Initial impression of the Nuprime ST-10 amp


I have a very fine McCormack DNA .05 Deluxe amp, a Don Sachs 6SN7 preamp, driving my Spatial Audio M4 Turbo S open baffle speakers and today swapped the McCormack amp for the ST10 amp.  Right out of the box, the ST10 is quite an amazing amp.  It is very powerful and yet quite delicate in its rendering of sound. To my ears, it is somewhat tipped-up in the HF compared to the McCormack amp, and at this point seems to give up a bit of the LF rendering of the sound to the McCormack amp, but overall, it has lots of inner detail and a sublime mid-range.  It has not a bit of harshness or dryness that I have heard with earlier Class D amps... it is very musical with the sound flowing effortlessly.   I will post my impressions after it has been run-in for a week. My initial impression is that for $1600, this is a very fine amplifier.  
whitestix
I have about 50 hours on the amp and am happy to report that it is breaking nice nicely.  It is very powerful, dead quiet, and the crystal  clarity of the sound of my Holograms is amazing.  This is nothing like the Bel Canto Class D amp I had years ago.  It adds astonishing clarity and presence to the sound of my speakers.  The LF is taut and the HF is extended.  This is an amazing amp that is probably going to be even better when it completely breaks in.  I will admit that it does sound a bit different that my Class A/B amp, but think the ST10 is much more neutral and less congested.  I will get back to you after 100 hours, but at his point, it sounds quite fine to my ears.   Whitestix
@whitestix 

That's great. If it's anything like my IDA-16 it will continue to open up and fill out. You may have some peaks and valleys along the way. Around the 300 hour mark my amp really started to bloom. Even now passed the 500 hour mark it continues open up and settle in. Have fun.

Cheers,

Scott
Hello all,

I have over 500 hrs on my S-500 and thought I might comment a little about it.I think it's a step up in Sound vs nc400 and ref600m,these are the 3 class d amps that I own and I have access to more through a local audio club where we lend and or borrow equipment or occasionally listen to each other's systems.

I have been using a bel canto pre3 with all the diff. amps just to make a even playing field,the pre 3 is a pure water no coloration preamp.

The S-500 is the best class d amp I have had in my system and it has the warmest most engaging midrange with very sweet nicely extended top end that has more air and separation with the individual instruments making the entire frequency range very coherent.The bass is equally as good maybe better than my other class d amps listed.

I borrowed a Nuprime st10 to try out and found it too be a very close match to the S-500,with the nod to the S-500 for the best overall sound especially the midrange.

Offcourse this is in my system with my ears and judging the musical presentation that I prefer.

The next test will be comparison with a modwright kwa100se that I have owned for a few years but I haven't used it in about 3 years,I have loaned it out to club members though.I know it's a very good amp but can it equal or beat the S-500,only time will tell.

So many very good choices out there nowadays,


Kenny.
Kdude,
The S-500 must be fine for Clayton Shaw to recommend them for his Hologram speakers.  Glad to hear you felt the ST10 compares to it.  Samac, thanks for the insight into the breaking in of the ST10... I like it now and expect I will like it even more in the future.