NVA S80 Stereo Power Amplifier (for bi-amping tweeters)

S80
Amp arrived today, thank you. Could not wait to try, I did not know what to expect which makes the whole experience exciting. Not listened to any of my systems for about 2 week, but I do remember what the main system sounds like when last used. It was using a valve amp and it sounded really terrific. Well, the S80 amp was in place 5 mins after it arrived and boy, I'm in heaven. It does sound very natural and the mids - wow. There is a humongous smile on my face at this moment. Very enjoyable. It will now be left on forever. You do realise I have to go through my collection of vinyl and cd's all over again.

S80
After acquiring an old NVA P80 pre-amp and being astounded by its revealing nature, I decided to pair it up with an S80 as I'd never had a matched system. I was also fascinated by the NVA approach. So how does the S80 compare to my beloved quad and 30kg boutique tube amp? (which is clearly in another league sonically compared to the quad). Giving some time to allow the caps to form to spec before really paying attention I was pretty much blown away with the sound this little amp was making. I felt like all my other components had been upgraded, even my speakers seemed to be in a new league and had come to life. It gives what I can only describe as 'the magic' and the magic is only something I've experienced with tube amps only this was better, the sound is fuller but not bloated, detailed but never harsh or fatiguing. there is a better sense of realism, textures and spatiality... its easy to isolate individual instruments or vocals. Rhythm and timing are also exceptional. The 30 day home trial means you have nothing to lose if you're curious and customer service is brilliant, not to mention the fantastic finance options. I agree with the description that this may be all you ever need if you have sensitive speakers. I have various speakers, some hard to drive so I have made use of NVAs excellent upgrade path and now have an S150 soon to be upgraded to the S300. Highly recommend both company and product!

S80
I thought the P50 or even a direct connection via NVA SSP iii from my Dac to my class d monoblocks was special. The sound quality was good and I enjoyed the experience. However, a number of people on the HFS Subjectivist forum had suggested that class d can’t touch the performance of the current NVA power amps never mind their mono blocks. So when I was offered a chance to trial a S80 over 30 days I took the plunge. Rather sceptically I connected up thinking this better be good! Initially, as I had been warned, things were a little scratchy - that’s a technical term - so I kept the music flowing overnight with the P50 volume at zero to help burn in. Day two was an extended listening session with random music playing from my network player. Gradually things came together and the sound quality is now - day 12 - fantastic. I don’t use that word glibly, but detail, soundstage, vocals, bass, blackness, little details on well known tracks are all evident and even my wife has given the sound her seal of approval! Absolutely gobsmacked as the music has flowed everyday since purchase as I work my way through my extensive library - long may it last! I have no connection with NVA - I just enjoy listening far more than I used to, and I have been dabbling with hi fi for a long time. Both the P50 and the S80 are keepers! Thank you!

S80
The packaging and white glove were a nice touch- the amp is hidden deep in my system fed by P20, ssp mk2 and ls6 to the doc modded drivers in a large cube like enclosure. After a brief chat with Paul today and his enquiry about the A20 prompted me to dig deep for an honest response as honestly it’s has been fit & forget (and now this review from what I said). It’s amazing, never been happier with the music, the bass has especially become richer over time as it’s settled in and is now so musical- I remember being at Ants and listening to his ‘large’ full range and amazed at the delicate bass line / control from such large beasts- well I have that pleasant sensation in my own room- the bass is not forced and is proportionate to the type of music whether it’s AC/DC, Rag n Bone-man or London grammar. I did a back to back ‘test’ one evening with a audiophile friend (pre- Cv-19) and both agreed at that time the initial difference was the tonal richness from vocals- vocal image held the stage better- very positive evening. I love this little amp and honestly as it’s hidden it maybe out of sight but in reality it can’t be forgotten.

S150
I hadn’t appreciated how much bigger and heavier the S150 is compared to the S80, it’s built like a tank. I’ve just unboxed it and put it into the temporary setup I’m running, not bi-amped but just as a straight swap – what a difference, drums have more punch, notes decay for longer, it’s astounding. Looking forward to lots of fun going forward, wishing you and the team all the festive best.

S150
So I ordered and received the new kit and plugged it in earlier this week. I have Royd Minstrel Loudspeakers (a "new" addition which are a massive improvement over my previous EPOS M5s), LS3 cable (I think), and sources being a Rega Planar 6 , and an Onkyo 6130 network player plugged into a Rega DAC. My reaction in the first 10 minutes was that it sounded brighter than I was used to, harsh even. I thought I might have made a mistake. I went to make myself a coffee and let the amp warm up. After an hour or so I came back in. I sat down. I played various different tunes representing all the genres. The harshness I perceived was gone. The sound was fuller, beefier, with much more defined bass than my AP 30. There seemed was more space between the instruments. I felt connected more than I ever had before. I went to bed relieved that I had not made a mistake after all. Over the last week I can't stop listening. It seems to get better and better. I don't know how a couple of simple black boxes can set my spine tingling or make such a difference but they do. Words I would use to describe include transparency, space, engagement, attack, emotion. I am so happy I went with NVA again and am absolutely delighted with my purchase. One day I will tell my wife what the money was spent on...

S150
I recently purchased the above items which have replaced a JVC AX441 amp and Van Damme speaker cable. The source, a Project RS Box cdt, Calyx 192 dac running into NVA Cube 3 speakers. Firstly let me say I normally don't like to dissect the music and tend to listen to the music as a whole. I have listened to rock, jazz, female vocal and guitar oriented music and on everything the music has been detailed in a non fatiguing way. Small details at the back of the mix seem more prominent, this was very evident on Acoustic Alchemy - Back on the Case, with tiny percussion strikes being heard far more clearly. Vocals on Mary Black - Babes in the Wood were so expressive and the piano on the title track really sounding like a piano. Listening to Yes - Keys to Ascension, on Awaken, Steve Howe's guitar although forward in the mix just came through clearer than I remember, this track is possibly my favourite Yes song but made far more enjoyable now. To finish, the best way I can describe how this system sounds, the music just flows.

S150
I thought it was about time I gave my impressions of the NVA kit I have. I bought the NVA Phono1 first, which started me on this great journey. Next came the NVA P50sa and NVA A60 Mk2, before these I had used amps from Naim, Arcam and Primare, nothing comes close to touching the N.V.A kit for all round musicality, it just seems sooooo right. I then upgraded the speaker cable from Chord Epic to NVA LS3 which was a step up in sound quality, I also changed all my interconnect cables to SSC which made a really big difference to the quality of sound and the size of the sound stage. 

S300
When I made the step up to the S300 amp after first treading down the NVA path with the starter bundle, I couldn’t quite bring myself to part with the little S80 amp even though I had no immediate use for it. Well, the NVA blog on bi-amping soon changed that. Turns out there was an avenue I’d not considered travelling before - and that keeping the S80 had been an unintentionally inspired move. Using LS5 to connect the S300 to the woofers and LS3 to link the S80 to the tweeters has transformed my Rega RS5 speakers. I’d expected a subtle lift in performance but the difference has verged on the transformative. The bass has gained several layers of depth and presence, while the treble is revealing details I’d simply not heard before in much-loved recordings. Both amps were superb on their own terms - but working in tandem takes them both to another level entirely.

S300
It all started when the curiosity to try something new combined with the temptation presented by the P50/S80 starter system. I owed it to myself, I thought, to give it a try. And hey, I could always get my money back if it wasn’t a serious improvement on the old amplifier. Little did I know what a revelation those two acrylic boxes would be. An order for the Phono 1 followed pretty soon - I needed to hear what I’d been missing from the vinyl collection. A lot, it turned out. I was happy. But the thought started to grow - if the S80 sounded so good, what would the S300 be like? No, I couldn’t - the extra power would be overkill. But the seed had been planted. I needed to know so succumbed to curiosity again and placed the order. It arrived. Blimey, weighs a ton. What does it sound like? The S80 but so much more. More weight, more heft, more presence, more detail. What a fantastic amplifier. I’m very happy once again.

NVA sells, and ships, direct to users. This saves you around 40% compared to buying through a dealer. We are so confident in the quality of our products and designs that we offer a 30 day no quibble returns policy. Listen to NVA in your own system, in your own room (by far the best way to judge any item) for up to 30 days. If you’re not delighted, return it to us for a refund.

How it Works

First, you purchase the item(s). Once your order is delivered, the 30 day trial begins. To return the item(s) within that 30-day period, contact us by email. We will provide you with a return authorisation number (RMA). You then return the item(s) to us by your choice of courier. Once we've received your return, you will receive a refund within 7 to 10 days.

Terms

The returned item(s) must be in the same condition that you received them in. If there are signs of user-related damage or missing accessories, then we may deduct a portion of the refund.

Shipping costs are not refundable.

For full details, please see our Returns Policy