Κώστας Φ.
Truth hurts. Here's a teddy bear.
- Μηνύματα
- 8.978
- Reaction score
- 895
Απο το... Βιετνάμ, με αγάπη!
"When Dave Clark announced that Navison Audio was looking for a review on their monoblocks and pre-amp, I knew that I had never heard of them before. I decided to take a quick look at their website, which revealed that I might have come across a manufacturer with a serious potential but who is not yet known in the United States. Reading down the list of features and specifications, I made a note of the impressive list of components and looking at the pictures, I could tell that these amplifiers are exceptionally well built. But still …these components are manufactured in Vietnam; how well would they measure up to the more prominent North American, European, and Japanese components?
I then exchanged several emails with the company president Ben Nguyen. My eyebrows rose slightly when Ben explained that the NVS-211 monoblocks are $7900/pr and the SE-MK2 preamp is $4900. These were the pieces he intended to send for review …$7900/pr for amplification and $4900 for a preamp from Vietnam? My curiosity got the better of me and I immediately requested the samples.
...
I have had many single-ended tube amplifiers pass through my system over the years and I spent many enjoyable evenings with the 2A3, 300B, and the 845 types. But I have never had any close encounters with the 211 tube with the exception of the absolutely over-the-top pure silver Audio Note Gakuoh that retails for a hefty $250,000/pr. I had the pleasure of hearing the Gakuoh on two brief (unfortunately way too brief) occasions and it is a revelation at how differently it presents music from other state-of-the-art components. Very few audiophiles will be able to swing the price of an average home on a pair of amplifiers and I fantasized if the Navison NVS-211 could capture some of that same magic at a much more affordable price point.
Upon first turning on the system the sound had improved dramatically over the course of a week. Even though Ben claimed the components were sent to me were already broken-in, they obviously benefited greatly from additional break-in time. The sound quality also improves considerably each time the system is turned on after 20 – 30 minutes of warm up.
What struck me as quite astonishing is that the Navison monoblocks and pre-amp were absolutely dead quiet. It was simply impossible to tell if the system was on or off even if I put my ear right over the tweeter of one of the speakers. There is no hum, hiss, or low level buzzing sounds of any kind. The only indication that the amps were on was the soft glow of the GE 211 tubes. This obviously must indicate an outstanding execution and engineering of the power supply. I should also mention that this incredible silence was with the monoblocks and pre-amp connected directly to AC; I was not using a power conditioner of any kind.
As I started to seriously listen to the system, even before it had fully broken in, I realized that I was experiencing the absolute cutting edge of two-channel music reproduction. What I heard was absolute purity of tone, natural hall ambiance, extraordinary detail reproduction, and subtle instrumental resonances reproduced so realistically that it raised the hair on the back of my neck.
...
If I had to quantify it in numbers, subjectively I would be compelled to say that the Navison NVS-211 and SE-MK2 deliver about 90% of the musical performance of the Gakuoh audiophile wet dream. This is an extraordinary accomplishment at the $7900/pr and $4900 price point respectively.
I believe that the Navison NVS-211 and SE-MK2 represent an incredible value, outstanding engineering and innovation, and have the ability to transport a music lover to the original venue with amazing realism and intensity. It is without question in the company of a handful of components that can be referred to as the world's best. The Navison NVS-211s are by far the very best tube monoblocks I have ever had in my system and the SE-MK2 preamp further elevates their performance to redefine the boundaries of what is possible in reproduced music.
Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is
Thinking about that and the pleasure I had listening to these components I realized that I could simply not part with them. I told Ben that he is not going to get them back and that I will be sending him a check instead. While I continue to indulge myself, I highly recommend that you seek out a pair of the NVS-211s and the SE-MK2 and listen for yourself." -- Jim Olson
Full Review: positive-feedback.com
