HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

The UK hi-fi scene in the 1980's to 1990's was not a meritocracy. Thanks to the marketing of Ivor T and Julien V. And the lack of competency / integrity of the hi-fi journalists of the time.

If it had been more of a meritocracy, then the NVA challenge of the 1990's may well have taken off.
Instead of it ending up in Richard Dunn giving up on NVA, with him resurecting the brand several years later on a much smaller scale on a 1 or 2 man band cottage industry basis.

CN211276 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:19 pm I gave up the hifi mags and lost interest in the mid 80s. I recall a comparison of high end turntables in Popular HiFi; Linn, Systemdek, Pink Triangle, Logic, JBE, Ariston. I think it was Chris Frankland. The LP12 came out on top by a wide margin. Ivor no doubt pulling the strings.

High end turntables?

So they didn't include a Pioneer Exclusive,
Nor a Trio L07D
Nor a Technics SP10
Denon DP100
Sony PS-X9
Yamaha GT-2000
Micro AP-M1
JVC QL-Y77F
Nakamichi Dragon-CT
Marantz TT1000
Onkyo PX-100M?

Making it one of those motorbike ashtray reviews.

I got my Logic mainly because it wasn't a Linn and was regarded as one of the very best turntables available in the mid 80's (and I couldn't afford a Michell Gyrodek).

antonio66 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:16 am I'm afraid I went onto the Naim treadmill, that after owner one of Colin Wonfor's Claymore amps (what was I thinking) I can remember buying from the Sound Org York, I seem to remember they advertised NVA, but maybe I'm mistaken after all these years. I know they also sold Exposure amps and I purchased one of the bargains of the century there, a pair of Epos ES14's

Damn it Wish I'd gone to Sound Org in York rather than Image Audio (name say's it all ) in Leeds. If they held NVA stock then I might have got to hear it and my Naim cul-de-sac might have been avoided.

I did visit the sound org much later (in RD's wilderness years) but I found it a bit snobby and there's nowhere to park.

Lindsayt wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:25 am

CN211276 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:19 pm I gave up the hifi mags and lost interest in the mid 80s. I recall a comparison of high end turntables in Popular HiFi; Linn, Systemdek, Pink Triangle, Logic, JBE, Ariston. I think it was Chris Frankland. The LP12 came out on top by a wide margin. Ivor no doubt pulling the strings.

High end turntables?

So they didn't include a Pioneer Exclusive,
Nor a Trio L07D
Nor a Technics SP10
Denon DP100
Sony PS-X9
Yamaha GT-2000
Micro AP-M1
JVC QL-Y77F
Nakamichi Dragon-CT
Marantz TT1000
Onkyo PX-100M?

Making it one of those motorbike ashtray reviews.

Japanese turntables were not taken seriously and anything which was not belt drive and sprung subchasis was considered compromised.

The Sound Organisation in York did have a series of demos of NVA equipment. I first heard an all-NVA system with Cubes there, probably in 1987/88.

Fretless wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:32 am The Sound Organisation in York did have a series of demos of NVA equipment. I first heard an all-NVA system with Cubes there, probably in 1987/88.

I was still at high school then and my main interest was trying to get into the voluptuous Julie Powell's knickers. Hell, even a look or a sniff would have sufficed.

I reckon that the SO in York, even then, only had other brands in stock to show that they were offering an alternative to the 'flat earth' gear.
Naim amps were always prominently on display and the staff would recommend them as the first choice.
At that time NVA were not regarded as any threat to the dominance of Naim.

Whatever happened to Julie Powell?

Fretless wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:58 am
Whatever happened to Julie Powell?

She went to University in North Wales and I used to dream of going over on weekend visits to Bangor She then moved darn sarf and is now a breast feeding guru. Oh yes indeed

CN211276 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:12 am
Japanese turntables were not taken seriously and anything which was not belt drive and sprung subchasis was considered compromised.

Here's 3 posts from Richard that are part of the same anecdote:

I quote this example often but I am not sure if I have done it here. Back in the 80's there was a regular listener / visitor at hi-fi shows who had a hearing aid. We all thought it was quite funny, but one year I realised it wasn't. I had used my Trio LO7d tt (one of the best tt ever made) at a show and he had been there listening. The following year due to pressure from flat earth dealers saying they would sell more NVA if we towed the party line I used a Linn LP12, I didn't like it but I put up with it. The same guy with the hearing aid came into the room and shook his head "it doesn't sound like NVA anymore" so much for he couldn't hear any differences. Anyway it was at that point I decided compromising to try and compete or placate these flat earth idiots was not me and I became a rebel from that point on.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45142&p=61086&hilit=trio#p61086

For me the astonishing things was to live and trade through this period with the frustration of me seeing everything that was going on and everyone else seemingly blind to it or wandering around in a brainwashed daze. All the people like DSJR now coming out of the woodwork and saying yes it was bad and we see it now and yet at the time I was treated as a nutter and insulted in the shops these people worked in. It was Emperors new clothes in spades. I used to frequent dem room to be told what to listen for and why my amps will never be as good as Naim / Linn depending on which shop after the civil war. Using a Trio LO7d one of the finest and best made turntables on this planet at a show and have people walk out of the room sneering "he is using a direct drive, don't bother" or "he is not using a Linn, so there is no point in listening". There were times I seriously wanted to beat a few heads together, but apart from telling the truth and virtually having the whole industry against me what could I do.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=46089&p=81107&hilit=trio#p81107


Trio L07D for sale at AoS
I will put my head on the block and say this is the best turntable I have ever owned or ever likely to own. Anything potentially better like the Pioneer P3 and P3a were never sold here.
This is very special - Theo owns one http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21902
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=45110&p=60543&hilit=trio#p60543

There's also some interesting reading in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=46089&p=81098&hili ... ler#p81098
In the early 90's 4% of NVA turnover was sold in the UK and 24% in China / Hong Kong.