Nuforce

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.

This weekend with a friend of mine, who is owner of a Nuforce9, we made extensive listening session in my system (see system). I personally think, that the Nuforce9 is as good as any good solid state amplifier in the price bracket and soundprint somewhere between the ML 431 and the Linn Klimax Chakra. Very extended, very quick, very detailed - still it is - to my mind - a typical 'hard' sounding solid state design. In many ways more 'thrilling' soundprint than my Aronov 960LSI tube integrated, but I still felt tonally not correct for acoustic music. Maybe, If I would hear mostly electronic music, I would go for the Nuforce. But with listening preferences of classical music, I think that it is tonally too hard and too 'metallic'. None the less, we have also tried the Nuforce9 plugging into a PS Audio P300 Powerplant. That was a shocking experience. With the P300, the character of the Nuforce has changed completly, resembling more to a rather darkish solid state amplifier, instead of a rather brightish ML or Linn Chakra.

You stated "as good as any good solid state amplifier in the price bracket". Do you mean in the price bracket of the Nuforce? If so, what are you listening to? Because I've never heard a solid state amp anywhere near this price range that comes close to the Nuforce. Granted, I haven't listened to any of the newer digital amps (except the Spectron). The Nuforce Ref 9s are about $2,500 for the pair, and virtually every solid state amp I've heard (with the exception of the Dartzeel) sounds very sterile, which is NOT how I would characterize the Nuforce. At least not in my system. I've never heard either the ML 431 or the Linn Klimax Chakra, so I can't comment on them. I would say that system synergy plays a large role in how good (or bad) these amps sound.