I now have just over 100 hours of burn in time on my new NWO 2.5 and thought I would post a quick update.
The improvements have been gradual, continuous and significant. The sound has become increasingly fluid and detailed. Subtle ambient cues and microdetails have emerged on recordings with which I am very familiar...almost spooky.
After 30 plus hours of listening, several aspects of the unit's performance have begun to standout that set the NWO 2.5 apart from any other source I have heard in my system or elsewhere (shows, dealers, friends' systems, etc.). Here they are in no particular order:
(1) The depth with which one can listen into the soundstage...you hear the faintest, slightest details; like a triangle being struck in the back of the orchestra after a very dynamic passage.
(2) No listening fatigue even on RBCD. After listening to the NWO 2.5 you understand how many artifacts lesser players introduce into the music in terms of veils, time smearing, etc.
(3) Linearity across the entire spectrum...no portion of the spectrum sounds like is being over or under emphasized. I think this is one of the reasons the unit is not fatiguing to listen to.
(4) Low end and high end resolution and extension is amazing. I am hearing fast, tight low bass information on recordings where I never realized it existed as well as extended highs.
(5) Ability to drive the amplifier directly with absolutely no issues.
(6) The way you just find yourself listening to the music and not listening to your system trying to analyze if everything is as it should be.
Bottom line, the NWO 2.5 just sounds like music. It certainly does not sound like any digital player I have ever heard.
That's it for now...gotta go wrap some presents or my wife may make my NWO 2.5 disappear...:-)
