Is the "Individually adjustable volume on each input for precise level matching of sources" a limited trim range, or can it be used to set the analog input to 99% or 100% for use as an HT Bypass input?
Steve
Does the sub out have adjustable crossover or lpf?
Does the sub out have adjustable crossover or lpf?
So John, You don't know if this can be controlled from a smart phone or ipad ?
Hi Greg,
I don't see how, since to use the iPHONE/iPAD control function you need to be sending and receiving via a Wireless Network.
So I am simply going by that. The IDA-8 is not connected to a Wireless Network.
IF. . .that control function can be performed via the Bluetooth dongle, then maybe so.
RustydogLim will have to address that possibility or available function.
Aren't most smartphones Bluetooth enabled?
Aren't most smartphones Bluetooth enabled?
Is it built in China?
Thanks
Does IPhone 6 Plus running latest IOS support aptx? Does anyone know?
greg
If you are talking about using iphone/ipad to control IDA-8 functions as a substitute to the supplied remote I would think it would require someone writing a app for it like with Xfinity cable and other companies that offer that feature.
JackD,
Yes, this is what I'm asking. Most of the name brand surround sound receivers offer this feature, I'd like to find a higher end 2 channel unit like this to do the same. John said he thinks it will work but it would be nice to know for sure. Rusty?
JackD,
Yes, this is what I'm asking. Most of the name brand surround sound receivers offer this feature, I'd like to find a higher end 2 channel unit like this to do the same. John said he thinks it will work but it would be nice to know for sure. Rusty?
I think you are talking about an App that replace the remote and control the Input Selection, Volume and On Off. That would require that we build WiFi into the Amp, or have some sort of firmware to decode bluetooth command for the control panel. This will complicate the design and perhaps change the performance. I don't see much benefit for an App to control the IDA-8. Sure, extra convenient perhaps.
You can get a home remote control hub which gets positioned in the house to have IR line of sight to your components (or not for your Bluetooth components), then relays the WiFi signal from your Android or IOS device to IR or Bluetooth commands.
There are quite a few of these devices available, including the Logitech Harmony Home Hub (http://myharmony.com/products/detail/home-hub/).
Steve
As it stands now, it appears the first IDA-8's will SHIP June 22, so PREORDERS (at Preorder pricing) will be taken by participating dealers until that date or first actual ship date.
Contact your dealer (or me) to get preorder pricing and details.
I am ordering mine tomorrow :thumb:
Rusty, thank you for the short guide to choosing. I just spoke with John to order an ST-10 based of this post and the review in TAS.
Could you answer a couple of additional questions on this product?
1. the specs mention a WiFi (optional receiver) module, yet i cannot see any part of the IDA-8 where this feature would be currently used. Can you explain what the WiFi module would be used for?
2. You mentioned in another thread an upcoming DAC-8 based of the DAC/pre section of this product, is that still in the works? if so, are you able share any more information on it at this time?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Sorry to see the DAC-8 is being pushed out but certainly see and understand your reason for doing so.
The potential DAC-8 seems very appealing to me from a feature/options/potential price standpoint and i prefer its design over the DAC-10. Likewise i'm sure the DAC-10 is the superior product in regards to function.
I am trying to decide on a front end for the ST-10. Given the possibility of waiting for the DAC-8 release or picking up a DAC-10 (no need for headphone amp) or maybe even an IDA-8 and using the line outputs what would you recommend for this situation - ProAc Response D2s/Harbeth HL5 speakers, small room and of course the ST-10 amp?
Thanks.
Sorry to see the DAC-8 is being pushed out but certainly see and understand your reason for doing so.
The potential DAC-8 seems very appealing to me from a feature/options/potential price standpoint and i prefer its design over the DAC-10. Likewise i'm sure the DAC-10 is the superior product in regards to function.
I am trying to decide on a front end for the ST-10. Given the possibility of waiting for the DAC-8 release or picking up a DAC-10 (no need for headphone amp) or maybe even an IDA-8 and using the line outputs what would you recommend for this situation - ProAc Response D2s/Harbeth HL5 speakers, small room and of course the ST-10 amp?
Hi John,
Any update on when the IDA-8 is actually shipping to pre-ordering customers?
Thanks.
IDA-8 will be shipping to distributors worldwide starting next Thursday or Friday.
USA customers would likely get their shipment first week of July. We are shipping to Indiana warehouse and then ship them out by FedEx ground.
Other countries would be getting their stocks around the same time too.
How does the IDA-8 sound compare with the Ref9SEv3 amps?I am thinking of getting a second set up and considering the IDA-8.
John,
While on the topic - would the brand new '10' series Dac and Amp then be a better performer than the IDA-8?
Got mine this morning and would love to have an opinion, but the amp module is DOA.
Already taken care of John. Another unit on the way from Indiana.
I've been looking for an all-in-one digital amp for a a few months to power my Nola Boxers. Been looking at Wyred4Sound mINT, Bel Canto c5i, Peachtree 125SE, & Quad Veno. Was close to getting either the mINT or 125SE until someone mentioned Nuprime on Facebook which I had not heard of. I ran across this thread today and ya'll got me so excited about the IDA-8 I went ahead and bought one, thanks!
Any idea how it would stack up against those other units?
(http://www.nuprimeaudio.com/media/rokgallery/4/4b744a53-8eef-4dfc-fea8-09e724c5a7cf/4c88ae9f-f94a-45ae-9936-38298aff4414.jpg)
Well I hate to say WOW!, but WOW!
Just quickly hooked this unit up to begin the burn in and it is immediately impressive.
First it is MUCH HEAVIER than expected. This is ONE SOLID unit.
Fit, finish and build is excellent. Even the binding posts stand out.
Now, this is NOT going in a real HIGH END system so I was not expecting miracles.
I had had the NuFORCE HAP-100 and the ST-100 powering it to this point and knew what it sounded like and its supposed limitations. This is with some rather inexpensive EPISODE 700 $600 pr Stand Mount Speakers I use for Office/Bedroom/Small HT Systems.
(http://www.snapav.com/images/Product/large/ES-700-MON-6-BLK-A.jpg)
Set up was just seconds and the immediate LEAP in sound quality was "in your face" there.
Depth, Soundstage, Tone, Richness, and imaging were all RIGHT NOW better by a huge degree. Even without what one might consider High End Speakers, I was hearing High End Sound.
These improvements were entirely using the BlueTooth dongle so, after burn-in I'll run a CDP directly into the DAC and see where we are. :thumb:
By utilizing discrete components in NuPrime’s ULCAM circuit, the signal can be fine tuned to reduce noise and provide maximum power.
So, unlike the HAP 100 that uses IC chips? The IDA-8's preamp section is discrete?
This may turn out to be just what I had been looking for. That took me by surprise.
My unit is in Customs in South Africa .. Im super keen to get my grubby paws on it , Im testing it vs my Devialet D premier..
when will wireless be available?
There is a little group of us in the good old RSA that have some of these little babies in customs, we are going to write a bunch of reviews and will be sure to post them here. Cant wait, this looks like one special box of tricks. Good to see you here Rodney :)
Mine came in Monday and am about four hours listening time into it. Sounds great so far, am having to rethink speaker positioning a little as well as what is in my signal chain and all that. Great sound, build, and, for some reason I got TWO remotes: a standard tv wand one and a little credit-card one. Haven't tried out the bluetooth dongle yet.
Going straight in from the AppleTV I noticed the soundstage got wider, taller, and deeper, and cleaner. Can't wait to see how this thing opens up.
i have the dia100 and love it with my linn kan but not so much with my altec 601c. still looking for an integrated for the altec.
how does the ida8 compare to the dia100 in both the amp and dac section?
also, how does the aptx digital input compare to other digital inputs in terms of sound quality and format compatibility?
thx.
Might add, I think Hi Fi Tommy brought his Linns to a local listening meet I attended several years ago, and I distinctly remember being ever so impressed.
Plain, simple looking, but the sound was exceptional. When we first plugged them in we weren't expecting too much and Tommy remained a little self deprecating, then we played some cuts. WOW!
I think we were driving them with a Son of Ampzilla, which is another 100wpc tubelike solid state amp.
I apologize if this has been covered but I don't recall whether a unity gain or bypass has been employed on this unit?
Is the "Individually adjustable volume on each input for precise level matching of sources" a limited trim range, or can it be used to set the analog input to 99% or 100% for use as an HT Bypass input?
Yes. Each input remembers the Volume Control setting from the last use. So you would simply set the "analog" RCA inputs to full volume for HT.
I can't say about many other brands, but as far as NuPrime is concern, we try to make our products better and cheaper all the time. Other high-end brands are surviving by making fancy boxes more and more expensive utilizing third party class-d modules, we continue to innovate. So I can confidently make the general comment that IDA-8 amp will have no competition at this price point.
IDA-8 does up sampling and our bluetooth aptX dongle sends proprietary digital input to IDA-8 through a USB lookalike port (it is not USB) so we can ensure the highest quality for bluetooth and then up sample and decode.
But for people who wants to play with components, wait for DAC-8 or go with DAC-10 and ST-10.
Thanks. I made a mistake in my previous post. I meant to state i have the nuforce dda100 not the dia100 which is an acurus product. Sorry for the confusion. So, relatively, sound quality is better with bt than usb with the ida8?
Just picked up my unit from our Local agent Joel via Achim. We did a little listening to the one that Joel has had for a while and I was very impressed with what I heard, tried the Blue tooth via my phone and brought a smile to my face!
I will report back next week with a more detailed report.
Stu
I tried three different Dacs into the analog inputs of the IDA-8 with no issues whatsoever. They were the DAC-10, W4S DAC-2 and the Peachtree DAC-ITx. Also used the Visa Phono I MkII set at 60 db and again no issue. As to the cable box, mixing cable tv and audio is always a recipe for frustration. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Not necessarily the Nuprimes fault or the Cambridge's credit, just luck of the draw. Can you take the audio signal from the TV itself either coax or optical and take the box out of the equation.
Hey Rustydoglim, I have a question about the analog input on the IDA-8. Is this port specifically tuned to only use a cd player as an input device? I have tried hooking my cable box up to it which produces an awful hum (no hum with my current amp, though, a cambridge audio ar30) and also my Schiit Bifrost which produces a significant crackling in the right channel when certain tracks with a high dynamic range are played. It works fine with a cd player. I have tested the same tracks with other amps, cables, etc, and made sure there are no ground looping problems. I was hoping to use the analog input for tv (it's my only option with the cable box i have) and optical for music. Any suggestions?
This is a bummer because it really sounds great otherwise, I don't want to have to return or sell it.
mr_bill
If your system is still the same as the one listed in your "systems" profile, your best move would be swapping the DAC-10 for the Benchmark. If otherwise then disregard.
Very nice review.
The comments, remind me of the early days when Rustydoglim was doing the same trail-blazing with the NuFORCE gear.
Great new additional products coming soon with the same vision.
John, what is coming? :-)
I know this is a thread for the 8, but I just received the IDA-16 and absolutely love it. I have one minor concern. The owner's manual isn't much help regarding the analog outputs. I figured they would be either fixed or variable to send to an external amp, but I'm not getting anything.
When I listen to loudspeakers, I have an Audiophilleo 2 going into the IDA-16. When I want to listen to headphones, I have to remove the AP2 from the 16, and hook it up to my Metrum Octave DAC which goes to my headphone amp. I thought maybe the analog outputs of the 16 were fixed. This way I can use the 16's DAC for everything and be done with it. When using the analog outs going to my headphone amp, I got no sound from the headphones.
I know about the home theater bypass feature (holding volumes up and down for three seconds). So that's not it.
Any help?
The outputs are "variable".
What does that mean?
I'm in the market for a dedicated desktop computer connected dac/amp and ideally it would not need to be manually turned on/off.
What is the IDA-8's idle power consumption? Does it automatically go into standby after a period of no USB input?
Any chance the IDA-8 wireless port will support existing SKAA USB dongles? TIA
What is the IDA-8's idle power consumption? Does it automatically go into standby after a period of no USB input?
Yes, with different power supply.
I'm not entirely sure how new this is, but today is the first day I saw it and it is a pretty interesting write-up on the IDA-8 from a NuPrime reseller in New Zealand:
http://www.totallywired.co.nz/nuprime_ida_8.html
greg
To "my ears" the dac in the IDA-8 sounds most similar to the Peachtree DAC-ITx in my office system. This is not surprising as they use the "same" chip from different ESS families. It is not to me up to the separate DAC-10 or W4S DAC-2. To me the DAC was the least important part for the implementation it was bought for. It needed to be simple to use and "non-tech" spouse friendly. It does just happen to sound good too. Don't get me wrong the DAC is perfectly acceptable in a product of this type and price range, just don't expect it to be a "world beater."
Well, that was a glowing review.
Greg
In an integrated setting it is kind of hard to separate out which part accounts for the total sound. I haven't tried a separate DAC into the IDA-8 myself but I know someone who has. I suspect the DAC section of the IDA-8 has the same family house sound that all ESS DAC's do. The total package to me is on the slight warm side of neutral which makes it a perfect fit for the Golden Ear Triton 5's which are just to the detail side of neutral.
I run the DAC-10 in my main system so I can account for it's sound which is pretty much neutral.
Greg
In an integrated setting it is kind of hard to separate out which part accounts for the total sound. I haven't tried a separate DAC into the IDA-8 myself but I know someone who has. I suspect the DAC section of the IDA-8 has the same family house sound that all ESS DAC's do. The total package to me is on the slight warm side of neutral which makes it a perfect fit for the Golden Ear Triton 5's which are just to the detail side of neutral.
I run the DAC-10 in my main system so I can account for it's sound which is pretty much neutral.
I wouldn't expect any less from a hifi sales guy :D
What's great is you can use another dac of choice and if needed change the sound to your liking.
Good catch Jack...the AA stock is probably the old pre-out spec units. Definitely PM Rustydoglim and ask him.
Some will want to use the only analog input as an HT Bypass or phono input, and if the internal DAC doesn't satisfy I would be more inclined to move on to a different integrated with DAC that does.
Steve
Some will want to use the only analog input as an HT Bypass or phono input, and if the internal DAC doesn't satisfy I would be more inclined to move on to a different integrated with DAC that does.
Steve
Just fix it to the industry standard and be done with it. Then no one will have anything else to say about it. Nobody with multiple subs already integrated into a system and calibrated wants to go through that process again just to swap out integrated amps. In my case it didn't make any difference because I was changing out all the gear in that system from HT to 2-channel so the subs had to be redone anyway, but to others it very well could be a deciding factor and in the case of one pre-order owner it was. Even in my case it does limit the volume control on the sub to the first quarter of the dial.
All the current IDA-8 still has 3X gain (which isn't a lot) on the sub output. I think people should go with the original design and unless you really need 1X, we can make the adjustment. I am going back and forth on whether to go with 1,2 or 3X :scratch:
May be we fix at 2X and then nobody needs to complain.
Hello, I am a new member of AC but have followed this thread closely. I am about to pull the trigger on the IDA 8 but I have a few questions:
The onboard dac, does it provide for selecting the sampling rate or is it automatic? Or does it not upsample at all? My last dac allowed you to upsample the different inputs separately.
I have been reading about the sub output level-3x versus 1x. What is the disadvantage of the 3x level? I currently do not use a sub but if I do in the future, I'd like to know that I am using the "better" level.
Thanks in advance for your responses to these questions. :)
Thanks, John, for your responses.
That's incorrect. IDA-8 internal DAC does perform automatic up sampling to an undisclosed rate which we determined to sound "the best".
That's incorrect. IDA-8 internal DAC does perform automatic up sampling to an undisclosed rate which we determined to sound "the best".
IDA-8 internal DAC does perform automatic up sampling to an undisclosed rate which we determined to sound "the best".
That's incorrect. IDA-8 internal DAC does perform automatic up sampling to an undisclosed rate which we determined to sound "the best".
RWJR you can see the sampling rate at any time by using the mute button. As the unit comes back up to the previously set volume the rate is displayed on the screen. There may be other ways of finding it but that's what I've noticed.
Does the "it's a secret" upsampling rate mean the it upsamples to something less than supported PCM 384 or DSD 256 decode rates listed on the NuPrime website?
Hello, Jason.
I'm going to give your (my) IDA-8 a run for the money. My new speakers will arrive in Taoyuan at about the same time as my amplifier. The speakers are Fritz Speakers' LS/5 two-way monitors which are 8 Ohm and 83.5 dB sensitivity. Don't worry, I won't expect concert hall SPL. I do expect really great sound quality from the combination though.
I'll report my findings once everything has broken in nicely.
Michael
Great. Looking forward to ordering once it's available.
Yes,. it should be the perfect mate for that ST-10.
How about the DAC-10?
Has anyone compared the sound quality of the IDA-8 to the Marantz integrated amp model pm7005. Thanks.Hi Ken,
May I ask what the difference between fixed and variable analog output is? [Other than the obvious.] Why is it important to have one vs. the other?
The most common uses for variable outputs are a subwoofer(s) or an external power amplifier.
Fixed outputs might be desirable to feed a device that has its own volume control, such as a dedicated headphone amplifier or a zone amplifier.
Steve
The Analog Line Outs are variable.
May I ask what the difference between fixed and variable analog output is? [Other than the obvious.] Why is it important to have one vs. the other?
Though I do own an IDA-8, I have not yet felt the need to add a subwoofer to my system.
Thanks for any answers, and for furthering my education.
P.S. to kevb: I'm using this amp to drive 83.5 dB two-way monitors and I love it.
Michael
Thanks John. I am looking forward to purchasing this later this month and trying it in my system. If I like what I hear, I will be having a massive selloff of gear. I am looking to simplify. I have 5 DAC's, 3 preamps, 3 power amps, 2 integrated amps, and 7 sets of speakers (plus all cabling), all acquired while looking for the all important (and elusive) system synergy. A one box solution with a small footprint that works and sounds good and is as future-proof as anything out there really appeals to me.
If this ticks all the boxes for me, I will be looking squarely at the IDA-16 or the DAC-10H/ST-10 combo as the basis of my main rig.....or the Ref 20's if I win a lottery. :lol:
Kevb,
We're thinking along the same lines. :thumb:
I've had the IDA-8 for just two weeks, yet I'm already thinking/wondering about how an IDA-16 or DAC-10H might fit into my developing system. The IDA-8 was purchased as a 'second home' system that was easy on my wallet and is very mobile yet offers good sound. Well, I got a home run with this plus my LS/5-R monitors. I had worried about the low sensitivity, but it just is not a problem with this amp and my smallish room.
I've got a big amp, a tube preamp and an older DAC sitting in boxes at home, and I can't help but wonder if the IDA-16 would make a great replacement or if adding the DAC-10H (to replace my aging DAC and the tube preamp) would be enough. In a perfect world, I'd con....uh...er...persuade John to send me both units so that I might be able to make proper comparisons. Any comparisons are months off as I am on the left side of the Pacific until March anyway.
I suspect you'll like the IDA-8, but that it will make you wonder what its big brothers/sisters are capable of.
Enjoy your journey!
Michael
I have a question about the IDA-8:
I have had this unit for several months now and really enjoying it. It replaced a NuForce DDA-100 and to my ears is better in every respect (and the DDA-100 was very good to begin with).
My question is as follows:
Does the analog input into the IDA-8 remain in the analog domain right through to the speaker outputs ? Any internal A/D conversions going on ??
The reason I ask is that I am considering getting a SACD player to play my modest but growing collection of Stereo Hybrid SACDs and just want to be sure that the IDA-8 keeps that pristine analog signal intact through to the output and does not do any internal conversions.
Thanks in advance for any definitive answers that can be provided about my question.
SACDs were recorded using DSD to start with so using the Analog outputs on the player already involves a conversion. I don't know why the Analog inputs would involve digital processing unless Jason says they do. I would think that your best sound may come from using the digital output from the player to the IDA-8 and letting it upsample, but try it both ways and see what you think. In the system I am using mine in I have an Oppo hooked up using the 8's internal DAC and a CD Player using NOS Burr Brown chips into the Analog inputs. They certainly don't sound the same leading me to believe that the Analog inputs are bypassing the internal DAC. If they were both being processed they should sound basically the same.
Greg
I have a friend that has owned the 8 and the 16 and he feels the front of the 16 is better but the amp in the 8 is better. My dealer hears the same between the integrateds
If that is in fact the case, then the $1600 extra for the 16 would seem to be a bit of a problem. I have the IDA-16 and am very pleased with the sound, in what way is the amp of the 8 better sounding ?
Kevb,
We're thinking along the same lines. :thumb:
I've had the IDA-8 for just two weeks, yet I'm already thinking/wondering about how an IDA-16 or DAC-10H might fit into my developing system. The IDA-8 was purchased as a 'second home' system that was easy on my wallet and is very mobile yet offers good sound. Well, I got a home run with this plus my LS/5-R monitors. I had worried about the low sensitivity, but it just is not a problem with this amp and my smallish room.
I've got a big amp, a tube preamp and an older DAC sitting in boxes at home, and I can't help but wonder if the IDA-16 would make a great replacement or if adding the DAC-10H (to replace my aging DAC and the tube preamp) would be enough. In a perfect world, I'd con....uh...er...persuade John to send me both units so that I might be able to make proper comparisons. Any comparisons are months off as I am on the left side of the Pacific until March anyway.
I suspect you'll like the IDA-8, but that it will make you wonder what its big brothers/sisters are capable of.
Enjoy your journey!
Michael
JackD,
Have you compared the Oppo's dac with the dac in the ida-8? If so, how would you describe the differences.
I am still very interested in what people have owned that they can compare to the ida-8 as I'm still not getting a good picture of what it sounds like compared to anything else at this point. Being used to having tubes in the chain I'm very curious as to how the ida-8 compares since I recall Jason saying it was on the warmish side in presentation.
Any input from users would be greatly appreciated.
I thought I'd repost my own post from a couple days ago given the information that I posted above. Now I see the IDA-16 is not in my future. I do want to get the DAC-10H into my main system (once I'm back in my home in Oregon). Then, my next step would be to decide if that is enough, or if I want to replace my big amp with the ST-10 or the Ref 20 amp. Fortunately, that decision is many months in the future.
Jason
Maybe just "re-voice" the amp module in the 16.
IDA-16 doesn't need to be "re-voiced". If you like IDA-8, then you might find IDA-16 "too clean".
Technically, IDA-8 has more even harmonics.
"Better" is subjective. I would say that "Better" should be reserved for the spec. IDA-16 has more power than IDA-8, etc.
Sound wise:
IDA-8 customers typically have entry level high-end speakers from $1K to $3K. So we designed the amp to be slightly warmer with more texture. Sure, even a $5K or $10K speakers can sound really good if you like the sonic characteristic of IDA-8. But if you play very loud in a big room, IDA-8 will not have the power or dynamic for hard to driver speakers.
We designed IDA-16 to be clean, neutral with lots of details. This suits people with high-end speakers where they want to "tune" the overall sound.
ST-10 and DAC-10H combines the best of IDA-8 and IDA-16 and take it to the next level.
Why don't we just make IDA-16 as ST-10+DAC-10H ? If we can do it within the cost, we will. We don't play the pricing game or sell some bull shit thing. It will work if we sell a $3500 IDA-20 that combines ST-10 and DAC-10H. But we are concern that the market will be too small for such a high-end integrated. At the higher price range, people want to go with components.
I agree with JackD, ST-10 (Product of The Year award, announcing Nov 27) is the best for you (you mentioned the ST-100 but I think you are referring to ST-10, ST-100 was the old NuForce amp and not in the same class as ST-10).
If you have budget concern, then go with the next level down, STA-9 that will be shipping Dec 7.
I agree with JackD, ST-10 (Product of The Year award, announcing Nov 27) is the best for you (you mentioned the ST-100 but I think you are referring to ST-10, ST-100 was the old NuForce amp and not in the same class as ST-10).
If you have budget concern, then go with the next level down, STA-9 that will be shipping Dec 7.
Jason,
I can't possibly answer your question because I have just one Nuprime product. The easiest way to fix this problem is to immediately send me an ST-10, DAC-10H,and what the hell an IDA-16. You (or John) already have my address.
Thanks!
I don't doubt that for a minute.....after living with the IDA-8, I can assure everyone there is no BS.
So if you had to pick a combination, would you pick the DAC-9 with the ST-10, or would you pick the DAC-10 with the STA-9?
Hahahaha.....so you are still loving your IDA-8? How are they with the Fritz speakers?
Ya know, I actually do really enjoy my IDA-8. And yes, the Fritz speakers I own have pretty low sensitivity - though that is somewhat modified because of the series crossover. The tweeter is easier to power. It's a really good amplifier, but it is only 100w per channel. I learned a couple years ago that a 150w or 200w amp powers speakers differently even at lower volumes. I'm not dissing the IDA-8, but I can't help but wonder how the IDA-16 differs (not talking about specs or descriptions; I'm talking about how it sounds).
Perhaps what I imagine doing someday is to hand my IDA-8 over to a rep in Taipei to modify the amp so I can add the new (so many new products I forgot the correct name) 100w amp for a bridged setup to give me 200w per channel. I'm pretty sure this isn't possible, but I think it would be pretty cool.
I'll put it another way. I like it enough that I am not willing to trade up to the next level. I'll only get $XXX resale plus I must spend another $XXX to get 'N' sound improvement. I'd rather hang on to the IDA and save my pennies until I have enough to try out the DAC-10H in my system in Oregon. I'm due for a better DAC in that system. If the DAC-10H is as good as the hype/reviews claim, then I'll be interested in comparing my amp to Jason's best. I'd rather have one killer system and one really good system rather than trying to stretch my $$ too thinly between two systems. The IDA-8 is really good and my speakers are excellent.
Ya know, I actually do really enjoy my IDA-8. And yes, the Fritz speakers I own have pretty low sensitivity - though that is somewhat modified because of the series crossover. The tweeter is easier to power. It's a really good amplifier, but it is only 100w per channel. I learned a couple years ago that a 150w or 200w amp powers speakers differently even at lower volumes. I'm not dissing the IDA-8, but I can't help but wonder how the IDA-16 differs (not talking about specs or descriptions; I'm talking about how it sounds).
Perhaps what I imagine doing someday is to hand my IDA-8 over to a rep in Taipei to modify the amp so I can add the new (so many new products I forgot the correct name) 100w amp for a bridged setup to give me 200w per channel. I'm pretty sure this isn't possible, but I think it would be pretty cool.
I'll put it another way. I like it enough that I am not willing to trade up to the next level. I'll only get $XXX resale plus I must spend another $XXX to get 'N' sound improvement. I'd rather hang on to the IDA and save my pennies until I have enough to try out the DAC-10H in my system in Oregon. I'm due for a better DAC in that system. If the DAC-10H is as good as the hype/reviews claim, then I'll be interested in comparing my amp to Jason's best. I'd rather have one killer system and one really good system rather than trying to stretch my $$ too thinly between two systems. The IDA-8 is really good and my speakers are excellent.
Michael,
You want the STA-9's, but the GOOD NEWS is they DO NOT bridge to 200wpc any longer.
THEY BRIDGE TO 290wpc!!! (120wpc in stereo) for $649 each.
And since you have the 2v output on your IDA-8, you can use them with the IDA-8 as a DAC/Preamp right now. :green:
John,
That is better than what I had imagined doing. Is the '2v output' on my IDA-8 different from the output to subwoofer? I ask because my subwoofer output is 1x.
Michael,
You want the STA-9's, but the GOOD NEWS is they DO NOT bridge to 200wpc any longer.
THEY BRIDGE TO 290wpc!!! (120wpc in stereo) for $649 each.
And since you have the 2v output on your IDA-8, you can use them with the IDA-8 as a DAC/Preamp right now. :green:
I now had the chance to listen to the IDA-8... and I liked it very much! Even though I won´t keep it, there´s one crucial feature missing for me: A simple balance control. In my setup one of the speakers is positioned close to a room corner while the other speaker is not. There´s no way to change that at the moment, with my current amp I can correct the shifted middle by adjusting volumes for each channel separately.
I am wondering... after reading a bit about the technical side of the IDA-8 I understand that volume control is done by using lots of resistors and switching them accordingly. Shouldn´t it be quite easy to implement a balance regulation into that kind of volume control?
Thanks for your help,
Oliver
Adding balance control will degrade performance. You can try to change the placement of the speaker just a little.
In my setup one of the speakers is positioned close to a room corner while the other speaker is not.
Hi.
What speakers do you guys and gals use with the IDA-8? I'm looking to upgrade from the Quad 12L2. I'm looking for a pair of standmounts with more clarity to a room 3m x 4m with half of the room open on one side leading to the dining room. Budget is $2000 preferably available to buy in Asia. Any suggestions? Good or bad experiences?
As always, late to the party. I was able to secure an IDA-8 a few weeks ago after a move 3000 miles keeping me away from my main system. Now I can't wait to get to my main system to sell it all off :).
I have owned several integrated and monitor based systems. Simplicity first. I've owned many monitors and the Penaudio monitors have never failed to ever disappoint. Just a consideration....
Hi Greg,
Due to a cross country move... The last time I saw my stereo system was 3-months ago which consisted of a Hegel H160 integrated in one room and a Hegel H80 and Hegel HD12 DAC in another room. Clearly, a proper A/B will be performed in the months to come... but the IDA-8 is no slouch. Further, I was literally able pack the IDA-8 back into its box- the size of standard laptop packaging and move again. So much combined into the one box design is impressive. I am in no position to gripe... But a headphone jack would have been great too :).
John
Hi,
Just checking if there will be any chance for Nuprime products to be locally available in Australia/Melbourne.
It would be nice to audition the device first before deciding to get one.
Regards,
Dan
Hi Greg,
Due to a cross country move... The last time I saw my stereo system was 3-months ago which consisted of a Hegel H160 integrated in one room and a Hegel H80 and Hegel HD12 DAC in another room. Clearly, a proper A/B will be performed in the months to come... but the IDA-8 is no slouch. Further, I was literally able pack the IDA-8 back into its box- the size of standard laptop packaging and move again. So much combined into the one box design is impressive. I am in no position to gripe... But a headphone jack would have been great too :).
John
Hi.Used both the Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors and the Vivid Audio V1.5 and NuPrime IDA-8 is fantastic. Between the 2 speakers I prefer the Vivid Audio.
What speakers do you guys and gals use with the IDA-8? I'm looking to upgrade from the Quad 12L2. I'm looking for a pair of standmounts with more clarity to a room 3m x 4m with half of the room open on one side leading to the dining room. Budget is $2000 preferably available to buy in Asia. Any suggestions? Good or bad experiences?
Used both the Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors and the Vivid Audio V1.5 and NuPrime IDA-8 is fantastic. Between the 2 speakers I prefer the Vivid Audio.with my sonus faber venere 2.0 it's just perfect .... these front ported gems are so easy to place ....
We will try to contact a new distributor in Australia, for the meantime I think you can order from the dealer in New Zealand (look up his info on NuPrime website)
We will try to contact a new distributor in Australia, for the meantime I think you can order from the dealer in New Zealand (look up his info on NuPrime website)
Hi Jeff,
I tend to agree with Michael. You might find the Bass Response exceptional over other possible choices since the damping is quite high in this design, and this gives cleaner and deeper Bass than lower damping amps.
Also due to the high efficiency you will find the Dynamics and Headroom off the charts.
I have a lot of customers with many different speakers, but haven't had any with the Omegas yet. on paper, they look good together.
Sounds like a winner. I have read a lot of good reviews on it and I for sure need the headroom and dynamics due to the kind of music I listen to. Alot of Metallica and Primus stuff like that. Alternative and metal. I listen to everything but want an amp that will also shine when listening to very demanding music. I also have read that this amp is pretty silent. I know it's not a huge deal but I don't want to hear hiss during quiet passages in music. I read a review that stated he turned the volume up and paused his source and heard no feedback. Is this true? I am so torn between this amp and the amp that I keep reading has perfect synergy with the Omega's, the Decware SE-84 UFO. It's a VERY hard choice. Both are the exact same price. What do you guys think between those two options?
A subwoofer question. Forgive me if this is a dumb question; I am a neophyte.
I am looking for a small integrated amplifier to hook up to a pair of bookshelf speakers and a powered subwoofer. The IDA-8 looks great, but I am uncertain how it will work with a 2.1 system.
If I were to connect a subwoofer to the analog line-out of the IDA-8, the amplifier how much overlap would there be in the reproduced frequencies by the speakers and the subwoofer?
What I think would happen:
1. The speakers get a full range signal and will reproduce the frequencies that they can.
2. The subwoofer amplifier will get a full range signal, but the cross-over in the subwoofer amp will apply a cut-off frequency (i.e. 100hz or 80hz, etc).
Do I have the correct?
Is there a downside to this approach, versus an integrated amplifier that has the ability to limit the low frequencies sent to the bookshelves?
It seems to me that if the bookshelves could be spared from trying to reproduce the low notes handled by the subwoofer there might be lower woofer excursion and so better controlled mid-range. Am I off base?
Thank you,
Mike
Which W/P version are those?W/P 5.1
How does the IDA-8 compare to the 16?
Maybe the problem is the "4 Ohm" of Audio Physic Virgo 25 (89dB). Well, the minimum impedance is near or below 3 Ohms in [100 Hz - 1 or 2 kHz]Thanks
More traditional class D amplifiers have problems with low impedance.
There are lots of speakers, it is best to focus on those that we know its impedance curves, phase, frequency .... I think.
“I finally set up my bedroom system with the IDA-8 and the KEF LS50s with the new subwoofer. With the Bluetooth dongle the sound is pretty impressive. … It is pretty amazing what that amp can do for that money-that amp is easily the equal of some 2k amps I have heard. … The LS50s really continue to amaze and really benefit from the sub in the system.”
– Jeff K, VT (a happy IDA-8 owner)
Thanks for your comment. That's our design goal for IDA-8. It is a do-it-all and supposedly future proof (even though one can never predict) integrated. You can mix and match until you are confused with the rest of the DACs and amps combination.
Also. Reading some specs. With the analog inputs, it says they are digitalized. What does that mean exactly? Will I be able to hook up my Denon DVD 955-S SACD/DVD Audio to the analog inputs to spin SACD and DVD-Audio discs and use the coax to play redbook CD's? Is that the best route to take?
Will I be able to hook up my Denon DVD 955-S SACD/DVD Audio to the analog inputs to spin SACD and DVD-Audio discs and use the coax to play redbook CD's?
No a good idea. You should just use the coax for the digital SACD and CD from Denon.
I believe SACD copy protection will prevent digital output over S/PDIF and many players, if they do output DVD-A over S/PDIF, often downsample that to a lower resolution.
Steve
So why is it a bad idea to use the analog inputs on the IDA-8?
I'm guessing because the analog input is digitized
That is exactly correct. That is why I am asking about the analog inputs on the IDA-8. So whuy is it a bad idea to use the analog inputs on the IDA-8? I mainly will be playing CD's and streaming Spotify but also would like to play my small collection of SACD's and DVD-AUDIO discs. What is the best way to do this?
No, I don't think it is [IDA-8 analog input digitized].
Hi Jeff,
Just saw this discussion.
As we discussed on the phone, getting an OPPO 103d, which converts SACD to PCM, might be a reasonable and potential solution.
I picked up a IDA8 and it is doing quite well ... awesome in fact!Best value (Bang for buck) in the NuPrime range.
I have a SONOS Connect connected with TosLink cable to the IDA8 and am streaming FLAC music files.
Sweer!
IDA-8 is the only product at this point where the analog input is digitised. There is just no space and no extra cost to do that. But the A2D is very good. So unless your analog input came from very good source, you might not notice the A2D conversion (i.e. you can't tell the difference)
DAC-9, DAC-10, IDA-16 all have analog input all the way without A2D conversation.
Wow, thanks for the info. I now understand why the IDA-8 uses the 5V digital supply for the RCA input opamp NE5532 and not the +/- 12V from the dac i/v (LM4562) +buffer (NX5532) section. It is to completely separate the digital input and the analogue output to the amp section. Your info also solves the mystery of where the heck did the signal went after the opamp output, I spent a lot of time tracing it to no avail. (Sorry, its just the diy blood in me)
I am thinking of adding another Nuprime but the ST10/Dac10 is just too deep and I don't have enough space. Is the STA9/Dac9 a good step up from the IDA8? I am a bit hesitant for the Dac 9 since it uses the AK4490. The AK4495 is a step up and I have got a dual AK4495 dac coming. If Nuprime uses the latest AK4497, I will be definitely getting that.
What dac is in the IDA-8?
What dac is in the IDA-8?
Power figures are very deceptive. A doubling/halving of power is only 3dB difference, assuming you were even maxed out to begin with. In a home environment, most people don't use more than the first couple watts unless you were pushing some really inefficient boxes.This is true. Wattage power also is deceptive anyway, as there are issue with current, etc. And amount of current delivery of an amp is a rarely publshed number.
Hello, oldzorki.Thank you Michael for a detailed response. Gershman have a dual reputation - some say they are easy to drive, some say that they sing only driven by 500 w/c behimoths. They are fairly sensitive (87-88) and do not deep below 6 ohms - but something in their crossover is not agreeable with certain amps, or so tells the legend.
I think I can partially answer your question. I have never driven Gershmans with my IDA-8 (or any other amp), but my speakers are 83.5 dB sensitivity - though due to the series crossovers they are easier to drive than 'regular' low sensitivity speakers.
I've had a couple other amps drive these speakers, so I have a pretty good idea of how it compares (at least to the other amps anyway). I'd say that the IDA-8 does a decent job of powering my speakers if I am not trying to listen critically. To be fair, most of my music listening is non-critical because of my room, my habits, and my dear wife. It is only when I want to really listen, really pay attention to the recording that I realize the 100 watts isn't giving me all the speakers are asking for. Mind you, I'm not listening at unreasonably high levels either.
If I could re-engineer my IDA-8, I'd replace the 100w amp with the ST-10's amp [Would that make it an IDA-10?], or with a nice EL34 tube amp. Either mod would probably make me a pretty happy camper.
I really like my IDA-8 and I really enjoy its features. I have my Squeezebox Touch feeding it wifi from my Mac Mini, Bluetooth from either my iPad or iPhone, and my TV feed via optical. It's amazing how much this amp offers especially considering its very reasonable price.
If my speakers were 87 dB to 90+ dB, I would be enthusiastically telling you to rush out to buy an IDA-8 (because it's that good), and I wouldn't be telling you about its shortcomings.
Enjoy your search.
Michael
"What size of room you are listening your speakers in? I found room size and distance from the speaker as much important as anything else."Thank you Michael for a measurements! I am well aware of WAF factor and limilations it brings (been married for 30 years :) ), however this setup is for my office, hence it does not apply fully (however make no mistake - good looking equipment goes a long way for a spousal approval regardless of placement). And IDA-8 is unquestinably a good looking piece!
I just measured (it's been a while since I did this). The living room is 23' L x 12.5'W x 9'H. As you face the TV/speakers, the right-hand side of my 'box' is open to a dining room (add another 13'L x 8.5'W), so my listening space is actually quite wide. My speakers are set up on one of the long walls (more or less centered on the living room) on either side of our wall-mounted flat screen TV. They are on 22" four-post stands placed approximately 20" off the front wall, but I pull them out to 3' when I want better sound (and the WAF issue is out shopping).
The walls and ceiling are rebar reinforced cement. The floor is a floating wood floor (teak). There is a throw rug located between the TV and the sofa. There are practically no acoustic diffusors/absorbers on the walls. It is not an ideal room for well behaved sonics.
I have at times relocated the speakers to the left-hand short wall four feet from the new front wall. Ahh. The speakers/IDA-8 make musical heaven there. I'm sure there's a good reason why I don't keep them there (wanna meet her?).
DR12 -1.60 dB -20.21 dB 10:07 04-Finale (Adagio lamentoso - Andante)
Hello, oldzorki.
I think I can partially answer your question. I have never driven Gershmans with my IDA-8 (or any other amp), but my speakers are 83.5 dB sensitivity - though due to the series crossovers they are easier to drive than 'regular' low sensitivity speakers.
I've had a couple other amps drive these speakers, so I have a pretty good idea of how it compares (at least to the other amps anyway). I'd say that the IDA-8 does a decent job of powering my speakers if I am not trying to listen critically. To be fair, most of my music listening is non-critical because of my room, my habits, and my dear wife. It is only when I want to really listen, really pay attention to the recording that I realize the 100 watts isn't giving me all the speakers are asking for. Mind you, I'm not listening at unreasonably high levels either.
If I could re-engineer my IDA-8, I'd replace the 100w amp with the ST-10's amp [Would that make it an IDA-10?], or with a nice EL34 tube amp. Either mod would probably make me a pretty happy camper.
I really like my IDA-8 and I really enjoy its features. I have my Squeezebox Touch feeding it wifi from my Mac Mini, Bluetooth from either my iPad or iPhone, and my TV feed via optical. It's amazing how much this amp offers especially considering its very reasonable price.
If my speakers were 87 dB to 90+ dB, I would be enthusiastically telling you to rush out to buy an IDA-8 (because it's that good), and I wouldn't be telling you about its shortcomings.
Enjoy your search.
Michael
A 100 watts amplifier is too much to 94.5 db speakers, I think. Dangerous.
10 or 20 watts from a good/clean class A amplifier... maybe is better idea.
I don't think it would be too much, I just wouldn't have to turn it up very much. But funny you mention lower watt amplification as I am also considering a 2 watt set amp.
I agree, you can never have enough power with an amp. You may get better sound with something with less power thou, just by the nature of the type of amp you are using. I believe more power is safer than too little power, you don't have to worry about the amp clipping and distorting which can cause way more damage that just pushing your speakers too hard.This is very true. I would like to see how this amp goes into clipping, however I was not able to find measurements and charts anywhere.
oldzorki,This will be intersting. Most digital amps measurements I have seen display fairly extreme behaviour at the point of clipping.
Jason Lim (Nuprime owner) is very forthcoming with information on his products. If he doesn't have the answer himself, he'll contact his engineers to get it and post it in his circle.
This will be intersting. Most digital amps measurements I have seen display fairly extreme behaviour at the point of clipping.
Mot manufactures do not like THD vs watts charts, as they do not represent behaviour under normal conditions and can be misleading.
I amassed quite a bit of 24/192 downloads from HDTracks, I also have plenty of SACD rips in DSF files.
- Bandwith audio at -3 dB (aka Frequency response) < 50, 60... 80 kHz. The next generation should reach at least to 100 kHz. Maximum about 350 kHz to avoid problems with RFI / EMI interference I think.
- Well, usually I play vinyl rips 24/96 FLAC. Maybe switch 20X / 1 MHz would be other target.
Class D amp has been improving leaps and bounce over the years. I remember in the "old days" like 2005 to 2010 or so, everyone is talking about THD numbers. Same thing can be said for the sampling rate of DACs.
But now, several of the top tier class D amps (NuPrime especially) have moved beyond those numbers. THD < 0.05 is common over a wide range of power and freq so we stop talking about it. It is no longer interesting. You can't tell the difference beyond certain low THD numbers.
Similarly for DAC, we just created the mDSD under Encore brand for $99 with 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 decoding. Sound quality is incredible.
By the way, for amp, you want to turn up the volume and typically the best performance (the lowest THD, best dynamic) is at mid volume level.
So what's the next battle ground for class D amps if low THD is now the norm?
1) switching frequency - all the NuPrime amps now switch at > 550kHz. Why is this important? It has to do with converting the analog music into pulses with varying height. With > 10X the sampling rate of CDs, you can't tell from a class D or class A amp anymore.
2) mix of class D power stage different preamp stage to create amps with different flavours. You can't tell STA-9 from a high-end tube amp. Our French distributor told us $649 STA-9 sounded better than his 5000 Euro class A amp.
Power supply and chassis now becomes one of the deciding factor for cost. Your smart phone has more computer power than a super computer of yesterday, so believe me, we can make our class D amp sounded like anything.
3) price. Good design, very reasonable price.
By the way, the deciding factor in a DAC product is no longer the chip. Realistically, the difference between ESS9018 and ESS9010K2M is not noticeable if the rest of the design is very good. Typically in a so called entry level DAC, vendors use lower price DAC chip but what makes it sounded not so good is the preamp, jitter reduction circuit (or lack of), volume control, power supply circuit etc.
If you have a high end in-ear earphones, try the $99 Encore mDSD to decode DSD256 or 32-bit/384KHz music from your smart phone to hear what I am talking about.
Next month I will take about some innovative stuff we are doing for Omnia. One of the most important design feature is to decouple the music decoding and streaming from the CPU. This can't be done on a standard PC or smart phone. It needs propriety design on the "motherboard".
I have experience with both but haven't paired them specifically. The LS50 is a fantastic speaker, but as a bookshelf is still limited in the bottom end. In that regard I would consider the warmer tonality of the IDA-8 to be a better match to help round out the bass.
Go with IDA-8
The DAC-9 & STA-9 combo needs a little more real estate on the desktop and a few more $'s, but would I be missing out on anything sonically with the IDA-8 ?
As a RULE; When in doubt GO BIG. . . :lol:
But I think RDL's reasoning is, that as a desktop system, you will be rather NEARFIELD, which will reduce your need for power, AND increase your ability to hear the High End Transparency before it loses energy via dispersion.
So, while the DAC-9 and STA-9 "DO" go up a level, your listening position/proximity will not allow you to use the extra.
That said, if you may "in the future" use the system with a greater distance to the speakers, then by all means GO BIG :thumb:
Either the IDA-8 or STA-9+DAC-9 combo will do well, but as John suggested, if you want the flexibility, then go with the combo. You are going to enjoy the components for years and the difference in price is only a few nice dinners (that turn to shit the next day by the way). So this is definitely money well spent :thumb:
In the amp comparison table it suggested the STA-9 had a warmer sound profile than the IDA-8, is it significant ? - with the KEF LS50 this could be ok.With the LS50 I think it would be recommended.
The only thing similar I heard at home before was conrad-johnson preamp and amp combo (I lost it to flooding 10 years ago), which was probaby 5 times more $$ then. It is hard to compare to something you heard so long time ago, but that was the first thing came to my mind when I turned volume up.
Will report in a week with a bit more detailed report, but so far I am extremely happy.
Hi, Zorki.Well, I stream Tidal from my dedicated PC to IDA-8.
My wife and I are car traveling this year and I brought my IDA-8 with us. I have been using the Bluetooth input with either music in my iPhone or Tidal streaming. It is so convenient!
All this talk of the IDA-8 is making me think i have gear to sell off and pick one up :)A very good choice. I have moved along and bought the IDA-8 and IDA-16. Will not sell them soon.
I asked this question over in the DAC-9 topic, but I now think I will be more likely to purchase an IDA-8, so I will ask it here and link to it from the DAC-9 thread.
Can anyone confirm that the IDA-8's volume control is adjustable through the USB input? I am about ready to purchase a SONORE microRendu or Sonicorbiter SE renderer to use as a Roon endpoint.
I asked this question over in the DAC-9 topic, but I now think I will be more likely to purchase an IDA-8, so I will ask it here and link to it from the DAC-9 thread.
Can anyone confirm that the IDA-8's volume control is adjustable through the USB input? I am about ready to purchase a SONORE microRendu or Sonicorbiter SE renderer to use as a Roon endpoint.
Thanks for the responses, but I now realize that I did not phrase my question clearly.In this case you are not changing volume of IDA-8 -but volume of the feed. Volume of IDA-8 itself is not controllable by applications, obly volume of digital stream to it.
What I am wondering is this: when I move the volume slider on my Roon iPhone app (or jRemote app when running jRiver), does the volume on the IDA-9 change as if I were using the IDA-9's own IR remote control?
Thanks for the responses, but I now realize that I did not phrase my question clearly.
What I am wondering is this: when I move the volume slider on my Roon iPhone app (or jRemote app when running jRiver), does the volume on the IDA-9 change as if I were using the IDA-9's own IR remote control?
Some DACS, like the Audioquest DragonFly and exaSound E12, have a USB-based volume control which allows you to control the unit's volume using the system level and the "slider" in whatever app used when playing music. I think this is a pretty rare option in USB DACs.I think you mixing it up.
Just got the new Sonore MicroRenu player, which is quite remarkable. I'm thinking about getting a 2nd one for use with my IDA-8.
I know some Dacs have issues playing back from Linux based players on their USB inputs (my Devialet does). Any issues I should be aware of with the IDA-8?
Thanks
I just wanted to add a quick :thumb: to both Nuprime and this forum. I received my IDA-8 a few weeks ago as a single box replacement for a Cambridge Audio Integrated and DAC. I made the swap primarily for aesthetics, but had a feeling the sound would improve as well.
This is for my secondary system in the living room and the IDA-8 has exceeded my expectations. Driving bookshelf B&W CM1s the clarity and bass are both substantially improved. It's making me think about going up the line for future upgrades to my 'reference' system.
Many of the old-school audio guys don't take the newer tech seriously, but this stuff is the real deal. Thank you!
Thanks. Please use the Amp Comparison Guide on our website for choosing the next amp, don't make your decision base on price.Hi,
Found interesting "bug" (or may be it is just my unit). If you set unit to "mute", it start blinking (as it should). Then turned it off, and when turned ON, it still stays on mute, but without "blinking" indication. Pressing mute again does not help. Swithcing sources back and forth (C1 and USB for example) "restarts" the sound.Is it my unit or common bug? Of course I do not consider it major , but still..
Not a big deal, obviously, but something that probably needs to be fixed.
Looks like you found an obscure bug. There is no firmware update for this since it is harmless. But I will pass it on to engineering.
Just saw this review about the Nuprime IDA-8 + WR-100 from ON magazine. It is in French. Use google translator to translate if you are interested to find out what it say. The On Magazine has also awarded the IDA-8 + WR100 as "On - Top Audio 2016."
Well done Nuprime!!!
https://www.on-mag.fr/index.php/topaudio/tests-auditions/15020-test-nuprime-ida-8-wr-100-un-des-meilleurs-amplis-stereo-integres-du-moment-et-son-lecteur-reseau
Hi, Zorki.
My wife and I are car traveling this year and I brought my IDA-8 with us. I have been using the Bluetooth input with either music in my iPhone or Tidal streaming. It is so convenient!
There is a little dongle, and then it is input E4, I think, from the manual.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=147087)
Ah yes, that did the trick. It must be discoverable for a time after switching to that input.
I SO wish the IDA-8 could be configured with a digital crossover built in. It would be perfect for my bedroom system, but I have some very small monitors that are easily damaged if overdriven. I could live with full range for music, but they would probably get destroyed when watching movies. I assume the only way a person could use the IDA-8 with a sub would be to run the speaker-level outputs to an external crossover (and deal with the likely loss of fidelity) or run your mains full range and use the line-level to "blend" in a sub for the bottom octave?
If you're using a computer as source, you could simply use the EQ to shelf down the bass and not worry about overdriving your speakers.
If blending in a separate sub, most likely it will be powered and will have an adjustable low-pass on it anyways.
Yeah, you want the 2V output for another amp. Not sure you want to just add an amp to the IDA-8, some sort of level matching would be needed. However I seem to remember something about retrofitting the 6V to 2V output. Can't really remember anything exactly, whether you could add a resister or something or it has to be sent to the factory, but enough to call a dealer like John Casler and ask.
Cannot say enough about the IDA-8. It has become my go-to recommendation for newbies, specifically millennials who are digital. Matching the IDA-8 with a pair of ELAC Debut B6 speakers (I wrote about this in another thread) is truly inviting/economical solution, which for some could be all they ever need. Add a decent USB cable and pair of speaker cables (I suggested Audioquest Forest USB and Audioquest Type 2 terminated speaker cables). All this for under $1500. Source can be their computer and/or mobile phone.
To think that the whole lot can be packed up in a piece of carry-on luggage one can take on a plane. Add to this that the voltage is selectable and it can be taken almost anywhere. :)
Thanks guys. Direct line of site, and no more than 10 feet away. Same issue regardless of the remote I try, or battery freshness, so I'm thinking its a bad receiver in the amp. Before I call the dealer, any other thoughts?
Thanks
Thanks John, I'll try to power cycle. Other than that, while I appreciate your suggestions, they strike me as far too fiddly. I expect the remote to simply work, w/o any special steps or considerations like power cycling every time I use the amp.
Anybody else have trouble with their IDA-8 "missing" commands from the remote? I often have trouble muting, and turning the amp on and off (mostly off). I've tried both stock remotes and a Logitech Harmony, and have the same issue.
Thanks.
Hey guys and gals. I just got my IDA-8 from John/FedEx today and I have it hooked up and playing. I'm curious about a couple things from other IDA-8 owners."Burn-in"
1. How long does the NuPrime need to burn in? I think I'm hearing a little digital edge on it right now... but I also just put in some brand new 1M Clear Day Shotgun speaker cables at the same time, and being 100% silver and since I've had lots of Paul's cables before (including my entire main system) I know they need some time to settle down. So that could be compounding what I'm hearing a bit. I'll let it play continously until Monday+ to burn them in and the amp.
2. Plugged into my iMac via USB (I assume USB is the preferred digital connection on the desktop? I could use optical instead) this DAC doesn't fix the output volume of my Mac... do you guys max out your computer volume and then just use the volume on the IDA-8? I am using the Tidal desktop app currently to stream. It's volume is at max as well.
- Woody
Hey guys and gals. I just got my IDA-8 from John/FedEx today and I have it hooked up and playing. I'm curious about a couple things from other IDA-8 owners.
1. How long does the NuPrime need to burn in? I think I'm hearing a little digital edge on it right now... but I also just put in some brand new 1M Clear Day Shotgun speaker cables at the same time, and being 100% silver and since I've had lots of Paul's cables before (including my entire main system) I know they need some time to settle down. So that could be compounding what I'm hearing a bit. I'll let it play continously until Monday+ to burn them in and the amp.
2. Plugged into my iMac via USB (I assume USB is the preferred digital connection on the desktop? I could use optical instead) this DAC doesn't fix the output volume of my Mac... do you guys max out your computer volume and then just use the volume on the IDA-8? I am using the Tidal desktop app currently to stream. It's volume is at max as well.
- Woody
I also agree that time on the cables, and burning in the unit itself could help your initial complaints - in addition to the above.
1. How long does the NuPrime need to burn in? I think I'm hearing a little digital edge on it right now... but I also just put in some brand new 1M Clear Day Shotgun speaker cables at the same time, and being 100% silver and since I've had lots of Paul's cables before (including my entire main system) I know they need some time to settle down. So that could be compounding what I'm hearing a bit. I'll let it play continously until Monday+ to burn them in and the amp.
USB???
por que???
Optical out!
Get a Lifatec glass optical ASAP my man:
http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html
Stop the USB nonsense - what you need three extra cables, a reclocker, two wall wart power supplies - sounds like an easy way to fall down a rabbit hole to me.
Woody
If DSD is not a concern the optical is the simplist.
USB???
por que???
Optical out!
Get a Lifatec glass optical ASAP my man:
http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html
Stop the USB nonsense - what you need three extra cables, a reclocker, two wall wart power supplies - sounds like an easy way to fall down a rabbit hole to me.
You'll get no debate from me that it's a rabbit hole. But I'm pretty sure Toslink connections have their own liabilities. And there are cheap and easy ways to do some basic isolation and/or reclocking in USB - you don't have to go deep into the rabbit hole if you're not as curious as Alice. IME improving your digital supply can be as significant as a major component upgrade. If the Nuprime is of sufficient quality, and from those of you on this thread it does seem like it is, then it will benefit greatly from attention to digital supply.
1. How long does the NuPrime need to burn in? I think I'm hearing a little digital edge on it right now... but I also just put in some brand new 1M Clear Day Shotgun speaker cables at the same time, and being 100% silver and since I've had lots of Paul's cables before (including my entire main system) I know they need some time to settle down. So that could be compounding what I'm hearing a bit. I'll let it play continously until Monday+ to burn them in and the amp.
Why silver cable? We never like silver unless the component is "dual". Since our components are all neutral (when we say it is a little warmth, it is just a little, not like distorted type of warmth), you might get edgy sound with silver cable.
You should set the digital volume on computer at max.
And for those of you who do not have NuPrime product, please don't start recommending re-clocker, etc. IDA-8 does that and more. This topic is about IDA-8 and people who actually have the product or intend to get one.
And for those of you who do not have NuPrime product, please don't start recommending re-clocker, etc. IDA-8 does that and more. This topic is about IDA-8 and people who actually have the product or intend to get one.
You could start a new topic. This is IDA-8 topic and I want to make sure we stay within the topic.
I am the admin and I have to enforce some rules. Sorry, this is nothing personal or disrespectful of your knowledge.
Similarly, when people start to go off topic and talk about speakers (not internationally off course, just like your post), I will do the same and ask to start a new topic.
after almost a year with this amp i have to say that i'm really delighted ... the musicality and the power are nothing but amazing !!!
only little downside: heat dissipation could have been better ... during summer , the top of the amp gets very hot ...
after almost a year with this amp i have to say that i'm really delighted ... the musicality and the power are nothing but amazing !!!
only little downside: heat dissipation could have been better ... during summer , the top of the amp gets very hot ...
even with ventilation holes it is not efficient
That might be a good option for my bedroom.
But, what are your thoughts on the IDA-8 versus the STA-9/DAC-9 combo? My Druid MkV speakers are quite resolving.
How might the IDA-8 do with tricky LS3/5A-type speakers?
83dB. Recommended amp power is 25-50 watts 'unclipped programme', though!I'm using the IDA-8 driving some KEF LS50's which are 85 db sensitive. While the IDA-8 does drive them, and sounds good doing so, these speakers are really happier with more power. I'm currently using this setup in a camper. I offer this merely as one bit of data input. I've only had the IDA-8 a little over a week and I think it's the best audio bargain out there. But, I plan to find a better speaker match for the amp.
I just received my demo unit from Audio Advisor and on the outside of the box it's marked "Sub Out gain 1x"...so happy to see that. However, is the Bluetooth dongle included with the unit? The only included accessories I received are a power cable, two remotes, batteries for the large remote, and a semi-rigid USB cable that's about 8" in length.
thanks,
Michael
...IDA-8 is noticeably better than DDA-100 in every way...Thanks for the reply!
Hello friends,
I'm really craving to hear what a better DAC-AMP does to my system. I currently own the NuForce DDA-100, and the IDA-8 seems like an almost perfect solution. I have two questions though:
1. I have Totem Acoustic Rainmakers (4 Ohm, 87.5 dB/W/m). Would I actually be able to hear the better amp on the IDA-8, or are my speakers way below the better resolving characteristics of the IDA vs the DDA?
2. I love my current connectivity which is:Unfortunately, the IDA-8 has only 1 Optical in (I really think this is the one point where the design of the IDA-8 is lacking :( , as the next models that have two inputs are the DAC-10 and the IDA-16). My question is: would a cheap optical -> coaxial hub work well or will it degrade the quality of the sound? Are there any other obvious combos I am missing? I would like to avoid hooking the AE via analog cable and move the DA conversion to the inferior DAC on the AirportExpress :( .
- TV -> Optical Cable -> DDA-100 OPT-in 3
- AirportExpress -> Optical Cable (miniToslink to Toslink) -> DDA-100 OPT-in 4
Thanks for any feedback!
Best regards,
Rafa.
Hey all, I've had my IDA-8 for a year now and love it. Looking for recommendations on a front end streamer that has a solid Tidal app. Don't need a DAC since the IDA-8 has it already. Something like the Bluesound Node 2 ($500) to the Lumin D1 ($2000) is my range.
Love to hear your thoughts on what should pair well.
...the Nuprime IDA-8 has dramatically improved the sound from my Totems particularly in the mid-range which used to sound a bit muddy.Great to hear about this. Thank you!
Hi Steve and thanks a lot,
Indeed, there is this possibility, I was planning to use the optical input for the tv, but a set up can be done with a optical switch or optical to coax converter. I suspect however that it would be of a lower quality than the USB input (maybe risk of jitter).
Jérémie
Alternatively, you can try a small gain device inserted between the dsp and the sub amp (like an active DI box).
It would seem that the "efficiency" of the Klipsch make you use a "lower Volume setting", so the voltage to the RCA outs is reduced.
Your options would then be:
1) Use less efficient speakers, or place a device in front of the speaker to reduce it's efficiency
2) Send the IDA-8 in for 2x or 3x voltage output
3) Amplify the RCA output to the sub
I ran into a si milar problem, I purchased a small 2-channel mixer that ups the voltage to your sub, you can dial in the sub through the mixer. Works great. :thumb:
is the ida8 digitising process ruining the benefit of high res audio files ? (MQA or DSD or anything high res )Perhaps the better question is whether that high res you're buying isn't just a regular file that got resampled or even remastered along the way.
Perhaps the better question is whether that high res you're buying isn't just a regular file that got resampled or even remastered along the way.
But really now, all music goes through many many adc/dac processes before it's even pressed into final copy. As long as each stage can process at the required level, you shouldn't be losing anything.
I think it's a question better asked on JRiver forums, notably their Linux section..Well, JRiver punted me to Nuprime, Nuprime punted me to Jriver forums. I guess I just have to buy their ID product (an integrated microPC with JRiver installed) and try.
A quick question on the IDA-8, can it be used as a pre-amp?
Even though the Analog Outputs are labeled SUB, they are "full range" so yes the IDA-8 preamp/dac/volume control can be used with another amp.
The IDA-8 webpage says the RCA outputs are 2V but the downloadable IDA-8 Manual says they are 6V, which could possibly be a bit too hot for some power amplifiers. Which is it?
Steve
Even though the Analog Outputs are labeled SUB, they are "full range" so yes the IDA-8 preamp/dac/volume control can be used with another amp.
However the DAC-9 ($749) is a FAR BETTER solution for that purpose.
Thanx for the reply.
How would the DAC-9 compare to the HPA-9 as a pre-amp?
For most Preamp/Source Switching/DAC purposes the DAC-9 would be best.
However, if you want a Phono Preamp, Headphone amp, and use a separate DAC, then the HPA-9 is for you
Hello,
IDA-8 owner here for over 2 years - great product
My question is I am considering purchasing a Bryston BDP-Pi digital file player and just wondering if there would be any issues with connecting it to the USB input on the IDA-8.
Thus far I have only used the Coax and Optical and I would like to utilize the USB input as the Toslink on the Bryston is limited to 24/96 while the USB and Coax are good for 24/192.
I already use the Coax input hence the desire to connect the BDP to the IDA-8 USB.
I am not computer savvy but I do believe the Bryston is running a modified Rasberry Pi hardware utilizing Bryston specific (Manic Moose) Linux firmware.
Any direction would be appreciated.
Eric
Hello,
IDA-8 owner here for over 2 years - great product
My question is I am considering purchasing a Bryston BDP-Pi digital file player and just wondering if there would be any issues with connecting it to the USB input on the IDA-8.
.....
Any direction would be appreciated.
Eric
I have one question.. In amp's specs is stated that signal from analog input will be digitized. Is that means that there is no sense of connecting external DAC? ( I read here that people are sometimes connecting external DACs, so I'm wondering.. ) http://www.nuprimeaudio.com/product/ida-8/?v=b0c4bc877c29
Hello. I'm sure this is addressed here however I am unable to search for posts. :roll: I received an IDA-8 a few days ago. It came with the dongle. Could someone let me know how to stream over wifi to the device? The manual is of no help.
Thanks!
Hello. I'm sure this is addressed here however I am unable to search for posts. :roll: I received an IDA-8 a few days ago. It came with the dongle. Could someone let me know how to stream over wifi to the device? The manual is of no help.
Thanks!
That is true. If you use the RCA Analog Inputs the signal will be digitized through an ADC, so in theory you will be performing DAC to ADC to DAC. No advantage to that.
Use the DAC-9 instead.
Although its OK, mids and highs SQ are far from good.
100Wx2@8Ohm (180Wx2@4 Ohm)and on the site and in the user's manual there is 100 watts at 8 ohms and 100 watts at 4 ohms. What is the correct value?
I just picked up a used IDA-8 just by reading reviews on the nets and reading all 20 something pages here in this forum. The reason for picking the IDA-8 is largely based the compact size and I am also very intrigued by class D amps. I am downsizing from floor standing speakers (Neat Elite SX pairing with the Naim XS-2 int-amp which works brilliantly for me). Source remain the same using Oppo BDP-105d and CAS using Mac mini. I was originally put off by the fact the analog input for the IDA-8 will do the A-D-A conversion but I have decided to rip all my SACDs to DSF files so I won't have to deal with that option. The Oppo will now primary used for video and for ripping SACDs only. Wish newer Nuprime amp will take HDMI input to accept DSD native but i guess the chance is small as most people nowaday will play DSF files only. I am still learning how to use Audivana plus but I am currently upsampling everything to DSD128 as a start. Would love to hear other advices or pointer to forums/sites for the settings recommendation. It's strange I am going backward with DAC chip starting with my DAP using ES9028Pro and Sabre 9018 on the Oppo now to the even older version on the IDA-8 (9010 K2M!) but I can't have the cake and eat it I guess. My current speakers are a pair of Neat IOTA which sensitivities are only 84db running 6ohms. These are probably the smallest speakers that sound decent not using a stand (even LS50 are too big for me, TAD 2201 even bigger or the S-A4SPT-PM which I can't find a place for demo). I just hook up the systems about 1 hour ago and comparing the Neat IOTA pairing with the Naim xs-2 they do sound very different. I can't tell which one I like more but now that I have sold the Naim I am not going to think too much about it and just enjoy the IDA-8.
Hello All! New here and already asking for help :green:
Looking to purchase an IDA-8 to replace my Arcam irDac/A19 setup for my KEF LS50. I will be using it as a desktop setup connected to a Mac, I have had issues before where certain DACs would disable the volume control option within Mac. I usually use the media keys on my keyboard for adjusting volumes/mute. Anyone knows if the IDA-8 will work with the Mac OSX's built-in volume control, and enables me to use my media keys for volume/mute adjustment?
Hello, eshiku.
I've got an IDA-8 and a Mac Mini. I'll put them together today to see what happens.
Michael
Hello, new to this nice amp. I have a question. When I turn it off (with the remote or by pressing the input knob) it goes into standby, but the display lead is a blue dot, and the manual says it should be red. Is this normal? The only input connected to the amp is usb.
good to know! I was worried it wasn't going into stand-by for some reason.
Does yours also keep somewhat warm even when it's in stand-by?
No. I don't think there is any difference whether you decode ("unfold") the MQA on your computer or in the USB chip.
I think many people don't realise that the DAC doesn't do any decoding of MQA format.
It is the firmware inside the USB communication chip (XMOS) that does the decoding before feeding the DAC.
We "figure" this out when we implemented MQA decoding in Evolution DAC.
When I turn on my IDA (connected to USB to pc) it produces a pop in my speakers when the display turns on and the volume escalates to its last setting. Is this normal?does this happen to anyone else? I'm wondering if it could damage my speakers
Hi,Also, Totems like a bit more juice (even the newer 8 Ohm speakers!), so I'd go with the 8.
I’m contemplating if I should buy the IDA 6 or 8. I understand that the 8 is more powerful but how’s the difference in sound quality, etc?
The 6 seems to have more features like two optical in and 4 pairs of banana plugs. Why?
The idea is to drive a pair of totem dreamcatcher speakers. Any thoughts and recommendations?
/PF
Thanks for the answers.
I have a lot of difficulty thinking that I have to change IDA 8, because I like it a lot. I was thinking of some alternative, like the Nuforce, because of the digitized analogue input, the only thing I don't like about Nuprime.
I would take a nice couple ST10 / DAC10, but it costs enough.
Bruno
Thanks for the answers.
I have a lot of difficulty thinking that I have to change IDA 8, because I like it a lot. I was thinking of some alternative, like the Nuforce, because of the digitized analogue input, the only thing I don't like about Nuprime.
I would take a nice couple ST10 / DAC10, but it costs enough.
Bruno
I leave my IDA 8 on standby, except when I leave home for a few days.
I take this opportunity for a question: why is the analogue input of the IDA 8 digitized? What would the benefits be? I'm very satisfied with this amp, but having a turntable too, the idea that the analogue input is digitized annoys me a bit, although I must admit that in the end the sound is still good.
Greetings,
Bruno
Well, I'm nothing but an enthusiast, so take my answer as simply my point of view :)
I agree that your scenario is the one area which is not comfortable with passives and amps and etc. My solution was to add desktop computer speakers (Logitech 5.1 system) that stays on all the time connected to the computer's audio 5.1 output, and configured as the default sound output device.
Then, when I want critical listening, I switch the output (either via control panel, or, more commonly, by the app performing the playing, like Audirvana, or Roon, etc.) to the DAC that is connected to the 'good' system.
Still, there is some overhead involved in this procedure, but takes away the need to turn on everything just to watch bloopers on YouTube or the news.
A really nice alternative, would be very good active wireless speakers, like the KEF LSx (or whatever the new small ones are called) which will solve all your needs and still leave you with great sound all around.
Where I live, power is not all that reliable, I only leave DACs on at all times, all my other equipment is turned off / on as required. Even the DAC-10 is always on standby and not on all the time.
That's me, I'm sure others have other approaches.
Hope this helps,
Rafa.
I went with the IDA-8 and have now had it for a week or two. Really pleased with the performance!It is a real sweet piece of gear for the price- build (and size!), sonics, and features. I love mine, beautifully powering my Eggleston speakers in a smallish room. I know of none that can offer as much for the $.
Only, issue is that one optical input... which is a shame on an otherwise really good product
I did not understand, but the IDA 8 dac converts digital signals to analog, or does it remain all in the digital domain?
Greetings,
Bruno
Can somebody provide some insight on the TDSS upgrade provided by coyote-sound.com? They are offering the D.R.R.T./Level-1 upgrade for FREE but even so I'm not sure if it's worth the marginal upgrade?I've had TDSS mod 3 of my Nuprime pieces (2 DAC10H, ST-10) with their full mods (level 3?) and the difference is obvious and well worth the pretty modest $ for a high end system.
Generally, if there are L + R stereo sub outputs, they are line outputs that could be used as preamp outputs (as opposed to mono sub outputs) if they are full-range without any low-pass filtering.Thanks. I had forgotten I'd read about that. I've sent them an email as I don't know when mine was manufactured
In the case of the IDA-8, these full-range outputs originally had 3X gain (6V) as opposed to more-or-less standard 2V, and therefore were described as subwoofer outputs and not preamp outputs.
However, as of August 14, 2015 all IDA-8 shipped had sub outputs with a default of 1X gain (2V), with 2X and 3X gain available on special order.
IDA-8 and Pre-out Gain (https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=135837.msg1443580#msg1443580)
Thanks. I had forgotten I'd read about that. I've sent them an email as I don't know when mine was manufactured
Are there particular models of speakers that you (or anyone) has found to make a noteworthy pairing with the IDA-8?
What amp would you consider as an upgrade to the IDA-8? I have a pair of KEF R300 and I was looking at Cambridge Audio CXA80 and Marantz PM8005, but I couldn't find comparisons to the Nuprime.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Marantz lacks a DAC, no? The IDA-8 and CXA80 both have DACs. Do you want an all-in-one, or amp/preamp with separate DAC?While the IDA 16 looks fantastic, I doubt I could find it in my country (Argentina) and if I did, it would probably be at a super crazy price.
I haven't heard the CXA80, but the included DAC is purported to be the same as the DAC Magic 100's. My first DAC was the DAC MagicPlus (a step up from the 100), and it was not a revealing DAC. It really held my system back. The IDA-8's DAC is actually pretty decent.
I'm biased here. Of the three amps you mentioned, I'd stick with the IDA-8. However, if you want an upgrade from this (and want an all-in-one unit), then take a look at the IDA-16. I know there are other all-in-one amplifiers out there, but Nuprime is my 'go to first' for all-in-one amps. I just bought a new IDA-16 that was delivered just today because I gave my son my IDA-8. [It's his first system, and he's delighted.] Unfortunately for me, my new IDA-16 is in Oregon while I am over-wintering in Asia. I'll tell you how I like it in March. :(
Michael
Let me know if you're at all interested in separates.
Unfortunately we can't send a loaner unit to you :)
I wouldn't loan to an Argentinian neither! haha, joking...Buenísimo!
Buenísimo!Tengo varios colegas ecuatorianos, un saludo por allá.
You have made me laugh!
I have been claiming these conditions we 'south americans' have to deal with. It's far from ideal: "which would you choose between A or B?"... "very simple! Take both, pick the one you like, return the other!".
I spend more time explaining my regional constraints rather than actually getting info, but the truth is we are bound to trust reviewers and user stories, and blindly (deafly?) making a purchase with the best informed decision.
Not really assuring.
For me, locally NuPrime is no longer available, apparently distribution channels forced the local reseller to have to first ship and import into the US and then back here to Ecuador, where the cost of $700 STA-9 ended up being close to $2000, so no longer the correct price vs performance niche... not to mention the fact that we earn about a quarter of what a US citizen makes. So even $700 would be four times as expensive for us... but then it costs almost 3x the cost, so now it's 12 times harder for us to access to such products.
It's simply absurd and considerably maddening.
Wish you the best of lucks with your adventure, but the truth is that you are probably better sourcing from whatever is available locally, as limiting as that is.
Abrazo,
Rafa.
Argentina has this black market of hi-fi audio that would really surprise you. I mean, we can buy very expensive stuff from these "importers" (who I believe are customs employees), so there's quite a lot to choose from. Most of them are even nice enough to let you got and listen to different equipment (as people normally do in the US/Europe). Unfortunately, none seem to import Nuprime products for whatever reason.
We don't know who they are, and no one from there contacted us. Well, one reason we always hear about from dealers who sell very expensive stuff is that they don't want to sell NuPrime.
nice, what cables are the green ones.Audio Magic Trinium XL
Hi,
I own IDA-8, KEF LS50, REL T/7i
What should I do to upgrade my system/sound ?
Will IDA-16 be significantly better than IDA-8 or should I go for ST-10+DAC-10 ?
I'm also considering Hegel H190
-> Can the 'extension port', which is of physical USB-format, be used to power my Chromecast audio (which sends its signal back to the IDA-8 via the optical input)?
IDA-8 has achieved the perfect balance for an entry level audiophile integrated at unbeatable price for the sound quality.I'd agree with that. I can't think of a real competitor at this price where massive drive power is not required. I use mine to drive my inefficient but hi-rez class A Revel Gems in a 10x12 room and it is vey satisfying.
To be honest, we don't know how to make it sound better or more powerful without increasing the price by more than 50%.
Yes, but check the pins compatibility on the Chromecast audio power supply (they should be, but you better check).
If you don't need digital inputs, then you might consider the new AMG PRA. It is spectacular
The remote control on my IDA-8 has quit working. Does anyone know how I can get a replacement? I was able to speak to the guy who distributes Nuprime products and he asked me to email him and he'd get back to me but he never did. I'd be open to buying a used remote or even a universal remote if those options are available. Thanks!