Wave Kinetics NVS Turntable - Stereophile Review

As the owner of an NVS I feel compelled to comment on my findings and experience with the turntable. To my ear, direct drive 'tables have always sounded more smooth, powerful and dynamic than belt, rim, idler or other drive mechanisms. Outside of one vintage Technics DD model, which, if you can find one, sell for upwards of $20k when replinthed and rebuilt there are few direct drive TT options available at anywhere near the NVS price point. This is one reason I became interested in this 'table.

Of greater importance is the sonic abilities of the NVS, which when mated with the Durand Talea II and Ortofon A90 far surpassed any other 'table I have heard to date.

Additionally, I have had ZERO mechanical problems of any kind with this unit. My understanding is that the bearing issue was due to the original packaging being inadequate and this packaging- plastic flight case with foam too soft to correctly protect the unit- was subsequently completely rethought and redesigned to a palletized wooden crate system. This new crate system is a marvel to behold and I have heard of no other freight damaged units being reported.

I am completely satisfied with my NVS and feel it provides performance as good or better than ANY turntable at ANY price available today new or used. Considering it is considerably less expensive than the Caliburn it could be viewed as a bargain in the not so sensical world of big boy's toys and bleeding edge analog reproduction .

One must wonder what Fremer does to the equipment he tests. I find it puzzling that so much of the equipment he reviews tends to break or malfunctions so easily. Didn't he destroy one of the darTZeel monoblocks he reviewed a couple of months ago so that it had to be sent back to Switzerland to be fixed? How on earth do you fry a monoblock that is hand-made like a tank? Didn't he also almost fry one of the MBL monoblocks? Something about the interconnecting cables not matching, if my memory serves me correctly. The man certainly possesses a vast knowledge of the analog, but I question his ability to actually use the equipment as it's meant to be used during his reviews. Just some food for thought in this polemic...

For $70,000+ i would certainly hope the turntable in question would sound good, especially to those who have spent the money to own one. forgive me if i think of all of the state-of-the-art tables at every price point under the sun (and moon) ALSO sound SO AMAZING!!!!!! ETC.!!!! that they TOO are worth the
money. But not being able to audition every great turntable in existence leaves me a bit confused. Fremer didn't break the VPI-Classic-3 BTW, and IT TOO sounded great, a real game-changer/whatever- not that i care what he thinks anyway. what i do care about is separating music appreciation from hyperbole.
and that seems impossible to do without making people defensive or bringing in the "if you can afford it that's ok, you deserve it". how much do these beautiful contraptions really REALLY cost to manufacture? I know NASA has to spend whatever it takes to bring a prototype to a full working model (or two).
but this is not a matter of getting something to land on the moon or explore Mars FGS. i don't know, the whole business just seems a bit off the wall IMO.
i just want to believe that ok, for $10K-$15K, a big chunk of cash, someone could build a turntable/arm with EVERY bit of advanced technology available and DARE anyone to get more MUSIC out of the groove. May the 1st contestant step forward please...

French,

I'm with you in the playing records right ain't rocket science these days camp.

If one drops thousands on a turntable and it DOESNT sound good, then there is a problem.

David,

above you mentioned how much you liked the SME 30 when you heard it. i agree it's a fine turntable. you see used one's with an SME arm in the 'around' $15k + or - range frequently. you could do much worse than buying one of those, adding a cartridge and phono stage and seeing how you liked it. they are built like tanks so a used one well cared for should be trouble free.

it would be fairly easy to sell if it did not seem worth it to you.

you'd be hard pressed to find a new tt and arm for $15k that would offer more....or even as much. there would be other alternatives of course, but since it is a reference for you already why not start there. then it's your ears you are trusting. the best choice i think.

as far as....

"i just want to believe that ok, for $10K-$15K, a big chunk of cash, someone could build a turntable/arm with EVERY bit of advanced technology available and DARE anyone to get more MUSIC out of the groove. May the 1st contestant step forward please."

.....from what my ears tell me nothing is even close to that happening. it's telling about the cost of production of high tolerance pieces that modified vintage tt's in that price range exceed the performance of new ones in that price range.