Nuforce

For every high-end audio product I expect. Except the DK integrated of course.

(nyuk, nyuk)

Well, I've had my Nuforce Ref. 9s for a few weeks now, and I have to say that I am VERY pleased with them. These amps are much more dynamic, have better bass extension and control and are much more revealing than my ARC VT-100 MKII. I've been an all tube guy for years, and I was very happy with the ARC until I heard the Nuforce in my system. The Nuforce amps do NOT sound like any other solid state amp I've ever heard. No, they don't sound like tubes, but they don't sound like the solid state amps I've heard either. I will say this, I don't think I would be as happy with the Nuforce amps if my digital front-end didn't have a tube output stage. The combination of a tube preamp with these amps is perfect for my taste. Last weekend I brought my pair of Nuforce amps to our local audio club meeting and they were driven by a very good quality CD player (with no tube output stage), and to me, the sound was a little too accurate for me. But, everyone's taste is different. I would say that most of the other members of our audio club really liked the sound. I would highly recommend auditioning them in your system if you get a chance. Especially if you have a tube preamp or your CD player has a tube output stage.

Lacee - I wouldn't put too much into the HiFi+ review. The lastest review from Positive Feedback online, by Robert Levi is MUCH more accurate, IMO, as to what the NuForce's are capable of.

Ggil's thread pretty much sums up my enthusiasm for these amps as well. If the NuForce's were priced based solely on performance alone, they would be over $10k a pair. Thank the audio-gods that they are not, as they have allowed me to experience a quality of sound reproduction that I didn't think I would ever be able to afford, let alone hear.

With a 30 day trial period, ANYONE in the market for amps at this price (or quite a bit higher), would be missing out on something truly special - again, IMHO.

Ggil, how does the mid bass sound on your system?
Regarding the HiFi+ review, the unit was taken out of the box with no break in period and reviewed. Would they do that with a 10k amp? I guess it depends on how much the mfg. pays the reviewer. What is funny is that Nuforce claims they do not pay reviewers to write about there findings.
Denf has the best idea, review it on your own system and give them 100 hrs or better break in time. I found that they even get better around the 150 hr mark. Nobody is saying they are the best in the world, it's just that they sound awesome for the price.

The mid bass sounds great. I really think I have a magical combination of speakers, digital front-end, and now power amps. I didn't listen critically to the Nuforce amps until they had 100 hours on them (upon the dealer's advice). But while I was burning them in (somewhere around 10-15 hours) I casually listened and the mid bass sounded somewhat shallow. But I dismissed it since the amps hadn't burned in yet. But now, I don't hear that shallowness at all. They sound great. These amps are definitely one of the most satisfying audio gear purchases I've made in years.