Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

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wackyraces
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by wackyraces »

I now own an Audio Note 0.1x DAC which to my ears sounds very good (bought it used - can't justify the cost new) - but AN advise the preamp should ideally be 100k - but 50k will suffice (my P50a is 10k I believe).

Is there anyway I can get a 50k or 100k pot fitted to my P50a preamp as a result of this recommendation from Audio Note please?
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savvypaul
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by savvypaul »

wackyraces wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:37 pm I now own an Audio Note 0.1x DAC which to my ears sounds very good (bought it used - can't justify the cost new) - but AN advise the preamp should ideally be 100k - but 50k will suffice (my P50a is 10k I believe).

Is there anyway I can get a 50k or 100k pot fitted to my P50a preamp as a result of this recommendation from Audio Note please?
This feels like an annual conversation, lol.

Do AN say why they recommend a 100k pot?
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wackyraces
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by wackyraces »

Yes it's in their documentation and general AN DAC users know this too. I guess that's because their DACs are meant to go with their valve preamps. So yes, 100k pots (50k ish should be OK but certainly not 10k).
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by savvypaul »

wackyraces wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 7:26 pm Yes it's in their documentation and general AN DAC users know this too. I guess that's because their DACs are meant to go with their valve preamps. So yes, 100k pots (50k ish should be OK but certainly not 10k).
We can fit you a 100k Seiden switch with Audio Note load resistors - but it is a bespoke item, so non-returnable.

£425 inc. return shipping and wiring upgrade.

It's the quality of pot that you only usually get in £2k+ pre-amps.
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by Vinyl-ant »

that dac appears to have a higher than usual output impedance which is why they specify a high value pot.
It says 'less than 2k' for the output impedance which i read as 'somewhere around 2k but it depends what particular output valve we put in'

Anything above 20k would be fine, 10k wont hurt it
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by wackyraces »

OK would a 50k pot be easier and more universal so I can use the AN DAC and other DACs with it too?
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by savvypaul »

As far as I know (Tomasz can confirm) the job is the same, regardless of what pot value you specify.
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by Ithilstone »

We can supply any SA pot in range from 10k to 250k - Job is the same so are the costs of parts ( down to couple of pounds ) so the cost of upgrade is the same. As Paul mention it would be bespoke item.
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Re: Which pot for NVA passive? 10K, 50K, 100K ??

Unread post by Ithilstone »

From NVA amps perspective there is little difference from 10k to 50k pot - Richard was of a mind that 10k sounded a smidge better - I tend to agree - as a interesting fact there was a time when 47k pot was used in NVA preamps - never tried 100k pot thought.
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