Hi ALL
I have been visited this link since last December. Because of all the positive feeback on this TVC, I bought one (the standard config) out of curiosity and received it in January. Last month, I have received the buffer or active preamp. I have promised Nick to write a review if he can send me the buffer quick, so here it is...
No affiliation to him, I'm from Australia.
It is my sharing to those who is still thinking of getting one.
What I am using...what I am comparing with, don't have any mega buck gears but midfi stuff only.
My humble setup is a Yamaha NS1000M driven by its own power amp MX-1. It is the best match with all the power amp I have. Much better than a pair of EL34 mono block amp which was suggesteed by some (sort of Marantz 9 cirucit). MX-1, I have removed the input caps, variable input circuitory, and changed the speaker poles. With Nick's buffer amp (transformer coupled), I have no worries about any dc singnal going to the MX-1. Worth doing, improvement is big step up.
I have a lot of preamps, most of them are vintage. Yamaha C-2X (yes, I like yamaha) for phono, Jeff Rowland coherent preamp (not using anymore), Onkyo P-308 for phono (surprisingly, it is better than the C-2X, you can check audiokarma regarding the praise of P-303), Image M7A 7308 tube (marantz 7 circuit, not using anymore). My reference preamp is from AudioSpace model Pre-1 with 4xMullard ECC32 and most of coupling cap changed to Hovland.
Source, Linn lp12 with OC9 cart, Sony XA7 CD player and Musiland DAC (all caps changed to BG).
To evaluate the TVC and the buffer amp, I'm just using CD source.
Cables, power cables etc, not the stocked but some so called exotic, eye catching ones.
Type of musics, classical. Choral, listen to the balance of the voices. Does the saporano shouting to others or she is singing in harmony with the voices and musics.
The TVC (standard config) first...
For the first 100 hours, it is quite disappointed. Not because it is bad, but far below my expectation. But still better than resistive type passive amp I have heard, OK not bad for $300.
Thanks Rollo, insist burn in, very boring and unrewarding stage. Am I wasting my time? I always asked myself. After 200 hours, wow, getting better and better. The high and base is now coming. As others said, very musical and very details even at low volume. For another 400 horus, I don't border to compare, or I have already lost my patient to wait, Iwant ot listen to the musics.
I believe my TVC is fully burnt in. But I am not using it and cannot replace my tube preamp, why? It lacks of the tube sound I like (some say it is the MSG), the violin lack of body, the base lack of attack, lack of dynamic and excitment when listening to orchestra, and more important, music involvement. Don't get it wrong, it is still a very good value and bargain preamp. But compare to my ECC32 preamp. it cannot be my main preamp.
Now the active/buffer amp...
I don't want to give up the TVC, it can deliver something my tube preamp cannot, the balance in the audio spectrum. When Nick annouce his buffer amp, I wrote to him to ask for a test run for free. He is a nice guy and agree to send me one. After a few email exchange, I decided to pay him in full before the amp arrive.
Connect up, no burn in time, yes, bingo. It gives all my tube amp can give and more. Balance and harmony, air, more clean base, much better and non-fatiging high. It is the best preamp I have and the tube amp is getting cold.
To connect the TVC and buffer amp, I use the Audio Note silver cable.
After a couple of days, I have changed the power tube to a Mulalrd 5AR4, the buffer tube to Amperex 7308 white PQ. Results is more refine in the high note.
Now I am thinking of replacing all the stock capacitors, Rollo, what are you using now?
And where can you get them?
It has 2x 100u 40V, 1x 47u 450V, 2x 200u 300V and also in the power supply, I forget what is it?
I wish you can find this information useful, just my two cents.
Shan
