NVA 'TFS': 'The Future Statement' lands at Marco Towers...

[Ali Tait]

Hi Jason, any ETA on the streamer?

[Reid Malenfant]

When I get a chance, I'll write up my full findings

Marco.

So is that before or after you get it back

Marco, it looks like you have a good few people waiting for some kind of finale, I wish you luck fella, all the best

Perhaps a change is as good as a rest, I'm assuming you'll get it back & then I guess your second session might get the memory cells going again & you can reach some kind of conclusion


Just doing Alis' job for him

[Ali Tait]

Cheers mate!

[Marco]

Lol, guys....

The TFS sounded superb in Ian's system, and as he rightly says, totally outclassed his PS3, as I'd have expected.

There's nothing wrong with the PS3, in terms of its overall functionality and ability to stream music. It is, quite frankly, amazing for the money, especially when used in conjunction with Ian's rather good Rega DAC. However, the PS3 is undoubtedly hobbled by its cheap switch-mode power supply, which is where the TFS, with its high-quality linear PSU, comes into its own.

The music we were listening to with the TFS, in Ian's system, all of which I own on CD and am very familiar with, sounded superb, and I think exceeded Ian's expectations of what the TFS was sonically capable of.

It may not be (in its current guise) quite up to the sonic standard of my highly-modified Sony CDP and DAC, which one must bear in mind cost nearly £4k, and so represents a different price level, from the TFS, but I stand by every word I've written before, in that for the price, the TFS is undoubtedly the best music streamer I've heard - and from memory, at least as good as the (much more expensive) Linn Akurate DS, which Ian and I both heard in his system!

Ian doesn't normally write hi-fi appraisals, so for him to be suitably motivated to put 'pen to paper', as it were, and praise the TFS, as he did, is testament to its undoubted sonic abilities, and how much he was impressed when he heard the unit last night in his system.

If any of you have questions on specific aspects of the audio performance of the TFS, or how I rate it in the grand scheme of things, then please just ask. I think it's best to handle things that way, than for me to go on further, perhaps missing areas that you wished to go into in more detail

Jason, it was a pleasure meeting you again last night, as always. All the best for the future, matey!

Marco.

[The Grand Wazoo]

This evening my wife and I have been listening to Marco's very fine music collection that he kindly left on the TFS. And in particular love the Sunhouse CD you ripped when we were together - very fine indeed.

Aha! Just as I thought - this whole dastardly tale has just been a ruse for you to travel round the country, harvesting free music. And you would've got away with it, if it hadn't been for those pesky......

[Figlet108]

Aha! Just as I thought - this whole dastardly tale has just been a ruse for you to travel round the country, harvesting free music. And you would've got away with it, if it hadn't been for those pesky......

Actually you wouldn't believe how much music gets aquired from shows and demos.
Unfortunately my strict code of ethics and chivalry dictate that I must delete all music I haven't paid for (as soon as I make a list of the good stuff I need to buy or spotify)

[Marco]

It's a nice bonus, matey! Glad you liked my choons

It must've been satisfying hearing the TFS sound so good at Ian's, in another top system. It's hard to beat the sheer effortlessness of big Tannoys, driven by a valve amp, with near unlimited headroom, isn't it?

Marco.

[Figlet108]

It's a nice bonus, matey! Glad you liked my choons

It must've been satisfying hearing the TFS sound so good at Ian's, in another top system. It's hard to beat the sheer effortlessness of big Tannoys, driven by a valve amp, with near unlimited headroom, isn't it?

Marco.

It's always very interesting for me to hear the TFS in different systems and rooms, especially very well put together systems like yours and Ian's that will reveal all strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously the TFS was tuned using my system and in my room so hearing it sound so good in Ian's system on Wednesday was very satisfying. In particular the balance of weighty bass, sweet mid and crisp and revealing treble is exactly what I was aiming for and what I get at home.

In fact I had to rush home and check that the TFS sounded as good in my system as it did in Ian's - (you'll be relieved to know that it did )

[Ali Tait]

Hi Jason, any ETA on the streamer?

[Figlet108]

Hi Ali,

sorry I didn't reply before.

I'm still looking for the right motherboard to use to base the new design on. It needs to be powerful enough, passively cooled, have the right ports and most of all sound good.
I also need to get my test rig set up which means finding and buying as reference a DAC as I can afford.
I like the Antelope Zodiac Gold, but I've taken my eye off the DAC market for a while and need to get back into it and see what else competes at the high end.

So the short answer is no, no ETA right now - sorry.