Looks really good Al.

Should keep you happy for the few years !! 👍

Congrats Al, beautiful new addition.

 

What improvements are you expecting from the old gear to this one?

6 minutes ago, Martykt said:

Looks really good Al.

Should keep you happy for the few years !! 👍

thank you Marty, its a stunner in looks department  definitely should keep me happy for quite a while i suspect 🙂

 

6 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

Congrats Al, beautiful new addition.

 

What improvements are you expecting from the old gear to this one?

 

thank you Kaynin... so far in listening this seems like in a different class in sound. noise floor, heft, more enveloping sound stage... more subtlety and delicacy to details. liking what ma hearing with few sample discs have plugged through ...but early days ...plenty to check out and have to give this time to run in ... 

 

in mean time been also playing with display modes and the illumination modes  been a bit of fun ! hehe 

 

it warms up with the valves illuminated 

 

 

and even has a fully rice mode  when warmed up... 

 

 

but no wont be running this way ... can turn all that off... and fortunately can also have a full lights out for home theatre ... and  even has VU mode  

 

 

13 hours ago, betty boop said:

 

 

Just look at it.

What a beauty!

 

I bet it has its own gravity well.

Edited May 9, 2025May 9 by Steever

14 hours ago, betty boop said:

and we are go ...no i didnt get it for home theatre .. just making sure that mode is hooked up and working to integrate in with the av side 🙂  this is one literal beast ! 😍

 

Congratulations Al .

3 hours ago, Steever said:

Just look at it.

What a beauty!

 

I bet it has its own gravity well.

thank you Steever, quite a beauty indeed and yet a beast as well  i had to look up gravity well... yep its got pull  and has me in orbit around it right now 🙂 

 

2 hours ago, Roberts said:

Congratulations Al .

thank you Robert 🙂 

Edited May 9, 2025May 9 by betty boop

36 minutes ago, betty boop said:

thank you Steever, quite a beauty indeed and yet a beast as well  i had to look up gravity well... yep its got pull  and has me in orbit around it right now 🙂 

 

thank you Robert 🙂 

So, are you going to watch Beauty and the Beast on your PJ to compliment the new toy?

20 hours ago, betty boop said:

it warms up with the valves illuminated 

Sorry Al but still not the same as real tube illumination, only problem with those nuvisters.... 😁

Your “downsizing” always has a kicker Al! How much aluminium was sacrificed to machine that beauty! Must weigh

a tonne!

 

Plus LEDs, plus VU metres, she’s a thing of beauty to be sure!

 

Some things should always be silver and that would be one of them!

 

enjoy 👍🏼🎶

3 hours ago, vinilink said:

So, are you going to watch Beauty and the Beast on your PJ to compliment the new toy?

Will have to now !  

 

The nuvista as a pure 2ch analog piece though will go into “htbypass” bypassing itself from the home theatre experience though hehe … while we watch movies …so will find other ways to enjoy  been purely cd so far … will get onto vinyl next and do some streaming upto it at some stage …just savouring … no rush 

 

it’s an interesting piece can just keep cranking it  

Edited May 9, 2025May 9 by betty boop

43 minutes ago, Martykt said:

Sorry Al but still not the same as real tube illumination, only problem with those nuvisters.... 😁

 

 

 

yep no glass so no visible illumination  here just ceramic base and metal casing so can’t see the “rca dark heater” inside …

 

 

 

 

https://hackaday.com/2021/07/21/retrotechtacular-nuvistor-vacuums-last-gasp/

 

Supposedly highly resistant to nuclear radiation  so the music might still be playing even if we are nuked by the Chinese and we are all gone hehe  

46 minutes ago, Hi-Fi Whipped said:

Your “downsizing” always has a kicker Al! How much aluminium was sacrificed to machine that beauty! Must weigh

a tonne!

family has taken it as a very fair swap … and me doing the honourable  thing   😇lowering box count and all … all very noble    
 

am sure a good portion of a shot down mig or is it quite a few vb cans were melted down to form this thing hehe

 

its a bit like a big Bryston I once checked out where the entire casing is from aluminium and forms the heatsink and faraday cage … takes on a lovely warmth as warms up … hope the cats don’t discover it in winter … now their bum warmer in my previous 2ch power amp has been taken away hehe

 

 

while clocking up the hours in checking out music...last night thought to see what like integrating in with the movie/av side of things. 

 

I should make correction to what i said earlier.. while it bypasses the pre stage on this amp for av.. it is hence using its power stage to power my mains (focal sopra 3)

19 hours ago, betty boop said:

The nuvista as a pure 2ch analog piece though will go into “htbypass” bypassing itself from the home theatre experience though hehe … while we watch movies …so will find other ways to enjoy  been purely cd so far … will get onto vinyl next and do some streaming upto it at some stage …just savouring … no rush 

thought to check out Atomic blonde ..one of my all time favourite movies ... its audio is mind blowing dts-x reference quality and pumping with 1980s hit music. the nuvista seems to integrate pretty seamlessly into this ...lovely punch and dynamics, details and doing a lovely job driving the Sopras... while started out just checking out the movie .. ended up watching all way through  

 

Charlize is a definite central star ...

 

 

i have a cd of the original music soundtracks and it's quite a collection of music from 80s ! will have to check that out soon ! 

 

awesome to hear enjoying your new toy Betty. I have the vinyl to Atomic Blonde which is awesome. Bought it at the SNA show 2-3 years back. I also downloaded the MP3 for car listening and it was on very high rotation for over 12 months! The download also has German and English versions of 99 LuftBalloons.

8 hours ago, blybo said:

awesome to hear enjoying your new toy Betty. I have the vinyl to Atomic Blonde which is awesome. Bought it at the SNA show 2-3 years back. I also downloaded the MP3 for car listening and it was on very high rotation for over 12 months! The download also has German and English versions of 99 LuftBalloons.

thank you blybo.... definitely enjoying ....oh wow didnt realise there was a vinyl.. that would indeed be quite the treat.. you are so lucky to have that.. not sure even in print anymore ... i only have the humble CD...

 

 

and been listening to that over weekend 🙂 gosh it is an amazing sound ! how good are these tracks... the first 3 just drag you in ... david bowie just bellows out on track one ...Peter schillings track to follow in Major Tom just flows .... love the rhythm and atmosphere of this track and Health blu Monday just seems to project from the speakers ! really something to be enveloped in ! just gorgeous music.. 

 

i was doing some reading and on top of the 16 tracks on the cd... apparently there are 36 tracks all up used in film and promotion... love Nena's 99 luftbaloons...didnt realise there was even slow and fast renditions... 

 

17. As Time Goes By - Dooley Wilson
18. Atomic - Blondie
19. I Ran (epic trailer version) - Hidden Citizens
20. Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
21. One Thing Leads To Another - The Fixx
22. Black Skinhead - Kayne West
23. Kack Zukunft - Ausschlag
24. Song 2 - Blur
25. Killer Queen - Queen
26. Moonage Daydream - David Bowie
27. Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode
28. Under Pressure - David Bowie
29. Hey Bulldog - The Beatles
30. Behind The Wheel - Depeche Mode
31. The Killing Moon - Echo And The Bunnymen
32. Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
33. Just Like Heaven - The Cure
34. Blue Monday '88 - New Order
35. Fight The Power - Public Enemy
36. Poison - Alice Cooper

 

will explore apple music for above.. 

 

ps i posted the picture of the remote that comes with this amp above .... goodness now that could be a useful weapon if ever have a home invasion one solid block of a thing  

 

for anyone wondering,  i havent got to vinyl as yet with this amp... holding best for last ? should get there this weekend am thinking  ... really in mean time just giving it time to run in 🙂 and its been coming along nicely... really opening up.. i am a bit swept of feet with clarity of this ..its rendition of top end and  way does vocals and bass .... and it seems like you can just crank it and crank it ...effortless and as though limitless in nature...

Congratulations Al, a magical piece. I had the 600 a number of years ago, the 800.2 in silver looks absolutely incredible, much nice than black IMO.

 

 

cheers,

Frank.

 

 

11 hours ago, maximus said:

Congratulations Al, a magical piece. I had the 600 a number of years ago, the 800.2 in silver looks absolutely incredible, much nice than black IMO.

 

 

cheers,

Frank.

 

 

thank you Frank ! It’s a lovely thing for sure.   Both in sound and looks !  Wow I didn’t realise you were a 600 owner at some stage … they were a wonderful piece. When I traded my pre pwr for 800.2 I saw there was a 600 also being traded though not sure for what … I see Mf have announced a 600.2 am sure that will be a very popular thing with a lot of the 800.2 goodness at much lower price point 🙂 

Edited May 13, 2025May 13 by betty boop

cold wet and miserable ... the melbourne weather that is   and best way to counter that is with a bit of hifi... 

 

this afternoon enjoying some vinyl with pet shop boys discography which is their compete hits 1985-1991 on very clean clear blue vinyl ! 

 

 

and sounding fantastic via the arc ph9 phono stage and musical fidelity nuvista 800.2 feeding the focal sopra 3 for delivery ... this is working really well as a combo...

 

 

been enjoying across a few sources...CD/SACD via the KI ruby marantz, which is just superb, loving it as a match up with the system. have had a few disc players through system over the years and this so far is THE best match ive had for the system ....

 

the eversolo a8...have been playing with its internal dac vs adding the old kora hermes 2 valve dac into the mix...the ever solo is clean punchy though a touch light in its sound.. the hermes dac added on the end is probably more balanced to my taste though gosh the hermes is a fussy thing to get fired up and lock onto its signal - dont remember this with the bluesound ?  so tending to alternate between just eversolo internal vs when can be bothered firing up and locking the dac onto its back end  ...might have to pull out the focal arche (micro mega) have tucked away to see how that goes with the eversolo instead... 

 

 

How do you think the Eversolo compares to the bluesound and other brands you've owned?

1 hour ago, gbb said:

How do you think the Eversolo compares to the bluesound and other brands you've owned?

hi gbb havent compared to the bluesound ... but what have heard of the eversolo so far it is very good. in user interface and also result can achieve in sound. particularly with likes of apple music where you can basically log into apple from the device and natively play music off your library .. its radio stations etc and all lossless.... the bluesound just cant do this .. neither can most streamers ..

 

i'll definitely get a chance to compare at some stage... at this point am liking the eversolo on its self as streaming goes..will add the focal arche dac in the mix and report back. 

Edited June 9, 2025Jun 9 by betty boop

hmmm thanks to @blybo making me aware there was a vinyl version look what turned up ... 

 

the CD is so well done... i cant wait to check out the vinyl.. and my now this could be an interesting comparison ! 

 

 

 

 

Al

And for the trifecta, on your lovely screen, if you haven't got it already.😎

 

Atomic Blonde (4K Uhd)

Format: Blu-ray

4.6 out of 5 stars    5,363 ratings

$36.76

 

https://www.amazon.com.au/Atomic-Blonde-Charlize-Theron/dp/B0743SJ6BH/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_1/357-6939125-6736843?pd_rd_w=s2lzV&content-id=amzn1.sym.7ef4c059-30c9-4984-b131-e38134d0b653&pf_rd_p=7ef4c059-30c9-4984-b131-e38134d0b653&pf_rd_r=4TJRVA1ABRR21G1KDJBJ&pd_rd_wg=wETo2&pd_rd_r=73b46442-c3b1-4050-9438-d31e80dd5462&pd_rd_i=B0743SJ6BH&psc=1

 

 

Edited June 11, 2025Jun 11 by Bass13

6 hours ago, Bass13 said:

Al

And for the trifecta, on your lovely screen, if you haven't got it already.😎

 

Atomic Blonde (4K Uhd)

Format: Blu-ray

4.6 out of 5 stars    5,363 ratings

$36.76

 

https://www.amazon.com.au/Atomic-Blonde-Charlize-Theron/dp/B0743SJ6BH/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_1/357-6939125-6736843?pd_rd_w=s2lzV&content-id=amzn1.sym.7ef4c059-30c9-4984-b131-e38134d0b653&pf_rd_p=7ef4c059-30c9-4984-b131-e38134d0b653&pf_rd_r=4TJRVA1ABRR21G1KDJBJ&pd_rd_wg=wETo2&pd_rd_r=73b46442-c3b1-4050-9438-d31e80dd5462&pd_rd_i=B0743SJ6BH&psc=1

 

 

 

 

 

oh its a fantastic disc @Bass13, what got me on the hunt of the sound tracks  

 

i did get around to compare track 1 off both vinyl.. which by the way is LOVELY ! and the cd... ooooh now that is a very hard call to make.. as ot which i prefer or is better ...

 

I think i will leave to the chance can get some folks over and we can check out between the two 🙂 we could also chuck streaming version in the mix too if folks want to see how that compares  off the ever solo ... 

with the new addition of the nintendo switch 2 ... the cat is the one most taken by it ..

 

he is so interested in the goings on, i think he wants to be in the game ..in and part of Zelda's world  

 

quite hilarious  

 

On 13/06/2025 at 9:13 PM, betty boop said:

the cat is the one most taken by it ..

 

You may keep the cat...

But I still want your centre speaker😉