[Review] Nuforce Icon HDP - Page 9

I have not done much research in a long time, and I don't have any other alternatives to make a comparison.  There is plenty of info to be found right here on this site. 

This link provides the search results of several potential alternatives and discussions about the HDP, with all forum threads being from Head-Fi.

http://tiny.cc/IconHDPComparisons

Is anyone using the HDP with the Beyer T1 or T5p?? Any thoughts on how well they do or don't pair together??

I have an HDP and would like to know if it has enough power to drive a HD 800? Or do I have to think of a more powerful amp?

Quote:

Originally Posted by trunk 

I bought the HD800 and the Nuforce Icon HDP together and I must say I don't think its a good combination. The treble is way too bright and the bass is lacking/weak. I am looking for a new amp..

This ^^ a few pages back. Maybe you could send a pm and get some more info.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by lexlex 

I have an HDP and would like to know if it has enough power to drive a HD 800? Or do I have to think of a more powerful amp?

I use the NuForce Icon HDP with my 650s and I love it.

Just read through this thread - learned a ton about my device! Glad you're all enjoying it as much as I am. I picked up my HDP in March on head-fi's classifieds for $315 barely out of the box.

As a headphone amp, much has already been said, and it all comes right back to the OP - "It's awesome." I've compared it to my Fiio E7 which I use for the office/portable ventures, as well as to my Qinpu A3, which is a tube/hybrid integrated/headphone amp. I also used my friend's Zero DAC a number of times. The HDP is the clear victor for driving my ATH-M50s, my only audiophile cans (pre-redesign/price hike). I didn't have any speakers until June, so I spent a solid two months loving this amp/dac for nearly all my music listening.

I'm posting mainly because only a few people have talked about using it as a preamp/dac for tube systems. As of June, this is my speaker setup:

Macbook -> HDP via Optical -> Qinpu A3 -> Klipsch Quartet Floorstanding Speakers circa 1989 (part of the renowned Klipsch Hertiage series)

I picked up the Qinpu for $140 with light use and the Quartets for $400 in mint used condition from the original owner - an $855 setup if you ignore the cost of the computer. So anyway, my thoughts as a speaker listener:

In this thread, some have commented on the HDP's sharpness and brightness. It is slightly there when I listen through the M50s, but I actually prefer a bit of brightness (nothing like actually feeling a cymbal crash), and I never found it overwhelming or harsh. It can be fatiguing, though, as I don't like to keep the cans on for more than a couple hours at a time. I'm always like that with headphones, though, so maybe it's just me.

Regardless, I have to say that the warmth of the tubes make for an awesome best-of-both-worlds scenario for me. I get the detail and sharp clarity of the HDP at most frequencies, and I pair it with the tubes to 'warm up' and shape the sound (roll the tubes to customize it a bit!). Then throw that signal into a classic hi-fi speaker like the Quartets and you're in heaven. Perhaps I'm not critical enough, but I don't feel I'm lacking anything in this setup, besides maybe some power in the highest of registers, but that could just be the tubes. Perhaps when I'm older I'll be listening to more classical, refined music and I'll want high powered, super detailed equipment, but for now, I'm loving the unique shape that my sound has taken with minimal power and fairly low investment.

For me, the HDP is a critical component as both a headphone amp and a speaker preamp - true bang for my buck. I don't anticipate needing to replace it for quite some time.

Hi

I am thinking of buying icon HDP. However I am still but sure about few things. Is the power adapter 100-220 Volt?

Can I use the RCA output simultaneously while using the headphone output?

I see that it uses 6.3 mm for headphone output jack, while most of my headphones are using 3.5 mm. If I use a 3.5mm to 6.3 mm adapter, will it works with any 3.5 mm headphones?

Quote:

Originally Posted by vahnlang 

Hi

 

I am thinking of buying icon HDP. However I am still but sure about few things. Is the power adapter 100-220 Volt? 

Can I use the RCA output simultaneously while using the headphone output?

I see that it uses 6.3 mm for headphone output jack, while most of my headphones are using 3.5 mm. If I use a 3.5mm to 6.3 mm adapter, will it works with any 3.5 mm headphones?

http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconhdp/index.php

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calypso 

http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconhdp/index.php

Can I use the RCA output simultaneously while using the headphone output?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lexlex 

I have an HDP and would like to know if it has enough power to drive a HD 800? Or do I have to think of a more powerful amp?

No its not a good combo imo. It does have enough power to drive them, but something is lacking in the sound. I did not find it to have much soundstage and the bass was not impressive. I would recommend the musical fidelity m1 hpa which is the one Im using but I also tried it out with the lehmann linear amp with great result.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirium 

Is anyone using the HDP with the Beyer T1 or T5p?? Any thoughts on how well they do or don't pair together??

I've used the beyer t1 with the HDP, it sounded good, was a like a month or two since I used them together so I can't go into detail, but I enjoyed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dolor 

 

No its not a good combo imo. It does have enough power to drive them, but something is lacking in the sound. I did not find it to have much soundstage and the bass was not impressive. I would recommend the musical fidelity m1 hpa which is the one Im using but I also tried it out with the lehmann linear amp with great result.

I've used the beyer t1 with the HDP, it sounded good, was a like a month or two since I used them together so I can't go into detail, but I enjoyed it.

Hi dolor,

Which one sounded better with HDP, Senn 650 or T1?

Quote:

Originally Posted by boyfrombluesea 

 

 

Hi dolor,

 

Which one sounded better with HDP, Senn 650 or T1?

Then senn hd650 had good synergy so I would say the 650 over the T1.

But I still got good result with the T1, good deep bass and good soundstage. You had to turn the knob above 50% to get satisfying volume so I would prefer a more powerful amp or a tube amp for the T1

Quote:

Originally Posted by dolor 

Then senn hd650 had good synergy so I would say the 650 over the T1.

But I still got good result with the T1, good deep bass and good soundstage. You had to turn the knob above 50% to get satisfying volume so I would prefer a more powerful amp or a tube amp for the T1

Thanks :)

I've been listening uDAC-2 for some time and I like how headphones sound with it. But I'm dissapointed with how speakers sounds thru uDAC-2 RCA-output. I've tested uDAC-2 with different speaker-amp combos and result is same, muddy and bassless sound. How Icon HDP sounds thru RCA-output? Is there big difference in SQ comparing headphones and speakers?

I finally decided to bought HDP for my Senn HD 650.

Came yesterday, tried it on. It gives very transparent and balanced sound.

I like it!