i hope someone jumps on this deal.

Frank,

just how long do you think it will take for the tubes to burn in, the caps to burn in and the transformer to burn in? initial impressions give the best indicators of a piece of equipment's potential. I usually say 24 hours of burn in is enough. quick, how long does the "new car" smell last? would you leave a car idling for 24 hours before putting it in drive? ah, no. you'd take it around the city, mix in some highway driving, be caught in a traffic jam, do a liitle racing, go to the supermarket and take a 100 mile trip. when it hits 5000 miles, it's broken in. here in arizona, that's about 30 days worth of driving. in montana that would be like two weeks. and in new york city that may be 6 months. so let's hear them reviews arleady

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wal,

Do you mean the nOrh?

I haven't given any impressions because I was using it for the first couple of weeks with a PCDP, which would not be a true indicator of its sound. For the last week or so I've been using a Sony 500V SACD player with the nOrh, which, of course, sounds a million times better (as you would expect).

Basically, the nOrh/AKG-K1000 is a great combination. The nOrh sounds sweet in the midrange, and helps to tame the (sometimes) bright top end of the K-1000s somewhat. While both don't have great/any low bass, this doesn't present a problem to me, since I don't really listen to much music with an extended low end. What is there, though, is controlled and "true."

I did notice that while the midrange is natural strings can sound a little "steely" and harsh. However, I only noticed this on one recording, so it may be the recording's fault more than the AKG/nOrh combination.

Compared to the Marantz? Well, the nOrh's midrange is better, and overall the sound is a little more warm, which works very well with the AKGs. However, if I had to live with the Marantz 1060B with the AKGs I would still be happy. However, I'm glad to have the nOrh.

Also, the nOrh has enough power to drive the AKGs sufficiently. I usually play the nOrh at 8-10 o'clock, and only twice have I had to drive it to 11-12 o'clock. Also, the nOrh is dead quiet, something that concerned me before I bought it.

Overall--if you're looking for an amp in the $400 range or so to drive the AKG K-1000s, look no further than the nOrh.

What I am waiting for is the Philips 963 SACD player, which, by latest estimates, should be here by early January. Until then, I am extremely happy with the nOrh/K-1000/Sony 500V combination.

wal, go for the nOrh.