NVA Reviews (THIS THREAD IS ONLY FOR STASHING REVIEWS)

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

TIS Digital vs Chord Indigo + Digital
Postby BadgerBeerIsBest » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:59 pm

Been away for a bit, seem to have got this hibernation thing all wrong!

Well done Doc very nice cable indeed.

I have listened to this cable for hours on end its a very sweet easy listen, its really subtle.
But it creeps up on you, you realise that all the detail and emotion is there but presented
in a very classy, sophisticated and polished way.
Everything sounds just so right and natural compared to the initially impressive Chord, The
soundstage is also wider and higher always a sign to me of a good upgrade. Its done wonders
for my Cyrus Signature CD transport I thought it was a bit cold and analytical but its not now
about time I posted on the Cyrus Forum to spread the news.
This is a long term keeper for sure, Chord £300+ NVA TIS £150, I think the term is 'a no brainer'.
Cant wait to try the other TIS interconnects now.
Thanks Doc

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

By Email

Thanks for your feedback but even more thanks are due to you for your SSC's. They've only just been installed between my Phonoclone 3 and Avondale Grad 1 and I like very much what the SSC's bring to the party.

I find it difficult to put into words what I'm hearing other than...

Clarity, weight, definition, openness & imaging, ( I guess that's the clarity again?) and texture to plucked bass strings is wonderful. I'll think I'll be back for more soon.

What is that YAAWWN banging on about ?? Your SSC's a excellent to my humble ears

[Stemcor1990]

Having used a Rega Fono for a year, I decided that it was time for an upgrade. The biggest problem was deciding what to buy. If you look on the web, every phono gets a good review. As a Teddy Pardo dac and amp user I should have gone for his phono stage. The only thing which stopped me was a relative lack of funds.

So why did I choose the Phono 1 ? The answer is that (1) in the very dim and distant past I remembered hearing a NVA system and was impressed, (2) no dealer nonsense to contend with and (3) the money back guarantee.

When the box arrived I did the installation and left it for a day. My current system is a Mk2 Rega 9 with a Goldring 2500, Teddy pre and a pair of MB100s and a pair of Naim IBLs. I am not going to turn this into a Rega v NVA shootout as that would not be fair. What I will say is that the NVA more than justifies the premium over the Rega (and the Rega is a superb performer). Yes, there are higher highs and lower lows but that's not the point. What really does it for me is the level of information and they way that it is presented. My opinion is that the more information retreived means that there is a greater chance of whatever comes out of the speakers sounding like somebody playing a musical instrument. 3D holographic presentation ? I don't care if it does or it dosen't. Expansive soundstage ? I'll leave that to excite somebody else. (Insert name of musician/band) playing (insert names of instruments) YES PLEASE !!!

I've always believed that less can be more and Doc's "if you don't need it, don't use it" philosophy is paying dividends here. The Phono 1 is my introduction to NVA and I'm very glad that I've finally done it. Unfortunately for the Doc, he will be getting it back soon. It's not perfect but I'm looking forward to finding out if the Phono 2 is as good as I suspect it is. Then there's the 2nd psu followed by the TIS version.

I have a feeling that this is going to be fun.

Many thanks Doc for a great product.

[Alfi]

Afte reading YAAWWANS absurdly biased "review" of Doc's SSC's I decided to try for myself, purchasing a 40cm pair via NVA's eBay shop. Doc has posted my email feedback above.

This little upgrade has prompted me to purchase a further pair to link output from my Grad 1 to my pair of M130 mono's.. What a revelation! I think it's fair to say I've never heard my system play music as good as I'm hearing it play now.. Speaker cables on the list for the New Year.

Well done Doc, fantastic performing products - AWESOME, I'll drink to that!

Alfi. (John R).

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

AP10H
Postby southall-1998 » Thu Dec 25, 2014 9:43 pm

I've started to use my AP10H today. (Arrived on the day before Christmas) So many thanks!

The headphones I'm using are my old, but beloved Grado SR80. Source is a ''slightly modified'' Sony PS1. Interconnects are the usual Sound Cords.

The sound is icy clear with copious musicality.

£175 for this head amp is just plain silly good value!!

S.

[_D_S_J_R_]

Been using the Phono 2 daily in recent weeks as the 'Christmas vinyl' comes out. What strikes me time after time is the ease that previously muffled old records now have with diction in massed voices (choirs), the words far easier to hear. This in addition to being more easily able to hear things going on deep in the mix. 'Timbre' and 'tunefulness' is an NVA strength and the Phono 2 has it by the bucketload. Surface noise on older records is never an issue and surface 'ticks' are kept well in the background. It seems almost mad to use such a huge power supply and smoothing for a 'mere' simple phono stage, but the difference over a Phono 1 is certainly easy to hear. As with the amps as you go up the range, going from a Phono 1 to Phono 2 allows the sound to gain in authority and 'scale.' And all this from a source that some are saying is so poor it's not 'high fidelity.' My response? BOLLIX!!! Vinyl still has loads to offer and some recorded mixes ONLY sound good on the format they were mixed and prepared for. An NVA phono stage will help you understand and enjoy this to the max in my opinion and the Phono 2 is a real goodie :D

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Sent by email

AP10H headphone amp.

Hi The Headphone amp arrived yesterday, after several hours of listening I have to say I am truly impressed with the overall sound and detail. I have been using a Musical Fidelity X Can, your amp is far better and takes it to another level. I have a Naim Nap 250 and Nac 82 combination with a Naim CDX CD player and a Michell ORB turntable. I have been listening to both Vinyl and CD through the amp and has I have said the sound is outstanding.
Many thanks
Jeff.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Re: AP10H Jammy Special Upgrade
Postby jammy395 » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:28 am

The Nva AP10h-JS doesn't so much step up a gear, (via more substantial power supplies) it bolts on pair of turbo chargers and slips into overdrive.
Whilst it is quite obvious that the JS takes a grip of the music in a way that eludes the standard version, Higher high's, Sweeter mid's, More controlled low's are all immediately evident, it is perhaps the massive soundstage thats created by the JS thats the real killer....So much headroom / space.....The music effortless and grin inducing.
"Tori Amos" had me looking round the room for a piano...!!!
The track "Rosetta Stoned" from "Tool" has lyrics that are so dense and raw that both my Zingali's and the standard AP10h failed to convey properly, the JS just nailed it, laying the lyrics out before you with crystal clarity...!!!
"Tim Buckley - Live" ive heard subtle nuances on this album I never knew existed, the turning of the sheet music, Tim licking his lips !, the tuning of instruments, etc etc.
I wont list all the albums played, suffice to say ive played a lot.
To sum up...
The NVA AP10h-JS headphone amplifier is Jaw droppingly good and imo it significantly raises the bar in terms of musicality at this price point and indeed well above.
I am confident it would not be out of place in the company of any so called Hi-End Rigs out there today.......Any doubters fancy a bake off.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Re: The cat would like to thank NVA...
Postby brit-pop » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:31 pm

Congratulations, the amps have just passed the DSOTM test with flying colours!

As you might guess from my avatar I'm a bit of a Floyd fanatic and even spent a number of years playing the RW role in what I like to think was a pretty decent tribute act. As such I know the material intricately, indeed the band used to play this album in its entirety as one of our sets and spent a year rehearsing it and getting it just right.

This meant ensuring our samples and live sound had the presence and balance, not to recreate the album but to translate it into an enjoyable live show. The album's themes of life and death resonate with me as it saw me through a period where I lost a close relative to cancer and a friend to a freak motorbike accident. Through playing it live and rehearsing it it so often it became passe and I lost the emotional connection I felt with it.

Putting it on this morning, the connection and involvement returned all in an instant. Thoughts of Peter and Jess returned and I'm not ashamed to say that by the time it got to great gig in the sky I had welled up!

Would take something special to make me do that to this album again so well done!

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

New BMU
Unread postby walterwhite » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:30 pm

I've just received my new BMU by courier this morning, and TBH I hadn't been getting my hopes up too high. I remember spending a lot of money once on a PSU for my CD player and, in all honesty, couldn't tell the difference connected or not. I know the BMU isn't a PSU, but you know what I mean.

So after spending an hour or so making up four short two gang extension leads I eventually got it all plugged in by about six and cued up the disc that had been sitting on the TT since yesyerday (Rumours). I wasn't really in the mood for listening after a stressful day, but anyway. I turned the volume down low (neighbour's in) and dropped the needle intending to head off to the kitchen to prepare my sad old farts dinner of yesterday's reheated curry.

But hang on a minute, what the hell's going on here? This sounds like a completely different system! I mean, really, everything's changed. Air, space, sound stage, timbre, grip, control, yada yada yada - it's all literally gone up a level, and I'm sitting here two hours later listening to Wavelength absolutely captivated.

I can't be arsed to wax lyrical at great length right now, it's interfering with the music

Suffice it to say that if anyone's umming and aahing on whether a glorified plug-board is woth five hundred notes or not, I can put your mind at rest and say unequivocally that you wont find a more worthwhile upgrade for the money. It seems you've done it once again Doc