[dfucak]

Hi!

I intend buying Icon HDP when it arrives to Croatia, hopefully sooner than later

I was wondering why the HDP doesn't use upsampling to 192kHz.
My previous experiences with upsampling have been good, so I was a little bit suprised to found up that HDP doesn't use it... I think that their high end CDP doesn't use it also.

What is the company opinion of upsampling?

I intend using HDP as usb DAC with my amp and speakers system, and was hoping the HDP will upsample my 44.1kHz flac files to 192kHz.

Also, i am wondering if HDP is primary intended for Headphone use, or as a part of a full system with amp and speakers...

Thanks, and sorry for eventual grammar mistakes

[rustydoglim]

HDP is purposely features packed for all kinds of applications.

We don't offer upsampling because of the design choice (there is no DSP to do the manipulation) and also we find that the advantages of upsampling is a toss up: sometimes it sounded smooth but a little "fake".
To do it right, it will be very costly and the benefit is not that apparent.

[nuforce-casey]

Hi,
The moment you hear our CDP08 playing back a truthful 16-bit audio at 44.1kHz, you'll be amazed at the quality, as we painstakingly make sure we fully recover the original redbook signal.

We have spent a lot of time researching into the digital playback, and we decided that upsampling technology today is just not good enough. 

HDP is designed to support high-bit-rate playback via USB and S/PDIF, and doing upsampling could actually screw up the signal, because the signal may already be hi-resolution format (for example, a computer file at 24-bit/96kHz)

[dfucak]

Thanks for your reply!

You really are a customer friendly company!

I just hope the HDP arrives soon to croatia, but I don't believe it will be before april, if not even later...

I must be happy that we even have a NuForce dealer here in our small country.

[Enam]

Hi Jason,

I'm interested to buy Icon HDP to use as pre-amp. Two question to you:
1. Does this amp can drive any SS power amp? FYI my power amp is connected with JBL L890 Floor stander speaker.

2. I'm usiong OPPO 981HD as CD player. If I connect OPPO with Icon HDP via Optical/coaxial, can use HDP DAC? or I have to use OPPO built in DAC?

thanks in advance.
Enam
 

[nuforce-casey]

Hi,
Yes, it will output 2.3Vrms from the USB or S/PDIF DAC at 0dB signal.  A typical amp with 1 to 1.5V sensitivity per 100W you will have no problem.

[nuforce-casey]

2. I'm usiong OPPO 981HD as CD player. If I connect OPPO with Icon HDP via Optical/coaxial, can use HDP DAC? or I have to use OPPO built in DAC?

thanks in advance.
Enam

Set the Oppo 980 S/PDIF option to 192kHz, and you have a wonderful transport to work with HDP.  The Oppo can play DVD-Audio at 192kHz to HDP.

[dfucak]

I've just seen that HDP is available in Europe.

What really struck me was that the price of the unit is 500E, while the price in US is 450$.

I know that european prices are always bigger, but this is just too much.

It's an amazing 62% increase in price. I certainly didn't expect such a drastic increase.

I know this is a rant, but i'm just disappointed, because now i'm going to have to give up on what seems to be a really good product, and which I was waiting to come out for a long time.

Again, sorry for ranting.

[rustydoglim]

Typically the price is equivalent to US price in Euro, ie 450 Euro.
They might have the old HDP price. I think the price will come down when we expand our distribution.
Anyway, I will remind distributors to verify their pricing.

[thanosz]

Hi,

I would also like to ask about prices in Europe. I was thinking of starting a new thread to ask about this since I was also looking to get the W-1. I asked some time ago where I could buy it in Europe and when it finally appeared it was/is priced much more than 199 EUR (compared to US $199).

Are those really the intended prices? Although I am looking forward to get some more Nuforce products I cannot help but wonder why there is such a price difference.

Thanks.

[Jehuty]

Hi,
Yes, it will output 2.3Vrms from the USB or S/PDIF DAC at 0dB signal.  A typical amp with 1 to 1.5V sensitivity per 100W you will have no problem.

Would you kindly inform the preamp output impedance measurement? I just think that matching preamp output impedance with amp input impedance would be crucial as well. I can't find it anywhere on NuForce website.

Great product by the way, I'll listen to one soon when they arrive in Australia.

Thanks.

[nuforce-casey]

100 ohm, 6dB gain via analog input.