HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

antonio66 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 2:32 am

savvypaul wrote: ↑Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:07 pm Bought one of Nick's mains regenerator / quartz lock power supplies for the Lencos (x2) and Garrard 401.

A very obvious improvement. Tidies everything up very nicely, both clearer and more natural. A lot like a stylus upgrade.

Do you mean you've purchased three, or can a single one be moved from turntable to turntable when in use?

savvypaul wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:47 pm We've been updating our build cost files for all the NVA products in light of significant price increases (between 15% and 50%) on many components - transformers, transistors, resistors, raw cables. Additionally, the production cost for our run of 250 new amplifier boards has risen by around 90% (although that is partly down to us specifying higher quality parts - sometimes through choice and sometimes because the 'old' part is no longer made).

When our current stock of S80s run out, it is highly doubtful that we will make any more. It simply won't be possible to hand make a power amplifier of this quality, in the UK, to sell at £495. If we offered it even as just a set of parts for DIY, we would still struggle to make a worthwhile margin.

I don't think that people, outside of here, have understood what a bargain the S80 is.

Copperblue wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 4:47 pm

savvypaul wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:47 pm We've been updating our build cost files for all the NVA products in light of significant price increases (between 15% and 50%) on many components - transformers, transistors, resistors, raw cables. Additionally, the production cost for our run of 250 new amplifier boards has risen by around 90% (although that is partly down to us specifying higher quality parts - sometimes through choice and sometimes because the 'old' part is no longer made).

When our current stock of S80s run out, it is highly doubtful that we will make any more. It simply won't be possible to hand make a power amplifier of this quality, in the UK, to sell at £495. If we offered it even as just a set of parts for DIY, we would still struggle to make a worthwhile margin.

I don't think that people, outside of here, have understood what a bargain the S80 is.

How would you compare the S80 to the old A30, in terms of overall sound quality? I always thought the A30 was a peach of an amp but obviously no powerhouse.

savvypaul wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:47 pm When our current stock of S80s run out, it is highly doubtful that we will make any more. It simply won't be possible to hand make a power amplifier of this quality, in the UK, to sell at £495. If we offered it even as just a set of parts for DIY, we would still struggle to make a worthwhile margin.

I don't think that people, outside of here, have understood what a bargain the S80 is.

r3xj0hn570n wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:29 pm

savvypaul wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:47 pm When our current stock of S80s run out, it is highly doubtful that we will make any more. It simply won't be possible to hand make a power amplifier of this quality, in the UK, to sell at £495. If we offered it even as just a set of parts for DIY, we would still struggle to make a worthwhile margin.

I don't think that people, outside of here, have understood what a bargain the S80 is.

What a pity.

Back when both Dale and I lived in Christchurch, i had my main listening room set up with NVA amps (so people could listen to them under controlled conditions). I'd made a set of high efficiency speakers with Focal 7" bassmids and my usual favourite horn ribbon tweeters (around 95dB/w@1m). Sources were my modified pioneer stable platter CD player and my homemade aussenlaufer powered TT with an RB300 and a variety of cartridges, both MM and MC. I had the pick of anything from an AP20 to an AP70 as well some NVA power amps and a P50. So the rest of the system was the best i could get/make at the time. My favourite amp (with the focals) was the AP20, closely followed by the AP30 (same amp, bigger case). There was something about it that just clicked. It was nothing to look at inside, with a single small transformer and simple layout, slimline case. Sure, the bigger amps sounded 'bigger', but simply weren't quite as nice to listen to. That amplifier was subsequently burnt to a crisp by a teenager. I rebuilt it with a slightly larger transformer and many new transistors/resistors etc, but it was never quite the same. Whether that was due to the transformer or the new silicon i have no idea, but the transistors used by Richard at that time didn't seem to be anything special, and on paper, the new transformer was much better than the older one.

Anyway my point is that, even at an elevated price, there is place for a smaller amplifier for those who simply don't need a bigger one.

I also had another set of sealed box, concrete lined, standmounts with a peerless/vifa lineup (around 88dB/w@1m). Those sounded much better with the AP70.