HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Opps original post Jan 2022,

Daniel Quinn wrote: ↑Mon Nov 20, 2023 4:03 pm Your amps will be 'upgraded' with smaller va transformers .

Hum may disappear , but in my view so will some of the musicality . Power supplies I consider to be of primary importance and transformers are an essential part.

Not everyone agrees with my view , however if you are concerned , I would discuss with nva , options/cost of various sizes of transformer .

The new transformers are 150va (the previous transformers were 160va). The big leap in the quality of the transformer more than makes up for the (very) small change in va - the core of the new 150va transformer is larger than the core of the old 160va transformer. If you were talking about a very large change in va, I might agree (but then we wouldn't be calling it an upgrade). The new caps have far superior ESR performance.

I've lived with NVA amps for 7 years and I am 100% certain that the latest amps are comfortably ahead of the MKII models in both sound and build quality. Those here who've had the upgrade done might comment.

In the meantime, a couple of reviews from website buyers:

UPGRADING A80S TO M600 SPEC
Keith on May 03, 2021
I took advantage of the offer earlier this year to upgrade my A80s to MkIII spec and after a short wait for Tomasz to return to the UK a received them about four weeks ago. I really liked the A80s in their MkII but they where never silent to the extent that I had put them on isolating pads to reduce the hum being transmitted through the wooden shelf they were on, not a particular issue when listening but just an annoyance.

The first thing was the total lack of hum in either the 'new' amps or the BMU, so much so that I wouldn't know they were on if not for the red LEDs.

First listen was Rovo and System 7 Pheonix Rising, it sounded a bit constrained but I expected it to take a while to bed in so was not concerned. What was it really impressive was the space in the mix and also more texture to some elements. This has become a bit of a theme with more listening over the last few weeks as the tightness went but many tracks shone with coherence and again that extra texture which really pulls you in.

I also noticed that there was seemingly more grunt, this may be just better resolution of bass lines but I am generally listening at slightly lower volume levels.

This comes on the back of upgrading my P50 SA to the new spec last year and I have to say it is a real pleasure doing business with Paul and Tomasz, and the products are just great.

Thanks Keith.

A80S UPGRADE
Tom on Apr 09, 2020
The upgrade to MKIII spec is not at all subtle. It's not easy to describe what's special about NVA amps, but for me it comes down to the way the sound fills space - it has a distinctive kind of presence, that's very natural and very addictive. It goes without saying that the amps have retained this quality, and so the NVA magic is still there. But otherwise it's like having a new set of amps - increased detail, better separation, better imaging, deeper and more controlled bass, higher and more detailed highs. The MKIIs were certainly no slouch in any of these areas, but still the jump to MKIII is significant and not at all subtle. And importantly, even with the more detailed highs, the sound is still as natural and unfatiguing as ever - I could (and will!) listen for hours.

A couple of small points: The MKIIs emitted a quiet, but still noticeable hum. Likewse, the speakers when connected to the MKIIs would emit a quiet hum, noticeable when no music was playing. The amps and the speakers are now completely silent. Tomasz and Paul are clearly onto something with the MKIII component changes.

I sent the amps in the new boxes, which worked very well, and the turnaround was speedy. Tomasz had clearly given the amps a good clean as well - they came back looking better than they went out.

To sum up, the upgrade to MKIII spec is money well spent. Thanks guys!

It is nearly four years since I had my A80s and P90 upgraded to the latest specifications. Doesn't time fly.

Well worthwhile. SQ has improved, the mono blocks are completely silent, when they hummed before, and the volume controls of the pre amp are completely silent. Before there was a hiss when the volume was changed. This is very important as the volume needs to be adjusted a lot in accordance with the huge variations in DR and compression of diffebrent albums.

I was mistaken, it is only the top of the range were doc used large power supplies.

I wish he was still alive so we could argue about it .

Daniel Quinn wrote: ↑Tue Nov 21, 2023 11:07 am I was mistaken, it is only the top of the range were doc used large power supplies.

I wish he was still alive so we could argue about it .

A100s and Statement amps.