[*Scotty*]

Freo-1,George has his system's components listed under the systems link below his avatar.
Go thou and do likewise.
Scotty

[Freo-1]

Freo-1,George has his system's components listed under the systems link below his avatar.
Go thou and do likewise.
Scotty

Scotty, given how often we all upgrade/change out equipment, thought it prudent to ask what speakers were used during the evaluation (especially if they were changed along the way). 
 
I will post the cunnent line up. 

[*Scotty*]

If I am not mistaken George said he used the Ncores on the top of his Vandersteen 5As, which is 100Hz and up, the bottom is handled by the 5A's built in subs.
Scotty
Here is a link to page 2 of the Ncore review thread which is where you can George's review. Post # 30
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105310.20
Scotty

[Freo-1]

Good stuff. Thanks, Scotty!

[Nick77]

I have been listening to the tour Ncores for several days now. I will start off mentioning Pete’s power cords and offering a big fat thank you! I tried the Seven plus on my current ClassD amplifier in place of Wywire Juice2 and have to give the nod to the Triode PC. Fuller richer sound with slight increase in inner detail, all which I preferred to my current cord. Very highly recommended at offered price point, I will be adding these to my must have list. Thank you Pete!

My system consists of modded diy ClassD SDS amplifier with diy DCB1 buffer, Audio GD NFB2 DAC, Touch w/diy power supply and newly built Pi4 loudspeakers w/JBL 15”woofers and BC250’s, and Wywire cables.

Music:
Bob Belden
Diana Krall
Phillip Sasson
Michael Breckler
Stravinski
Brian Bromberg
David Benoit

I started out my class d experience with the ClassD CDS series and upgraded to the SDS series amps. The difference was the SDS series was clearly a step up in clarity and control. The Ncore’s could be described in the same fashion, a step up from the SDS series in increased clarity and control of the music. The bass output of the Ncore is definitely one of its strengths; I felt no need to employ a subwoofer while using the Ncores. The increase in clarity is from top to bottom. The specs become blatantly obvious when you listen to these things. They are brutally honest and clear and neutral.

My wife described them as more of a live experience and in your face. I was surprised she was able to so clearly describe their strengths. They are a little more in your face due to their prowess and better bottom end control.
They separate the instruments and pronounce every sound with distinction so micro and macro details come across clearly articulated. You don’t have to struggle to listen critically, all the music is there in bold fashion.

Are they perfect, no. I tend to agree with former comments that they seem a little flat, a tiny piece of music is lost, they seem to be so brutally neutral that a little slice of music is missing. My wife preferred the SDS amp and felt it was more musical, I tend to agree but could very very easily adapt to the strengths of the Ncore in a heartbeat. Can this slight miss of musicality be made up, I hope so, maybe preminum build components or slight modding, which a few are hashing out now. But really it is hard to fault them and I hope to have them in house someday soon. That complete control over the music and bottom end prowess will be greatly missed. Long live DIY!!

Big fat thanks to Jason for his generosity in sending these out on tour!! 

 

[zybar]

George, what speakers are/were you using while reviewing the various amps?  To me, the speaker’s overall load plays a large part in one’s overall impressions.

Vandersteen 5A's

George

[Barry_NJ]

I started out my class d experience with the ClassD CDS series and upgraded to the SDS series amps.

Nick, as there are several different models of each, which model CDS and SDS Class-D amps were you using?

Thanks, Barry

[zybar]

I have been listening to the tour Ncores for several days now. I will start off mentioning Pete’s power cords and offering a big fat thank you! I tried the Seven plus on my current ClassD amplifier in place of Wywire Juice2 and have to give the nod to the Triode PC. Fuller richer sound with slight increase in inner detail, all which I preferred to my current cord. Very highly recommended at offered price point, I will be adding these to my must have list. Thank you Pete!

My system consists of modded diy ClassD SDS amplifier with diy DCB1 buffer, Audio GD NFB2 DAC, Touch w/diy power supply and newly built Pi4 loudspeakers w/JBL 15”woofers and BC250’s, and Wywire cables.

Music:
Bob Belden
Diana Krall
Phillip Sasson
Michael Breckler
Stravinski
Brian Bromberg
David Benoit

I started out my class d experience with the ClassD CDS series and upgraded to the SDS series amps. The difference was the SDS series was clearly a step up in clarity and control. The Ncore’s could be described in the same fashion, a step up from the SDS series in increased clarity and control of the music. The bass output of the Ncore is definitely one of its strengths; I felt no need to employ a subwoofer while using the Ncores. The increase in clarity is from top to bottom. The specs become blatantly obvious when you listen to these things. They are brutally honest and clear and neutral.

My wife described them as more of a live experience and in your face. I was surprised she was able to so clearly describe their strengths. They are a little more in your face due to their prowess and better bottom end control.
They separate the instruments and pronounce every sound with distinction so micro and macro details come across clearly articulated. You don’t have to struggle to listen critically, all the music is there in bold fashion.

Are they perfect, no. I tend to agree with former comments that they seem a little flat, a tiny piece of music is lost, they seem to be so brutally neutral that a little slice of music is missing. My wife preferred the SDS amp and felt it was more musical, I tend to agree but could very very easily adapt to the strengths of the Ncore in a heartbeat. Can this slight miss of musicality be made up, I hope so, maybe preminum build components or slight modding, which a few are hashing out now. But really it is hard to fault them and I hope to have them in house someday soon. That complete control over the music and bottom end prowess will be greatly missed. Long live DIY!!

Big fat thanks to Jason for his generosity in sending these out on tour!! 

Very nice write-up Nick.

There are a few of us who are using a tubed preamp with great results. 

Do you think that a tubed preamp could address your concerns this instead of modifying the amps? I don't know much about the buffer you are using...how would you describe its sound?

George

[roscoeiii]

George,

I'd love to hear more listening impressions of your Atma pre + ncore set-up and how that compares to your all Atma pre & amp driving the Vandys.

[rajacat]

Nick,

Nice well written review.

It was very interesting that your wife actually preferred the SDS over the NCore. Is it possible that an amp can produce a surfeit of detail without discriminating realistically between the relative values of the micro and macro events like your ears do with live music? Could it be like in photography, during processing, in which the color values can be a little over-saturated so that they lose their natural values and appear somewhat out of sync with reality ?

..Roy

[earflappin]

I think a problem with the NCOREs is that you hear your entire playback chain more clearly and that might not be to everyone's liking depending on the rest of your system and personal tastes. 

I have the SDS and NCORE amps and strongly prefer the NCORE.   I have consistently found with amps, DACs and PRE's that one person's distortion is another person's more full bodied sound. 

The good news is there is no right or wrong answer.  There is no IAS (internal audiophile service) that is waiting to audit your system to see if you have assessed your systems' performance accurately.   

 

[prokennex]

George,

I'd love to hear more listening impressions of your Atma pre + ncore set-up and how that compares to your all Atma pre & amp driving the Vandys.

+ 1

[Nick77]

Very nice write-up Nick.

There are a few of us who are using a tubed preamp with great results. 

Do you think that a tubed preamp could address your concerns this instead of modifying the amps? I don't know much about the buffer you are using...how would you describe its sound?

George

The buffer is the Pass Labs B1 buffer with DC coupled PS. Mine is the hotrodded version with all premium parts and Goldpoint attenuator. It is very neutral and resolute. It wasn't a problem of seeing thru my front end but rather not hearing the very last ounce of enunciation out of the amp and yielding a very slight flatness to the music. I was using single ended input with the rca adapters, I would like to think there was some small synergy issue. But this has been a minor complaint from more than one.

[zybar]

+ 1

Will try and get something written soon.

I wanted to get more time with the amps before saying more.

George

[Triode Pete]

I have been listening to the tour Ncores for several days now. I will start off mentioning Pete’s power cords and offering a big fat thank you! I tried the Seven plus on my current ClassD amplifier in place of Wywire Juice2 and have to give the nod to the Triode PC. Fuller richer sound with slight increase in inner detail, all which I preferred to my current cord. Very highly recommended at offered price point, I will be adding these to my must have list. Thank you Pete!

Thanks, Nick! My pleasure... My cords appear to synergize very well with Class D amps and I have many happy campers with Cherry's & Spectrons as well as others. Just this past weekend at the Capital Audiofest (Suite 347), we were running Arion Class D Hybrids (with a 6H30 input)... what sound! As my moniker implies, I'm a tube man but I really like these new Class D amps as the technology improves... I'm wondering how these NCore's would sound on 104dB efficient horns?

Cheers,
Pete

[poseidonsvoice]

Thanks, Nick! My pleasure... My cords appear to synergize very well with Class D amps and I have many happy campers with Cherry's & Spectrons as well as others. Just this past weekend at the Capital Audiofest (Suite 347), we were running Arion Class D Hybrids (with a 6H30 input)... what sound! As my moniker implies, I'm a tube man but I really like these new Class D amps as the technology improves... I'm wondering how these NCore's would sound on 104dB efficient horns?

Cheers,
Pete

Piotr,

Czesc!

Macrojack has some very efficient horns. See his review http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105310.msg1076945#msg1076945

Do zobaczenia, na razie,

Anand.

[roscoeiii]

And apologies in advance to Jason for going OT here, but congrats on the great Stereo TImes review Pete. I wish I'd spent more time playing around with your cables instead of just having them plugged into the ncores when they were here.

[Hank]

I stopped by Nick77's for a bit to give a listen.  My comments aren't worth much, as the only way to have a valid opinion is to drop them into ones own system.  Clarity and control do seem appropriate words.
rajacat's allusion to color photography really rings true in my estimation of hi-fi gear:  I've been a SCUBA diver for years and am always telling people that color photographs are more colorful than the real life scene they depict, EXCEPT underwater in the ocean shallows, where the colors really seem vivid.
So, I think that if hi-fi gear presents us with a realistic listen, rather than a color photo vividness, then that's what we should pursue, because it's accurate.

[Bear]

Hey all,

I just wanted to pop in and let fellow lurkers know I finally had/ENJOYED! a very long listening session with the NCORE's last evening.  I will be doing some more listening this evening and tomorrow before I send them on early Monday.

The Triode power cords included in the tour are of exceptional quality as well.

I will post an actual review of the NCORE's later.

 

[jtwrace]

I will post an actual review of the NCORE's later.

Great!