Beta Novo In The House

For the last couple of weeks I have kept the Novo turned on and amplifying music. Perhaps it is my imagination or that I have gotten used to its sound signature, but I swear it sounds much better. It should not be burn-in since this unit should have over 600 hours or burn-in and use.

You are a tease Miguel 

Thanks to Fritz S. from Vienna, who organized a test sample of the Novo by Graham Slee, this nice little amp currently is on its way through Austria, Switzerland and Germany. So I was able to spend some time with it and compare it to my ‚green’ Solo.

To cut a long story short: I don’t think I could tell the two amps apart in a blind test but anyway, here are my findings:

Novo vs. Solo
This is quite a close match. You really have to compare these side by side and listen very concentrated to sense the differences that are nevertheless there. And yes, the Solo is the better amp. Only, you begin to wonder if what you get more is worth the extra cash…
So what do you get more? I found that I could listen to the Solo for a longer time in a more relaxed way due to the Solo’s treble being a little less aggressive and the bass showing a little more detail and definition. There is a sense of more air around everything – the stage becomes a little wider, deeper and better defined. Also the Solo plays more dynamic, thus giving a livelier picture that gets your feet more tapping. It’s just that tiny bit more distinguished that makes the difference. Is it worth it? I don’t know. It probably depends on how much you want. For me I’d say: yes – if you do a lot headphone listening, get the Solo. The Novo itself is great though for what it is. If this is entry level, you get quite a lot of amp for the money.
By the way: both amps are a little picky as far as headphones go: I preferred Sennheiser HD650 or Denon AHD 5000 with the Slees which are all in all on the lighter side of neutral. A DT880 can sound just a little too bright for my likings - but then again I don't like the DT880 too much anyway. With the right pair of cans either amp is able to provide a lot of listening pleasure and if you consider the relatively low price of the Novo, it's really astonishing and excellent value for money.