[Review] Promitheus Passive Tvc Amp From Malaya

Promitheus Passive Tvc Amp From Malaya

Just had to try one of these as the price is such a bargain. I received balanced version of this transformer passive pre today and straight out of the box it was very impressive indeed - infact a startlingly close rival to my resident passive tvc which cost a lot more money and I mean A LOT more money. I intend to burn it in and report as promised in another thread - but at the moment this is astonishing kit. Thanks Nicholas!

 

Larkrise

that's great to hear as my balanced version should be in transit as I write.

Which other forum are you going to post your review on?

Ian

 

So Lawrence, in essence your saying this cheap asia copy is so far almost as good as the £2.5K music first unit?
Thats good news for all those passive fans out there I feel

 

£2.5k Tony?

 

I thought the silver one was more!

 

I want to burn it in and swap back a few times against the First Music £1500 btw- but lets just say I sat there thinking - hang on there's no deterioration, nothing inferior in the sound, infact maybe even more detail - in short certainly no disappointment whatsoever. Hmm maybe (irony here) markups are involved but the principles of tvc are pretty universal. Anyhow - will get back. Good news - I should say that was a huge understatement.

 

Yes Murray I believe the silver one is £2.7K.
How much was your example then Lawrence?

 

Not to be too padantic but are we comparing like with like here? The MF TVC uses S&B transformers and Promitheus Passive doesn't.

 

This is true re different transformers - and there is a difference in the sound but not in the quality - mind you this has been only after a few blasts. I do know that the Bent and the First Music are reckoned to sound identical but they use same transformers. I'm also told that the USA Sonic Euphoria which uses autoformers is very close in quality but different in sound. Anyhow - all in all I mean for goodness sake this unit is a little over £150, to my mind that is really amazing. The box is a bit like a cigar box and once I have resisted the temptation to reach in and see if there's a Havana in there think I could live with it - maybe even in a better box - but hy the thing works and works incredibly well. Once i had burnt in the First Music it was much better and I understand this is the same for the promitheus. BTW I have no Malaysian relatives ;-) For passive fans this has to be a stop. Rest of system in case you are curious what this is teamed with: Audio Synthesis Transcend with ASL through DAX Discrete ASL - Desire Decade power amp, Martin Logan Ascents and Townshend super tweeters, Goertz cable - so reasonable gear in which to drop a cigar box I feel!

 

That's great. Keep us informed.

 

Maybe they don't ring as much!

 

Well I am aboard the good ship Promitheus as well. With 60hrs on the clock, it has thus far aquited itself well. Great little unit, couldn't imagine better value for money. The funny thing is, I stumbled across it while scouring the web for a case and switches to build my TVC pre with the S&B trannies from the ZG group-buy. Not only is the Promitheus TVC cheaper than the two S&B's it was also cheaper than most of the combination of switches and cases I found!

Dev, if you fancy a piece of this ear-candy, I am sure we could arrange something. I am slumming not too far away in East Ham.

Tony, I do not know to what degree your comment was tounge and cheek, but is this really a copy of an established design?, it certainly is Asian and most certainly, cheap!

 

Hi Riverdog, I'd love to hear it. We are practically neighbours. Send me a PM when you want to meet.

 

Hi RD,
No I was being serious for once.
I find the tvc lacking and plain wrong to me. (but then I'm odd!) However it certainly has a following for sure, and if you can get a damn near the same result for one tenth the price, then too bloody right go for it. The comment was purely if it works for this price, then grab it!!!
Perhaps a group buy of these as well would allow the people that wanted one but felt 1500 sheets was a little too much, then 150+ shipping for neigh on the same performance got to be a no brainer !!!

 

Surprise - the price INCLUDES shipping!

 

RD,

Not at all sir, I'm afraid my posts can be read in many ways
Hence misunderstanding some times (problem that arises from with living amoungst hunans for so long )
There is nothing in your post that would I would deem 'iffy' sir!
I'm merely curious here, as we have tried all the TVC style variants and just can't get aquire a satisfactory sound to eminate from them, plus the price is a issue we feel.
If this unit can genuiely approach the performance of the music first et al, then its a true bargin and let a lot more folks sample the style. Which as got to be a good thing.
Perhaps a bake off/shoot out comparing a few of them may prove benefical? T.

 

yes would be interesting to know what preamp you've tested it against.

i understand the enthusiasm, however there is still so much of subtle marketing through different forums and user groups that it makes me really cautious whenever i read "giant killer" or whatsoever.

it would be great to have a bunch of ZG-ers on board just to let different ears decide as we obviously come into a zone of 2 big questions - a) do TVCs really deliver (i haven't heard any so i won't comment) b) can 340$ box steam over 1500 UKP device once named the last preamp you'll ever need.

 

I think a couple of issues - whether tvc passive deliver - well I think we've had that discussion at length here before - inmho they do and very well, better detail, nicer sound and so on; however main reason for my posting was to alert others to the fact there's a very economic and superb sounding pre out there. It's still burning in so I want to see what i think after a burn in and a few stwitch backs to the First Music - which is superb btw and certainly better build than the promitheus but then it was £1500 and the promitheus £160.


There's one active pre I've been tempted to try if anyone else has experience and that's the Shindo Monbrison - anyone? BTW definitely no subtle marketing here - it's just my hobby! (Just - indeed!)

 

No, but I'm hoping to get my hands on a Shindo Aurièges on demo sometime over xmas or the new year.