msodrew
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2013
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I have a NuForce Icon HDP that accepts a number of inputs, including USB (for use as a DAC+headphone amp) and analog RCA (for use as a pass-through headphone amp).
My connection setup is as follows:
Rega RP1 turntable (self-grounded) ⇆ TCC TC-750LC Phono Preamp ⇆ NuForce Icon HDP DAC/headphone amp ⇆ Senn 650's
When using the NuForce as a USB DAC on my mac for mp3 or FLAC, i can get up to a pleasurable listening volume at 12 o'clock ↔ 3 o'clock on the gain knob. Everything is fine and works great.
Problem: When using the NuForce as simply a headphone amp for the analog RCA input jacks on the back, sourced from my phono preamp, the NuForce appears to struggle to deliver a good listening volume. I have to turn it up to nearly the 3 o'clock position or more, which not only makes me uncomfortable but also introduces a ton of audible interference noise (or perhaps noise of the amp simply struggling). In this precarious scenario, the phono preamp is also turned up uncomfortably high to around the 3 o'clock position as well.
I don't want to damage my NuForce amp and I'm almost certain that the TCC phono preamp isn't at fault. When I've had the TCC phono preamp connected directly into my KRK monitors, it gets loud enough without a sweat around 12 o'clock or so... so I suspect that I'm not understanding something about my NuForce Icon HDP.
Front photo of setup:
Rear photo of wiring (note: RP1 is self-grounded, blue wires are a ground loop isolator. I've tried the setup with and without it):
NuForce Icon HDP capabilities diagram:
Thanks for any help ya'll can offer. I'm quite confused... perhaps the NuForce isn't intended to take analog RCA inputs from a phono preamp and instead needs the audio to come from a device thats more significantly pre-amplified?
-- Drew
My connection setup is as follows:
Rega RP1 turntable (self-grounded) ⇆ TCC TC-750LC Phono Preamp ⇆ NuForce Icon HDP DAC/headphone amp ⇆ Senn 650's
When using the NuForce as a USB DAC on my mac for mp3 or FLAC, i can get up to a pleasurable listening volume at 12 o'clock ↔ 3 o'clock on the gain knob. Everything is fine and works great.
Problem: When using the NuForce as simply a headphone amp for the analog RCA input jacks on the back, sourced from my phono preamp, the NuForce appears to struggle to deliver a good listening volume. I have to turn it up to nearly the 3 o'clock position or more, which not only makes me uncomfortable but also introduces a ton of audible interference noise (or perhaps noise of the amp simply struggling). In this precarious scenario, the phono preamp is also turned up uncomfortably high to around the 3 o'clock position as well.
I don't want to damage my NuForce amp and I'm almost certain that the TCC phono preamp isn't at fault. When I've had the TCC phono preamp connected directly into my KRK monitors, it gets loud enough without a sweat around 12 o'clock or so... so I suspect that I'm not understanding something about my NuForce Icon HDP.
Front photo of setup:
Rear photo of wiring (note: RP1 is self-grounded, blue wires are a ground loop isolator. I've tried the setup with and without it):
NuForce Icon HDP capabilities diagram:
Thanks for any help ya'll can offer. I'm quite confused... perhaps the NuForce isn't intended to take analog RCA inputs from a phono preamp and instead needs the audio to come from a device thats more significantly pre-amplified?
-- Drew
