They may be great amps, but what I've learned over my life is that what appears to be to good usually is. I would almost feel better if there were some less than glowing reviews as a point of validation...
well, from all the comments about them, the ncores
do appear to be good; probably they really are.
as far as the "less than glowing" rewiews go, well if something really
is that good, these less than glowing rewiews may be few and far between. while i am not in the market for amps, and rarely if ever buy new, if i were, these ncores would be at the top of my list.
not sure why it would make you feel better if there were less than glowing rewiews, but you can look at brm's post above, as a "less than glowing rewiew"; do you feel better now?
"...Really a nice amplifier but I won't be selling my Samsons as a result..."and:
"...Very promising and to me about 90% of what I am used to and perhaps some more of some good things in certain areas that only an extended time could tell me..."brm was the first person i have read about that felt the ncores were not at least as transparent as anything they were compared to:
"...I felt there was a sheet over the mid to top end as compared to my Samsons..." that is saying something. of course, brm admits that a lot of time is needed to really be able to do a proper ewaluation. but, what i take from this, especially when taken in context w/what others have said, is that the ncores, at 30%-40% the cost of the samsons, play on the same level, at the wery least.
if i already owned the samsons, and bought them new, and went so far as to have $8k speakers made in a custom finish, color matched to the amps, i, too, would be reluctant to be wanting to take a financial hit and sell my samsons, to replace them w/relatively cheap-in-comparison little boxes. the ncores would truly have to be a major step above what i already had, for me to want to do that - if it were a matter of it possibly being a hair better, i wouldn't even want to know if they were!
sure, mebbe i would come out a few dollars ahead, even after taking a hit selling my samsons, as i would be replacing them w/something much cheaper. but, why bother, when the system is so perfectly matched - sonically
and visually - unless the improvements truly put the sound in a different league? (of course for some, even if an improvement is a tiny fraction, it is worth making a switch.) but, w/no skin in the game, as i don't own the samsons, if i were in the market for a high power amp, it is a no-brainer to buy the ncores. even if i could find used samsons at 50% of retail, the ncores will still be ~$1k cheaper brand-new. and the samsons are simply one of many more expensive amps that the ncores are comparable to, if not outright better. and, i really
do like the idea that the ncore amps are so efficient; it really appeals to my ideas regarding energy efficiency and the enwironment. for me, if i have to split hairs to decide whether or not i want on amp or another, the efficiency of the ncores tips the scales heavily in their favor.
i was more impressed w/tomS' take on the amps - he had nothing negative to say about anything, only that both amps are great, w/perhaps some differences between them:
"...Ultimately, I think there were some preferences both ways, not absolute, but it was sort of splitting hairs on 2 really great sets of amps...."and i am interested in getting george's (zybar's) feedback after he takes delivery of his ncores and has had them in his system for a month or three - his take seemed to mirror what tomS was saying about the ncores. and someday i
will own a pair of these, or maybe even two. but, i will buy them 2nd hand, and whether or not they replace whatever i am using at the time will be determined after a lengthy audition. i, too, may then consider recouping some costs by selling some amps presently in my inventory.
and, as has been stated by others, i wanna thank pete for opening up his home, and tomS for bringing over some ncores, so everyone can wicariously enjoy them!
ymmv,
doug s.
