New P50SA/A60MkIII review

All things NVA
Pottyp19
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 1:07 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 5 times

New P50SA/A60MkIII review

Unread post by Pottyp19 »

I love music and periodically lust after HiFi. But I don't change my kit much. I know very little about electronics or the science of sound. I just want to hear music on a quality system that makes me want to listen.

In 1997 I walked into Doug Brady's in Warrington, having read the magazines, intending to buy an Arcam Alpha to replace my blown Creek 4040 s2 (I played it way too loud for too long at university with a Rega Planar 2 and Royd A7s). After listening to about 5 amps I came away with an NVA AP30, a brand I'd never heard of, exceeding my budget I recall by about £200. Just like my Creek had blown, I was blown away by the AP 30's sound.

Last month after much deliberation I decided it was time to upgrade. A hard decision because my AP 30 was still going strong and in daily use. I found out that Richard Dunn had recently passed but that the company was still going and that it had set out an ambition for the future. I decided to drop any worries about the long term sustainability of the company and follow my heart. I just wanted another NVA after all the pleasure that the AP30 had given me, remembering the incredible superiority the AP30 had over everything else I listened to 20 odd years ago.

I now live in Lancashire so toyed with the idea of going to Durham to audition. But in the end I decided it was a little far and I thought that if I didn't like the p50/A60 I could always return it.

So I ordered and received the new kit and plugged it in earlier this week. I have Royd Minstrel Loudspeakers (a "new" addition which are a massive improvement over my previous EPOS M5s), LS3 cable (I think), and sources being a Rega Planar 6 , and an Onkyo 6130 network player plugged into a Rega DAC. I listen from the Onkyo through the Rega DAC either from a USB stick, audirvana from my iMac, or using Tidal, as the mood takes me.

My reaction in the first 10 minutes was that it sounded brighter than I was used to, harsh even. I thought I might have made a mistake. I went to make myself a coffee and let the amp warm up.

After an hour or so I came back in. I sat down. I played various different tunes representing all the genres I like:folk/americana/jazz/classical/indie/electronic/classic rock, using the Onkyo and Rega. The harshness I perceived was gone. The sound was fuller, beefier, with much more defined bass than my AP 30. There seemed was more space between the instruments. I felt connected more than I ever had before. I went to bed relieved that I had not made a mistake after all.

Over the last week I can't stop listening. It seems to get better and better. I don't know how a couple of simple black boxes can set my spine tingling or make such a difference but they do. Words I would use to describe include transparency, space, engagement, attack, emotion. I am so happy I went with NVA again and am absolutely delighted with my purchase. One day I will tell my wife what the money was spent on...

My old AP 30 had a phono stage built into it which was much better than my Rega fono mini (which I use for recording a large collection of vinyl). I was going to buy a Rega or Graham Slee but now think I am going to wait and buy a new phono stage until later this year when the NVA one becomes available. I trust the quality. Of all my hifi stuff, my only emotional connection is with NVA (though the Royd Minstrels are now seducing me). It's that good. And I really like the "less is more" philosophy.

If anyone reading this is wavering over whether to buy the P50SA/A60Mkiii, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed! Spend and enjoy!

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: New P50SA/A60MkIII review

Unread post by Latteman »

Nice review nice story
I too used Royd Minstrels with Nva but honestly found the cube design much better- don’t cry but I actually converted my minstrel drivers & tweeters into semi omni cube- wow was the difference.
The used cubettes on here would be very similar
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

Pottyp19
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 1:07 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: New P50SA/A60MkIII review

Unread post by Pottyp19 »

yes I hope to listen to the cubes at some point. Picked up the minstrels second hand quite recently. Had to be quite careful with their positioning for good quality defined bass but got it perfect at the moment. Really like the sound though would prefer if they went just a tad lower on some tracks

Post Reply