Diminishing returns sets in here, big time.

I've found that mine sounds best warmed up. It's unusual (for a solid state amp) how much difference there is between cold and warm. I leave mine turned on overnight.

I've just totted up the total system cost of what I'm listening to now: £930.
OK, it's not as cheap as your garage system, TheMadMick, but it's still reasonably sensible money.
Components are Marantz CD 48, Pioneer SF 700, NVA A20, Urei 6230, Bozak Symphonys.

[TheMadMick]

"I've found that mine sounds best warmed up. It's unusual (for a solid state amp) how much difference there is between cold and warm. I leave mine turned on overnight."

I leave the A20 on all the time. The Doc recommended that and I do it with all my amplifiers.

I hoping the speakers loosen up a bit more. They are never going to be bass excavators but they are still a bit tight for my taste.