NVA P90 Passive Pre-amp with Built in Phono Stage

[white-socks]

Just would like to hear what your views are on the NVA P90 Passive Pre-amp.

I am thinking about giving this preamp a try. And the good thing you will get your money back if you are not completely satisfied with the NVA preamp.

Anyway, my system is a NAD C272 poweramp driving my beautiful rare TDL Studio 0.75M (special John Wright releases)

Turntable is a Thorens TD160B MK2. With RB250/Denon DL110.

Cables are Nordost Red Dawns RCA, I use 2 of them.


Thanks

 

[Shuggie]

I would ask Richard Dunn of NVA whether the combination is likely to work well, as the performance of a passive pre depends very much on the input impedance of the power amp.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

IME passives are very hit n' miss. As mentioned above they require sympathetic matching to power amps. Get it wrong and the sound is thin, clinical and lacking in drive.
On a personal level i'd take a good active pre-amp every time.

 

[bottleneck]

a friend of mine is about to release a TVC based passive pre-amp, but with a tube buffer stage. Early impressions are very promising - it certainly has more juice than regular TVC based passives, of which I'm not the greatest fan.

I'd choose a TVC over a resistor based passive however.

 

[RobHolt]

IME passives are very hit n' miss. As mentioned above they require sympathetic matching to power amps. Get it wrong and the sound is thin, clinical and lacking in drive.
On a personal level i'd take a good active pre-amp every time.

Seconded.
Give it a try though if you have a refund guarantee.

Alternatively, order a 20k logarithmic potentiometer from RS or Maplin and solder it between a couple of short low capacitance RCA cables. The pot will cost you £2 and allow you to try the idea before buying something which looks nicer and is more functional.

IIRC you have a lovely CJ pre amp and I think you'd be bonkers to change IMO.


<edit>

The NAD has a variable input so you effectively already have a passive 'pre' built in.
Check the manual to be sure that the control will allow adjustment from zero to maximum volume and isn't just a trimmer, then connect your CD/DAC/Phono stage to the variable input sockets as shown below (set the control to minimum first). See how the sound compares to routing via the CJ.

 

[white-socks]

I asked Mr Dunn a question, if the NAD will be fine with the NVA. He got back and said, the NAD will work very well with the P90.

He also said with in 30 days I'll get my money back. If i'm not happy with the P90.

Thanks for all your prompt replys.