Very Long Interconnects/Where to begin

[evilC]

Hi David. I also live on the IOW and have various NVA amps and cables. PM me if you would like to listen to some NVA gear to help you decide.
Be warned though this is an addictive but very musically rewarding path you are stepping onto.

[CN211276]

I jumped straight in with the A80s B stock and P50 SA. I just love the sound, like a window has been opened. Had LS6 and the BMU in place. The addition of the Phono1 brought vinyl up to good digital standard. It had been some way behind previously. My reviews are in the review section.

[kimangelis]

I started with a pair of A40's Mk1 then switched to A70's Mk2. The difference was marked but not earth-shattering. Added an SA conversion to my P50 and again not earth-shattering but marked. Ditto for moving from LS3 to LS6 speaker cable and adding a BMU. Can you see where I'm going here?

It's just more of the same, not a quantum shift. Best I feel to pitch-in where you can afford +10%. I'm pretty sure Richard does a money-back upgrade within 2 years or so, but check on this with his nibs.

You certainly won't regret it. I've been dealing with Richard off and on for over 30years and despite us both becoming older (inevitable) and grumpier (predictable), it's been a pleasure. I now have a system which gets used for 3 hours a day weekdays and 10 hours a day weekends.

[dwhistance]

Many thanks for all of the advice so far. I'm hoping to take EvilC up on his kind offer to hear some of his NVA amps and cables in the next few weeks which will help me get a plan together, however in the meantime if anyone has any more thoughts that would be very welcome. One question I have is how much using say SC as the main pre to power amp interconnect will limit the benefit of the better power amplifiers? In my case because of the length of the interconnects they will be a material part of the overall cost, indeed if I went with SSP the cost of the interconnect would exceed the cost of the amplifiers plus the speaker cable so this question becomes particularly relevant.

David Whistance

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

The better power amps will still be better, same as the better cable will still be better. Logic dictates you use SC and put up with it. Not much to put up with, it is still better than most cables.

[antonio66]

I can verify SC is a very good interconnect.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

SC is easier to hide in long cable runs as well - a definite WAF factor.

[dwhistance]

Thanks for letting me know. In working out costs and what I could sensibly afford I had been thinking about SSC instead but had noticed from the pictures that it is considerably thicker than SC. How big are the differences in sound between the two? I have done a search on this forum but there is comparatively little comment on SC compared with SSC or SSP.

Can I also ask what the differences are between the Statement Pre (TCS) and the P90SA please? I saw a very good explanation somewhere on the forum setting out the differences between the P50SA and the P90SA (aside from the obvious dual volume pots) but haven't seen anything comparing the TCS to them other than a comment that it was much more transparent than the P90SA. Are you still willing to build a phono stage into the TCS? Also how many inputs do you usually provide? I ask because the "shelf" my front end components sit on is relatively space constrained and going by the dimensions of the TCS head unit given in one of the threads it might provide a much narrower phono/pre combination than either the P90SA or P50SA plus a phono amp whilst also being more transparent/dynamic. I think I have sufficient room for the power supply on the floor below, the space is sadly just not tall enough for a power amp.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

A TCS is a bespoke product like all the Statement Range, it can include a TAS, but that limits space for inputs. A TCS stands alone, a TCS/TAS has to have BIG power supplies.

Basically you tell me what you want, I then give you the options and prices*. The price on the price list is just ball park. So if you take a very basic option it is basically a P90sa in a mink coat, remember the Statement Range originally was about aesthetics and style, not so much now as we can't make those chrome originals anymore. OR I can build it (at a cost) to way outperform a P90sa.

* Or inversely tell me how much you have and I will tell you what fits that budget.

AND remember all bespoke product is built from scratch, one off cases etc have to ordered. In extreme cases it can take 6 months to build as it has to fit around a schedule of normal builds. In this case probably about 3 months.

[dwhistance]

Thank you again that's helpful. EvilC' has very kindly invited me over to listen to his system and we have a date provisionally set which should help me decide what to order in the first instance. Once that is up and running and I know I like it I'll investigate the phono options available by which time I'll be in a much better position to decide whether to go down the bespoke route for a TCS/TAS and to discuss any options with you properly. I did realise that the TCS/TAS had a BIG power supply.