[Armaegis]

You could always get the linear power supply upgrade...http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/lps1u/index.php
 
 
Quote:

The LPS-2U-96K features a high-quality USB to S/PDIF converter circuit operating at a data-transfer rate of up to 96kHz. Note that the S/PDIF signal is transformer-coupled in order to eliminate the possibility of ground-loop-based noise, which is notoriously difficult or even impossible to deal with by other methods. An LPS-2U-96K spares the user from hours of wasted time in tracking down elusive gremlins. Equally as important, an LPS-2U-96K improves a sound system’s performance characteristics. LPS-2U-* power supplies provide an additional 15V/1A output.

 

[Jodet]

Quote:

First Impressions
Got the amp today afternoon. Trying with HD-800 and comparing with my reference, another class A, Lehmann Linear. It is comparable but not quite in the Lehmann League. Seems to me that Lehmann has a lot more room, bass, treble and most definitely surplus power to drive HD-800 with authority.
I had to turn the volume to 84-88 region for Bolevard of Broken Dreams by Diana Krall for the Nuforce to drive HD-800. The highs in the song seems to be a bit tamed in the Nuforce and also the soundstage is a bit smaller.
I tried them with Jazz, Classical and Indian Fusion and so far they are holding their own weight. I am leaning towards the Lehmann at the moment but the NuForce is doing a pretty good job too. I'd definitely not return them as they do everything almost as well as the Lehmann at half the cost.
I may be partial to Nuforce, ever since I heard their Stereo amp 6 years ago, I have admired their neutral sound. I got their iCon Mobile, HDP and not HAP. I love their sound and would have been really happy with them had I not owned Lehmann. Then again, with the highs tamed, HD-800 sounds more musical to me and I can finally listen to them a lot longer.

 
How do you change inputs on this?   I only see one knob for volume, no buttons for input switching.  
 
? 

 

[sree]

How do you change inputs on this?   I only see one knob for volume, no buttons for input switching.  

? 

You press the volume knob to switch the unit on. Then you press the volume knob to switch the inputs. You have to press and hold the knob for 3-5 seconds to switch it off. They also comes with a remote control.

 

[Hifisound]

Anybody tried it as a pre in their main system ?

 

[Speakerphile]

You could always get the linear power supply upgrade...http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/lps1u/index.php
 
 

 
The LPS is not compatible with the HAP-100 from the looks of it. There are many reasonably priced DAC's on the market though! NuForce makes the uDAC-2 starting at $119, there is also the AudioQuest Dragonfly which goes for $249. I have both, and like them quite a bit. I have a HAP-100 on the way and will likely be using one of the DAC's above. I also have an HDP, but it will probably not live in the same office.

 

[Armaegis]

Do you feel the Dragonfly is a noticeable step up from the uDac2?

 

[Speakerphile]

Quote:

Do you feel the Dragonfly is a noticeable step up from the uDac2?

 
I feel like the DF is definitely a little bit of a step up as far as the DAC is concerned, but fell that the uDAC-2 has a better amp stage.  Now, they are pretty close, so I may be interpreting something incorrectly.  The uDAC seems to have better dynamic range, whereas the DF appears to have more clarity and better separation.  I am using the DF and HAP-100 right now, and it is pretty amazing!

 

[Armaegis]

Thanks for the impressions. I've been curious about higher end dacs, as I've been poking around in the budget/mid-fi dac realm and haven't heard any really palpable differences that I could absolutely say were upgrades rather than sidesteps. It took a jump to the $1k realm in my HE-6 for me to say it's a definite step up, and even then I'm not sure if I can justify keeping it in terms of value per dollar. I'm just curious what it would take for me to feel that in a dac. 

 

[Speakerphile]

Quote:

Thanks for the impressions. I've been curious about higher end dacs, as I've been poking around in the budget/mid-fi dac realm and haven't heard any really palpable differences that I could absolutely say were upgrades rather than sidesteps. It took a jump to the $1k realm in my HE-6 for me to say it's a definite step up, and even then I'm not sure if I can justify keeping it in terms of value per dollar. I'm just curious what it would take for me to feel that in a dac. 

 
Personally, I feel that an amp upgrade makes a much more noticeably difference.  Especially if you already have an inexpensive dedicated DAC($100 range).  Personally, I have the uDAC-2, DragonForce & NuForce HDP.  I think it will be a long time before I look at going beyond that price range for a DAC.  Dac/AMP combo may be a different story though...

 

[TexasBuck]

Any thoughts on how the NuForce HAP-100 might pair with the Schitt Bifrost DAC?  I think I'd rather go with a solid state amp than the Schitt LYR.  The HAP-100 sounds like a better option than the Schitt Asgard.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

 
Personally, I feel that an amp upgrade makes a much more noticeably difference.  Especially if you already have an inexpensive dedicated DAC($100 range).  Personally, I have the uDAC-2, DragonForce & NuForce HDP.  I think it will be a long time before I look at going beyond that price range for a DAC.  Dac/AMP combo may be a different story though...

 
I agree with you about the amp upgrade making a more noticeable difference. While many people make the claim of "source first", I feel that the source is the first to feel the effects of diminishing returns given the current price/performance landscape, where even the budget dacs sound quite good. 

 

[Speakerphile]

I agree with you about the amp upgrade making a more noticeable difference. While many people make the claim of "source first", I feel that the source is the first to feel the effects of diminishing returns given the current price/performance landscape, where even the budget dacs sound quite good. 

Yep! Exactly what I was getting at. DAC's are important, but even a $100 DAC is a HUGE improvement over your computers' headphone jack! I would say that, within reason, the order of importance is Amp, Cans, DAC. This is assuming you are not talking about the earbuds that came with your phone and the DAC built in to your laptop!

 

[Armaegis]

I would put cans first, followed by amp then source. Most headphones don't need *that* much power. As long as there's a reasonably low output impedance and you don't have some sort of mucked up RC filter mucking up your FR curves, a few tens of mw of power should be sufficient for most consumer headphones.

 

[Speakerphile]

I suppose that's probably true.

 

[Fantoon]

Suprisingly very little interest in this amp, have I been away that long? I remember when Nuforce introduced the HDP...