NVA Review Archive from HFS - read only

[savvypaul]

Cubette Review
Quarknosis » Tue Dec 20, 2016 2:33 pm

As an NVA customer has been using JPW P1 speakers modified with steel plate, no crossover and NVA doped 8” drivers, I wanted to try a pair of NVA speakers. The Cubettes being the ones that I could afford and being available at short noticed I decided to give them a try.

On arrival the Cubettes replaced the modified JPWs. The initial impressions of the Cubettes had obvious similarities to the modified speakers. There is great clarity and tonality to the midrange and vocals are open and expressive. Initially the bass seemed to be playing at a higher pitch than I was used to but this disappeared within a few hours. Once the speakers had run in for a while they have a surprising bass for such a small speaker. I have had some Systym mini monitors that were described in a review as having bigger bass than expected for their size but they didn’t come close to the Cubettes in this regard. While the bass of a 5” driver in a 8” enclosure was never going to be as deep or have as much weight as an 8” driver in a box 4-5 times as large, it was very impressive. Over 2 weeks of listening to the Cubettes I enjoyed them a lot, not missing the modified JPWs until they were put back, even though there was an obvious difference in bass depth and impact between the 2 pairs of speakers.

On placing the modified JPWs back into the system it became obvious that the Cubettes have better control over bass and are more tuneful, the modified JPWs can sound overblown with bass heavy music, however they do have a greater sense of scale with a recording that is better balanced. While I was using the Cubettes I also had chance to listen to the Starting Point DAC3 which could sound sharp and uncomfortable on sibilants (always a sensitive area of my hearing) with the Cubettes, the JPWs sounded much better balanced and comfortable to me in this situation.

Imaging of the 2 sets of speakers was very similar to me, positioning being the same but with the Cubettes having slightly more width and height, although I learned a lot while positioning of the Cubettes which benefitted the JPWs when they were put back. Tonally, I can’t hear any difference in the midrange, both really bring out the texture of instruments with strings particularly benefitting in my experience over other types of driver. The Cubettes win in the area of detail but the modified JPWs show dynamics better.

So all in all it could have been a difficult decision as to which I prefer, if not for the fact that the modified JPWs have the factors of scale and weight that I know I would miss. I am confident that If I hadn’t done modifications on the JPWs I would be keeping the Cubettes, as I think they are a great speaker and have the expected NVA qualities. If only there was a Cubette 2 with a 6’5” driver and 10” enclosure, I’d be saving hard for those.

Sorry Doc, it looks like I need to discuss a return.

 

[savvypaul]

Sent: Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:48 pm
From: savvypaul
To: Dr Bunsen Honeydew

Hi Richard,

Hope you had a fabulous holiday.

The A60 is no longer humming - I had an old isolation platform that I placed under the amp and it is now as near silent as damn it. I guess something loose with my rack - whatever, it has done the trick. When time allows I will look further into it, but just enjoying the music for now.

Anyways...the real purpose of this message is to thank you wholeheartedly for the exceptional kit that you produce and your patience, goodwill and the time that you take to share your experience and learning.

In a few short months since I dipped my toe in the NVA waters, what I thought was a decent system has been transformed by the addition of BMU, and changing amp, speakers and cables to your P50sa / A60 mk2 /Cube1 / SSP MK2 & LS6. I was sat listening to the 'Yesterday's Wine' album by Willie Nelson & 'The Truth Will Set You Free' album by James Hand last night and it brought me to tears. I didn't know I could buy that sort of connection from a hi-fi system at ANY price.

Additionally, (and quite shockingly, in a nice way), the sale of my previous kit will bring in more than I spent on the NVA items.

Whenever you are getting sh1t or just feel like you're banging your head against a wall, please recall what I have said. In the New Year I will join other forums to post my findings of NVA gear.

Sincerely,

Paul

 

[savvypaul]

LS6 speaker cable
Because of the room layout and the need to maintain domestic harmony, this was a major investment as longish lengths were required. I decided to take the plunge after being so impressed with the BMU and the good reviews.

Was pleased the cable arrived a week earlier than expected. This time there were no problems with the courier as my other half was at home. A personal cloud storage device (recommended on this forum via a link) also arrived ahead of schedule on the same day and she was not sure what I was up to with the sudden arrival of two largish boxes.

My amplifier is connected to the Sky box and the first impression of the LS6 was through the tv. I did not expect there to be a difference through this source but an improvement was detectable, although slight. This raised my expectations of what music would sound like.

95% of my listening is through Tidal and the cable arrived at the same time as Tidal Masters was introduced. This complicated things and delayed the writing of this review until I went back to playing favourite albums (the vast majority) which are not on Tidal Masters.

I am now in a position to report on the improvements the LS6 have brought about compared to my previous QED XT40 cable. They are major. To put it simply the musical experience is far more relaxed and pleasant. There is a far greater sense of space, both in terms of width and depth, between everything. This is very pronounced with backing vocals. I was not aware of how much backing vocals there are on Bowie’s “Young Americans”, an album I have had for nearly 42 years. I have been playing his “Blackstar” album a lot in the past year (not on Tidal Masters I must add) and it has never sounded like this. The space between the instrumentation was not there before and his vocals, on “Lazarus” in particular, did not carry this amount of emotion.

The improvements were similar on heavier music. The layered rhythm guitars on Matt Lunge’s excellently produced AC/DC’s “Back in black” album were very clear, at a distance from the lead vocal, bass and drums. When the guitar solos came in the impact really hit home at the forefront. On lighter material, the cable introduced a refinement to piano and acoustic guitar, when playing Jethro Tulls “Too old to rock n ’roll, too young to die” album and Rick Wakeman’s new solo piano album of rock classics.

I had previously experienced some treble harshness on 70s recordings where I believe the limitations of vinyl was the overriding factor in the mixing. This has now disappeared and cymbals, are now smooth. This is very apparent on Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” and “Rock n’ Roll” tracks.

I believe the difference a quality speaker cable can make is as important as a major component as it allows the other components to deliver what they are capable of. I have always been aware that there are a lot of expensive cables on the market which are rip offs and are supported by dubious rave review. This put me off making a major investment in the past, before coming across NVA. The BMU and LS6 speaker cable have totally transformed my system and now listening through the speakers is more enjoyable than via quality Grado headphones, connected directly to my PC fed Chord Mojo.


Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Lindy cat 6 US ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS6, TIS, SSP
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/Questyle M12i

 

[savvypaul]

Review of NVA P50, A60 and LS5.

I recently purchased the above items which have replaced a JVC AX441 amp and Van Damme speaker cable. The source, a Project RS Box cdt, Calyx 192 dac running into NVA Cube 3 speakers. Firstly let me say I normally don't like to dissect the music and tend to listen to the music as a whole. I have listened to rock, jazz, female vocal and guitar oriented music and on everything the music has been detailed in a non fatiguing way. Small details at the back of the mix seem more prominent, this was very evident on Acoustic Alchemy - Back on the Case, with tiny percussion strikes being heard far more clearly. Vocals on Mary Black - Babes in the Wood were so expressive and the piano on the title track really sounding like a piano. Listening to Yes - Keys to Ascension, on Awaken, Steve Howe's guitar although forward in the mix just came through clearer than I remember, this track is possibly my favourite Yes song but made far more enjoyable now. To finish, the best way I can describe how this system sounds, the music just flows.

 

[savvypaul]

From Savvy

I have the Harbeth P3ESR...a later version of the P3. I used to think they were all I wanted. I still think fondly of them but now they don't get much use at all and are soon going on ebay. I previously used a Sugden A21aS2 with them (more grunt than earlier Sugdens but still only 21 watts). My Harbeths did appreciate more power (despite what Harbeth's owner might say) from the NVA A60MK2 power amp, possibly due to the Harbeths having quite a complex crossover. If you're going to stick with the Harbeths then I would go for the more powerful NVA integrated (AP70) or Pre / power (P50sa / A60Mk2) or even A70 or A80 monoblocks. I have LS6 speaker cable and I rate it very highly indeed - it replaced a Townshend cable that was 3 times the cost and bettered it quite obviously.

Another approach would be to pair the pre / power starter kit (cables included) with a pair of Cube 3s. The pre/power can be upgraded later with no loss of original outlay and the Cube 3s (I have a pair in my office set up) are exceptional for their size. This way you hear the whole NVA philosophy at once. If you like it then a big chunk of the cost can be recouped by selling the Harbeths (they go for strong prices due to limited availability and a cult following overseas).The starter pre / power kit is astonishing value and I really think that the Cubes are 'game changers'. I have Cube 1s at home and they have superb scale and body, without any boom or waffle, in a previously very 'difficult' room. I love them with a passion. For me, the NVA sound is clean, natural, wide open but not the slightest bit artificial or bright or harsh. Very pure and uncoloured. More information, more music, delivered with greater ease.

Having been faced with very similar possibilities, I would urge you to try the NVA amps and speakers together. In any event... no likey, send back for refund.

 

[savvypaul]

Again from Savvy

Here's some info and thoughts, in no particular order, about my Cube 1's / Harbeth P3ESR's / and Cube 3's that are usually in my office system:

In my room, I would have my P3ESR's around 2.5 feet away from the back wall and around 6 feet apart. My listening seat is about 8 feet away. The Cube 1's go back against the wall, very slightly further apart, and angled in so that the tweeters point directly at my usual listening area.

The Cube 1 soundstage is massively bigger than the Harbeths. Part of that is driver size - 5.5" vs 8" - but you would think that the Cubes were much, much bigger than they are. The Cubes have plenty of depth and width but they do something else...the best way I can describe is that they make the room into an auditorium. The sound does not come from single points as it does with the Harbeths (and any other traditional 2-way). You can move around the room and the sound from the Cubes changes very little.

The Harbeths have great charm, especially in the midrange, and they image precisely (as I would expect from a small sealed box)but they don't have anywhere near the scale, body, impact, immediacy, realism, freedom...you get the idea. They sound quite 'tight arsed' after the Cubes. I listen to a lot of classical studio master recordings - I would never listen to them on the Harbeths again now that I have the Cube 1s. The same, now I think of it, for jazz and folk, especially accoustic. I still listen to a lot of punk / alternative stuff, but usually on headphone - I figure my neighbours won't appreciate a punk venue next door!

The Cube 3's have the same attributes on a smaller scale - but they still sound considerably bigger than the Harbeths even though they have the same size driver. My room is 5m x 6m...the Cube 3's fill the space without any problem, the Cube 1's sound considerably larger but they do not boom or waffle in any way. You just get 'more'.

If you can afford it up front, get a reasonably powerful NVA amp (AP&70 integrated or P50 pre / A60 MK2 power) and a pair of the Cubes. Try the amps with the Harbeths first (don't forget you must use NVA cables - I use LS6) then put the Cubes in later. Then you get to compare all 'possibilities'. No like the NVA sound - send back for refund. Like the NVA sound - I reckon your Harbeth pieces would fund most of the NVA kit.

 

[savvypaul]

Welcome to my first ever review. I have not posted a review before. In fact, I rarely post on forums at all. But, I felt inclined to post my thoughts on these speakers for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I truly believe that these speakers are a hidden gem. Secondly, I had cause to call on the services of Mr. Richard Dunn and felt that his treatment and hospitality warranted a show of appreciation. A certain Massive Attack track had made it evident that something was amiss with one of the tweeters in my Cube 2's and it needed attention. (Btw, I am absolutely addicted to Indian tea now, so thanks for that too Doc). Lastly, I believe that NVA products, for whatever reasons, particularly the speakers, do not get enough publicity.

I have had extensive and lengthy auditions of a number of high end standmount speakers over the past five or six years, examples include Dynaudio, Sonus Faber, Audiovector. I have also heard a number of other brands at other people's houses and I have owned a number of standmount speakers of high repute, Paradigm, Vienna Acoustics, Wilson Benesch to name a few. Interestingly, most of these speakers are not available for as little as £1000 new. A couple of them retail at closer to three times that amount.

I first heard a pair of Cube 3's at a friend's place and it really was a 'wow' moment. The fact that I had, ultimately, not been able to live with any of the speakers listed above was starting to make me think that what I was looking for was simply not available. That, perhaps, compromise was something that was essential when it came to choosing speakers. However, over the course of a few hours, in which I listened to my usual test recordings, came the slow, but fairly sure recognition that here was a speaker that did, in fact, do everything that I wanted. It really was a revelation.

What I heard was a sound that was clean, open, detailed with high levels of resolution and great imaging. It was punchy, musical, engaging and non-fatiguing. My only concern was whether or not they would be a little small for my listening room. although I can't say that they sounded particularly anaemic in the lower frequencies, quite saitisfying in fact. Anyway, within a few weeks I had my hands on a pair of the bigger brothers, Cube 2's. Set up in my listening room these proved to be in every way as good as the Cube 3's with all of the same characteristics, just bigger sounding.

Now, let's talk about those compromises. Out of all of the speakers I had owned the most clear, detailed and dynamic were the Wilson Benesch. I would go as far as to say that they are well known for their high levels of resolution and clarity. The Cube 2's have all of those same characteristics and to the same high standard in my opinion. The Wilson Benesch speakers, however, also imparted a somewhat clinical sound which was slightly tilted to the upper frequencies making them sound a tad lean. The Cubes, whilst not overtly warm sounding, are far less 'in your face' and harsh whilst retaining every bit of detail and a more satisfying balance in terms of tonality. The Audiovectors were better in tonal balance, but could also sound a little hard at times. Not so the Cubes. A little more akin to the Dynaudios perhaps, which were slightly warmer, but then they didn't have the engagement and musicality of the Cubes and also had a slightly overblown bass. The Cube's bass, when set up right, is tight, but tuneful and music bounces along in the way that it should, keeping one's attention and foot tapping. The Dynaudios didn't have this and sounded somewhat 'boring'. The Sonus Fabers and Vienna Acoustics were the most non-fatiguing listen, but for me, this was achieved by somehow erring a little away from neutrality and colouring the sound, a fruitier mid-bass in one and slightly rolled off higher frequencies in the other, perhaps. The Cubes do not do any of this. Instead, they achieve their non-fatiguing sound by way of their design which means no compromise in terms of detail, clarity and transparency.

So, to conclude, the Cubes are by far the best standmount that I have ever auditioned or owned and, at the price, a steal. Yes, some of the speakers listed above looked like pieces of furniture with beautiful wood cabinets and fancy binding posts, but perhaps that is why they fetch the prices that they do. I'd rather my investment go into the sound.

The Cubes, for me, are able to achieve the best of all worlds. Like I said at the start, this was something that I was starting to believe might be unattainable. Whilst other speakers seem to do their things by way of compromise, the Cubes don't. They impart as open, detailed and dynamic a sound as the best of the best, but with a more satisfyingly even tonal balance. They have a non-harsh and non-fatiguing sound just like the market leaders in this type of thing, but without any softness, colouring or 'rolling off' or enhancement of any frequencies. Whilst they may not be everyone's cup of tea build wise, if you are in the market for a no-compromise high end standmount speaker and, like me, it's all about the sound, then you are doing yourself an absolute disservice if you choose not to audition a pair of Cubes.

 

[savvypaul]

NVA phono 2 - additon of second power supply.

Decided it was worth trying following forum recommendations. I was expecting a very small improvement so was pleasantly surprised that this addition is more of a minor transformation and not subtle. It's actually difficult to describe the difference but essentially you get more of everything. More detailed while smoother and more relaxed presentation, more dimensionality and more precise placement of elements in the sound stage. Well worth the £200 asking price. It is uncanny the effect this has by just making the power dual mono into the same RIAA circuit.

Tested with Michell Orbe SE TT / SME 309 arm and AT33EV cartridge plus Albarry passive/Lehmann buffer stage into Albarry 608M power amps and Mission 752 speakers.

 

[savvypaul]

NVA TSCS & TIS MKII

I upgraded my 2M LS6 to TSCS and two 1M sets of SSP MKII to TIS MKII, so my system is now on NVA Statement cables throughout (with the exception of the Auralic > Metrum connection which uses the £400 Sablon Audio Panatela Reserva USB cable). I've had the TSCS for around 3 weeks now and as Doc has progressed his TIS redesign, I have been his guinea pig with a couple of different iterations. The final MKII design arrived today.

One aspect of NVA cable design that always amazes me is that every time you move to the next design in the range one of the first audio improvements I notice is that of a veil being lifted. It really is the most remarkable experience, because performance with the previous cable was already excellent, yet I always find myself sitting there thinking "Wow! How can it possibly get any better than this?". It is a difficult experience to articulate, but if any of you have ever moved between NVA cable levels you will hopefully understand what I am trying to convey. The best analogy is that of listening to music behind some heavy velvet curtains which are then opened. It isn't a subtle difference in my experience, it is pronounced and very real.

The other NVA cable truism is that of 'getting more' as you ascend through the range, and that strongly applies in the case of TSCS and TIS . The ease with which I can pick out individual instruments and voices and the separation between them is just on another level; LS6 and SSP MKII are both phenomenal performers in their own right (and arguably the sweet spot from a price/performance perspective), but they are both left in the shade here in outright performance terms. For example, listening to Ed Sheeran's 'The Shape of You' from his new 'Divide' album,the projection, separation and distinctiveness of the hand drums (or whatever they are called) is really something. Bass is nicely controlled, as is treble. No brightness whatsoever from these cables.

I could just sink into a sea of beautifully distinct, detailed music. Fabulous.

Thanks Doc!

P.S. For anyone interested in the Sablon USB cable, I have done some A/B listening and while it is a very good USB cable, the sonic presentation and performance is matched by the NVA SSP MKII Digital Interconnect which is 1/3rd of the price. I am sending mine back because it just doesn't make sense to keep it.

 

[savvypaul]

Re: Speakers for P20+A20?
postby boxswapper » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:52 am

Hi, long time lurker here. I'm recently enjoying a p20 a20 combination.

I've used ls3/5a but find it ok with this combination but worked better with an old ap30 I once had. I know the Doc doesn't recommend complex crossover speakers with his kit.

So my current fascination is with Rega RS3 speakers. I love them with this combination! Simple crossover this just works a treat.
I have RS1 too, but prefer what the amp does with RS3 as it goes lower.

My main wow is just how immediate the music is. Orchestral with heavy percussion is a joy. Dynamics are superb. They really boot the hell out of the RS3 when needed.
My own taste means I use a valve phono stage that gives an airy feel, a Pro-Ject tubebox, but the rest of my kit is simple too, a standard Rega planar.

I have owned other NVA amps previously but my main failing before was using them with non NVA preamps so moved them on too quickly. What can I say but using an all NVA system as the Doc recommends has proven to be the biggest upgrade and is a no brainer. Indeed for me it squashed the sound not using Doc preamps. To anyone who thinks don't bother with the entry level one, think again. I look forward to switching on the little black box every morning and it has rejuvenated my interest in hifi again (wont leave on 24/7...

)

Also I have a JPW mini monitor which I like to use on rock music with a Lenco L75. All I can say is these little boxes ROCK! and make a fantastic combination with the A20 p20 for loose change!

cin cin

boxswapper

 

[savvypaul]

LS6 & BMU

I had been happily using TQ green speaker cable for a few years but lusted after TQ ultra black - but could never find it at a price I was prepared to pay. I came across a review that said something like "NVA LS6 is about 95% of TQ ultra black" - so at a quarter of the price and a 30 day trial I thought I couldn't go wrong.

First, the "hair shirt" bit. It arrived just after Christmas 2016 in a small box with no paperwork I could find. I was then a little surprised (although if I read round I shouldn't have been) that I had 4 bi-wire cables. They are a bit on the stiff side and having found out they are, among other things, copper single strands, I was reluctant to keep bending them to get them straight - the wayward wires have a low wife acceptance factor - beware!!! I then strained my ancient eyes to determine which was the tweeter wire and which the woofer. Being an occasional guitarist used to feeling the thickness of guitar strings it proved easier to feel which was which. Surely a short piece of coloured shrink wrap would make this a LOT easier. Then I found that the tweeter connection would pull itself out of the binding post. Spades would have made a much more secure connection and would minmise the effective length loss by the cables sticking out of the speaker and amplifier biding posts. Good thing the Doc makes these about 10% longer than nominal although, if I'd known that, I could have ordered a 3m set instead of a 3.5m set. So is the cable worth the "hair shirt" approach?

Let me put it simply. If TQ Ultra back is better than LS 6 it must be one hell of a cable. However, I did need a LOT of patience to get it to run in on my system (see signature). It took over 5 weeks, the first week almost continuous running on my tuner and the Good Lord did not bless me with patience. Now it is run in, I don't think I will need a further upgrade. I'm delighted. You can read all the good things about LS6 in this thread and they are all true!

If you have the patience, buy with confidence.

The BMU arrived about 10 days ago and, unusually, Doc gave the opinion that it would need about a week to run in. Uncannily accurate. It seems to have just come on song and I might aspire to greater improvement with time? It is neat and heavy with a long lead. I prefer the black sockets provided to the gold ones shown on the e-bay illustration - but let's face it, who is going to see the sockets? I parked mine behind the rack (no comments please) where it sits and buzzes gently at about 100Hz (I assume). I simply love what it does and I trust it will also solve my "bad mains" afternoons (none so far). You can read the effects in the other reviews in this thread and they are all true.

Another recommended product.

 

[savvypaul]

TIS

The Doc said he wanted less complimentary reviews as well as good ones. So here goes.

I'm a sucker for a bargain so when the Doc offered TIS at 20% off, I couldn't resist. Like the LS6 it seemed to take ages to run in but I think I got somewhere close.

I have to say the level of detail and leading edge definition are beyond anything I've come across (and I've had quite a few interconnects in my search for "perfection"). As a result, there is a stereo image you can mentally walk round. It is also very well finished and I find it rather attractive in an industrial sort of way. But who sees your cables behind your system?

However, there were a few things that I just couldn't get used to:

a) an upper mid-range had a hardness - I've come across before with Nordost. I find it wearing and eventually tiring. That is why I moved on my Nordost loom.

b) the bass was full but not as extended as I am used to. I could have lived with this and it may well be that the bass would have mended itself with time as it is often the last thing to come good but I am not blessed with patience.

The other thing that got to me was that music sounded like a group of musicians each playing separately but I couldn't imagine them as a group. Maybe that's my expectation but I simply couldn't get my head round it.

To his credit, Doc honoured his promise to refund within 30 days and I'm very pleased to have had the chance to listen to this interconnect. Please be aware that cables can be system specific so beware if you are running a Musical Fidelity system. NVA should be just fine.

 

[savvypaul]

CUBE 1 - Review Follow Up

I have now owned Cube 1s for 6 months. I posted a review last November. I had been using Harbeth P3ESRs for about 2 years prior to getting the Cubes. Since getting the Cubes I have also purchased NVA P50SA Pre & A60 MK2 Power and LS6 Speaker Cables and SSP MK2 Interconnects to replace my Sugden A21aS2 and Townshend cables.

I came to the Harbeths as I was looking for a sealed box design (I hate the sound of chuffing ports) and I bought into the BBC heritage back-story and traditional look (I don't like bling). I always enjoyed the Hrabeths, indeed I thought they might be my 'last' speaker. I only came to the Cubes because I was so impressed with the NVA Balance Mains Unit - both impact on sound and value for money.

In the past, following a change, I have sometimes had doubts...'were those last ones really good, after all?'...'are these new ones really better or just different'? I decided to hold onto the Harbeths for a while rather than sell them straight away. I put the Harbeths back into my system on Friday and have listened to them 3-4 hours per day on each of the last 4 days.

I am disappointed...upon realising, beyond doubt now, my previous ignorance and self-delusion. The Cubes really are vastly superior. The clarity, ease, freedom, lyrical dexterity, unhindered emotion of playing through the Cubes is why I love music in the first place. Listening to Natalie Dessay singing Schubert Lieder, rejoicing in every subtle yearning and the romantic warmth of her interpretations, listening to Fasil Say romp through Moxart's piano sonatas and knowing the joy and intensity behind every key strike, listening to James Hand and seeing every day of decades playing Honky Tonk bars. Here there is more...music.

Some other things I have learnt about the Cubes:

Positioning - start close to the wall, about 6 feet apart. Move closer / further from wall to achieve correct balance. They snap into place - you will absolutely know - the differrence between right and wrong is not subtle. It's like they 'engage'.

Tonal balance - the Cubes are neutral. No artificial boosts or shaping. Plenty of bass but no boom or wallow. No fatigue. They are not tone controls.

Transparency - I have significantly upgraded my digital source in the past 3 months. The Cubes are very revealing of changes.

Stands - I still consistently prefer light and rigid to 'heavy metal' mass.

Getting back to the music. Do not die before hearing Cubes, please. These are game changers. It may take you time to unlearn what you previously knew...but do it.

 

[savvypaul]

Just a few words on the NVA Cube 2 I have on loan from Richard.

First of all, in the flesh, they are a lovely looking pair of speakers, in their sophisticated black gloss acrylic livery and blend surprisingly well into a typical living room situation.

The 10x10x10 inch, cubic enclosures sport two drivers. On the top face, protected by a tough, black metal grille, there is a six-inch, bass/mid main driver, which has been treated with a doping agent. This treatment is designed deliberately to kill the top end of the drive unit, thereby providing a mechanical roll-off, which removes the need for the usual electrical solution of an inductor to roll off the driver in preparation for the crossover to the tweeter. The main driver is, in effect, connected directly to the amplifier's output terminals with nothing in the path of the signal. The front face of the Cube 2 sports a 19mm, capacitor fed, fabric dome tweeter, again protected by a tough metal grille. This HF driver projects the upper mids and high frequencies to the front.

What we have then, with the Cube 2, is a cubic box, with a pair of drivers at 90 degrees to each other, the bass-mid firing upwards at the ceiling and using intentionally, the rear wall as an off-axis reflecting surface, whilst the tweeter fires forwards conventionally into the room. Only the tweeter has any kind of componentry in the path of the signal; the cap that keeps out the LF, neither is there any kind of wool type damping material within the cabinet itself.
The NVA Cube 2 then, is not what one would call 'yer average loudspeaker.

Having in the past, used "full range" drivers in some of my own speaker designs, I fell in love with the directness and immediacy of the sound quality produced as a result of the absence of a crossover. What I did not fall in love with however, was the relentless, shouty quality, with which some of these full-rangers assaulted the ears. The compromises inherent in some of these drivers (the ones that could be afforded by mere mortals at any rate) were, in the end, unnaceptable, for this listener, despite the obvious musicality they were capable of producing.

So... I had high hopes here with the crossoverless, doped main driver of the Cube 2, praying that it would produce the same musicality that is the defining characteristic of crossoverless full-rangers, whilst handing over the upper mids and top end to a driver, much more capable of realising the upper end of the spectrum without screeching all over the place.

Richard provided clear instructions on how to set up these semi-omni speakers for maximum effect in the room and these were followed carefully.
Amplification was courtesy of my 25W pentode monoblock valve amplifiers. Sources included a Mac Mini, file based digital system feeding a Musical Fidelity M1 DAC. Analogue souce was a BTE designs Lenco L75 idler turntable with vintage Mayware Formula IV mkIII vari-mass, unipivot tonearm with Audio Technica AT440MLB moving magnet cartridge, feeding NVA Phono 1 phono stage.

Sound Quality

The adjectives that immediately spring to mind, when listening to these speakers are fast, clean, clear and musical.
Spinning up the 1987, "Still Life (Talking)" LP from the Pat Metheny Group, I was rewarded with a beautifully rendered filigree detailed sound. At the end of side one, "Last Train Home" was superbly atmospheric, with the rapid brushed snare train rhythm locked into place and propelling the track forwards, a huge sound stage populated with tiny little percussive instruments and a solid deep bassline. The massed voices towards the end of the track stretched across the front and the sound expanded upwards and outwards as the track came to its conclusion. This was a good first impression
Next up on vinyl was "The Look of Love" from the original pressing of the soundtrack to the 1960s spoof Bond Film "Casino Royale" starring David Niven and Peter Sellers. Here the Cube 2 gave a wonderfully intimate portrayal of the song. Dusty's voice, placed dead front centre was full of character and tonality whilst the trumpet of Herb Alpert came across full of body with an absence of screech that was refreshing compared to what some quite expensive speakers do to him; lovely.

Turning to digital and the Claptone remix of "Liquid Spirit" by Gregory Porter was cued up.
This track is just so much fun on the right system, with its pounding metronomic bass beat and all sorts of background effects that add to the relentless drive of this dance track. Get this bassline wrong and the track just degenerates into an amorphous blob of gunge. The Cube 2s grabbed the bassline by the scruff of the neck and went for it big style. I didn't think my valve amps were as good as that in the bass.

Feet tapped and monkey bone was engaged. Good stuff.

Calming things down, I went for a bit of girl/guitar music courtesy of Eva Cassidy live, singing "People Get Ready" This is a beautifully recorded live session and the Cubes did not disappoint, generating the venue in the living room. The drum kit was well portrayed, with tapped cymbal work ringing out with harmonics all present and correct, Eva's voice stayed controlled without a hint of hardness or glare and the applause was well delineated into a series of individual people clapping.

In hi-fi terms the Cube 2 is wide range with a clear clean sound that rarely strays into brightness.
There is a hint of clinical dryness from the tweeter at times, but this did not become irritating, it was just something to note rather than being a problem.

The soundstage is wide, deep and high and when set up properly, the Cube 2 will fill a room with an enveloping high quality sound, due to its semi-omnidirectional method of operation. Imaging is very good with good location left to right and front to back but the sources within that image are not pin points but decently sized instruments, that seem more natural to me than those that some direct radiating speakers produce. That is a matter of personal taste of course and if you like a wonderfully musical, emotional presentation, then these speakers are a no-brainer. Like everything else, the Cube 2s need to be listened to in your own space for you to make up your own mind.

Unusual the Cube 2s may be but they are seriously good speakers.....seriously.


Somebody’s telling me the latest scandals.

 

[savvypaul]

A80s/P50sa/SSPmk2

With the BMU and LS6 in place and transforming the sound of my system, NVA amplification was the next step. As before, I was confident that my Chord DAC and Dynaudio speakers would reproduce the benefits in the same way. The sources have been Tidal streams and ripped CDs. After some extended listening, with different types of music at different volume levels, I am thrilled as the sound has improved in every respect. The differences are not subtle.

Initially, with domestic considerations in mind, I played the Beatles Blue and Red albums and the two Queen Greatest Hits albums, music I am very familiar with, at low volume. What was immediately apparent was increased detail combined with additional space and separation between everything. The sound stage is markedly both wider and deeper, drawing me into the music. There is also a sense of effortless ease and authority. Both upper and lower bass have gained clarity, the latter being handled by a subwoofer connected directly to the P50sa. Cymbals are also clearer and sharper.

The sound improved after some running in and at higher volumes the increased dynamic range could be fully appreciated. Familiar tracks which start slowly and build up have gained a new lease of life. Bowie’s “Rock n’ roll suicide” is a prime example, from the single acoustic guitar accompaniment at the start to the frenzy at the end. This effect was similar on his more mellow “Hunky Dory” album. When electric guitars came in, and acoustic guitars are strummed harder, things livened up, the effect was very pronounced. The clarity and separation on backing vocals have also taken on a new dimension. This was very evident on “Dark side of the moon”. I had not been aware that so much was going on.

Heavier material also sounds a lot better. On Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti”, the simple riffs many of the tracks are based upon remain solid and stable as other guitars and keyboards enter the mix. In addition the power, as well as subtlety, of John Bonham’s drumming came across as never before. The Rush album “A Farewell to Kings” was also a revelation and increased my appreciation of Geddy Lee’s bass playing. His screaming vocal at the end of “Cygnus x1” (some of the lyrics in my signature) was handled with ease. The NVA kit revealed subtleties in Iron Maiden’s “seventh son of a seventh son” album which I was not previously aware of, beneath the layers of power chords. This was most notable in respect of the choral backing on the title track.

My only regret is that I was not aware of NVA sooner. I applaud the no thrills VFM approach, cutting out dealers, middlemen, LED displays, remote controls, brochures and hype. High end equipment does not have to be a rip off. The Phono 1 is on the way so I can still play vinyl.

 

[savvypaul]

A20/P20

Picked up this amplifier set today in person from the Doc.
I've had it about six hours and I have to say that this is a wonderful little amplifier. The same size as the Phono 1, it comes in a diminutive package, but don't be fooled by the small size, because the sound that comes out of this delightful little device is anything but small.

Used with my home designed, 94dB sensitive, semi-omnidirectional speakers, the combination sings.
The presentation is effortless, with absolutely no sign of any grain in the treble or hardness in the midrange. Bass instruments come over with the detail, speed and texture all present and correct and pitch relationships are bang on the money, with no hint of any vagueness. Timing is superb with no foot dragging and instrumental harmonics come over very well, with brass blaring and cymbals shimmering. Reverb tails die away naturally, into the bacground with no sudden cutoff, because the noise floor is so low. Instruments are nicely separated out, so that parts can be followed at will and thus, recordings tend to hang together as musical performances rather than being forensically dissected.

I have been a valve amp user for over ten years now and this little black box is the closest thing to the sweetness of vaccuum state electronics I have heard to date from a transistor amplifier. A lovely little thing and an absolute bargain at the price.

EDIT - and from Audio Talk Forum

So today I installed a little 25 Watt NVA power amp - the A20, plus a diminutive P20 passive control unit.
Image
Along with the Phono1 it makes a nice little system.
Why post this in my speaker thread you may ask. Well I have decided that since I want to develop my omni speakers further, I really do need a solid state amp to evaluate them with.
Now I did not expect this to happen, but the synergy between the diminutive NVA amplifier and my Flatback Banned speakers is simply joyful
Wonderful little amplifier - just wonderful. Reminds me very much of the sound Dave's "Son of Beast" OTL through my big Mets, when he brought it round a few months ago. I could have wept when he took it away. Now I have 99% of that sound.

Oh and the speakers are even better than I thought they were. They sing on the end of this combination.
I look forward to developing a few more of my omni speaker ideas with this little amp in tow; a new avenue to explore.

Cute huh?

 

[savvypaul]

More on the A20/P20:

OK, now this is going to raise a few eyebrows among a few people, but I've been listening to the A20/P20 combination for three days now and I can't fault it.
It just amplifies and plays music, like no other amp I have had, except maybe for a pair of very low power 4W single-ended 2A3 valve monoblocks I built a few years ago.
No matter what the recording, the A20 just gets out of the way and gets on with it.

The Doc's claim that his equipment is designed with music first, second, third, and...well you get the idea, in mind, bears out perfectly. It digs out the maximum music from anything it is asked to reproduce. Personally I love it...so much so, that it has, I'm afraid, elbowed out my pair of pentode push-pull valve monoblocks, to become the beating heart of my audio system. After twelve years of valves, this little black box of classic British minimalist amplification has sidelined them.
If you have high efficiency speakers like I do, the A20 will cruise it's merry way, all day on just a whiff of throttle, delighting the listener at every turn, with it's beguiling portrayal of recorded music.
Less efficient speakers might require one of the more powerful models in Richard's stable, but as his range goes all the way up to 80WPC, with the A# series and beyond with his T# series, there should be an amp in there for any eventuality.

A steal at the price.

 

[savvypaul]

Phono 1

Although vinyl is very much a secondary source it is something I can’t be without as I bought a lot of albums between the mid 70s and mid 80s and a number of favourites are not included in the Tidal catalogue, usually because of problems with record labels. The purchase of the A80s and P50sa left me no option but to buy a phono stage. It had to be NVA after my experience with their other products. When a returned Phono 1 came up for auction, I just had to pounce. The Doc confirmed that it would be matched to my high output Denon MC cartridge.

I was always very sceptical about what I read about dedecated phono stages and never remotely considered buying one to connect to a previous amplifier which had one. Could they really make that much difference? I could not have been more wrong and would now go as far as to say a quality phono stage is as important to analogue as a quality DAC is to digital. The improvement goes beyond night and day, but must be seen in the context of the A80s/P50sa/SSPmk2 I recently bought, and not having a previous separate phono stage to compare the Phono 1 with. However, I’m sure the Phono 1 is playing no small part in the improvement I am getting from vinyl, which is no longer put in the shade by a high quality digital recording. I used to think vinyl compared poorly with digital at the frequency extremes, but this is no longer the case. It seems that the dedicated phono inputs in my previous amplifiers were cutting out this information and also restricting dynamics. My Rega Planar 3 with S shaped arm bought new in 1983, with a new belt and a couple of drops of oil, has been more than rejuvenated. So much of what the tt is capable of was not coming out of the speakers before.

David Coverdale’s “Northwinds” album is a personal favourite and was recorded at a time when he had a great voice. It contains a mixture of ballads, blues, gospel and heavy metal and is a very good test. The album has never sounded like this. Piano, electric piano, electric guitars, backing vocals, drums, crashing cymbals and bass notes were reproduced with a clarity that was not there before. Bob Seger’s “Stranger in Town” album was also a revelation in terms of clarity and separation, both on ballads such as “We’ve got tonight” and the up-tempo songs like “Old times rock n’ roll”. I share the lyrical sentiment of the latter; those old records will be coming off the shelf! The quality of the late lamented Greg Lake’s bass playing really shone on King Crimson’s “In the court of the crimson king” album. On “21st century schizoid man”, it was in no way masked by Robert Fripps dominant screeching guitar.

The NVA sound is often described as musical and I can see why. It is like less is getting in the way of the signal. This comes through a lot on old recordings (“In the court of the crimson king” and Beatles albums as examples) when they did not have the technology to mess things up in the recording studio, as can happen now. Going back to digital, I have found that since my recent review of the amps and interconnector the sound has improved further, with even more space between everything. I have not been home that much and I think the A80s took a bit more running in that I thought. With 80 watts and 87db efficiency speakers there is more than enough power, even for me. Peaks of 90db, well above the average reading, are easily achieved with the volume control at around half way. I have read many times that even at modest volumes you can never have too much power and, the way my speakers are lapping it up, this certainly seems to be correct.

I am not the only one aware of the dramatic improvement the NVA equipment has brought about. My other half was always content to play her music through her laptop speaker and had no interest in the hi-fi. Although she has not commented about the new equipment, since the amps arrived it has been all change and she streams her favourite songs through Tidal. When her friends were round for a party it was put on straight away and they danced the night away. Some of what she plays used to give me a headache, but through the NVA kit it has become bearable!

 

[savvypaul]

Based on Steve's comments on his A20 I took the plunge and purchased one myself. I wish to carry out some tidying up inside my well used and highly respected Avondale monoblocks so I felt this would be a good way to hear an NVA power amp whilst I work on my Avondale's.

Well to cut a long story short I have been thoroughly amazed at this stonking little 80VA 25 W per channel amp. I have spent 8 years with my Avondale's and they are brilliant at what they do very fast with good bass and dynamic, but they are no way as clear and sweet as the little NVA. It does virtually everything I would want but just falls a little shorten in bass wight and speed, but perhaps a the A40's will make up on that.

Alfi.

 

[savvypaul]

AP20 REVIEW

I purchased the baby integrated of the NVA range for a second system I have planned for my kitchen diner. This was to go with a Cambridge audio CDP and a pair of Mordaunt short MS902S (small book shelf speakers with 5" mid/bass) which I intend to fully Doc mod when I get my Marantz 3 ways finished

This is my first encounter with any NVA products and as such I could not wait to have a listen. I could not hook them up to my main system speakers as they have the speaker cables hardwired right to the drivers and are probably too high capacitance for the NVA. My MS902S are in bits so I turned to my last pair of speakers which are B&W CM1 stand mounts. Hooked it up with LS2 speaker cables and the front end is from my main sytem.

Well what can I say. Like Alfi I have been totally blown away by this AP20 integrated. It is so small and cute which is bound to be a hit with the female(s) in our life. It is so straight forward compared to my main system amps which are Avondale 821A with separate PSU and four Avondale NCC200 mono blocs.

The sound of the AP20 is so smooth and natural with no part of the frequency spectrum standing out or screaming at you. There is detail a plenty even with lowly model in the range. I have not experienced any listener fatigue what so ever, I just tend to drift off and stop analysing everything. It's all about the music. I have an ear problem (mild tinnitus) and have suffered with sibilance with more of my music than I should. Listening through the AP20 has solved a lot of this for me, I am no longer waiting for the ssssssss on certain tracks when I know they are coming.

As Alfi has said, with such a low power output this amp is never going to rock the foundations like my Avondales can (340VA per mono bloc) and it is slightly less detailed, but it slays the Avondale for naturalness and is sweet as a jar of honey. I can drift off into the music like I have never experienced before, everything is just right.

I would love to hear the AP20 with my doc mod speakers when they are finished. I will no doubt be purchasing more NVA product on top of this AP20, phono1 and BMU I have already purchased.

More reviews to come.