[Review] Promitheus Passive Tvc Amp From Malaya

this preamp sounds interesting as im dying to find something good to run my system with on a temporary basis while i recover my finances and get back on the bel canto ladder.

where can these pre's be bought, and in what way may they be unsuitable with certain equipment?

 

Promi amp link here http://www.promitheusaudio.com/frontpage.html
theres also a second hand balanced one around see ZG ads

Andy

 

The website is:
http://www.promitheusaudio.com/frontpage.html

I found that the Promi passive (balanced version) running into my 10 year Cryus Power amps (in mono) resulted in a little bit too much gain i.e at low volumes it was a tad too loud for late night listening. Also I get hum if I select a unused input but not when I've selected or playing my source. This is easily fixed by making or getting shorting plugs or just using up spare inputs i.e. connecting other stuff like tuners. mini disc, dvd player.

The manufacturer now can make the TVC so that too much gain is not a problem.

I suppose it's a bit of a hit or miss knowing if the TVC will result in too much gain or too little. Perhaps others with more technical knowledge can comment here.

Also since it's transparent it will show any shortfalls in your source.

There's also the fact that it may take a while before receiving it ... it has known to take around 6 weeks. I got mine around 4 weeks but YYMV.

There's the issue of burn-in. Now I never was one who noticed the burn-in issue but I did with this one. It needs around 400 hrs before it sounds really good although after 4 hrs I was more than impressed.



I'm not sure also about it's resell potential in Europe. In the US it resells very quickly and quite easily it seems.

And what about it looks? Some people dont like it. I'm NOT one of those btw. I think you can have it ordered black if you want.

The above for me are minor issues (yes even the extra gain). Overall more than worth the wait and trouble and I'm still enjoying it each day after 7 months. It's one of those components that you sit down to listen for 15 mins and you are still there an hour or two later.

I hope I haven't dampened your enthusiasm ... I just want to give a more balanced view. Feel free if anybody wants to comment on my minor issues ... maybe it was only me

jaspal

EDIT: wanted to add that someone here on Zerogain sold his £1500 Music First Passive in favour if the standard Promi ... as I usually say "nuff said"

 

Andy said
"theres also a second hand balanced one around see ZG ads"
I suspect that's mine. I've had a number of expressions of interest, but as yet it's still available

jaspal kallar said
"I found that the Promi passive (balanced version) running into my 10 year Cryus Power amps (in mono) resulted in a little bit too much gain" "The manufacturer now can make the TVC so that too much gain is not a problem" "I suppose it's a bit of a hit or miss knowing if the TVC will result in too much gain or too little".
Don't really understand this. The Promitheus has NO gain (unlike the Music First which can be set to give +6db). I suspect Jaspal means that it has insufficient attenuation at its lowest volume setting (?) I find that surprising, but he knows what he heard and- with a very high output source, a sensitive power and amp very sensitive speakers- I suppose it must be possible.

Jaspal also said
"someone here on Zerogain sold his £1500 Music First Passive in favour if the standard Promi"
Must admit I went the other way, but it's close and may depend on partnering equipment.

 

Hi Parkandbike,

Thanks for your comments and clearing up things.

I must admit I don't really understand all this gain stuff. So Sorry if I confused people.

The people on the Audiocircle forum said that I had "too much gain" when I explained at the lowest volume setting, i.e the first click, I thought the volume was too loud (compared to my previous active preamp). Yes they went onto mention high output, amp sensitivity and spkr sensitivity as you pointed out.

Infact there a few other people who have the same problem and there are more people who didn't get enough volume at the almost last click with the Promi.

So I suppose it also depends on your other components if the Promi will work in your system.

jaspal.

 

Jaspal - not sure whether attenuators might help? Have a pair made up by a local engineer good quality which i could let you have for £10 if intersted - pm me if you want to give them a go - they are RCA phono - similar to Rothwells but cheaper. Can work well in some systems adding all kinds of extra benefits I used them some years back with good results but are system dependent.

 

I use a promitheus TVC between source & another preamp! I was impressed with the promitheus, but music sounded a little too acoustic for my taste, so I now take the outputs from the promitheus (with the attenuator dial very low) to the inputs of an active pre - this boosts bass & detail & deepens image, while still sounding electric where intended, worth a go, better than it sounds !! So if you still have an active pre & a spare pair of interconnects knocking around, this may be unconventional but worth a try.

 

Thanks for your kind offer but I've managed to easily live with it being a tad too loud at low volumes. Plus I don't play after 10pm (unwritten rule here in Sweden). Also I have XLR and not phono.

jaspal