Stereophile (Fremer's) Review of Musical Fidelity;s Nu-Vista 800 Integrated Amp....

Diddi said:
Hi new to AS.
This thread sparked a thought on mine. I own the 800 and spent a long time demoing before buying. I tried the MF M8, naim, audio research, devialet but settled on the MF as it felt the best match with my focal 1028. Warmer and full bodied sound.
However the new amp I received has never quite met the same levels as the demo version I had. It felt a little flatter, thinnee and less involvingif that makes sense. Still good but not as I remember. I put it down to the fact that my "great" wife changed from carpet to wood flooring in between but this has got me wondering lol...
By the way are you guys running them with or without spiked feet? Any difference? I know I could try it but it it is a big amp and I'm not as mobile as I used to be lol
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Hi Diddi, welcome! That's an interesting observation. Had you auditioned it (and the other amps you mentioned) previously in your system or elsewhere? If not in your system, it could just be the difference related to the difference between your system and demo system--or your floors :). As you may have read, I own one and love it. Not using the spiked feet right now.
 
I was also going to point out if you demoed it at a dealer (even if dealer had same speaker - Focal 1028), the difference in what you're hearing is likely differences in set-ups including speaker placement, ancillary equipment, cabling and maybe even power conditioning. Have you played around with speaker placement? Also is the NuVista 800 fully broken in?
 
All the demos were done at home. I am 99% sure it is the flooring but the comments here did make me wonder.
 
kiwi_1282001 said:
Hello Diddi, Welcome to AS. I have three suggestions for you. First, unplug and replug all system cables. Second do you own XLO (or similar) test and burn in CD or digital files? If so I recommend the Demagnetizing Sweep and Fade Technical tracks. Another option is to run the degauss tracks on the Nordost System Set Up & Tuning Disc. Finally, I echo Arsh's comment - a rug between the speakers and the listening position is a good idea.

I have a NuVista 800 with me at the moment and just finished A short review of it. Great product!
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It's gratifying to read these threads on the NuVista and Ralph's review. When I bought mine, aside from some comments from Mike here on AS, the only review out there was Ken Kessler's in HFNRR. I bought it on faith because I had loved my MF KW 500 and wanted "similar but better." I have loved the NuVista since I got it, but until recently there was not much talk about it. I wasn't sure if that was an indication that more sophisticated ears than mine were unimpressed, or just that MF have not marketed it aggressively in the US. Anyhow, seeing that those of you with more diverse hi-end amp experience than mine have similar impressions as I do is nice. I admit to having been a MF amp devotee over the last 13 years or so, going from A3.2 to A308, to KW500, which I had for 10 years. I have liked their character in my systems, but the NuVista 800 is far beyond any of those, and in my more recent comparative listening, better than significantly more expensive separates. Sorry for being so verbose here!
 
Arsh...you're not verbose at all. As I mentioned in a comment replying to Ralph's review of the NuVista 800, my only experience with MF came 9 years ago when I bought my first high-end audio set up which was an A5 integrated amp and CD player mates to my current speakers, Thiel 2.4s. After a year, I found that combination to be a bit strident up top in the treble region and the staging while good laterally (left to right spread well beyond speakers), depth in soundstage was lacking. It sounds like the NuVista at 5X what the A5 cost back then ($2.5K) is a whole different ball game and sounds like it punches well above its weight. So congrats on a great amp.
 
cmalak said:
Arsh...you're not verbose at all. As I mentioned in a comment replying to Ralph's review of the NuVista 800, my only experience with MF came 9 years ago when I bought my first high-end audio set up which was an A5 integrated amp and CD player mates to my current speakers, Thiel 2.4s. After a year, I found that combination to be a bit strident up top in the treble region and the staging while good laterally (left to right spread well beyond speakers), depth in soundstage was lacking. It sounds like the NuVista at 5X what the A5 cost back then ($2.5K) is a whole different ball game and sounds like it punches well above its weight. So congrats on a great amp.
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Thanks Cyril. Much appreciated.
 
Arsh said:
Thanks Cyril. Much appreciated.
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Arsh...my prior post was made from my cell phone so I could not see your signature line. I see you are driving a pair of Wilson Sashas (mk I) which still has the inverted titanium dome tweeter from Focal, which some folks have found to be a bit bright on top too (those folks seem to prefer the solk dome tweeter in the mk II). So the fact that the Nuvista-Sasha combo is not strident up top speaks to the neutrality of both pieces of gear. Glad the Nuvista 800 has brought you new found pleasure in your listening sessions. That's what's it all about :thumbsup: It's funny you mentioned living with the KW500 for 10 years and I remember when I was looking to switch from the A5 integrated, I asked my dealer if the jump to the KW500 would tame the top end a bit because if I remember correctly the KW500 also had a military spec tube in there (similar in size to NuVista also wired in directly into the circuit so no tube rolling was possible) but he didn't have one on hand and I had listed to the ARC stuff and got bitten but I always wondered about the KW500. Sounds like that was a nice piece too. It had the separate power supply chassis I remember which was half the width of the control unit.
 
cmalak said:
Arsh...my prior post was made from my cell phone so I could not see your signature line. I see you are driving a pair of Wilson Sashas (mk I) which still has the inverted titanium dome tweeter from Focal, which some folks have found to be a bit bright on top too (those folks seem to prefer the solk dome tweeter in the mk II). So the fact that the Nuvista-Sasha combo is not strident up top speaks to the neutrality of both pieces of gear. Glad the Nuvista 800 has brought you new found pleasure in your listening sessions. That's what's it all about :thumbsup: It's funny you mentioned living with the KW500 for 10 years and I remember when I was looking to switch from the A5 integrated, I asked my dealer if the jump to the KW500 would tame the top end a bit because if I remember correctly the KW500 also had a military spec tube in there (similar in size to NuVista also wired in directly into the circuit so no tube rolling was possible) but he didn't have one on hand and I had listed to the ARC stuff and got bitten but I always wondered about the KW500. Sounds like that was a nice piece too. It had the separate power supply chassis I remember which was half the width of the control unit.
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Hi Cyril,

You are correct, I have Sasha 1s. There is absolutely no shrill, strident, etc. sound with the NuVista/Sasha combo. It's very smooth and refined.

As for the KW500, I still have mine. I'm keeping it for a second system (eventually). You are right that it has mil-spec tubes that you cannot roll, and separate power supply. It is a great amp! Also not shrill on top. I started to get a little noise in the right channel after 10 years; it still sounded good, but I think it needs new tubes. So I used that as an excuse to consider a new amp! At some point, I will get the KW tuned up and press it into service in my second system. I have all the pieces but need to figure out where to set it up.
 
Arsh...very cool about the KW500 :thumbsup: Here's to its next ten years of audio service at your household :D :thumbsup:
 
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