NVA interconnects

[Andrew B]

Hi Marco.

If that was your intention, I'm afraid it didn't come across that way. If you look at your words that I quoted, the discussion of HFS or NVA was to be strictly banned "not only in his thread, but throughout the forum in future".

To me, this looks like you're saying such discussion would be banned henceforth on this reopened thread until it is closed and then also banned from the forum in future. It wouldn't make sense to ban mention of HFS or RD on this thread after it was closed because nobody could post anyway.

Your comments also made it clear that you had only reopened the thread for balance and comments on NVA interconnects, not all the other stuff. To me, your rationale of not wanting AoS to be infected with "poison" would make it difficult to see why the off-topic posts on his thread are something you'd want to carry on. If we return to the OP and his question, it looks like massive thread crapping to me.

Just so I'm not quoting you out of context and to save anyone flicking back, here is your post in entirety:

"Ok, the thread was closed last night because I was going to bed and didn't want to log into the forum in the morning with all sorts of pish having kicked off overnight!

Anyway, I'm out all day today, so the thread will remain locked until I return, when at that point I *may* consider re-opening it. However, if so, it'll only be to summarise and conclude the issues raised about NVA interconnects, including allowing anyone else, such as Andrew, who has had positive experiences with said cables, the opportunity to say so and provide some balance against the criticism."

However, any discussion about RD or HFS will be strictly banned, not only on this thread, but throughout the forum in future (there will be an announcement made to this effect in due course), as I no longer want AoS infected with that poison."

[WOStantonCS100]

What I'd like to see at this point... considering the title of this thread, is someone else who has a working pair of NVA interconnects. They can unscrew it and show some pics. If there is "a country mile" of lead exposed we can close the door on how well or how NOT well these ICs are put together. This would give some (more) validation as to the theory that they sound good... but are assembled poorly.

[Andrew B]

What I'd like to see at this point... considering the title of this thread, is someone else who has a WORKING pair of NVA interconnects. They can unscrew it and show some pics. If there is "a country mile" of lead exposed we can close the door on how well or how NOT well these ICs are put together. This would give some validation as to the theory that they sound good... but are assembled poorly.

This has already been covered by the maker. The outer of both signal and return is a solid copper tube. According to him, it has to be stripped back a bit further than usual to prevent it shorting out the connection. It is not like other cables in this respect and his explanation makes perfect sense to me, although I'm not a techie.

There is also a pic on here already from Jason, which I think is the other lead from the pair he stripped back. This one is still intact. No harm in more pics if anyone has them though. I'd still be every interested to hear from the OP when he gets his leads.

[WOStantonCS100]

This has already been covered by the maker. The outer of both signal and return is a solid copper tube. According to him, it has to be stripped back a bit further than usual to prevent it shorting out the connection. It is not like other cables in this respect and his explanation makes perfect sense to me, although I'm not a techie.

There is also a pic on here already from Jason, which I think is the other lead from the pair he stripped back. This one is still intact. No harm in more pics if anyone has them though. I'd still be every interested to hear from the OP when he gets his leads.

Not buying that. The copper tube(s) have to, themselves, be insulated, even if thinly, or they would short inside the cable, per the picture. This has to mean they (copper tubes) are both shields. No matter, though, even if it was necessary to leave that much lead exposed, which I just don't believe, I would put liquid insulation over that much exposed lead; the same stuff I put on turrets after I solder a lead (from say a resistor or a capacitor) to it. That just looks bad. I have not seen any other cables soldered this way by a person or company I would trust.

Thinking about it further, if this is the way it "must" be done, it seems to me this is just a mismatch of materials and perhaps there is simply a more sympathetic combination of cable/connector to be utilized. No matter how good the cable and connector, if they don't work well together for both sound and durability... ...what's the point?

[walpurgis]

My goodness, this poor old thread has been chewed to death. All Nick wanted to know was if anybody had tried NVA cables.

[Figlet108]

...All the instances of faulty product highlighted appear to have been sourced second hand or been obtained indirectly. Not purchased straight from NVA via the Ebay shop. For everyone who has an issue with Richard Dunn I meet someone who has nothing but praise. I know he will repair anything without question that is still under warranty.

Sorry Paul, I'm afraid neither of those 2 statements are 100% true.
One of my original SSPs from a few years back broke. It was not with the Pro-fi plug. I had bought it new direct from the ebay site, before I had ever met RD. I sent it back and it was repaired free (aside from postage). Service perfectly acceptable on that occasion. It actually broke again a few months later (at which point I decided it was time to learn to solder - I'm still learning ).
The cable in question from my friend, I think we can now agreed was bought new from the ebay site and broke.
During my years on HFS I saw a number of folks who had bought new cable and sent it in for repair.
Yes, it is not the common case - no one is saying it is - but it happens.

Secondly he won't repair 'anything without question'. If he ends up hating you enough you end up on the NVA Black List as some of us here on AOS have discovered. Incidentally I've just had one of my A60s blow an amp board on one channel last month. I see it as an opportunity to now learn about how to repair amplifiers myself - I'm currently working my way through "Electronics for Dummies" - the things you learn about electrons is wild

[Gordon Steadman]

I think I would have just left this thread closed

[Figlet108]

In fairness to those on AOS who are asking WTF is HFS and to RD having a right of reply here is a link to the AOS thread on HFS. Peeps can then draw their own conclusions about the situation.
http://hifisubjectivist.org/viewtopi...p=74228#p74228

Well I always say, the fastest and most effective way to discredit RD is to just point folks to his site and let him speak for himself.
Frankly he is better off when Gordon, Paul and Andrew are speaking for him. At least they behave like gentlemen and with dignity.

[WOStantonCS100]

My goodness, this poor old thread has been chewed to death. All Nick wanted to know was if anybody had tried NVA cables.

Not trying to be a pisser; but, the question was "I was thinking of trying some NVA interconnects and wondered whether anyone had any experiences of using them - good or bad?"

Should we not take the bad with the good in the interest of full disclosure? Just saying... I'd rather have all the information I can get about a product before buying it.

[Alan]

NVA cable are very good, they are good value, and they don't usually break (only the SSP is fragile in this regard). Soundcords in particular are excellent sounding cables that cost peanuts.

Here is a set of 40cm SSP (supersoundpipes), factory terminated at NVA towers:



There isn't a lot of exposed signal wire to be fair, and the soldering looks OK - but they are vulnerable to breakage if they are plugged/unplugged often, especially if the user twists them. They rely on the thin piece of flat metal leading from the plug barrel to the wire clamp, and the actual cable itself, for stiffness. This places strain on the solder joint. There is no published warning on the ebay listing about the need to be careful with them, it just seems to be expected that people know how treat them. To be fair, once plugged in they aren't going to break, and most sensible people leave their cables well alone.

I, on the other hand, have broken plenty of these! So much so I learned to repair them myself (and put Profi plugs on with the strain relief inserts).

Other than these and some other odd cable-y bits, I no longer have any connection with NVA or their products. I just saw the request for a pic and thought I could help.