NuPrime DAC 9

[Andrew Rieger]

I'm really surprised this doesn't have its own thread at this point. Any Nuprime DAC 9 users?
 
Company Link: http://www.nuprimeaudio.com/index.php/products/dacs-and-headphone-amps/home-audio-dacs/dac-9.html
 
Headphonics Review: http://headfonics.com/2016/06/the-dac-9-by-nuprime/
 

 

[Denio]

There is not much hype about this. I was eyeing with their AMP/DAC combo a while back but ended up buying a better amp without DAC. Their amp designs are fantastic, I am not sure about this DAC though. The chipset seems great, but not much info from real people using it. There is definitely a competition in this price range. AK implementation from Schiit is way cheaper than this for instance.

 

[Lorealjanee]

Any comments, it seems like nobody interesting(( tiered from sabra sound, this dac seems more "rockier" warmer sound. But i doesnt understand why nobody care)?

 

[Theabs]

I just picked one of these up second hand. I have it paired with a Schiit Jotunheim amp, and using a Lexicon RT-10 player. Spent a few hours thus far, I really am liking what I hear!

 

[simon740]

Anybody use DAC-9 direct with active speakers?


regards
Simon

 

[simon740]

What do you think which is better for active speakers (Sonodyne SRP 205)
Nuprime DAC-9 or RME-ADI-2 DAC?

regards,
Simon

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Last Sunday at a show in Paris I auditioned the DAC-9H - yep, Nuprime are treating the DAC-9 to a great headphone amp
Release in December apparently. Just $150 more than the regular DAC-9 and it actually sounded better than the DAC-9 + HPA-9! I didn’t have access to a specs sheet, it’s probably less powerful but still drove the Amiron Home admirably (250 ohm impedance). I’ll ask the rep for info.

I A/B’d vs the DAC-10H and it’s as you’d expect, the 10 is more neutral, colder, more resolving, the 9 more musical and a more enjoyable listen all-round. I listened repeatedly to Agnes Obel’s “Fuel to the Fire” from album Aventine, Unkle’s “Looking for the Rain” and The Roots’s “Walk Alone”, with an occasional Depeche Mode thrown in for good measure. Using Beyerdynamic’s Amiron Home, my IMR R1 iems and briefly the Focal Clear.

All in all a killer DAC/amp combo for $1000, best I’ve heard at the price point, good-looking, not too bulky.

 

[Theabs]

I'm using my DAC-9 with both the Schiit Jot & Little Dot Mk. III, pairs well with both!

 

[simon740]

I'm just saying that I am the new owner of Nuprime DAC 9.
In combination with Sonodyne SRP 205 active speakers and Inakustik Premium XLR cables sounds great. Very pleased.

regards,
Simon

 

[newtophones07]

Any experience with the CD-P? It is a CD transport/dac upsampler?

 

[Timiark]

There is a new DAC 9H from Nuprime.
Have tried it for half an hour, and I guess it is indeed satisfying for me to drive my K812 on its 3.5mm single-end port.
Great bass quality and relatively good back ground noise control.
Haven't listen to many higher tier AIOs for now, Just my subjective simple review.

 

[TheSnafu]

" relatively good back ground noise control" , does this translate to audible hum or buzz from DAC9 or something K812 related ?

 

[monsieurfromag3]

There is a new DAC 9H from Nuprime.
Have tried it for half an hour, and I guess it is indeed satisfying for me to drive my K812 on its 3.5mm single-end port.
Great bass quality and relatively good back ground noise control.
Haven't listen to many higher tier AIOs for now, Just my subjective simple review.

I auditioned it at a show for a good while with a Focal Clear and mostly the excellent Amiron Home. It sounded great, much better than the 10H which is really analytical and cold. The 9H seemed musical and pleasant, equally so with The Roots and Agnes Obel. But then I re-auditioned it with my IMR R1 iems, which are very detailed and quite forward across the frequency range, and I was disappointed by that pairing which sounded aggressive and unpleasantly sharp. I shudder at what the 10H would have delivered!

Ended up settling on a hybrid DAC/amp with tubes and transistors from Taga, a delicious listen with my iems and my Pandora Hope VI, very detailed and punchy amp at just 400€ instead of the 1100 Nuprime asks for the 9H, it was supposed to remain below the 1000€ bar but they increased prices across the range at the last minute, which contributed to seal (or rather unseal) the deal for me.

 

[Timiark]

I auditioned it at a show for a good while with a Focal Clear and mostly the excellent Amiron Home. It sounded great, much better than the 10H which is really analytical and cold. The 9H seemed musical and pleasant, equally so with The Roots and Agnes Obel. But then I re-auditioned it with my IMR R1 iems, which are very detailed and quite forward across the frequency range, and I was disappointed by that pairing which sounded aggressive and unpleasantly sharp. I shudder at what the 10H would have delivered!

Ended up settling on a hybrid DAC/amp with tubes and transistors from Taga, a delicious listen with my iems and my Pandora Hope VI, very detailed and punchy amp at just 400€ instead of the 1100 Nuprime asks for the 9H, it was supposed to remain below the 1000€ bar but they increased prices across the range at the last minute, which contributed to seal (or rather unseal) the deal for me.

Yeah, 9H is a fairly great build, but do not match up with the pricing. A little bit too expensive. Could be lower, I think.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I made a video review about the DAC9 from NuPrime

I think I critique it a bit, so let's have a look at a slightly less enthusiastic review