[Aleksnor]

Just read some of the latest posts, Sid-Fi and Headphone Addict reviewed the HDP with the Sigma 11 PSU
 
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Has anybody taken any measurements with and without a better PS?  If so, I want to see how it it differs.  Thanks

 

 

[Aleksnor]

You could read Heaphone Addict's review and updates in the original post, very interesting though. I wouldn't recommend burning in without the headphones plugged since the HDP wouldn't drive any headphones and the amp section wouldn't be used, but that's just my opinion.
 
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Hey guys, 
 
I just got a Nuforce Icon HDP and have been listening via USB for around an hour with the Sennheiser HD 600. Music sounds bright and a bit thinner than I would perceive live music acoustically with my ears.
 
I've read that burn-in apparently alters the sound of the HDP - has anyone here actually found the HDP sound to change after a few weeks/hundred hours if 'burn-in'?
 
Also, if doing a 'burn-in,' would you recommend leaving headphones plugged in, or is the process still effective if the headphones are removed?
 
Many thanks,
Windsor

 

 

[Sid-Fi]

It has been a long time since I had first received my HDP, but I don't recall it sounding thin or bright with my HD 650, which does seem to have a thicker sound compared to HD 600. In general, I recall the HDP and HD 650 both improving with burn-in, although the changes didn't seem drastic, they just became more refined over time. Both items sounded pretty good out of the box to me.
 
Quote:

Hey guys, 
 
I just got a Nuforce Icon HDP and have been listening via USB for around an hour with the Sennheiser HD 600. Music sounds bright and a bit thinner than I would perceive live music acoustically with my ears.
 
I've read that burn-in apparently alters the sound of the HDP - has anyone here actually found the HDP sound to change after a few weeks/hundred hours if 'burn-in'?
 
Also, if doing a 'burn-in,' would you recommend leaving headphones plugged in, or is the process still effective if the headphones are removed?
 
Many thanks,
Windsor

 

 

[Sid-Fi]

Has anyone ordered the new Nuforce power supplies? Are they shipping yet?

 

[Windsor]

Update: I just brought out the HD 650 I have, and the HDP definitely breathes new life into them for me - it's a really pleasurable experience, like a subtle aural massage (to my ears the HD 650 are less treble-centric than the HD 600). 
 
I'm looking forward to hearing music with the HDP for a while.

 

[Sid-Fi]

Very nice . They are a nice combo indeed. Glad to hear that you are enjoying them. I heard most popular headphones with my HDP when I had it and I definitely felt that the HD 650s had the best synergy with them. I really liked the Hifiman HE5LE with HDP as well.
 
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Update: I just brought out the HD 650 I have, and the HDP definitely breathes new life into them for me - it's a really pleasurable experience, like a subtle aural massage (they're less treble-centric than the HD 600). 
 
I'm looking forward to hearing music with the HDP for a while.

 

 

[Aleksnor]

I've seen the new PSUs in the Nuforce website, but not on the Nuforce eStore. I'd really like to know your impressions with the linear psu since you already know the HDP with the Sigma 11.
 
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Has anyone ordered the new Nuforce power supplies? Are they shipping yet?

 

 

[Sid-Fi]

Yeah, I am definitely curious as well. Unfortunately, I don't have the HDP anymore or the Sigma 11 - which I sold on here a few weeks ago. I wonder if they would be willing to send Larry a unit for review like they did initially with the HDP, which is how this thread started. Since he has the Sigma 11 that I sold him, he would also be in a good spot to post comparison impressions. Then again, I definitely don't want to speak for him.
 
I am especially curious about the power supply versions that include usb to spdif converters and how they would perform.
 
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I've seen the new PSUs in the Nuforce website, but not on the Nuforce eStore. I'd really like to know your impressions with the linear psu since you already know the HDP with the Sigma 11.
 


 

 

 

[Windsor]

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^^Agreed. With my Kimber USB cable the micro details on very high bitrate music with my HD800s do seem a bit clearer for me. I also found that my Dayton Glass Toslink cable also had a small performance improvement. I was a little skeptical at first (especially with my engineering prejudice I had going in) but my ears did disagree with my education & logic.
 
For $30, not an expensive experiment. I previously believed that only analog cables could make a small difference, but know I am coming to realize that digital cables can too.

I know you posted that a while back, but I'm just reading through this thread listening to music with a new HDP and the Sennheiser HD 650, really enjoying it.
 
I agree that digital cables definitely make a difference, and experienced that very difference - albeit subtly - a few hours ago when setting up the HDP. I first used connected the HDP via the supplied USB cable and I suddenly realised that I had a few optical cables in one of my storage boxes. Eager at the prospect of also testing out my laptops optical out for the first time, and comparing optical cables to the USB connection, I retrieved the optical cables. One was unbranded and thing; the other was by Cambridge Audio and thicker.
 
The latter cable definitely made a difference. When first using the HDP with the HD 600 with either USB or the thin optical cable, the general sound was shrill, piercing, and a little cold. But the thicker optical cable I used added some immediate warmth that smoothed over the piercing treble and also added some low-end warmth; it was the difference between slightly painful and 'aah, that's more pleasant.' 
 
Back to the thread perusal.

 

[stuckonsound]

Hopely Nuforce will post an update on the linear psu. April 25 has come and gone, but there are no pictures up on their site. And it not available in the store yet. Although I think it's a tad pricey, I might pick this up for my HDP instead of getting a DACmini.
 
I'm wondering if they are supplying a cable with these too.

 

[High_Q]

I think I'm going to build a PSU.  Anybody up for group buy for a build?

 

[harpua]

I'm also interested in more info about how the new Nuforce PSU affects the performance of the HDP.  If it makes a significant difference I would probably be interested in perhaps purchasing one, especially if they offer some kind of discount or incentive to existing HDP owners.
 
I hope that Nuforce will update this thread when the PSU becomes available and consider offering some kind of introductory "new product" discount to existing HDP owners.

 

[Windsor]

Update: 16-18 hours burn-in
 
After leaving the HDP on for another 8 or so hours, giving my ears a rest, I had another listen to music with the HDP. The bass extension seems to have have improved and music still sounds quite treble-centric.
 
I don't know how much 'burn-in' will affect the treble character of the HDP. With some of the headphones I use there can be too much treble at times, such as with the HiFiMAN RE-ZERO, and the Sennheiser HD 600 (especially when used with bright recordings), and as much as I like detail I don't want ringing in my ears after listening to music. I'm thinking of using a general system EQ to compensate for the brightness - has anyone tried this?
 
Otherwise, I have rediscovered the HD 650, which are sounding great with the HDP - I highly recommend that combo.
 
Does anyone know how the HDP DAC and/or Amp compares to neutral sounding DACs/Amps like the Lavry DA10/11 or Burson HA 160-D?

 

[jasonl]

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Hopely Nuforce will post an update on the linear psu. April 25 has come and gone, but there are no pictures up on their site. And it not available in the store yet. Although I think it's a tad pricey, I might pick this up for my HDP instead of getting a DACmini.
 
I'm wondering if they are supplying a cable with these too.

Production got delayed by a week. I heard it will be shipping on May 3 from factory so we should be able to start selling them on May 5.
We will definitely consider offering HDP customers a discount. Please wait for announcement on the mailing list or this forum.
 

 

[harpua]

Great news.  Thanks.
 
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Production got delayed by a week. I heard it will be shipping on May 3 from factory so we should be able to start selling them on May 5.
We will definitely consider offering HDP customers a discount. Please wait for announcement on the mailing list or this forum.