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3rd headamp on the way....Nuforce HDP

post #1 of 11
7/9/10 at 3:04pm
Thread Starter 

How strange.  I'm about to own three different headamps.  I always thought people who did that were crazy.  

 

My Blue Circle SBH has been drafted into the main system as a pre-amp where it shines in that function.  My headphone listening amp is the tube SQ84 V2. 

 

I've just ordered an Icon HDP, primarily for use as a pre-amp in a 'spare room' system.   And maybe a DAC if it's better than the DAC in my Emotiva cd-player. 

 

Still, I'll be very curious to compare it to my big tube and solid-state units.  

 


PS: Jeez, Nuforce is on the ball.  Twenty minutes after ordering I get an email saying 'status is shipped' complete with a tracking number.   Now that's how it's done. 


Edited by Jodet - 7/9/10 at 3:09pm
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

NuForce Icon HDP (High-end Headphone Amp, USB DAC, Preamp)
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post #2 of 11
7/9/10 at 6:17pm

I am new to the site and new to headphone amps.  After reading several reviews, I just got an Icon HDP last week and my initial impression is very good.  For now, it's hooked-up to a Sony notebook computer's USB port and is playing through some good quality powered computer speakers.  I had a cheap Sennheiser pair of headphones I tried and did not like the sound at all.  So now, I am on the hunt for a good pair of headphones for the HDP.

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post #3 of 11
7/16/10 at 10:32am

Jodet, have you received it? What are your impressions? How does it compare?

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post #4 of 11
7/17/10 at 12:30pm
Thread Starter 

It will be a few weeks before I do any serious listening.   I suspect it will sound very good, but I cannot begin to imagine it would be in the same league as the Blue Circle or the Soundquest.    We shall see.

 

In the meantime it's working great as a preamp-dac in my hobby shop system.

 

P1010619.JPG

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post #5 of 11
7/20/10 at 9:59am
Thread Starter 

After listening to the 'Prisoner of Azkaban' on my headphone rig last night I decided to listen to it on the HDP.   WOW.  I was very impressed by the HDP as a dac/headamp combo.  When something so reasonably priced can sound so good it makes you reconsider the economics of buying more expensive gear. 

 

After listening to the HDP awhile I hooked it's output up to my tube headamp, the Soundquest SQ84-V2.  This was spectacular, best headphone sound I've ever heard.  Detail, timbre, speed, dynamics.   I was up till 2:00am listening to music on that combo.

 

It will take a month or so for me to compare the HDP directly to the SQ.  I don't do 'a/b', I listen for a few weeks, then listen to the other thing for a few weeks.  I find quick comparisons are just too confusing. 

 

In the meantime I think the Nuforce is a bargain at it's price of $450 for a dac, headamp, and you get a pre-amp included.   30-day 'no re-stocking fee' trial.   None of this 'you have to wait a month for us to build it' nonsense.   When I ordered mine online from the Nuforce company store it was shipped 20 minutes later.  

 

It's a great sounding, reasonably priced unit with lots of features.   Like I said, it makes you reconsider the economics of more expensive gear.    If I were starting from scratch I think I might get an HDP, a nice pair of cans and stop there.  

 

the rig.jpg

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post #6 of 11
7/20/10 at 10:33am


 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jodet View Post

In the meantime I think the Nuforce is a bargain at it's price of $450 for a dac, headamp, and you get a pre-amp included.   30-day 'no re-stocking fee' trial.   None of this 'you have to wait a month for us to build it' nonsense.   When I ordered mine online from the Nuforce company store it was shipped 20 minutes later.  

 

It's a great sounding, reasonably priced unit with lots of features.   Like I said, it makes you reconsider the economics of more expensive gear.    If I were starting from scratch I think I might get an HDP, a nice pair of cans and stop there.

 

Thanks for the excellent feedback, Jodet.  I started from scratch and got me a new HDP two weeks ago.  Up until the time my DT 880/600's get here, I have the HDP hooked-up to my Audioengine 5's.  I never imagined such good sounds from a computer source.  Next test will be hooking up a proper CD player/transport as you have done with the Cambridge Audio I see in your pictures.
 

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post #7 of 11
8/17/10 at 7:33pm

@ Jodet

 

I'm glad to hear you are liking your HDP so well. I have to say it looks great with your other gear in the pictures. Sounds like it works awesome with your tube amp on your D5000. I am sure am looking forward to mine. It should arrive in just a couple of days. Mine also shipped out right away.

 

@ gPope

 

How are you liking your Nuforce HDP and your Beyerdynamics so far? I read a couple of posts that said the Beyers did not have good synergy at all with the HDP. I hope that is not the case. I'd love to hear your impressions.

 

- Dave

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post #8 of 11
8/18/10 at 7:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sid-Fi View Post
How are you liking your Nuforce HDP and your Beyerdynamics so far? I read a couple of posts that said the Beyers did not have good synergy at all with the HDP. I hope that is not the case. I'd love to hear your impressions.

 

Not sure.  As I said before, this is my first headphone amp/headphone combo and have had nothing to compare it to.  At this point, I have a lot less than 100 hours of listening with the set and I am not sure if any characteristic of the combo qualifies as having good synergy or not.  The sound is excellent with good and tight bass response, clear midrange and sharp highs.  Even the soundstage is excellent, especially noticeable when watching a concert DVD.  The only part of the headphones I am still having a problem with is slightly over accentuatedhighs on most newer recordings.  The sound of cymbals can sometimes be ear piercing sharp.

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post #9 of 11
8/19/10 at 5:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gPope View Post



 

Not sure.  As I said before, this is my first headphone amp/headphone combo and have had nothing to compare it to.  At this point, I have a lot less than 100 hours of listening with the set and I am not sure if any characteristic of the combo qualifies as having good synergy or not.  The sound is excellent with good and tight bass response, clear midrange and sharp highs.  Even the soundstage is excellent, especially noticeable when watching a concert DVD.  The only part of the headphones I am still having a problem with is slightly over accentuatedhighs on most newer recordings.  The sound of cymbals can sometimes be ear piercing sharp.


Yeah, those shrill highs definitely sound like some of the bad synergy comments I read on this. Sorry. The HDP is said to be a somewhat bright and analytical as is the Beyers, so together you might get some bright and shrill highs. It might be worth selling the Beyers on here and getting a better complimenting pair of cans. The Denons are said to sound really good on it. 

 

I just got my HDP and HD 650 combo in the mail today. Right out of the box I can tell they are going to have nice synergy. The detailed and analytical nature of HDP seem to balance very nicely with the strong bass and smooth, warm sound of the HD 650 so far. I'll post a pic below and will try to post more impressions as I spend more time with the combo.

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post #10 of 11
8/19/10 at 5:50pm

IMG_3429.JPG

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post #11 of 11
8/19/10 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sid-Fi View Post
I just got my HDP and HD 650 combo in the mail today. Right out of the box I can tell they are going to have nice synergy. The detailed and analytical nature of HDP seem to balance very nicely with the strong bass and smooth, warm sound of the HD 650 so far. I'll post a pic below and will try to post more impressions as I spend more time with the combo.


Nice and congrats on your new gear.  Can't wait to read more impressions soon...

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

NuForce Icon HDP (High-end Headphone Amp, USB DAC, Preamp)
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