Not Another NuForce thread......

Jp1208, when I originally compared the Nuforce Ref 9s to my ARC VT100MKII, there were many characteristics of the Nuforce amps that I liked better than the ARC, including transparency, dynamics, bass extension and control, mids, highs, etc. I've never had an issue with lack of bloom or texture previously with the ARC or the Nuforce. However, before I upgraded to the V2s, on a few piano recordings, I did get a sense of sterility in the mids, even some harshness. But since the upgrade, that is completely gone. Those same piano recordings sound incredible. As far as adding bloom, I would say since the upgrade to the V2s, mids are much more natural sounding than before, but I don't know if anything is added. The way I would characterize the Nuforce now is almost like a crystal clear window into the recording. Whatever my CD player plays, I hear. That includes both good and bad in the recordings. If you have a great front-end, you'll hear every nuance of the recording with the Nuforce amps. As far as the heat goes, I don't notice the amps being any hotter than before the upgrade, but the SEs might be different.

Stltrains, Do you turn your pre-amp off and leave the amps on. I thought turning off the pre and leaving the Nuforce amps on was not advised. I would not want to leave a tube pre on all the time.

If there is better attack in the instruments then my guess is they have studied other amps to try and give better musicality and texture in the midrange. More attack to me leads to a livlier slightly forward presentation. This is good actually and peaks my interest. It is that little fuzz around certain vocals and instruments that brings me closer to realism or a live performance. Not being in your face but just being there.

Jp1208, I don't turn anything off in my system other than my vpi sds.
If you have not given nufore gear a try, one dollar will give you a month of at home audition of said gear.

I have to say that the Ref 9 SE V2's certainly live up to the hype in my system. Well done NuForce.

I recently left my V2 integrated on for 72 hours straight, driving Thiel 1.6's for breakin (3 ohm min), and found that there was a little residual RFI interference on cheap FM tuners by the end of that period. Perhaps the long time and heat build-up changes component spec just a bit. My high quality Denon FM tuner is not affected at all but $30 clock radio had a hint more static at that point, which disappeared when I turned the integrated off.

However when I first turn the V2 unit on, there is no static even on the cheap FM radios (unlike with the V1, where the cheap FM radios were unlistenable immediately upon turn-on of the NuForce).

This is my long way of saying that I've decided to NOT leave my NuForce integrated turned on 24/7. Usually with solid state, I do leave it on 24/7 unless it has a high bias to class A.

Art