[AustinHorn]

Re: LDV vs. HDP amp - I just got the HDP yesterday & just haven't had time to do any sort of comparisons between it & the LDV. The LDV & Doge 6210 are linked to my DAC1 via my Bel Canto Link USB/BCN device from my PC & I've just been running my HDP with my laptop for break-in purposes. So far all my comparisons, such as they are, were to compare the amp/dac functions between the HDP & udac. I'd already compared the udac against all my other dacs (superpro707, HRT Music Streamer+, & DAC1) so I used that knowledge to do an initial ranking, at least IMOM, of the dac/amp functions of the HDP against the udac. I certainly will do a further comparison of the LDV & amp functions of the HDP once it is fixed and broken-in, but right now it would be conjecture for me to say how it compares to the LDV. I can say I already prefer the LDV amp to the udac's amp & I also prefer the HDP's amp to the udacs' amp - if that helps. I'm hoping I like the HDP better or as well as the LDV (which I really do like a lot as a ss amp), so I can save some space on my desktop & sell the LDV. Based on what Larry has reported, I'm very hopeful that the HDP's improvement will be such that will allow me to do just that. Then I can move the DAC1 back & use the HDP as my ss amp, & run my Doge off of the HDP's dac. That would be ideal for me. But unless the HDP is as good as the LDV, I'll keep the LDV 'cause it is really a great s.s. amp. The only headphone amp I've liked better, is my Burson HA-160, which I sold & have regretted it ever since. It drove my AKGs like no other amp has. But it cost almost 2X what the Little Dot V does & unless you're headphone of choice is the K701/702, the LDV is hard to beat for the price - IMHO.

Got the return mailing label from Nuforce & my HDP is headed for Calif. (as predicted) for repair. Got about 20 hrs on it before it shipped out. They're promising 1 day shipping service so hopefully I'll have it back early next week. I'm impressed, thanks Jasonl & Co. Great service!

 

[Fantoon]

Thank you, looking forward for further impressions next week

 

[kite7]

I'm pretty excited, will be getting the HDP tomorrow morning. I'll be testing it out with my HD580, RS-1 and Westone 2.

 

[Easesyjen]

Hey everybody! I am new here. Just joined the site. I just purchased an iphone and now I am getting information on Ipad and so I started looking around the web for sites to talk about different techy things.
And of course anything else to talk about

I look forward to being an helpful member here.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kite7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm pretty excited, will be getting the HDP tomorrow morning. I'll be testing it out with my HD580, RS-1 and Westone 2.

Just remember it needs about 100-150 hours to smooth out, but a good bit of change is in the first 24-48 hours. I've been running mine since last Thursday night, with a couple of occasions where I forgot to set iTunes to repeat music overnight, and in the past few days I have been very pleased with it.

 

[Sgt_Strider]

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger and ordering one myself. Is 2/22 the earliest I can expect the black Nuforce HDP to be in stock? Can I order from Nuforce's website?

 

[kite7]

Nuforce's website states there will be stock on 2/26

Got my HDP today and I'm enjoying it through my RS1 at the moment which sounds great, I'll probably leave it on for an entire week for burn-in. The unit is a little smaller than I thought, which is nice. There should be a black silicon stand, I think it would look better. I'm not sure if anyone wants more pictures, I could take some but the ones on the first post is really all there is to see unless someone wants size comparisons.

I find myself listening to the RS-1 with the volume at 9:30 knob position with my unit upright and the HD580 at 11 o'clock. The volume is set to 100% in Windows and I'm using the zune software at 50% volume (Note that Windows Media Player volume setting is exactly the same as zune software, WMP at 50% = Zune Software at 50%).

 

[bcwang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kite7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I find myself listening to the RS-1 with the volume at 9:30 knob position with my unit upright and the HD580 at 11 o'clock. The volume is set to 100% in Windows and I'm using the zune software at 50% volume (Note that Windows Media Player volume setting is exactly the same as zune software, WMP at 50% = Zune Software at 50%).

Hmm, sounds like you aren't getting bit-perfect data to the DAC for optimal sound quality. Look into it, might make a big difference.

flac->foobar(@100% volume)->wasapi/asio->hdp usb (with windows volume control @100% volume)

 

[neergan1216]

I have just received the uDac a couple days ago. I have auditioned it only a couple hours, using a Toshiba laptop and HD600's. I am completely satisfied. For loudness, I can only set the volume to, at most, just past half way. Power is very adequate. Soundwise, I can't detect any deficiencies whatsoever. Detail, clarity, bass, dynamics, soundstage are all there. My only suspicion is that separation, in complex passages only, might be its only weakness. Overall, for me, I can't imagine the HDP to be enough better to justify the almost 4 times higher price, except for any additional features someone might want.

 

[kite7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcwang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, sounds like you aren't getting bit-perfect data to the DAC for optimal sound quality. Look into it, might make a big difference. flac->foobar(@100% volume)->wasapi/asio->hdp usb (with windows volume control @100% volume)

Zune 4 also has bitperfect out , that is probably why I don't notice any differences using foobar

 

[pdferguson]

Just wanted to post my initial impressions of the HDP (I guess everyone is over here, the official NuForce forum is a ghost town...)

I now have maybe 40-50 hours listening to the HDP, and the smile on my face is making my jaw ache. This thing sounds fantastic. I haven't compared it to a wide range of competing products, but it clearly blew my old DAC (a SuperPro 707) away from the first moments I heard it. The difference between the HDP and the 707 is almost as dramatic as the difference between the 707 and my computer's builtin audio. The HDP is being driven by a iMac through USB (more about that later) listening to lossless ripped CDs.

I have also compared the HDP with my trusty Creek OBH-11, and while the Creek has more raw power, the HDP sounds better all around, clearer and more transparent sounding. My earphone listening has been through Grado SR-125's and Sony MDR-V6's, both of which are longtime favorite phones. With the HDP, the Grado's sound fantastic, while the HDP starts to illuminate the shortcomings of the V6's. With both sets of phones, I do have to crank up the volume fairly high (around 1/2 volume), but as I said, I'm comparing this to the Creek, which I can never turn up past about 1/3 volume. My next headphone purchase will probably be a pair of Sennheiser 600's or 650's, so I appreciate people's feedback about the HDP and those phones.

I've also been listening to the HDP through a Yamaha receiver driving a Polk RM3000 speaker system (two satellites, passive subwoofer) in my home office. It also has noticeably improved the sound of that system, especially when I crank up the volume a bit (i.e. when the wife is out of the house...) Although I do love these old speakers--their mid and high end is fantastic--the HDP also begins to reveal their shortcomings.

Although I'm not convinced break-in is an actual phenomenon for a solid state device like the HDP, I certainly experienced what would seem to be break-in changes over my time so far. For a while, I was convinced the HDP was severely rolling off the bass response to the point I thought I was going to return it for a refund; I couldn't get any deep bass through either the speakers or headphones. Now as I sit here listening to Leonard Cohen (with my wife out of the house...), the bass response is as full and rich as I could hope.

My HDP does have one problem. Both the optical and coaxial digital inputs are non functional. In addition to the iMac (which drives the SuperPro 707 through optical without a problem), I have tried the optical and coaxial outputs from a Sony DVD player without success. I have a help desk case open with NuForce about this, and they have promised a replacement unit when available. In the meantime, I've been listening through USB for now. The analog inputs do work, but I haven't listened to that very much since all my music is on my Mac. I prefer to use the optical output of the iMac (I have way more USB devices to plug into my Mac than I have USB ports...), so this was initially disappointing, but should get rectified soon.

I bought the HDP for its simplicity and audio quality (although the latter was not known beforehand, NuForce's reputation was a good indicator of what to expect). Using this in a home office setup, I like the small form factor of the HDP; it sits in its stand next to my computer, taking up almost no desk space. I can keep the amplifier tucked out of the way (another planned upgrade is to replace the Yamaha with a Parasound Zamp) yet have the volume and headphone jack at my fingertips. While waiting for the HDP to ship, I was seriously tempted to get a Peachtree Nova, but really want a small footprint on my desk (in many home office setups, inches matter). So far, I'm really pleased with the HDP, and am glad I waited. NuForce has a new customer.

 

[bcwang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdferguson /img/forum/go_quote.gif My HDP does have one problem. Both the optical and coaxial digital inputs are non functional. In addition to the iMac (which drives the SuperPro 707 through optical without a problem), I have tried the optical and coaxial outputs from a Sony DVD player without success.

I believe if there is something in the 3.5mm jack, it bypasses the coaxial digital in. Since you didn't give detail about it, I thought you might want to make sure when you tried coax that no cable was in the 3.5mm jack.

Also make sure the selector knob is in the D position and the light in the front is white.

You said the HDP sounds better than your creek, is that using both as pure headphone amps to do that comparison?

 

[pdferguson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcwang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe if there is something in the 3.5mm jack, it bypasses the coaxial digital in. Since you didn't give detail about it, I thought you might want to make sure when you tried coax that no cable was in the 3.5mm jack. Also make sure the selector knob is in the D position and the light in the front is white.

Yes, I was aware of both these issues, and tested the coax without the optical plugged in, and with the D setting. That wasn't the problem. Both digital inputs were DOA when I tested it last weekend (I got the HDP that Saturday morning.)

Since posting earlier today, I got my DVD player out of the closet again and tried both the optical and coax inputs. And they both worked! I connected the optical to my Mac, it worked too. Both analog inputs work correctly (I had tested the RCA analog previously).

What a pleasant, if puzzling, surprise. Somehow, everything now appears to be working correctly using the optical input--for the last six hours, anyways. Risen from the dead, tonight the HDP sings. Let's hope it continues.


Quote:

You said the HDP sounds better than your creek, is that using both as pure headphone amps to do that comparison?

No, it was using the HDP as the DAC in both cases, connecting the Creek to the outputs of the HDP to perform the (admittedly brief) comparison. The Creek has always been a bit fatiguing to listen to for extended periods, whether that's the Creek itself or the 707 DAC, I'm not sure (I suspect a bit of both). The HDP as a headphone amp so far hasn't struck me as being fatiguing, although I don't have any long (multi-hour) spans of headphone listening on it.

 

[alont]

Got my GS1000i today!
Sounds absolutely great out of the box with my iPhone, so I can't wait to hear it after burn in + the HDP

 

[kite7]

If you think it sounds great out of an iPhone, the HDP will take it to a completely different level

Just when I thought my Musiland 02US + Arietta amp combo was great, this thing is even better paired with my RS-1. It's fairly engaging with plenty of details to keep me happy. The HDP may be the very one thing I'll be pleased with for a very long time, its perfect size and involving sound won me over.