Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Promitheus Audio TVC Signature Preamplifier (SS) by foomh@simedarby.com

Model:	TVC Signature
Category:	Preamplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$2200
Description:	Transformer volume control
Manufacturer URL:	Promitheus Audio

Review by foomh@simedarby.com on October 18, 2008 at 00:48:49
IP Address: 60.54.28.25 Add Your Review
for the TVC Signature

A review of a product that is not the usual norm is not easy as the reference points are not the same. The Promitheus TVC Signature is not featured yet in the manufacturer's website and appear to be available to those who has dealt with the Promitheus owner previously. Why so I am not sure but I would strongly encourage Nicholas to update his site so that more people can understand what his signature product is all about.

Anyway my journey to being an owner of the Signatures started when I bought a basic TVC from Nicholas. This is based on the buzz on the net about how good TVCs are from the sonic transparent point of view. As an audiophile who values this quality more than most others I bought a product that has really fairly little brand equity, has been in existence for just a short time and made in Malaysia, which is hardly known for being on the cutting edge of such hifi products. Anyway the price of course reflected all these negatives. It took just ONE hour with the new toy for me to pick up the phone to call Nicholas , I think it was about 10pm, to ask whether I can return the TVC. Of course the natural reaction of Nick was "whats wrong". I dispelled his fears by asking to buy his TVC reference mono blocks and returning the basic unit. Now thats when he suggested for me to buy his Signature at double the price of his reference.

After a brief exchange of emails in which he detailed what is his Signature and a sit down session with him, I ordered the Signature TVC.
Now what is the Signature? It is still a TVC but now it is a double C-core configuration with silver wiring for the switching and swiss made switches. Construction of course will be in mono block style and casing in typical wooden casing of Promitheus. The top and bottom are copper plates which are kind of coated with an anti corrosion material but overall very attractive and different. There is a bit more technical information given by Nicholas but in short he is applying essentially the limits of what is possible for a TVC.

How does it sound? My preamp up till then was an Audible Illusions M3A and I need hardly go into that preamp's reputation etc. The Signature TVC clearly was better in most areas, perhaps all areas. Let me elaborate in the order I think reflect the Signature's key sonic signatures:
Clarity: Every detail and nuance of the music and singers' voicing is now much better set out in the overall sonic picture.
Tone: Tonal colour is now absolutely true to the original tones of the instruments. In particular comparison with live piano played by my daughter and guitar as well showed very clearly the trueness of the tonal aspects.
Pace and Rythem: My view on this is that quite often the perceived difference between live and recorded music is in the way pace and rythem are conveyed. To my ears and brain, the Signature TVC does this better than most active preamps. The wholeness of the music must seem "right " to the brain when one starts the sub conscious comparison to previously experienced live music. Hifi is the search for such realism in the reproduced music but sadly many components fail to come even close.
Analogueness: In nature all music is analogue as all sounds comes from either striking something, moving air thru windpipes including ours etc. CDs somehow added a digital glare when sound signals are captured in datastream form. Thru the Signature TVC, somehow this digital glare is gone or at least so minimal that it is not noticeable! Does this mean warm sound ? No at least not the tubey type of warmth. But music now seems so much more easily absorbed into our part of the brain that receives music signals as stimili for pleasure.

I have not touched on all the usual audiophile things like break in time, enough gain or power , separation etc. I think with all the truthful musical elements in the reproduced sound, somehow these don't matter so much. I now just move to the music both bodily and spiritually.
Having said all that, there will be partnering equipment that might be difficult with the TVC concept. It is not difficult to find out but Nicholas is extremely helpful on this aspect and all it needs is an email.

I am delighted to be having the Signature TVC from Promitheus Audio. At the price of USD 2200 it is not the usual pricing level that Nicholas charges but having started with the basic TVC albeit for just a few hours, I can imagine one of Nicholas TVC models will suit your budget. For those who want the best the Signature is the one. No more Krells, Mark Levinson etc for me as far as pre amps are concerned, I have the best in the Promitheus Signature TVC

Additional comments:
I have had the pleasure of meeting Nicholas in person on many occasions to discuss hifi especially of course while waiting for delivery. Nicholas is very passionate about his hobby turned into a business. The much discussed waiting period on the net is really unavoidable as it is always very high risk for a new start up business to gear up manpower only to find business does not actually sustains. Nicholas is trying to juggle carefully his business so that his customers although have to wait but at least would know he will be around and build his brand further. I hope that one day Promitheus will one day be seen to be the likes of Quad etc who were pioneers. Nicholas knows tone very well, as he speaks of such venerable products such as Garrard, 300b tubes, SP10mk2s etc. And all this from a person still in his youth. I am a Malaysian and I am delighted that in my country there is a hifi producer of such promise.

Product Weakness:	None
Product Strengths:	As close to natural sound as can be

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Mcintosh Mc402
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Promtiheus Signature TVC
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Marantz SA11S1, Technics Sp10 mk2, Linn LP12
Speakers: Magneplanar 3.6
Cables/Interconnects: Promitheus silver cables, Acoustic Zen satori
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, vocals, piano, guitar
Room Size (LxWxH): 35ft x 20ft x 15ft
Room Comments/Treatments: none
Time Period/Length of Audition: 100 hrs listening
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Powerware regenerator
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Mcintosh Mc402
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Promtiheus Signature TVC
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Marantz SA11S1, Technics Sp10 mk2, Linn LP12
Speakers:	Magneplanar 3.6
Cables/Interconnects:	Promitheus silver cables, Acoustic Zen satori
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, vocals, piano, guitar
Room Size (LxWxH):	35ft x 20ft x 15ft
Room Comments/Treatments:	none
Time Period/Length of Audition:	100 hrs listening
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Powerware regenerator
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner