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Seeking info N.E.W. Nirvana Electronic Works A20

I've got a N.E.W. A20 which I bought used. (or is it A20.1 ; I don't know)

I'm seeking info on the company, the amp, etc. Please post any info you've got.

I've heard the N.E.W. A20 was copied off the schematic of the First Watt Aleph J when that schematic was posted (Was it posted on Pass D.I.Y.? I can't find it there....)

Apparently the reason the N.E.W. company isn't around any more has something to do with the fact they were using the schematics provided to the D.I.Y. community to build a commercial product. That IS bad karma for sure, if true.

I'm using the amp to power the ribbon tweeters in my tri-amped Magnepan MG 3.6 speakers and it sounds real nice in that capacity.

I've read the amps were manufactured by Cary for N.E.W. I've also read that Cary will service them. I am trying to find out if this is true, maybe Cary will reply....

PLEASE- ANY info you have would be useful.
milosz
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

The  N.E.W DCA-33, with battery power pack has become a bit of a sought after collectors item. As you can renew the bunch of batteries now quite cheaply compared to back then, as the are 12vdc burglar alarm batteries and they are 1/4 the price now.

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
calclassa
The A 20 was designed by Nelson who always wanted to design a small Class A amp.

BTW:
Nelson Pass did design a A20 in 1977 but I don’t believe he had anything whatsoever to do with the N.E.W. A20 or A20.1 it could just be a ripoff clone as Nelson I believe didn’t have any copy writes or patents on his original A20 for the diyer’s

" I emailed Nelson Pass and asked him about the rumors did he or didn’t he design it. Since he seems a modest man with a good sense of humor he simply said
"he was familiar with the product."



Bottom of page http://www.firstwatt.com/articles.html

It was a diy project or the diy’ers to make.
http://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_classa_20.pdf

Lot at the parts and power supply in the one above, the NEW insides looks pretty thread bear in comparison, especially the power supply caps, and output transistor count 
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbFS3FA6uYjnrw8Kqg9YwrOfrTHtGCCvISgWGC9q8Rtbh0...

Cheers George
sholtz
12 posts
 
I have two A20s that I bought from Mitch in 1994.  Still have the bills of sale!  I currently have a pair of Rogue monoblocks, a Pass integrated and a pair of Pass mono blocks, a pair of Manley 250s, and a couple of PS Audio integrated.

The A20s hold their own against any of them. And does some things better than any of them. 
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