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Nuforce Icon mobile is worthless.

post #1 of 68
8/31/09 at 11:08pm
Thread Starter 
I just got it and I use it with my itouch and Westone UM1.

I personally think it is quite worthless.

What are other owners opinions?
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post #2 of 68
8/31/09 at 11:20pm
If it made no difference, then it's doing its job well.

The difference comes from a need...a need for more wattage then previously existed.

You assumed you needed more power. Upon use and hearing no discernable difference, you verify that you do not need more power on tap. Now unfortunately, you spent $100 that you did not need to spend...right now. However, you may find the amp useful later on when you do eventually run a headphone that does ask for more wattage the the itouch provides. It may just be that the itouch actually outputs a sizable amount of wattage itself and has little need for an additional amp source. You may very well find that other portable devices offer less wattage on their own and will have a higher need for external amperage.

If the NuForce can operate and not change the sound in a noticeable way, it is doing its job well. This means it does not color the sound or introduce any unwanted information(noise). This is good.

My brother owns one. It works well. It does its job on devices and hardware that require it.
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post #3 of 68
9/1/09 at 12:37am
I sold mine in a week. Better amp values out there, including the $22 E5. It does have a DAC, but I never used that. For another $50 you can get the amazing Amp3, from Whiplash Audio. It a far superior portable amp, plus it has 4GB of onboard memory, so it's an audiophile level player as well. Also a micro SDHC card slot (up to 8GB). Check it out in the portable source gear forum.
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post #4 of 68
9/1/09 at 12:51am
I thought the same when I first purchased the Icon but when I used my PK1's and G1A, it really showed me what an amp can do. Yes you don't get as much bass as let's say an E5 but being able to actually use it as a DAC for my mac makes it worth the money spent on it. moving onward to a Ibasso D10 now but the memories that I had with this amp made me enjoy music much more now.
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post #5 of 68
9/1/09 at 12:55am
Thread Starter 
do you mean that if I use a headpone with higher impedance I could find a more obvious difference?
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post #6 of 68
9/1/09 at 12:58am
I like the title of your thread. It is quite funny. Sorry about the Nuforce amp though.
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post #7 of 68
9/1/09 at 2:23am
i enjoyed it thoroughly and thought it was excellent for the price
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post #8 of 68
9/1/09 at 2:41am
ive got an icon mobile and one or two IEM's. it definetly works.

some dont change much, some dont really like it much and some love it.

i do wish it had a bass boost button for the RE-0 and ety's though
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post #9 of 68
9/1/09 at 3:26am
Wrote this a while back, but I think the point is still valid.
Quote:
...Many of you just want to get an amp because you got advice somewhere from someone who claims that portable amp is the best thing that happens in the portable player's world and you are not hearing high quality music unless you put an amp to the back of your portable player. What actually is closer to the truth is, amplifier is one of those thing that generally add very little value to the overall sound... You should consider an amp when you know your headphone is difficult to drive (which will benefit most from amping), or else the return will not be as dramatic as you wish it to be.
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post #10 of 68
9/1/09 at 5:48am
What happened to gather info before you throw cash out the window?
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post #11 of 68
9/1/09 at 11:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by myk7000 View Post
i enjoyed it thoroughly and thought it was excellent for the price
Hi, what is your headphone?
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post #12 of 68
9/1/09 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr C View Post
What happened to gather info before you throw cash out the window?
Hi, thanks. I own a grado sr80. I think icon mobile improve the quality using sr80 a little bit, at least much more than that with UM1. It is just as a rookie, I used to think this amp should improve the quality even with a low resistance earphone.
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post #13 of 68
9/1/09 at 12:10pm
The Icon mobile only works with IEMs that have heavy Bottom end. I use this amp with my Monster Turbines, and AQ is great. If I use this amp with my Phonaks, the sound is weak. Also keep in mind that this Amp needs several hundred hours to breakin properly.
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post #14 of 68
9/1/09 at 1:35pm
Icon Mobile has a 'forward' with slightly lack of bottom end sound signature, and IMHO, the synergy with mid+high oriented IEMs are not that good. But, there are slight improvements, and maybe you need some times to adapt to it.

Please refer to Headphonesaddict's reviews for better understanding.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f105/u...ce-xm5-306883/

TQ.
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post #15 of 68
9/1/09 at 8:46pm
so do u use it with LOD or not ?
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