I realize most of you are veterans on this board. I have a health issue that prevents me from contributing as much as would like. Involves Chronic Pain and fingers get tired & painful, so it takes a while to type anything on my iPod touch and then numbness, followed by very intense pain, so I have to piece it together, minutes at a time.... I have been an audiophile and Electronics Engineer, before succumbing to this health issue 8 years ago. So bad, I was forced into long term disability and it just got worse from there!
In any regard, I really enjoy the comments and reviews from different people here, especially Armaegis, Craigster, Beagle..... Nice to see others with a cerebral, honest view of audio. Refreshing!
I'll have to admit that I have been a Nuforce Nutcase ever since the NE-6's were recommended to me. I also, has since got a pair of (the new & improved) NE-700X's, that just hit the online store in Feb. instead of a shiny light blue, they are more of a matte gun-metal grayish-blue. Needed them, as others went missing, but honestly cannot tell a lot of difference, which, too me, is a great thing! Thee originals were spectacular in it's audio signature and had the tightest most REAL bass of any earphones I have ever owned, even at 4X's the $$$....... I ended up getting an ICON iDO DAC/Can Amp for my itouch and it sealed the deal! Great amp for my itouch and the output running to my home A/V RCVR rivals all but my Oppo DVD-Audio and the new Blu-ray audio processors, such as DTS HD Master Audio, just to name one.
Now to my input on the NU Nuforce HP-800's I have had for a month now! Call me insane in the membrane, but after really breaking them in I have to honestly say that the Engineers at NF never cease to amaze me! Actually, I believe I am losing my mind, but keep it between us, OK? For $149.00, after my previous experience with this relatively newer Audio Manuf., Nuforce, I was expecting to have a real HIFI inspired audiogasm, due to my Audiophiliac tendencies!
After a month, I agree with the audio knowledgable music lovers in this Forum, they sound pristine to my old ears and the comfort factor is "off the chart"! I don't know what they used to cover those comfort foam ear pads, but when I first got them, they actually feel like REAL skin..... Eerily so...... But once they are on my head they feel connected to my ears.
Armaegis, loved your comprehensive, accurate review! Great stuff.....
The only thing I disagree a little with is that these are Bass-heavy, maybe at first, a little. But after proper burn-in they produce tight honest Bass that you can almost feel, at very low frequency, (which these reproduce with the best of them) than hear! That's the way Bass is suppose to sound, not muddy or boomy at all, IMHO! Everything else is my opinion, duplicated! I don't think you could come close to ANY other Can at this price! In fact, I had a pair of AKG-701 (I think) Quincy Jones Signatures that are 3X's the price (I had to get those jazzy, lime green ones). I can honestly state that I prefer the HP-800 more, especially the tight low frequency responce! And they are more comphy. I had the fancy AKG's for 5 months s and the clear plastic guides on the auto-adjust headband were already cracking. Sold them to my son!
NuForce's Customer Service has also been very awesome! Fast response, get all the RIGHT answers!
I have been listening to the new Steven Wilson's "The Raven that Refused to Sing... and other stories", which is AWESOME and these phones make his work shine! Alan Parson engineered & mixed it, so I was expecting good things, but Steven Wilson is the "new" Alan Parson's in his own productions! He has help remaster and remix into 5.1 the first 4 King Crimson recording's and a LOT MORE!
All in all, I am VERY pleased with the overall audio qualities of NuForce's first venture in O-T-E Cans! Truly a GREAT but at $149.00!
All IMHO, as I am new here, but hope I can contribute more!
I have already torn the phones all the way down, on one side, and am pretty confident I can MOD these to even sound better!
I am suffering from Gravity Eyelids and must hit the hay!
Thanks for listening! One more thing, as long ass I power these with the ICON iDO, no distortion at all! But, I am in my 50's now, so maybe I just can't hear it anymore, after blasting and going to many concerts over the years, my ears are kinda shot, but at least my consensus with you guys gives my ears hope!