[nac]

hi all,
        have been looking for a preamp to go with my sta 9 power amps for a a few months now,decided to go smaudio way with the moon neo 230 pre/dac,IMHO this pre amp matched with the sta amps in mono config is right up there with the best,sounding both powerful,delicate ,huge soundstage.almost 3D,inbuilt DAC has bought my aging CDP back to life,analogue pre excellent when fed with lp source,Im a happy camper now :thumb

[John Casler]

The natural consideration might have been the DAC-9 or DAC-10 unless you had to have the headphone section.

They are both DAC/Preamps that were designed to work with the STA-9 and ALL NuPRIME amps.

Sounds like you are happy with the sound and that is what is important.

[nac]

yes I tried the nuprime dac 10 and while it had more inputs etc and sounded very good the moon neo 230 sounds even better ,cost less and has a very good headphone amp and analogue pre amp,
cheers

[Chops]

A friend has a DAC 9 and DAC 10 which I tried in my system for a day, neither of which sound as good as my Parasound Halo P5, nor do either of them offer the amount of input options as my P5, including a phono stage.

[Genez]

If you are willing to run your headphones with their own amp?   Better solution.

I have a NuPrime ST-10 (TDSS modded.)

On a quest I own (and have auditioned) a good number preamps for the last few years. 

And, then I hit the mark.   Class D amps + audiophile tube preamp?  =  A big sigh of relief.

With NuPrime Class D with its transparency, and a tube front end, the entire set up sounds like all tubes without the hassle of tube amps.

I even invested in getting some hand picked decent spec'd 6922 tubes.  Quiet.

I should make it a point to say I am running balanced cables. Balanced preamp with tubes...  Not simply tubes..

My tube preamp does not have a headphone amp. Some will.  But, what I now hear sounds better than headphones because with tubes low level listening is pleasurable from where I sit at my desk top.  To each his own.

[TomekZ]

About 6 weeks ago I purchased a Nuprime HPA-9 preamp. As a line level preamp, I've found that it sound more tube like than some tube preamps, particularly warmer and lusher and midrange fuller than my present tube preamp, a microZotl with old stock tubes (I've had plenty of tube preamps in my 40 years as audiophile, an only a couple solid state--never liking the solid state, so have not had much experience with solid state). This preamp runs very warm also. For headphones, it is so organic in its dynamic evenness across all frequencies, and plenty detailed through my HiFiMan 560. As a MM phono preamp it has replaced my more expensive Bel Canto.

[rustydoglim]

HPA-9 is an under appreciated product .  Unfortunately demand for pure preamp/headphone amp is too low and we will not continue with this type of product. So get it while it is still available.

[Genez]

HPA-9 is an under appreciated product .  Unfortunately demand for pure preamp/headphone amp is too low and we will not continue with this type of product. So get it while it is still available.

I have one...   Its not offering that 'something special' to attract those who would want such a device.  For once you should offer a preamp/headphone preamp that can roll tubes.  Quality 6922's are easy to find.... and offer balanced (XLR) function. That would make amps like the ST-10 sing!

If you also included your NuPrime proprietary volume control?  You might find the headphone crowd paying attention.  They do not want just another good headphone preamp ... it has to offer something above that they can see on first look.

[rustydoglim]

The market for such a device is too small.  There are two reasons we make a product:
1) It is unprofitable but necessary to complete the system.
2) We need to be able to amortise over hundreds if not 1000 or more units over its life time, include the certification, R&D and other non production cost and still make a profit.
Unfortunately preamp/headphone amp no longer fit this criteria.

[Genez]

Sad...

Because I know your designer/engineer could have made one of the sweetest to be had.