got a new preamp on the way

[harley .guy07]

Well I hope my search is over for now for a new preamp since I found a real good deal on a Nuforce P8 and have it on the way right now. I have read a lot of good things about them and that they are smoother than a lot of SS preamps but do not loose the dynamics and the frequency extremes like some tube pre's do. This Preamp is a small unit but they have been compared to way pricier units favorably and at the price I got it for I could not pass it up and with they way the sound of this unit is spoken of I think it will sound good with my PS audio dac and Adcom amp. When it comes in and I get some time with it I will let you guys know what I think.

[jrhymeammo]

Ouuuu delicious.
Which color did you get?

JRA

[harley .guy07]

Its black and it comes with black knobs or the silver ones both but since My dac is silver and other components are black I will go with the silver knobs.

[Mr Peabody]

New toys are fun. Does it have the theater bypass you wanted?

[harley .guy07]

yes it does. I actually got it at a great price and way under what I had originally budgeted for a preamp but due to recent auto repairs and other things taking some of my preamp money I had a think again about my budget for a pre. the Nuforce was one of the original preamps studied up on when I started shopping for a pre and the reviews that I have read say that this pre holds its own with some of the tube preamps out there and does not have the typical solid state sound and actually has some of the good aspects of a good tube pre while retaining the tight bass and detail of a solid state piece. It has been reviewed as being very good for the money and I am waiting to receive it to see if it lives up to the reviews. I will let you guys know as soon as i get it in and do some listening.

[Ajani]

Congrats... let us know how it sounds... With a PS Audio DAC and Nuforce Pre, it sounds like you need a Class D amp...

[harley .guy07]

I am really interested to see how my Adcom likes this setup, I hope it is a good match

[harley .guy07]

Congrats... let us know how it sounds... With a PS Audio DAC and Nuforce Pre, it sounds like you need a Class D amp...

Well I will know when it arrives how it does with a class A/B design. I have read some reviews on the Nuforce ref 9 monoblocks and from what I have read they seem to be some sound quality champs for this type of amplifier and they are small, light and very easy to integrate into a system without having to buy or build cabinets on the floor to hold a 90 lb amplifier. It is interesting and something I might consider later if I decide to change from my tried and true 545.

[harley .guy07]

Well I received my new preamp at about 6:30 pm today and just now got it hooked up and have played some of my disks through it. A huge step up from before. It is hard to get sed to hearing your system have so much more detail and smoothness in areas it did not before. I can see the reviewers saying that it had a touch of tube warmth in the midrange but also the bass is more dynamic and detailed than ever. My speakers sound way bigger than their small size would suggest but not in a bad way. The bass is not boomy or undetailed it just has a size and smoothness that was not there before. This unit was in such good shape it makes me wonder if the previous owner even broke this unit in as it looks like it came from the factory and even the preamp connectors have no wear on them what so ever. The high end is much more detailed and airy with out sounding harsh so I am pleased so far and will continue to listen when I get the chance and give more input as I hear it. So far so good.

[Mr Peabody]

Excellent! enjoy.

[harley .guy07]

Yeah I really am starting to think this thing has not been broken in before I got it. I have been listening while studying and the highs have gotten more natural and that tube like midrange and detail is starting to really shine through. The bass control and tightness is amazing on this thing and it seems to make my speakers seem larger than they are even though the bass is not boomy but detailed and smooth. I think I did very well and to boot the damn thing weighs in at around 8 pounds or so and is tiny(very easy to integrate into my system). I am going to let this unit run for a while and see how much better it improves but it is already impressing me. Very sold state type bass with a tube style midrange but the highs are still detailed and do not drop off. so far Nail on head on this one for the price.

[frenchmon]

Yeah I really am starting to think this thing has not been broken in before I got it. I have been listening while studying and the highs have gotten more natural and that tube like midrange and detail is starting to really shine through. The bass control and tightness is amazing on this thing and it seems to make my speakers seem larger than they are even though the bass is not boomy but detailed and smooth. I think I did very well and to boot the damn thing weighs in at around 8 pounds or so and is tiny(very easy to integrate into my system). I am going to let this unit run for a while and see how much better it improves but it is already impressing me. Very sold state type bass with a tube style midrange but the highs are still detailed and do not drop off. so far Nail on head on this one for the price.

Glad to hear you are liking your new gear harley...Can you post some pics of it?

And watch out now...I've tried that studying and listening at the same time....it never worked for me as the music kept drawing me in...my home work never got done as long as the 2 channel was playing.

[harley .guy07]

Yeah I have already tried that and it does not work especially with new gear that I really like. I just keep taking my attention off of my subjects. But I do love my new preamp. It has a very tube like quality to the mids and the bass is detailed and tight and the highs are very detailed but smooth as well, works very well with Dynaudio since the highs do not role off like that of some tube gear out there and it is also a very small unit that fits nicely in my system. When I get a chance I will post some pictures of it on here so it can be seen.

[harley .guy07]

here is a pic of my preamp setting in my system with my PS audio digilink 3 and yamaha receiver that I use for HT. I think it works out well in this setup with the size of the unit as well as the sound.

[phileserver39]

Nice, Harley!

I am getting a great deal on a B&K Ref 50 preamp tomorrow. I too will be hooking it to a PS Audio Dac (I have and love the Digilink III model). I even have the balanced interconnects to go from source to my new B&K!

Congrats on the great deal on a kick-ass pre!

Best,

Jason

[harley .guy07]

yeah I have had my Digilink 3 for about 7 months now or so and i love it. Even before I got my Nu Force my 2 channel listening was great going through the ps audio Digi link. I am a big fan of PS audio products and if I ever get my vintage turntable finished and going I will probably end up getting a PS audio phono preamp to use with it and run it through my Nu Force.

[phileserver39]

yeah I have had my Digilink 3 for about 7 months now or so and i love it. Even before I got my Nu Force my 2 channel listening was great going through the ps audio Digi link. I am a big fan of PS audio products and if I ever get my vintage turntable finished and going I will probably end up getting a PS audio phono preamp to use with it and run it through my Nu Force.

Yup, the PS Dac was the best $550 or so I have spent on my system (although I would say that refurbing and adding my Allison Four speakers arguably did just as much to improve sound).

I am really looking forward to the clarity and definition that I can pull out of the dac when the B&K preamp arrives. Right now I am using my tired old NAD 3150 as a preamp since I moved my YS Audio Tube preamp to my living room studio. The NAD is decent enough but, alas, she probably needs a tune up (as any 25 year old piece of gear would).

Best,

Jason

[harley .guy07]

Yeah I think the B&K will be a step up and you are right with older gear. My Adcom power amp is getting close to the twenty year mark too and it makes me wonder how much longer that thing can stay as good as it is. It does as good now as the day I brought it home from what I can tell and I am the original owner. I think I will run it till she dies or if I do get the upgrade bug for my two channel setup I will retire it to running my rear speakers and give a break.