Naim NVC TT Phono stage

Naim NVC TT phono stage is possibly the most versatile that Naim Audio has ever made. It has two inputs for MM and MC cartridges along with selectable input impedance and capacitance values, allowing you to match it to almost any phono cartridge. An excellent match for the Naim NAC 332 or indeed any other Naim pre amplifier.

The NVC TT phono preamp also easily connects to any of the Naim preamps. These have a power feed for this unit. There is also a dedicated PSU supplied. This hefty 3.4 kg unit is well built and shielded, and will give optimal performance with any turntable or cartridge. The external power supply reduces noise and interference. This is important with high gain circuits.

High performance

The distortion figures are remarkably low at 0.005% and the signal-to-noise ratio is 83dB. The RIAA accuracy is also + / - 0.1dB. Additionally, this unit weighs a hefty 3.4 Kg and is constructed of Naim’s trademark anodised and milled aluminium. Only the best components are used.

Moving coil versus moving magnet cartridges

There are two types of phono cartridges commonly in use today. Moving coil (MC) and moving magnet (MM).

Moving coil types use two lightweight coils mounted onto the cantilever. The cantilever is the arm that holds the stylus tip. This generates the audio signal in conjunction with a fixed magnet. The advantage is lower mass and better tracking. However, the output is very low. They also require varying impedance and capacitance settings to perform optimally. Additionally, there are low and high output types. As a result, the NVC TT has a gain switch. There are also sixteen capacitance and impedance settings.

Moving magnet cartridges are more consistent with their impedance needs, and have a higher output. Instead of the coils being mounted on the cantilever, a magnet is used. With the coils being fixed. They are cheaper to produce, but the cantilever-magnet assembly has a higher mass and does not recover as much information. Moreover, often only one magnet is used for both channels, this can introduce crosstalk and reduces channel separation. There are some excellent MM cartridges on the market, but often high end cartridges are MC.

Another important consideration is equalisation. Records are recorded with reduced bass, to prevent overmodulation of the groove. The treble is also boosted to reduce surface noise. The preamp needs to apply equalization on playback, to get a flat frequency response this is know as the RIAA response curve. Notably, the NVC TT has very accurate RIAA tracking.

Versatile Inputs

The NVC TT has inputs for two cartridge types - moving coil and moving magnet. As moving coil cartridges have a wider range of output voltages than moving magnet, there is a high/low gain switch. Different cartridges also have different impedance and capacitance requirements. Consequently, this unit also has 16 selectable settings for both impedance and capacitance.

Specifications