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Thread: Gromit's music centre...

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Mid Lincs

    Posts: 1,445
    I'm Buffet-blower.

    Default Gromit's music centre...

    Sorry - just been adding to the 'big' thread and being the blind twonk that I am didn't see the instruction to start one's own picture thread.

    Anyway...the state of the nation here is as follows...

    Heavy Spacedeck/Spacearm/Lyra Dorian
    Stepnote step-up transformer/Puresound P10
    Cambridge Audio 840C CD player
    NVA P50 pre/A60 power
    Royd Merlins

    Cables...

    Atlas Navigator for the phono bits
    NVA Super Soundpipe for pre-power & Soundpipe for CD-pre
    NVA LS1 Speaker cable.
    Chord Powercord for CD player and P10

    Graham Slee Solo phones amp (with PSU1 upgrade)
    Grado SR80 or Sennheiser HD650

    Richard.

    Round & round bits: LP12/Cirkus/Kore/Herc II/Roksan Nima/Hana EL
    Megabits: Bluesound Node 2i/TEAC UD-H01 dac
    Making it louder bits: Phonostage: Dynavector P75 Amp: Cyrus 8vs/PSX-R Speakers: Royd Sintra II
    Connecting it together bits i/c's: Flashback Premier. Speaker cables: Van Damme Hifi

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Posts: 544

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    Let us have a close pic of the speakers and then long range if poss, in order to see this awkward (acoustic) room of yours.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

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    Nice system by the way Gromit, I've always been keen on the NVA equipment - it gets rave reviews from it's followers and is excellent value.

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Mid Lincs

    Posts: 1,445
    I'm Buffet-blower.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Filterlab View Post
    Nice system by the way Gromit, I've always been keen on the NVA equipment - it gets rave reviews from it's followers and is excellent value.
    Thanks - I recently took advantage of the NVA 14 day money back trial. I tried the P50sa pre with a pair of A70 mono's which impressed me greatly. Only downer was that the comparison was so close to the Puresound A30 it was almost too close to call - what one amp lost on the swings, the other one gained on the roundabouts as it were. If I'd had the amps for longer than the allowed 14 days I think they may well have overtaken the A30 as they really started to come on song over the last couple of days.

    Anyway, a good used A60 came up, so to go with it I ordered a new P50 and some LS1 cable from Richard and now have this rig. The nice thing is it hasn't meant I've had to sell the A30 and can listen to each at will over the next few months without any pressure (except from my far better other half!).

    The A60 definitely has better control over the Royds; at low volume the A30 sounded fabulous through them, but at more realistic levels (ie when the neighbours are out) there was definitely a slurring, a sense of a slight lessening in the energy/urgency dept as the bass tended to saturate. Another good thing is that my electricity bill should now go back down again - running a hot valve amp for 7-8 hours a day definitely burns quite a bit of juice!

    Downsides to the NVA rig? Not many - it isn't quite as tonally rich as the Puresound and has a slightly harder, cooler presentation. Saying that, on solo piano music it really is quite something - its ability to re-create the attack of a piano note is clearer, and the tonal changes brought by different levels of attack (ie soft/hard touch) are more evident.

    For both these amps it has to be said that getting this sort of sound quality for such relatively small outlay is something to celebrate.

    Oh....and another good thing with the P50 is that I can use my headphones amp without having to fanny around disconnecting/re-connecting interconnects!
    Richard.

    Round & round bits: LP12/Cirkus/Kore/Herc II/Roksan Nima/Hana EL
    Megabits: Bluesound Node 2i/TEAC UD-H01 dac
    Making it louder bits: Phonostage: Dynavector P75 Amp: Cyrus 8vs/PSX-R Speakers: Royd Sintra II
    Connecting it together bits i/c's: Flashback Premier. Speaker cables: Van Damme Hifi

  5. #5
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Posts: 18

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    I have to tell you Richard, that's the neatest I've ever seen your system look..



    I see you've managed to acquire some extra matching Quadraspire stands - I've always admired their clean simple lines. If Hutter didn't exist I'd definitely would have considered Quadraspire for my own system.

    How are you getting on with the NVA?

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Hi Jon,

    Welcome to the forum!

    Nice to see you here

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  7. #7
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Mid Lincs

    Posts: 1,445
    I'm Buffet-blower.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JonR View Post
    I have to tell you Richard, that's the neatest I've ever seen your system look..

    I see you've managed to acquire some extra matching Quadraspire stands - I've always admired their clean simple lines. If Hutter didn't exist I'd definitely would have considered Quadraspire for my own system.

    How are you getting on with the NVA?
    Hi Jon - as Marco said, welcome to the forum

    Thanks for the kind comments also. I've always had the 5 QS shelves and a selection of posts though.

    The NVA kit is working very well - I've had the A60 for 4 days now and haven't switched it off in that time, as a result it's loosened up nicely and is a very articulate and surprisingly 'grippy' amplifier. The power amp's not new, whereas the P50 is only a few days old. One observation is that the amp seems to like to work fairly hard. Maybe this is down to the passive pre offering less resistance to the incoming signal at higher volume setting? I'm only guessing here of course.

    Was listening to Talk Talk Spirit of Eden (on vinyl) earlier and at higher levels it sounded simply wonderful (neighbours were out thank goodness). Dynamics were more vivid, vocals cleaner and with more body and inflection. I believe Royd did a bit of work with NVA some years ago - perhaps I'm reaping the benefit of that just now.

    The comforting thing is that the system seems to have settled again - and as a result I'm sleeping better too.
    Richard.

    Round & round bits: LP12/Cirkus/Kore/Herc II/Roksan Nima/Hana EL
    Megabits: Bluesound Node 2i/TEAC UD-H01 dac
    Making it louder bits: Phonostage: Dynavector P75 Amp: Cyrus 8vs/PSX-R Speakers: Royd Sintra II
    Connecting it together bits i/c's: Flashback Premier. Speaker cables: Van Damme Hifi

  8. #8
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Posts: 18

    Default

    Thanks - I must admit this is quite a nice looking place. So many forums seem to suffer from aesthetics issues. This one seems quite well laid out. I also see Mr C and Mr Dunn are here too - I may have to pop back and have a chat with them from time to time.

    The power amp's not new, whereas the P50 is only a few days old. One observation is that the amp seems to like to work fairly hard. Maybe this is down to the passive pre offering less resistance to the incoming signal at higher volume setting? I'm only guessing here of course.
    I've still got my P50 that I bought from Richard some time back, and one of the main things I have found with it is that it adds absolutely nothing to the signal at all whatsoever. So yes - the A60 really is having to do all the work and maybe the fact that it is being worked hard is what is bringing the best out of it.

    Interestingly, and you may already be aware of this from elsewhere, I brought my P50 to a bake-off about 6 months ago where, to the surprise of all present, it seemed to work exceptionally well with the host's monobloc digital amps.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Mid Lincs

    Posts: 1,445
    I'm Buffet-blower.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JonR View Post

    Interestingly, and you may already be aware of this from elsewhere, I brought my P50 to a bake-off about 6 months ago where, to the surprise of all present, it seemed to work exceptionally well with the host's monobloc digital amps.
    Aah - hadn't read about that one Jon, most interesting indeed.

    I have thought about giving my P50 a go into the Puresound A30, using that as a power amp with the volume on max. That way I would gain a tape loop to drive my headphone amp.

    Saying that though, the A60 sounds so damn good now I'm not sure it would be any better - just different.
    Richard.

    Round & round bits: LP12/Cirkus/Kore/Herc II/Roksan Nima/Hana EL
    Megabits: Bluesound Node 2i/TEAC UD-H01 dac
    Making it louder bits: Phonostage: Dynavector P75 Amp: Cyrus 8vs/PSX-R Speakers: Royd Sintra II
    Connecting it together bits i/c's: Flashback Premier. Speaker cables: Van Damme Hifi

  10. #10
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Posts: 18

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gromit View Post
    Aah - hadn't read about that one Jon, most interesting indeed.

    I have thought about giving my P50 a go into the Puresound A30, using that as a power amp with the volume on max. That way I would gain a tape loop to drive my headphone amp.

    Saying that though, the A60 sounds so damn good now I'm not sure it would be any better - just different.
    You've just reminded me that the A30 can run in power-amp mode only so at least you have the opportunity now to do the comparison if you feel like it! I know that from my own experience of trying Richard's power amps at home, in conjunction with the P50, is the extent to which they major on detail - I remember being amazed at some of the low-level information that got picked up during the home dem. If detail and insight is your bag, the A60 will be a no-brainer I should think!

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