Nuforce

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.

Ajahu , what preamp was being used in your friend's system with the Nuforce Ref 9s?

Sorry for the confusion. The price bracket I meant is where the Linn Klimax Chakra-ML 431 is. So about 6-7000 USD. We used an ML 39 and a TACT 2.0 as cd player and preamp.