I've been turned to the dark side :lol:

[southall-1998]

The Albarry's have a pitifully low input impedance of 1K5 (1.5k? not 15k) I think (gawd, I hope I have this right), so may well NEED a suitable active buffer to drive them (HELP!!!), so a passive volume feeder may not be ideal in this particular instance..

I love the 608 power amps, but didn't feel the same way about their preamp I heard a couple of years ago. Apparently, this has been worked on and now sounds rather better-free-er now, so if I can visit next week as planned, I'll let you lot know.

The little AP20 doesn't take prisoners at all, iffy compressed recordings being presented exactly as-is with no sonic-sweetening to mask it. A top quality source of any persuasion is mandatory here I think and shouty 'monitor' style speakers will be a very demanding listen I feel. I do get the need to play more music with it though, so it's doing its job right

I should add that I haven't pushed it in terms of volume and if I were to own one, I'd ask if the volume control law could be adjusted a tad to enable more of its use to be used very low down (I'm using the phono stage of the AVI preamp and from its straight-through output, there's similar gain to a CD player). I'm only using the first couple of notches on the scale and the pot can go awry on channel balance very low down (I've a way to fix this by turning 'down' to the level I need, rather than 'up.' This wouldn't affect more normal listeners I know, since above the first volume 'notch' on the scale, channel balance is audibly perfect for my needs.

Still very pleased with it and no reason to return to the usual setup.

Yup, an NVA amp will show up anything mediocre My humble AP10PX does exactly that!!

S.

[southall-1998]

DSJR,

How is the AP20 going?



S.

[jimbob]

DSJR,

How is the AP20 going?



S.

+1

An AP20 will be my next upgrade this year and I like your review so far...

[southall-1998]

Just to be a little more detailed. I don't own an AP20 but I will buy one sometime in the summer.

S.

[jimbob]

How long have you had your AP10PX Shane?

[southall-1998]

How long have you had your AP10PX Shane?

Since October, 2013.

S.

[jimbob]

How long have you had your AP10PX Shane?

Since October, 2013.

S.

Don't want to hijack the thread so last question. What system did you have before deciding to choose NVA and how did you hear about NVA?

James

[_D_S_J_R_]

You hi-jack away - great to talk about other's audio journeys



It's going just fine thanks. Just fit and forget (in the best sense of the term)! I've felt no need to return to the AVI/HH combo at all, although the AVI pre from its 'direct' processor output makes a fantastic phono stage cum switchbox, the line buffer out of circuit completely (SC from DAC to pre and pre to AP20).

I must admit that nobody on AOS who owned NVA products ever complained about the performance (except Jason possibly?) and, trying to take the product on its own terms, I think it does the business really well. At the moderate volumes I've used, the bass quality is great - nice and taut without stripping away the melodic lines as some solid state amps can and did when I heard them, but what is really special for an inexpensive amp I think, is the midrange, which is totally unforced (within power limits of course), shows dynamic shading with ease (godawful terms - apologies) and if you listen this way, will strip bare a mix so you can delve deep into it. Not 'dry' at all, but if a mix (often a 70's one) was left multi-mono, you'll hear it as such, where a lush mix drowned in reverb will tell you this too, more than some of my 'favourites' seem to show. What has surprised me is the odd album I thought I knew well, having production touches I hadn't noticed before. The treble is the treble and I can't say more than this because the Audax tweets in the 5/9's were never the most subtle up-top and they roll off over 14kHz anyway. Cymbals seem to ring like they are supposed to with no artificial sweetness or added 'grain,' the latter of which characterises all the current Naims I've heard. Quite simply, the recording and contained music is allowed to 'speak' for itself...

So once again - NOT a pipe and slippers style, but DEFINITELY NOT edge of pants hyper-sonics either. I'm sure the bigger models build on this foundation and I repeat, for those that don't own the brand - they're NOT all things to all men - and you HAVE to use the recommended speaker cables, which is no bad thing as they seem to work a treat in other systems too I like the AP20 very much - 'nuff said really

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

How long have you had your AP10PX Shane?

Since October, 2013.

S.

Don't want to hijack the thread so last question. What system did you have before deciding to choose NVA and how did you hear about NVA?

James

James, Shane is a Hi-Fi fidget, he loves trying new things and get itchy (and scratchy ) when he hasn't had something new to try for a couple of weeks. He is a different and far less ego driven version of jandl100 (Jerry). He has had loads of amps and has others at the moment I am sure.

[jimbob]

You hi-jack away - great to talk about other's audio journeys



It's going just fine thanks. Just fit and forget (in the best sense of the term)! I've felt no need to return to the AVI/HH combo at all, although the AVI pre from its 'direct' processor output makes a fantastic phono stage cum switchbox, the line buffer out of circuit completely (SC from DAC to pre and pre to AP20).

I must admit that nobody on AOS who owned NVA products ever complained about the performance (except Jason possibly?) and, trying to take the product on its own terms, I think it does the business really well. At the moderate volumes I've used, the bass quality is great - nice and taut without stripping away the melodic lines as some solid state amps can and did when I heard them, but what is really special for an inexpensive amp I think, is the midrange, which is totally unforced (within power limits of course), shows dynamic shading with ease (godawful terms - apologies) and if you listen this way, will strip bare a mix so you can delve deep into it. Not 'dry' at all, but if a mix (often a 70's one) was left multi-mono, you'll hear it as such, where a lush mix drowned in reverb will tell you this too, more than some of my 'favourites' seem to show. What has surprised me is the odd album I thought I knew well, having production touches I hadn't noticed before. The treble is the treble and I can't say more than this because the Audax tweets in the 5/9's were never the most subtle up-top and they roll off over 14kHz anyway. Cymbals seem to ring like they are supposed to with no artificial sweetness or added 'grain,' the latter of which characterises all the current Naims I've heard. Quite simply, the recording and contained music is allowed to 'speak' for itself...

So once again - NOT a pipe and slippers style, but DEFINITELY NOT edge of pants hyper-sonics either. I'm sure the bigger models build on this foundation and I repeat, for those that don't own the brand - they're NOT all things to all men - and you HAVE to use the recommended speaker cables, which is no bad thing as they seem to work a treat in other systems too I like the AP20 very much - 'nuff said really

Well written and another interesting read. By the sounds of it, when I do get a chance to upgrade to an AP20, I will be getting the sound I have now but more of it. Sounds just fine to me! Where did your hi-fi journey begin then DSJR?

James