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Which TVC / AVC passive? What a tough choice...

70.231.240.135
Posted on November 6, 2009 at 11:50:16
Neuro
Audiophile

Posts: 625
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Joined: June 29, 2001
 For reference, my system's one source is a Marantz SA-11s2 with an output voltage of 5V via balanced output. And instead of typical amps, I have a Marchand XM44 active crossover downstream of the preamp, which has an input impedance of 30kΩ.

So here are the options on the table:


  • Music First Passive (copper) - the only TVC passive that currently uses the S&B TX102 transformer. Supposedly still a wonderful preamp, but it seems like S&B spawned lots lots of worthy competition when they stopped supplying the transformers to third parties.

  • Sonic Euphora PLC - a truly balanced AVC-based preamp. I've heard many good things about it, but I've seen some detractors as well.

  • Django TVC - Now using the Silk SQ transformers in either transformer or autoformer configuration. Not sure how these would compare to the original S&B

  • Promitheus Reference C-Core - uses Nick's C-Cores and has a somewhat cult-like following. But aesthetics are questionable, and I've heard of a few build quality and grounding issues.

  • Bent TAP-X (if I can find one!) - John Chapman's new AVC design. It seems like he really knows his stuff, but he stopped selling preamps earlier this year. :(

I've read the countless threads on this and am still debating. Just wanted to hear some opinions.

-- Nils

Update: Bent TAP-X, posted on November 14, 2009 at 17:19:41
Neuro
Audiophile

Posts: 625
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Joined: June 29, 2001
 I found a used fully balanced Bent TAP-X and went for it. Will report back.

silver rock heard? do!, posted on November 15, 2009 at 12:19:24
egidius
Audiophile

Posts: 8
Location: centre of europe, center of sound
Joined: May 28, 2009
 a friend of mine swears by it as the best ever :-) tvc, but as he is a widely traveled man, i do not dismiss it; and he has stuck to it for the last 15 years.
I am still active with a wonderful berning prototype for his new preamp, so no need to move here neither; i guess thats always a good sign.

the silver rock is made by audio consulting and beats them all, not least in price..

RE: Which TVC / AVC passive? What a tough choice..., posted on November 8, 2009 at 18:35:10
Chris K.
Audiophile

Posts: 86
Location: West Central Florida
Joined: August 15, 2001
 I have the Django TVC with the amorphous core. I can only compare it to my Adcom pre that I previously owned and say that it is far superior to it. My setup may be slightly diiferent in that between the Django and amp, I have a Musical Fidelity tube buffer. Since I've had this arrangement, I've not thought about replacing.

RE: Which TVC / AVC passive? What a tough choice..., posted on November 7, 2009 at 20:01:10
milpai
Audiophile

Posts: 350
Location: California
Joined: August 21, 2005
 Been very happy with my Promitheus Ref-C Core. Has a cult following for a reason. And if you are going to use the Balanced version...even better. Highly recommend the Promitheus.
Good luck in your search.

Can get even tougher, if you take into account the fact that..., posted on November 6, 2009 at 20:10:13
carcass93
Audiophile

Posts: 2634
Location: NJ
Joined: September 20, 2006
 ... resistor-based passives are viable option, too. For every person who liked Sonic Euphoria or Bent over Placette or Reference Line, you'll find one who holds the opposite opinion.

Have fun.

Go to the Intact Audio site..., posted on November 6, 2009 at 13:38:09
clio09
Audiophile

Posts: 1028
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Joined: January 29, 2006
 Look at the Slagle autoformers and Slagleman modules (these were designed with John Chapman). I have the latter in a single ended configuration that John Chapman stuck in an old Flex chassis. It sounds extremely good. Dave Slagle now offers to put these into a chassis. You'd have to inquire about balanced configuration though.

Alternately, you could buy the parts and send them to Jeffrey Jackson at Experience Music. Jeffrey does great work and can do a real nice chassis for you and configure everything for balanced operation (you will need 4 autoformers). This might seem a bit cumbersome, but you'll get a great product that looks really good to boot. Check out these links:

http://jeffreywjackson.com/products.htm

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1260899204&/Experience-Music--Inc-passive-

Seconded, posted on November 8, 2009 at 08:27:18
gordan
Audiophile

Posts: 419
Location: Belgrade SCG
Joined: July 9, 2005
 Dave Slagle AVC smashed MFA Copper in my system. As far as my taste is concerned, I yet have to hear a better passive preamp.

If we talk about zero gain preamps (not passive, strictly speaking as they use electricity) I really like how LDRs behave. Also a class or two above S&B based transformers. You can look at www.myth.rs
RE: Seconded, posted on November 8, 2009 at 09:09:23
clio09
Audiophile

Posts: 1028
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Joined: January 29, 2006
 I wonder what they are charging for the Myth Lightspeed. Seems to be based on the same design as George Stantschleff, but with a buffer and remote. I own an LDR George built for me and love it. Only negative is single input/single ouput. George belives this is best for sound.

Another option might be the Pass B1 buffer.

Myth, posted on November 8, 2009 at 16:41:54
gordan
Audiophile

Posts: 419
Location: Belgrade SCG
Joined: July 9, 2005
 I paid mine around 950 euros direct from a manufacturer almost a year ago. However there's a new version which is a major improvement and it costs more - 1200 euros. Hopefully there's some contact at www.myth.rs

I know the designer very well - he developed his design for longer than 3 years. I guess you are right that he started from the original George's design, however as he is a industrial electronic engineer specialized in microprocessing, he apparently found his own way how to perfectly control the LDRs as well as to tackle the most difficult issue - a channel imbalance. As you probably know, they can't be properly matched across the whole spectrum - the best that could be done with a tradional matching is to find these with the closest values at 2-3 frequencies.

I really don't know details of the design but the latest version I've heard (and upgrading mine to now, btw free of charge - a great customer care there) is dogs bollocks, really. For a long time I've believed you can't go any further than with the Music First TVCs. Than it was first Slagle AVC which was better and than Myth who killed it big time too. It's clear, super-transparent and it has a crazy drive and energy - 2-3 ohm output impedance can drive anything regardless of a source. I've used it both with First Watt F3 clone and now with a supa-dupa 10Y Loftin White SET and it rocks big time. Before it I've had Krell KAV-250p, Cary SLP-98L, Electrocompaniet EC4.7 Mk2, EAR 864B, Prometheus Ref 4, Music First Audio copper. Now I have Myth and Intact DIY AVC which I also like a lot for fantastic musicality however it's 1 input 1 output thing without a remote and I'm a lazy couch potato so there you go (Myth is remote controlled and has 5 inputs so no swapping).... Hope this helps

RE: Myth Preamp - Current Price, posted on November 9, 2009 at 13:02:43
passive chappy
Audiophile

Posts: 8
Joined: September 17, 2009
 Just got an email reply from the Myth guys about the current price of their preamp is and to confirm what Gordon said it is $1200 euro = 1798.85 USD + shipping to the states.

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