AudioCircle
Industry Circles => NuPrime Audio => Topic started by: christopher-h on 12 Oct 2016, 09:40 pm
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Hi Everyone
I am new to this forum. I am looking to purchase a new integrated (or possibly separates) and have been intrigued by Nuprime's offerings. I am considering the AVA for 2 channel listening. Why the AVA? I feel constrained by the only one RCA input on the other Nuprime offerings and also I have a room that would benefit greatly from room correction. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Regards,
Chris
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Hi Everyone
I am new to this forum. I am looking to purchase a new integrated (or possibly separates) and have been intrigued by Nuprime's offerings. I am considering the AVA for 2 channel listening. Why the AVA? I feel constrained by the only one RCA input on the other Nuprime offerings and also I have a room that would benefit greatly from room correction. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Regards,
Chris
First, Welcome to the NuPRIME Circle. :thumb:
You are correct, if you need more than a single pair, then the HD AVA is the answer, having 4 pair analog RCA inputs.
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Last time I looked my DAC-10 had two analog inputs and is a much safer bet for a stellar preamp and DAC without any quirks or bugs.
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The AVP/AVA do have some quirks, but they are quite fabulous also. Running a 2-channel setup gets rid of all the quirks and offers a stellar performance in this price range.
The AutoEQ does work well. It helped my fullrange drivers running without any filters to tame a 5kHz peak, and a room node around 70Hz. Then, you can tailor it to your liking and taste.
I like to run active filters instead of composing with passive filters.
It's not as good as running a convolution filter, but you need a computer for that, and some work.
The DAC-10 looks like another great unit, but doesn't offer EQ, which is often needed unless you have perfect frequency flat speakers, running in a heavily acoustically treated listening room.
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..............
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The USB DAC is really good on this model (I have a HD-AVP) and is ideal for stereo. That is what I use mine for 90% of the time
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I just got my HD AVP and have only listens in 2 channel so far and can confirm that the DAC sounds really good.
What are the quirks that you're talking about :|
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HD-AVA uses the same amp module as IDA-16.
We learned our lesson not to pack so many things in one box and ended up making it difficult to sell, so it is being offered at a huge discount.
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Thanks everyone. And thanks rustydoglim. I appreciate the candor with respect to the AVA. Besides there being a lot packed into one box, it still seems like the perfect integrated for me for 2 channel listening given my desire for multiple RCA inputs and room correction. Should I buy with confidence and enthusiasm? Regards Chris
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The quirks are
Output from rear channels when playing stereo, unless "Pure Audio" is selected
The display on the screen goes out unless you choose "Pure Audio"
Pure Audio, Pure Direct and the other audio selections have no effect when using USB audio. They only work on HDMI
There is no DSD support for HDMI audio, so you cannot play SACDs on a player having HDMI audio out
On the particular unit I have, I am unable to select any items on both GUI menus. Since this worked on another HD-AVP I borrowed, I hope the agent will exchange the unit I have
The user guide is not much use. It mentions the various choices, but does not explain what they do
Beware disabling inputs on the input setup menu, or assigning HDMI video to a co-ax input. When you do that, you cannot access USB from the remote, but need to to it with the manual selector on the front panel. If you undo your changes, then you can select USB by pressing Input and scrolling down to USB
Pressing the USB button on the remote brings up the Home Menu, not USB
Several buttons on the remote do nothing at all
After much complaining, I have realised that the only thing I am going to get fixed is the GUI menus. The lack of DSD on HDMI is irksome, had I known that beforehand I would not have purchased it
But if you are only going to use it for 2 channel listening, then I would recommend it. Just test everything thoroughly the first week, when you get used to how it operates
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I get output from rear and centre channel when using USB DAC.
If you don't use the extra channels besides right and left, then you will be fine fine. The Sub output also works, but you will need a Sub amp with crossover filter built-in.
BTW, the AutoEQ does not work with the USB DAC, as expected. EQ can be done via the computer when connected to the USB DAC You will have to use the multichannel DAC with all the other RCA or digital inputs for access to the AutoEQ.
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The USB DAC is the higher quality DAC if I understand correctly. Does that mean that if I set up the AVA for my room using Auto EQ, it won't apply to any signal going through the USB DAC? In other words, the phono and analog tuner input through RCA'S would go through room correction but computer audio through the USB DAC would not?
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Right. But you can set more powerful correction when using a computer, like convolution. And use the AutoEQ when using the other inputs
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The quirks are
Output from rear channels when playing stereo, unless "Pure Audio" is selected
The display on the screen goes out unless you choose "Pure Audio"
Pure Audio, Pure Direct and the other audio selections have no effect when using USB audio. They only work on HDMI
There is no DSD support for HDMI audio, so you cannot play SACDs on a player having HDMI audio out
On the particular unit I have, I am unable to select any items on both GUI menus. Since this worked on another HD-AVP I borrowed, I hope the agent will exchange the unit I have
The user guide is not much use. It mentions the various choices, but does not explain what they do
Beware disabling inputs on the input setup menu, or assigning HDMI video to a co-ax input. When you do that, you cannot access USB from the remote, but need to to it with the manual selector on the front panel. If you undo your changes, then you can select USB by pressing Input and scrolling down to USB
Pressing the USB button on the remote brings up the Home Menu, not USB
Several buttons on the remote do nothing at all
After much complaining, I have realised that the only thing I am going to get fixed is the GUI menus. The lack of DSD on HDMI is irksome, had I known that beforehand I would not have purchased it
But if you are only going to use it for 2 channel listening, then I would recommend it. Just test everything thoroughly the first week, when you get used to how it operates
I wasn't aware of the DSD audio over hdmi not being available either. That's a huge let down for me.
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I purchased a high quality HDMI Audio Extractor which provides optical digital audio out. Using this into an optical input of the HD-AVP lets me play the SACD layer of discs. I do have one Brahms SACD (Channel Classics - String Quartet in C) which only has a SACD layer, no CD layer and this one works
I'm not entirely sure what definition I am listening to, as the Info display on the front panel states --KHz 24 bit when playing this track
To test it, I downloaded the DSD version from CC and it sounds the same.
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Which hdmi de-embedder are you using?
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Yep, would love to know what kind of gizmo it is...
For testing tracks, I found this website where you can download many types of different format for each song. Pretty cool:
http://www.2l.no/hires/
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Oops, found this on my search online... Maybe your Audio Extractor is converting your DSD to PCM...
DSD cannot be transported by SPDIF coax or optical, the sample rate is too high. HDMI is the most common transport for consumer devices.
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The user manual is in very poor Inglish. A friend travels to Hong Kong 3 - 4 times a year and brought 11 units for me to try. Naturally enough, the most expensive one (at $132) worked the best, no doubt at all. Of the 11, only 2 would allow me to play the SACD track which I used to test it, all the others had no output. The second most expensive one gave no output on co-ax
I also think the DSD is being converted to PCM and have in fact tried both the co-ax and optical. Both work. Despite me hearing a SACD-only track, the Info panel on optical states --KHz 2 channel whereas the co-ax info states 44.1KHz 2 channel. I can also hear audience noise from the rear speakers
Hopefully, DSD will be supported on the HDMI in the HD-AVP in due course, that is if they issue an update. The most recent update concerned Apple Airplay
That Norwegian music site is fabulous I agree
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Since the analogue output from the USB input always operates, regardless of what input you choose, what might the drawback be of looping the output of the USB audio RCAs to an analogue input? You would be using the separate USB DAC instead of the multi-channel DAC
I tried it, it works and since the USB RCA outs have a 2 volt output, the signal level into Analogue Input 1 is quite high and volume needs to be backed off a bit. I could not hear any difference and listened to my favourite recordings for several hours
I also noticed that if you press Input on the remote and choose AN-1, it switches to AN-3. The only way to select AN-1 (and AN-2) is to use the left hand wheel. I have my turntable phono pre-amp on AN-2
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I think my mind melted trying to think of how you loop the USB DAC RCA outputs into an analogue input, then out the 7.1 outputs??? yikes!
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I think my mind melted trying to think of how you loop the USB DAC RCA outputs into an analogue input, then out the 7.1 outputs??? yikes!
Well, its quite easy. Take two short (150mm) RCA leads and plug them in. Then choose AN-1 and there is the sound. The power amp is already attached to the 7.1 outputs.
What I wanted was your opinion, one way or the other
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Bumping an old thread - I've just started putting together my first HIFI system.
I'm considering purchasing the NuPrime HD-AVA primarily to use in a 2.1 system (speakers will be KEF LS50 paired with a sub-woofer KUBE-1). It appeals to me considering the sources I can attach. Would somebody using this in a similar setup please share your experiences/ opinions. Would this be a better option than the IDA-8 which is in the same price bracket.
Thank you,
Ami
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After trying out a Yamaha receiver and a IDA-6 (which was ok too), I stepped up and got a HD-AVA for my LS50 monitors. Super happy - the LS50s sing from about -15dB in my room, sometimes at -10 - effortlessly. Hence an AVA + Kube + LS50 should be good.
Bumping an old thread - I've just started putting together my first HIFI system.
I'm considering purchasing the NuPrime HD-AVA primarily to use in a 2.1 system (speakers will be KEF LS50 paired with a sub-woofer KUBE-1). It appeals to me considering the sources I can attach. Would somebody using this in a similar setup please share your experiences/ opinions. Would this be a better option than the IDA-8 which is in the same price bracket.
Thank you,
Ami
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After trying out a Yamaha receiver and a IDA-6 (which was ok too), I stepped up and got a HD-AVA for my LS50 monitors. Super happy - the LS50s sing from about -15dB in my room, sometimes at -10 - effortlessly. Hence an AVA + Kube + LS50 should be good.
Thanks for sharing! If I may - What sources have you been using? Stored media on HDD?
Have you perceived any difference in sound when source is connected to via USB vs HDMI vs TOS?
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My sources: Oppo 203 for SACDs (analog in), Chromecast Audio for Youtube Red etc (Optical), Macbook Pro (Optical), Linux box running Daphile (USB).
The USB connection seems to be better than the Optical ones. I think the other digital inputs pass via the other AV DAC. The analog inputs should ideally go through the IDA16 module directly (but might be good to cross check with NuP support)
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Well, its quite easy. Take two short (150mm) RCA leads and plug them in. Then choose AN-1 and there is the sound. The power amp is already attached to the 7.1 outputs.
What I wanted was your opinion, one way or the other
Well, it took a while, but I finally tried this!
It works well indeed.
The only thing is that sometimes, there's some phasing issue, but cycling through Pure Audio and Pure Direct fixes that.