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How was the sound of your TDSS upgrade to your Nuforce Ref 9 amps?

I'm very excited at the prospect of improved sound that will come from the TDSS level 3 upgrade to my Nuforce Ref 9 V3 SE mono amps.  Bob Smith will be doing my amp upgrades in the next couple days.  The biggest change will come from the much more powerful power supplies he's putting in.  My system already sounds fantastic but he says it will be THE finest amp sound he has ever heard and thus will transform the Ref 9's into something few have ever heard.  I have VMPS RM40 BCSE ribbon speakers with the MLS cabinets--in other words among the finest speakers Brian Cheney ever made.  They are already on Sistrum SP-101 platforms with RTS couplers clamping them down--a fantastic combo in sound.  I really can't imagine sound with more clarity with dynamics that are off the charts and extremely organic bass than I already have.  

Tune in next week when I have the radically improved Ref 9's and I won't be able to wipe the grin off my face if all Bob says is actually true.  The rest of my system is the TRL DUDE preamp, Whest 3.0 RDT SE phono, Modwright 5400 Signature Truth CD/SACD w/Bybees on the rails and Audio Magic Pulse Gen ZX, super Lenco 78 with most of JTN's mods included, Trans-Fi Terminator, Benz Micro Ruby 3, wires by Cerious Technologies Graphene Extreme SC, Teo GC ICs, JW Reference ICs, Amadi Maddie Signature ICs, power cables from WyWires Juice II, Amadi Phil Reference, Mojo Enigma, TRL Silver, and Core Power Technologies Equi=Core 150, and Star Sound Sistrum racks with RTS couplers clamping each component.  I have Synergistic Research Blue fuses in the Nuforce amps, Whest, and Modwright 5400.
dorkwad
dorkwad OP
547 posts
 
Thanks Raymond,
 
I'm looking forward to what's in store with Bob's mods.  It should be great.  Bob says they will be like having a 600 watt per channel amp driving speakers that really like power, especially in the bass.  He also says the amps will have much better micro details and really just better in all ways.
dorkwad OP
547 posts
 
Just got my Nuforce Ref 9 V3 SE's with TDSS level 3 upgrades back.  On first listen, the sound is now better in all aspects.  Hearing many sounds I couldn't hear as well or at all previously.  Very dynamic, lucid, and beautiful sound on CDs so far.  Every CD has been a new treat to enjoy.  Will play considerably louder in addition to the improved sound quality also.  The soundstage is very accurate, deep and delineated.  Singers are dead center.  Dynamics just jump at times.  Thank you, Bob!!!
dorkwad OP
547 posts
 
Now 3 weeks of mostly continuous 24/7 play.  I've turned it off and back on twice in that time.  The amps have 350-400 hours of break-in with music playing.  The sound is very beautiful, more transparent, and the bass is extremely clear and dynamic.  I've been working on the new plinth for my Lenco 78 turntable so I haven't been able to hear records in the past 2 weeks.  Should be done with this in about 2 weeks--hopefully this is not the movie Money Pit and this turns into many more months.  It is my second plinth build.  It will require me to wire a new switch and put an IEC in the back of it.  Should not be a big deal.  The sound should be much better as I'm using a new chassis from Artisan Fidelity which will improve the speed stability and mechanical stability also.  I'll report on the analog sound when I get finished.  CDs and cassettes are much better sounding than before the TDSS mods.
samac's avatar
samac
499 posts
 
@dorkwad 

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you are really enjoying the upgraded amps. 

I've had the my IDA-16 since April and I'm really enjoying my system for the first time in many years. It makes me nervous to think about changing things but the TDSS upgrades are very tempting.

Cheers,

Scott
dorkwad OP
547 posts
 
Scott,

I had Bob do the most extensive level 3 upgrade as it would also make the amps much more reliable in addition to the improved sound. Everyone that has had Bob at TDSS upgrade their amps has been very impressed with the sound afterwards. Compared to upgrading your ICs, PCs or SCs, or putting in high end fuses, the TDSS upgrades make a bigger difference in SQ. I would most definitely think about giving Bob a chance to make your IDA-16 an even better component than it already is. The sound will not get away from the stock Nuforce or Nuprime sound, it will just be better in all areas--or in the case of a level 3 upgrade, a lot better!
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