NVA vs Chi-Fi !!
Cheap Chinese hi-fi can be very attractive value, and its a compelling offer for many buyers, but it may not always be the best value for you. Like 'Chi-Fi', NVA also has low overheads and, by selling direct, you don't pay dealer / distributor margins. We also sell mostly by word of mouth, so you're not paying for a large marketing budget, either.DIRECT SALES?
Chi-Fi - Yes, in most cases.
NVA - Yes, and this saves you around 40% compared to buying through a dealer.
30-DAY HOME TRIAL?
Chi-Fi - Not normally, but if you buy through a platform such as Ali Express then you will usually be able to return the item – but you may have to return it to China.
NVA - Yes. Listen to NVA in your own system, in your own room. You can return items for refund at any time within the 30 days.
UPGRADE SCHEME?
Chi-Fi - Occasionally, but you may have to return the item to China for the work to be done – or you may have to do the work yourself, e.g. swapping op-amps.
NVA - Yes – our passive pre-amps, some power amps, and many 'heritage' NVA items can be upgraded / brought up to current specification by our UK workshop.
HIGH-END COMPONENTS?
Chi-FI - No, not normally. Chi-Fi is built in large numbers to the lowest possible cost.
NVA - Yes. We include the sort of components usually only found in high-end items with much higher price tags than NVA. For example, a fully discrete circuit board with all keyhole components, so your item can always be repaired. Wherever you buy your hi-fi from, you don't want it to end up as a door-stop!
RIGOROUS QUALITY CONTROL?
Chi-Fi - No, that's not the Chi-fi model. Items are built as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Chi-Fi manufacturers will even sometimes use 'B-Grade' components. If an item arrives, and is faulty, it may take several weeks to get another, and you may have to send the faulty one back to China, possibly at your own expense.
NVA - Yes. We soak test for 24 hours and we have a long list of checks to perform before any item leaves the workshop. We are still human, though, so if an item arrives with you that is not 100% spot-on, we'll collect it from you at our own expense (UK only).
UK CUSTOMER SERVICE?
Chi-Fi - No. You'll need to try to contact someone in China – if they have a customer service department. More likely you will 'talk' to an AI chat bot or make do with an online FAQ page.
NVA - Yes. You can talk directly to the people who make and sell your item, by email and by phone. You can even visit our workshop.
Chi-Fi can be a terrific buy, and you get a lot for your money (small British manufacturers can't go toe-to-toe with subsidised energy costs, mass production and labour costs of a pound an hour), but its not necessarily a 'no-brainer'.
