AudioCircle
Industry Circles => NuPrime Audio => Topic started by: rebbi on 24 Jan 2018, 04:47 pm
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After soliciting lots of advice over in the Spatial Circle, I have placed an order for a Nuprime IDA-16 integrated. I will be pairing it with a pair of Spatial M3 Turbo S, open baffle speakers. I should have the unit sometime next week and will report back.
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Congrats on the new equipment! Hope you enjoy it. Looking forward to your impressions.
Best regards,
Rafa.
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Congrats on a fine choice :thumb:
looking foreward to your impressions,should be great synergy
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Good to hear and welcome on board. Looking forward to your thoughts and impressions.
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Rebbi,
If you thought the Krell was impressive, you're destined for a trip over the moon when your new amp arrives. :thumb:
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Thanks, everybody.
So here’s a question: what have you owners of the IDA-16 found the break-in period to be like? I’ve heard everything from 50 hours to “hundreds of“ hours. Interested in your experiences in this regard? Thanks.
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rebbi
If it's like the ST-10 it's somewhere between the two. Just stream an internet radio station at a low volume and let it run.
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Just stream an internet radio station at a low volume and let it run.
No tubes means no need to turn it off - ever! :green:
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Do not underestimate the importance of long break-in time.
I've been surprised by the improvement in the TDSS-modified IDA-16 at more or less 300 hours after my getting it back from Bob.
The noise-floor in the standard IDA-16 is very low, but this very long break-in of the TDSS modification has made me quite literally sit-up and take note of the difference in the sheer realism of finely nuanced detail, most especially in vocal inflection, where I go: Oh, that's what she meant! ---All of which means, I think, that the noise-floor must be even lower.
Tom
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Just finished unpacking my new IDA-16. I have a question about connecting a CD player to the unit.
Is there any sonic or other advantage of optical over coaxial out from the CD player to one of the digital inputs on the IDA-16?
Thanks!
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Good coax cables are easier to find.
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Good coax cables are easier to find.
+1
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And has anyone found any benefit to using a more “boutique” power cord? 8)
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The DAC-10 and ST-10 as did the IDA-8 so I would assume the IDA-16 would but you don't have to go crazy. Reasonably priced ones from ID dealers like Signal, Cullen and others are starting points.
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The DAC-10 and ST-10 as did the IDA-8 so I would assume the IDA-16 would but you don't have to go crazy. Reasonably priced ones from ID dealers like Signal, Cullen and others are starting points.
I have some big fat power cords from Signal so maybe I will give one of those a try. I was just wondering how essential the ferrite core around the stock power cable is.
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And has anyone found any benefit to using a more “boutique” power cord? 8)
I use A Cullen Cable Avius PC. It is excellent. I also use the Cullen Nitin Coax. It is excellent as well.
http://www.cullencable.com
Cheers,
Scott
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If it's in the cards at some point a used Triode Wire Labs Digital American will take it a bit further.
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Coax should sound better than optical. I have a Shunyata cord...don't think I can tell a difference between stock
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I have the TWL Digital American on my very short list that I may try with my IDA-16.
To stay within a more comfortable budget as I explored power cables I went with Cullen (they have an extensive background in the audio industry). I've got their TOL pc coming; The Crossover II. If I experience the gains in sound quality that I did from their more affordable cable I'll be set for awhile (maybe for good? :lol:). After it has had time to settle in my system I'll follow-up with how it performs with my IDA-16.
I do believe at some point out of curiosity I will try the Digital American. TWL has quite the following.
Cheers,
Scott
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Do not underestimate the importance of long break-in time.
I've been surprised by the improvement in the TDSS-modified IDA-16 at more or less 300 hours after my getting it back from Bob.
The noise-floor in the standard IDA-16 is very low, but this very long break-in of the TDSS modification has made me quite literally sit-up and take note of the difference in the sheer realism of finely nuanced detail, most especially in vocal inflection, where I go: Oh, that's what she meant! ---All of which means, I think, that the noise-floor must be even lower.
Tom
Does the IDA-16 need to be run "loud" during break-in, or will playing softly with a CD on repeat do the trick? I assume a lot of this is about forming the capacitors and so forth, and I don't know if that requires loudness or just any old current. Thanks!
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Does the IDA-16 need to be run "loud" during break-in, or will playing softly with a CD on repeat do the trick? I assume a lot of this is about forming the capacitors and so forth, and I don't know if that requires loudness or just any old current. Thanks!
In my experience, no. My system is used more for background and lower level listening. I only play at higher levels when I have the house to myself. I'm sure moderate or higher levels may break-in the caps at a different rate but it's not necessary to focus on that. I'd simply use the amp as needed for your enjoyment and the break-in will naturally happen. :D
Cheers,
Scott
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Does the IDA-16 need to be run "loud" during break-in, or will playing softly with a CD on repeat do the trick? I assume a lot of this is about forming the capacitors and so forth, and I don't know if that requires loudness or just any old current. Thanks!
Both the amp and the DAC the IDA-16 that need to break in.
I have a DAC-10 and with the exception of changing cables, I leave it on 24/7. What I mean by that is there is always a signal going through the DAC so it is always busy decoding a source - usually an internet radio station.
I leave my amps on 24/7 too, so they are always busy amplifying whatever the DAC sends to it. The volume is moderate by day, and somewhat louder to fairly loud when I listen at night between 10 pm and midnight. Then while everyone is asleep, the amps continue to work at a very moderate level. The only time I have ever turned them off is to switch out a cable.
How are you liking the IDA-16 with your Spatial OBs?
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My break-in is always based on listening to music at a "normal" volume level. That's why it takes a long time.
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Rebbi,
Capacitors need to “form” during break in to perform their best and the best way to do this is to build a charge in them and then let them discharge. When a component is new the recommendation is to go through a half dozen cycles or so and turn the component on for 5 or 6 hours and then off for the same amount of time. After that if, it’s not a tube component, I pretty much leave the unit on 24/7 and turn it off once a month to let the caps discharge and then recharge again.
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Capacitors need to “form” during break in to perform their best and the best way to do this is to build a charge in them and then let them discharge. When a component is new the recommendation is to go through a half dozen cycles or so and turn the component on for 5 or 6 hours and then off for the same amount of time
Where did you get that from? Can you point to any studies that prove this?
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Lots of stuff out there if you google on “forming capacitors” or breaking in capacitors. As far as an official scientific paper. I don’t know, but I’ve never looked. It seems pretty well established. I first learned about it decades ago from my photography hobby where it was standard practice to “form” the capacitors on certain flash units so they’d perform optimally.
I know Paul McGowan has spoken about it a few times on the PS Audio forums and it’s discussed on the Decware forums as well. It’s a topic that comes up across all forums from time to time when break in is discussed.
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No proof but seems pretty established?
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It is very challenging to link subjective concepts of sound perception to objective quantities in electrical signal propagation, acoustics and hearing physiology. Some would argue it impossible.
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Well, if you have a lot of time on your hands, there’s this thread, here:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/do-capacitors-really-need-to-break-in.738256/
:lol: