Promitheus TVC passive preamp anyone?

PromitheusAudio · « **Reply #2180 on:** 24 Sep 2007, 09:43 am »

We officially going to launch the c-core and signature line during the first week of November.

This is mainly because our cores are finally coming in during the end week of October

However in the mean time we have limited stocks of c-cores tvcs for sale, and can still sell them until our stocks are replenish

Contact us for more information on the c-cores

Cheers

Nicholas

jenhwa · « **Reply #2181 on:** 24 Sep 2007, 10:44 am »

sorry nope, i only have the signature.
the soundstage is huge, my brain felt like it had been separated into left and right halves.

Quote from: Cincy_bob on 24 Sep 2007, 12:54 am

Quote from: jenhwa on 23 Sep 2007, 04:18 pm
Just got my preamp aa, and yes they are c cores.

see photos http://www.flickr.com/gp/13888462@N05/CU6869

jenhwa, do you have the Reference version of the Promitheus TVC to compare/contrast against your new Signature (i.e., double-C core) version of the component?

bacobits1 · « **Reply #2182 on:** 25 Sep 2007, 03:16 pm »

Quote

Has anyone tried one of these?

http://www.dagogo.com/EasternElectricBBA.html

Looks like it might be a perfect match for bringing a little tube bloom to the Promitheus. I've debated adding the Promitheus tube buffer but this one from EE seems to be more adaptable.

Thoughts?

Steve

A few months ago we did try my EE Mini Max BBA Tube buffer with Ray D's TVC when he first got it.
In a word it was SUPERB! Alone the TVC was comparable to the EE Mini Max active Pre.
The BBA took it to a new level. The rest of the equipment was my all EE Mini Max system.

Den

smccull · « **Reply #2183 on:** 25 Sep 2007, 04:11 pm »

bacobits,

That's very good to know. I thought there might be some synergy there but wondered if two devices that are both trying to equalize impedence might be too much. Apparantly it's not. Might have to try one of those. I LOVE my TVC!

Steve

denjo · « **Reply #2184 on:** 25 Sep 2007, 04:32 pm »

Den

I have been rather intrigued with a BBA between my TVC and power but wonder if you had to dial the BBA's gain and volume every now and again, especially when you switch from one source to another, in addition to dialing your TVC volume as well? If so, is that not very complicated and fidgety?

Best Regards
Dennis

launche · « **Reply #2185 on:** 25 Sep 2007, 05:28 pm »

I also tried the TVC/BBA combo a few months ago and enjoyed it very much. One is able to give the sound a bit more "oommph". I thought it to be a very versatile piece and once I found my perferred level I didn't need to tweek but it was fun so I did it anyway. I felt that you might lose a little transparency but gain a bit more bass foundation and harmonic richness. At the time I was looking to simplify things but that has changed and I may give the TVC/BBA combo another look.

bacobits1 · « **Reply #2186 on:** 26 Sep 2007, 12:14 am »

That's a good way of putting it " Harmonic Richness" especially in the mid range and highs and all adjustable.
It was very good and I could have listened to it for hours. I think we had the TVC volume at around the 11 O'clock position. Without the BBA the TVC volume was almost full out.
Adjusting the BBA I don't hear too much bass enhancement. I do use mine between the Pre and the amp. I have heard it works very well between the Pre and Sub Woofer amp too. Inserting it in between the CD and Pre is very good. Nice product but not cheap. I had been one of Bill's testers when the product came out. I liked it and bought it.

Don't forget Bill has the 30 day trial. He was selling them for $700. These were any returns he got back after the intro round robin try out.

Den

dpac996 · « **Reply #2187 on:** 26 Sep 2007, 02:28 pm »

Hello. I have been reading bits and pieces of this thread for weeks now. Nice spot on the planet for all things TVC...I have a ref 4 with the brass top/bottom plates and i'm pretty happy with it. Lately I have been thinking about using some sort of tube buffer with the TVC. I picked up a used Musical Fidelity X10V3 tube buffer and it arrives later this week. I am now curious about this Eastern Electric device...
additionally I have an ARCLS15 that a friend has been letting me use for quite some time, and I plan on running that as a "tube buffer" as well by setting the vol on "max" and running full balanced from CDP to Amp. The question I have is have you guys played around with WHERE you put your tube buffer..ie directly after your source and then TVC, or between TVC and amp...??

I am slightly worried about the MF X10V3 creating problems with my amp, as I just read a thread where this tube buffer fried an amp or two...probably due to some DC offset issue on power up...

anyway, looking forward to all this fun...

System:
SA11-> xlr -> TVC -> xlr -> Pass Labs X250.5 -> A Zen Hologram II -> Dynaudio S3.4

PromitheusAudio · « **Reply #2188 on:** 26 Sep 2007, 03:12 pm »

For me the tube buffer seems to work best after the TVC. I never had to worry about DC offsets us our tube buffers is made with output transformers.
So there is no DC on the outputs

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #2189 on:** 26 Sep 2007, 05:58 pm »

Quote from: PromitheusAudio on 26 Sep 2007, 03:12 pm

For me the tube buffer seems to work best after the TVC. I never had to worry about DC offsets us our tube buffers is made with output transformers.
So there is no DC on the outputs

Nick is absolutely right. I have tried to connect my active preamp after TVC and they work well that way.

dpac996 · « **Reply #2190 on:** 28 Sep 2007, 07:40 pm »

When can we expect the c-core versions to roll out? I would like the exact same functionality (in c-core) as the Ref 4. I am nearing the 400 hour mark (with the rev3 xfrmr's) and i'm bowled over at the step change in sound quality along the way. The best part for me is the late night listening. My amp runs class A power up to about 40 wpc and this is great match for normal listening levels as well. Kudos Nick. A real sweet piece.

Early B. · « **Reply #2191 on:** 28 Sep 2007, 07:54 pm »

Quote from: dpac996 on 28 Sep 2007, 07:40 pm

When can we expect the c-core versions to roll out?

See post #2181.

dpac996 · « **Reply #2192 on:** 28 Sep 2007, 08:05 pm »

Thanks, I missed that somehow, I guess my eyes were drawn to this post ..."my brain felt like it had been separated into left and right halves" nice!

I just bought my TVC about 2 weeks ago...it would have been nice to wait until the sig version, but o well..

tboooe · « **Reply #2193 on:** 29 Sep 2007, 04:06 pm »

Hi, I am 100% new to this forum and this Promitheus thread. Based on everything I have read I am thinking of trying out the dual box TVC. If I like it I will probably go with the Signature TVC. Anyway, I was wondering what wiring option people chose (silver vs copper) and why? What kind of difference in sound would one offer over the other? Also, what did people think of the other available options (brass cover, ebony feet)

I would like nothing more than to replace my Audio Research Ref 3 preamp with this little gem and save some serious money in the process. I am not sure if it matters but my system consists of the following:

CDP: Esoteric P3 D5 separates
Amp: Pass Labs XA160
Speakers: Usher BE10

Thank you for the help...

By the way, people on this thread have been raving about this piece. I am wondering are people saying that for the price the TVC is great or are they saying regardless of the price the TVC compares against the best preamps out there? To be honest, price is not a concern for me. I just want to get the best sound possible.

goldlizsts · « **Reply #2194 on:** 1 Oct 2007, 01:33 am »

Quote from: tboooe on 29 Sep 2007, 04:06 pm

Hi, I am 100% new to this forum and this Promitheus thread...........

This is probably the opportune time to jump in and pay tribute to Nicholas and Promitheus. I just finished my 2nd round with my REF3 TVC (dual mono, 1 box). Mine is copper-wired. Based on my limited past experience with silver-based wires (Kimber, for example), the sound would be too bright for me.

Having read the tremendous postings in this thread, and exposed also to the TVC in person, I decided to take the plunge and ordered the REF3 and requested Nicholas that it be copper-wired. When it first came in, about a month ago, DHL really screwed up. It was deliverd to an unknown party. When I saw it again at the local DHL warehouse, there were signs of it being re-sealed. So I turned down the delivery. Those tri-cycled delivery guys (vs. a DHL truck guy) probably didn't give the package (or any package) any due care, not to mention professional care. I personally saw the way packages are thrown around by DHL, UPS, and FedEx truckers. Just saw it so when I passed a UPS truck last week. The guy threw the boxes from standing inside the truck, 5 ft. in, toward the rear of the truck. For a few days DHL could not track down and retrieve the delivery (I called them repeatedly and they offered no answer). Nick immediately went back to the assembly line to have another one put together for me. While I waited for the re-dlivery, I wrote my complaint to DHL headquarters.

Not to be too long-winded, I cooked it for about 100 hours, using a portable Sony Walkman CD player. The sound at that point was not impressive at all. Then, Rollo, the man who started it all, told me it would take 450. So, for the last week, I cooked it again with the Sony. Today, I took a listen again in my system. I discovered the sound has changed significantly (and likely will improve more I hope), with much better spatiality, to further embellish it, more dimensionality, much more expansive. The sound is also livelier as a result. But... it somehow seemed veiled and lacking clarity. All this time, a Cary AE3 DIY preamp was used, with rectification (added a rectifier to mimmick the AE3 DJH factory version). The AE3 itself is very good with the mids, very sweet I supposed because of oil caps used, so sweet that it may be a bit heavy in the middle. I thought perhaps that was the reason. So I switched in the AE3 DJH factory version. The DJH version has shown to be more resolving and dynamic than the one I put together. Indeed it is. The factory version somehow is a bit less sweet than my DIY. I think that's because their configurations are different. The result is a more dynamic and transparent sound. I had been complaining about my Meridian 508.24 being old and lacks somewhat in transparency. In fact, I have started to research on how to mod it, hopefully to improve the sound. Now, with the TVC, the sound has improved transparency, soundstaging and imaging. Definitely it's more than a notch above the old setup. Now, I probaly will spend some research time to tweak the TVC first.

Hats off to Nicholas and Promitheus. I was going to write Nicholas a personal e-mail, but then changed my mind, thinking a more public statement here is more appropriate.

The Promitheus TVC definitely is a very worthy product. It should perhaps see more wide-spread distribution here in North America. Thanks Nicholas.

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #2195 on:** 1 Oct 2007, 03:47 am »

Quote

The Promitheus TVC definitely is a very worthy product. It should perhaps see more wide-spread distribution here in North America. Thanks Nicholas.

This is true. When Promitheus TVC (stereo standard with wooden bottom plate) combines with Promitheus DAC they are so musical, dimensional and so revealing. My second system has never had this kind of musicality and dimensionality before. Way to go Nick!

rayd · « **Reply #2196 on:** 1 Oct 2007, 09:22 pm »

Quote from: bacobits1 on 25 Sep 2007, 03:16 pm

Quote
Has anyone tried one of these?

http://www.dagogo.com/EasternElectricBBA.html

Looks like it might be a perfect match for bringing a little tube bloom to the Promitheus. I've debated adding the Promitheus tube buffer but this one from EE seems to be more adaptable.

Thoughts?

Steve

A few months ago we did try my EE Mini Max BBA Tube buffer with Ray D's TVC when he first got it.
In a word it was SUPERB! Alone the TVC was comparable to the EE Mini Max active Pre.
The BBA took it to a new level. The rest of the equipment was my all EE Mini Max system.

Den

God, sorry I am so late with a reply. I am just so backed up w/work and stuff.

Anywho... Yes, I am in agreement with Den. The TVC w/BBA imparted a very organic, natural sound. Not as "alive" with the Minimax pre, but more relaxed and not as upfront in the presentation. Here our our thoughts about it on the Decware forums.

Anyone here using Nick's 2A3's or 45 monos? Those things look sweet and very affordable.

- Ray

dpac996 · « **Reply #2197 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 09:34 pm »

I wish I had the time to read all the threads here and distill the info about BEST vibe reduction tactics...so I am looking for some techniques from those of you have tackled this problem. The approach seems to be to weight the top of the unit, then use tiptoes (wood, metal) with the bottom of the TVC resting on the flat side of the cones...then the points of the cones on some big block of wood...but then what supports the wood? How far down the "stack" do you need to address these vibe issues?

My rack has 10 mm thick tempered safety glass shelves. They barely vibrate at higher levels (based on fingers touching surface).

Also, is it really a noticable improvement to pop open the cover and dampen the underside of this top plate? I definitely do not want to unbolt the xfrmrs or anything like that. I doubt I will even open it up. I have the dual brass plate version of Ref4.

I was thinking about using the cones on a block of oak or something similiar, but that piece of wood is supported by Vibrapods, and maybe some random brass weights for the top....

brass weights (1-2 pounds worth) -> TVC -> Tiptoes -> Wood -> Vibrapod -> main glass shelf.
Is this a bad idea?
Thanks

Early B. · « **Reply #2198 on:** 3 Oct 2007, 09:45 pm »

Quote from: dpac996 on 3 Oct 2007, 09:34 pm

I wish I had the time to read all the threads here and distill the info about BEST vibe reduction tactics...so I am looking for some techniques from those of you have tackled this problem.

I'm constantly tweaking my gear. With the TVC, I've tried several tactics -- maple platform, brass cones, wood, rubber, weight on top, ebony knob, etc. So far none of them have made any difference at all. I tried BHP and it deadened the sound, so I ripped it out. My TVC sits on a glass shelf, too.

GHM · « **Reply #2199 on:** 4 Oct 2007, 12:26 am »

My TVC also sits on glass. I have brass footers and myrtle wood blocks underneath the unit. Results must be system dependent. Because I haven't heard a bit of difference using footers. It sure looks cool though.