NuForce: a new player in the high end market

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by JerryDelColliano

http://avrev.com/equip/nuforce_reference9se_amp/

Read this review and tell me what you think about the idea of digital amps.

Personally, I think they are the goods. We have the Bel Canto amp that I FLIPPED FOR at CES and Andrew Robinson LOVES (see pending review in March).

Less heat, liquid sound, HUGE volumes of power, quiet, small.

Vast improvements over analog amps of the past.

Is this a significant change or just somebody making the most of a slick technology that really belongs packed away in some Sunfire subwoofer?

Well, I just purchased the little Trends class-T amp, the TA-10.1, for my computer room to drive a pair of old bookshelf monitors, using an old Adcom preamp for a front end. If this $150 expenditure is indicative of what digital can do, I can only imagine what something like the Nuforce or Bel Canto must sound like. I think this is the future of amplification, when you combine the transparency/accuracy with the efficiency, especially since the harshness has been engineered out by the good manufacturers......... tube like warmth with solid state bottom end control and transparency to the max......... wonderful.

John

[rs350z]

i hope this isn't a trend in things to come. The NuForce amps (their high end amps) that i have heard for the last couple of years have sounded sterile/cool. sure they have power to drive a inefficient speaker, but i want more warmth, full midrange and a powerful bottom end. They remind me of the old carver amps that claimed multiple hundreds of watts but with no body. When listening to these amps at CES, i had to leave in a short period of time. i listen to music up to 8 hours a day and i couldn't listen to these for more than 1/2 an hour. Give me a good beefy amp that will control the bottom registers, provide a full midrange, and sweet sounding highs. Nuforce amps are a decent amp for a good mid-fi setup but you need to take into account the sterile sound they produce.

[deacongreg]

I can not comment on NuForce, as they are new to me. However, I heard the Bel Cantos first hand at HE2007 myself with Joseph Audio speakers. They sounded great.

[Kenobi]

Hi,

Just thought I chime in and give a quick impression of the Nuforce MCH 3SE (multi-channel version close to or equivalent to the Ref 9SE V2). This amp replaced my Bel Canto Ref 1K for stereo and now anchors my HT as well. This amp is not cold, sterile or lean.

After one week of burn-in here's what I've observed so far. It is very balanced from top to bottom with great extension, control, eerily silent background, extreme micro and macro dynamics, d-e-e-p and w-i-d-e soundstaging, accurate and fast transient attacks and viceral tight and impactful bass. Other words that come to mind: texture, definition, resolution, smooth and effortlessness. These are all the qualities I crave for in an amplifier and I am getting them in this nice little package called the MCH 3SE. Keep in mind though that cables need to be taylored to compliment the amp and not the other way around. I would stay away from overly-detailed, analytical cables. Something that tends ever so slightly to warm would bring out the body and bloom in vocals and bass. Do the yin/yang balance and you'll be rewarded for your effort. I am using JPS Labs Superconductor 3 to great effect driving a pair of Usher Be 718 as my ticket to musical nirvana.

Regards,

Kenobi

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by Kenobi

Hi,

Just thought I chime in and give a quick impression of the Nuforce MCH 3SE (multi-channel version close to or equivalent to the Ref 9SE V2). This amp replaced my Bel Canto Ref 1K for stereo and now anchors my HT as well. This amp is not cold, sterile or lean.

After one week of burn-in here's what I've observed so far. It is very balanced from top to bottom with great extension, control, eerily silent background, extreme micro and macro dynamics, d-e-e-p and w-i-d-e soundstaging, accurate and fast transient attacks and viceral tight and impactful bass. Other words that come to mind: texture, definition, resolution, smooth and effortlessness. These are all the qualities I crave for in an amplifier and I am getting them in this nice little package called the MCH 3SE. Keep in mind though that cables need to be taylored to compliment the amp and not the other way around. I would stay away from overly-detailed, analytical cables. Something that tends ever so slightly to warm would bring out the body and bloom in vocals and bass. Do the yin/yang balance and you'll be rewarded for your effort. I am using JPS Labs Superconductor 3 to great effect driving a pair of Usher Be 718 as my ticket to musical nirvana.

Regards,

Kenobi

I not familar with the Ref 9SE. How much power is the current NuForce amp you are using?

[Silver Supra]

Kenobi - it sounds like you had similar results with NuForce as I did.

I will agree that hyper-detailed cables would not be a good mix with these amps.

These amps have gotten me off the upgrade-go-round... at least for now. I'm just
waiting for some Aerial 20T's to show up at a yard sale somewhere. haha

Jim