HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

I have searched and not been able to find any posts on this subject. Apologies if I have overlooked a thread.

I have sold my Teddy Pardo pre as I need a pre with either a balance control or separate left / right volume control.

The obvious candidate is a P90SA but will it work ok with my Teddy Pardo power amps. These are monos with a rca connection to the pre. In my own mind this should be ok but I don’t want to add the pre to find that either the pre or the power is being damaged in some way.

Would appreciate any advice.

Pre can't be damaged unless you throw it out the window as it is passive. Power amps are never damaged by passive pre-amps, they can just sometimes sound duff. With yours I see no problem should sound good.

Been using mine with a selection of different power amps as follows Quad 303, Quad 606, Bel Canto Set 40 (845) Valves and Nick Gorham 300b valve monoblocks. No problems encountered. In fact there appears to be slightly more gain using the NVA passive than with Tvc passive I also have.

That is impossible, maybe a result of more clarity.

Lol yeah I know I thought that too, I put it down to better dynamics but realized it could not be gain.

Andy-831 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 06, 2018 3:13 pm Been using mine with a selection of different power amps as follows Quad 303, Quad 606, Bel Canto Set 40 (845) Valves and Nick Gorham 300b valve monoblocks. No problems encountered. In fact there appears to be slightly more gain using the NVA passive than with Tvc passive I also have.

Possibly less attenuation, pre volume control, than the Tvc passive.

the gain for the same degree of rotation of the volume control knob may not be the same level for both pre's.
Also, a tvc can somtimes have gain taps as it is a transformer, although there can be a distortion increase when they are used. Wether your tvc has these i dont know.
Chances are, if both are turned up full, there will be almost no difference in level.
A passive pre has no gain

Thanks you for your contributions.

I have just ordered and paid for a P90SA plus 1m of SSC.

I’ll collect from NVA towers when it’s ready. I don’t expect the Doc to remember me but I’m the bloke who bought your PL71