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I still need to figure out how to tell my Linux based music center (HP DEC100) to use an USB audio device.The 12VDC for input input is a plus for me as at some point in time I expect have that readily available throughout the house with solar power feeding (old car) batteries. Better 'placement' than my old, warm, 2*80W mosfet Haffler it seems, with ample power for normal, as well as loud, usage.I have only used the RCA input and the 3.5mm plug. I like it so far, as a main amp for my (highly efficient, older, big) Klipsch speakers. Amazing how tyhis tiny, efficient box, fills the room with quality music. no more wallwarts, but that might still be years out.Cheers,Hein.
The box runs slightly warm to the touch, but nothing that would worry me even if it needed to stay inside a closed cabinet. Even my vintage Quad 405 (not renowned for quietness) isn't so hissy as this. The external power supply is an unobtrusive enough little brick. OK, you probably won't be shaking the foundations or slamming out big beats at a block party, but twelve watts give plenty of punch for domestic listening or even outdoors in the yard.So, what are the downsides. But so far I haven't tried the USB input, only the RCA analog inputs. In my living room system (very high efficiency horns) it was quite obtrusive.
Second: there's a fairly big "pop" when switching the unit on. For comparison, I have Trends TA-10 amps (half the power output, great sound, and built with similar switching technology) which are absolutely silent. I just leave it on all the time anyway. Not a problem for a desk-based system, but for a bedroom or living room you'll want to buy the longer versions. presents." feeling for the very short time it'll take to unpack and plug in. This is my biggest criticism, and the reason I'll only give the Icon three stars. But the booklet that comes with the unit makes a point of talking about low noise as a goal, and that just seems odd since this is the noisiest amplifier I've ever owned.
And although I don't like fancy plastic packaging, generally, the presentation of the new boxed product is slick and smart enough to give you that "whooooo. Probably not. Will you notice the noise, if you're using normal low-efficiency speakers. Third: it's noisy.
Actually, I could see mine ending up there, for reasons I'll get to in a while. Sound quality is really excellent. In my bedroom system (with fairly efficient Lowther speakers) I can hear its hiss from across the room in bed. It would also make a really great little computer-system amplifier for the home/office/kids. On my much less efficient bookshelf speakers it's still audible within a foot or so of the speakers. Don't worry. Sure, the ad copy says you shouldn't use it with very high-efficiency loudspeakers.
I'm using the Icon with a Logitech Squeezebox in my bedroom system. First: the supplied speaker cables are short. They're a great pair: the whole system is *tiny*, and the Icon is exactly the same width and height as the Squeezebox, so they stack very nicely together. Crisp and detailed and plenty of power. The two front controls are nice, and the whole unit is really solid and neat. I'm even a fan of the unusual RJ45 speaker connections, because they give a really positive "click" when plugged in. But maybe.
I used it in my regular audio system with some stand-mount monitors and it delivered as expected. I have no problem making my own longer cables but it would be nice if NuForce had an option available.
When I plugged the USB cable into my computer the OS recognized it immediately and it was up and playing in no time. The only draw-back is the far-too-short Cat5 speaker cables.
I've owned several different audio amplifiers from high quality solid state and tube amps to the Sonic Impact T-amp. On a side-note, the amp produces a small "pop" when first powered on which, while not a "problem", is a bit disconcerting.
The NuForce Icon is well worth the purchase price and for a D-class amplifier has excellent sound quality. Bonuses include the incredibly small form factor, the built-in DAC and 12w per channel which is more than one of my tube amps.
If the choice is between eliminating the "pop" and reducing the sound quality, I'll take the "pop".
Insane.The most obvious use for the Icon is as a USB DAC and amplifier for the NuForce S-1 Speaker. On my iMac I had it up and running in about 30 seconds (plug it into a USB jack, change the sound output in System Preferences to "USB DAC", and you are done). Also note the 42W PSU.it is likely of better use with conventional/more inefficient speakers, but with the Icon it provided a subtle increase in dynamic reach and "speed" of the sound.This really is an amazing product. Longer lengths are available from NuForce, and they also provide the pinout on their website so you can make your own if you wish.
There are other tips floating around the web, and are worth a look if you want to get every last bit of potential out of it. Again, versatility is the key here.But, if you don't want to take advantage of the stellar DAC included in this unit, you can use either the standard RCA stereo inputs or the mini-plug input (for an MP3 player or similar unit). This lets the Icon handle the very important task of converting the digital source into the analog output, and is something that a computer just isn't designed to do well. Or take it to work and make everybody jealous (did I mention the built-in headphone amplifier on this thing. Bass is strong and deep, and the highs are extended but not overbearing. This is supposed to happen and won't hurt anything. NuForce have managed to take the high-quality home stereo experience and scale it down for use on a desktop.
Sounds like fresh air, if that makes any sense.Two minor caveats.when you turn on the Icon it will make a minor "pop" noise. It makes great sounding music in any room of your house.that is the bottom line. Its perfect for teens getting their first taste of home audio, all the way to veterans with elaborate home setups wanting something new/different. Oh yea, its only $250. There is no reason why you couldn't just put the Icon and S-1 in your bedroom and hook up your CD player directly to it. Also, be sure you have your system optimized for best sound quality. It does so much (and does it so well), that I continue to be dumbfounded by the price.
But, make sure you let the Icon do all the work.maximize the sound output on the computer and use the Icon's volume control. It does not seem to leave too much of its own imprint on the music.it just amplifies what you give it. Its the audio equivalent to a Swiss Army knife.The sound is clean, clear, and effortless. From the moment you open up the package and give the Icon a try, you just get a feeling that you are holding something that has "it".
Very transparent. It provides amazing sound quality, but also provides you with extreme flexibility in terms of usage, all in a cool running, cool looking, highly efficient little box. Well, the office is a great place to make use of it). But, you can also use the Icon with any other "regular" speaker, as it includes the necessary cables to do so (the Icon connects to the S-1 using an ethernet cable.the Icon connects to standard speakers using the included CAT5/Banana Plug cable).
Furthermore, they offer the NuForce RJ45CX which is a breakout box so you can use your favorite, "regular" speaker cables. Truly awesome.
A separate outboard DAC, however, IS meant to power speakers. Often, a better power supply means more open and fluid sound, and is often worthwhile from my personal experience, and at $45 the Nuforce PSU seems reasonably priced compared to the overall cost of the Icon.Finally, Nuforce customer service is almost unimaginably great to deal with. And for nearfield desktop listening, the Icon accomplishes this task with an impressive combination of power, finesse, and aplomb. Their level of personal contact, over both e-mail and phone (without the dreaded "computerized voice jail" that plagues many other companies' so-called "service" centers) was as impressive as the product itself. Not too shabby for $249, especially when you consider the cost of many similar products on the market.If anything, the Icon has revealed the limitations of my mediocre Klipsch ProAudio 2.1 system. The quality of Nuforce's product really warrants an upgrade to higher quality speakers and better cabling, so I'm in the midst of procuring such items (Mackie powered speakers and Purist Audio interconnects).I have had positive experiences with buying high quality power supplies with other home audio products in the past, so I'm strongly considering a purchase of the Nuforce 42W PSU. I just got my Icon, and it sounds so good that I just cannot stop listening to iTunes.
That just isn't their job. I meant to turn it on just for a quick test run, but the music sounded so compelling, with so much background detail, and with such clearer highs and lows, that I wound up listening for about 2 hours before I reluctantly pulled myself away. I've tried a wide range of sound cards, but let's face it: computers simply aren't meant or designed to power speakers. All in all, this was a true 5 star experience, and I expect that to continue throughout the lifespan of my Nuforce Icon.
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