The Absolute Sound: ENTRY-LEVEL INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER OF THE YEAR: NUFORCE DDA-10

nuforce-casey · « **on:** 18 Dec 2012, 02:41 am »

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/nuforce-dda-100-integrated-amplifier/

JLM · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Dec 2012, 03:29 am »

Congrats

John Casler · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Dec 2012, 03:46 am »

NuFORCE has been slowly building a list of exceptionally good new products at many levels.

The DDA 100 is getting a lot of new BUZZ on the GREAT LOOKS, and PRISTINE Sound Quality.

Another exceptional Integrated Product from the HIGH END division is the new IA-18. I will start a new thread that will be about that near gear.

lextek · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Dec 2012, 10:37 pm »

It's very, interesting. I love the looks .

Rclark · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Dec 2012, 11:07 pm »

HM. Sounds like a better value than the TBI Millennia too.

Folsom · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Dec 2012, 11:08 pm »

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nuforce17/3.html

I'd just a buy an 3875 pre-made amp and a separate volume control for a similar price.

wisnon · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Dec 2012, 11:26 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 23 Dec 2012, 11:07 pm

HM. Sounds like a better value than the TBI Millennia too.

Apples and oranges. The Nuforce is a PowerDac. It cant handle incoming ANALOG signals (digital input only), so its only useful in a fully digital setup. It is also not as portable, though it IS powerful and apparently sounds great.

The TBI is less powerful 32WPC vs 50 WPC, but is a fully capable analogue amp, though its is Class D/AB. It can run on double A batteries if needed and also sounds great. Price is $500 vs $550. The Nuforce is a bit prettier, but both seem capable.

Tossup to me until I can compare both head to head.

JLM · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 12:14 am »

Out of all the positive reviews, up comes Srajan with a rare non-rave. Gives me pause.

I know "traditional" solid state sounds best at higher output, but this seems to be much more serious. Although Srajan seems to have tried hard to prove himself wrong about the DDA-100 I think the jury is still out regarding his review. Perhaps his reference to early versus current production will prove to be the answer.

nuforce-casey · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 01:21 am »

Quote from: wisnon on 23 Dec 2012, 11:26 pm

Apples and oranges. The Nuforce is a PowerDac. It cant handle incoming ANALOG signals (digital input only), so its only useful in a fully digital setup. It is also not as portable, though it IS powerful and apparently sounds great.

The TBI is less powerful 32WPC vs 50 WPC, but is a fully capable analogue amp, though its is Class D/AB. It can run on double A batteries if needed and also sounds great. Price is $500 vs $550. The Nuforce is a bit prettier, but both seem capable.

Tossup to me until I can compare both head to head.

Should compare TBI with Nuforce DIA, not DDA. DDA is a 75Wrms amplifier with a peak capable of reaching 200W.

Edit: to clarify, 75W at 4 Ohm, 50W at 8 Ohm.

wisnon · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 01:28 am »

So TAS is wrong here? This from YOUR link above:

"It is perhaps no coincidence that both our choices for Integrated Amplifier of The Year feature a direct-digital topology in which digital audio data at the amplifier’s input directly drive the output transistors. This technique eliminates from the signal path a huge amount of circuitry, including a traditional DAC and analog gain stages. The bargain-priced NuForce DDA-100 delivers 50Wpc and sounds better than any conventional integrated amplifier Steven Stone has heard priced under $2500. Particularly impressive is the DDA-100’s spatial definition and separation of instrumental images. These images are presented against a dead-quiet background in a way that makes them come to life. The DDA-100 also clearly resolves low-level instruments even in the presence of louder ones—a hallmark of great high-end designs but unheard of in a $549 integrated amp. A great sounding amplifier and a tremendous value. (Steven Stone, 229)"

Edit: So I did a bit of digging. The DDA-100 delivers 50WPC into 8ohms and 75 into 4ohms. The DIA delivers 30wpc into FOUR ohms. The TBI Millenia delivers 32WPC into EIGHT ohms, so yes, the DDA-100 is the right comparison to make.

Rclark · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 01:32 am »

Yeah that, more power, newer design, and a remote, and it's not something you'd want to hide from sight.

wisnon · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 01:40 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 24 Dec 2012, 01:32 am

Yeah that, more power, newer design, and a remote, and it's not something you'd want to hide from sight.

I did say the Nuforce is prettier, but neglected to mention the remote which is a valid point.

Not sure about more POWER per-se. TnT-Audio did say that the absolute control the amp displays makes the 32WPC seem like 50. So they may be nothing much to it,, BUT with the DDA-100 capable of dynamic bursts up to 200WPC, it may indeed be the clear headroom winner.

Folsom · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 02:24 am »

Right, where as audiosector products get good reviews and now you can get the relative same amp for nothing already made.

http://www.dalaudio.com/Studio-3875-Chip-Amp-STD-p/dals3875std.htm $350

Then grab a volume unit

http://www.goldpt.com/sa1.html

Or if you can drill a couple of holes and learn to solder with the most basic soldering iron and skills possible, put one of these in a box with some RCA jacks. Including the tools you need

Attenuator $43.00

Some nice but cheap wire $1.50

RCA jacks $4.99

Soldering Iron $22.24

Case for it $11.27

Cover $5.46

Knob $4.45

$452.45 with a home built volume

Lets throw in a Blue Jeans Cable $27.50 with techflex, $470.42

But that is all assuming Srajan is right.

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 12:00 pm »

1st: Srajan's review (I respect his opinion) must be reconciled with the very positive reviews elsewhere.

2nd: Because of the design of the DDA-100 there is remarkable short term peak power reserves available (similar but more so than tube amps or NAD's "soft clipping"), so with dynamic musical genres it can behave like a 200+ wpc amp. This 7 dB of headroom far exceeds most amps, especially solid state, including I believe chip amps (I own a pair of Channel Island VMB-100 monoblocks) or the TBI.

BTW DIY chip amps are very popular, but can very much be a hit or miss. I auditioned one at home and not only did it have a horrible 60 Hz hum from the tethered power source but it was picked up a local FM station about -20 dB.

3rd: Recommend everyone think in terms of dB's of gain. There is literally less than 2 dB difference between 32 wpc and 50 wpc. In fact I wish manufacturers would stop rating with numbers like 32 wpc because (all else being equal) no one can hear 30 wpc vs. 32 wpc vs. 35 wpc. The relationship between watts and dB is logarithmic, so doubling the watts only adds 3 dB (by definition 1 dB is the smallest difference the average person can perceive) and a tenfold increase in watts only adds 10 dB (an apparent doubling of loudness). In fact with almost any speaker I've seen/heard/read about in the last 40+ years at this, the typical audiophile is listening on average (80 dB) to less than 1 wpc.

This is not to say that dynamic music doesn't require much more or that extra muscle has it's advantages in terms of fuller sound (especially bass), improved resolution (providing a commanding grip of the speaker), and resistance to nasty clipping.

wisnon · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Dec 2012, 09:47 pm »

I take your general point, however one small correction. The dynamic power term for Nad is PowerDrive.

For example, for the C375 BEE, power ratings are:
2 x 150W Continuous Power into 8 Ohms.
Dynamic power (formally Power Envelope, now Power Drive):
200W, 365W, 500W IHF Dynamic power into 8, 4 and 2 ohms, respectively.

With the Rowen mod, the amp will be stable down to 1 ohm with commensurately high Dynamic power.

The DDA-100 has 200WPC dynamic power into 4 OHMS, so about 130WPC into 8 ohms.

JLM · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Dec 2012, 04:56 pm »

Don't know if the technology has changed since I had the 3020 way back, but NAD first called it "soft clipping" and as I recall it offered 3 dB (doubling of the watts) of headroom. Power Drive sounds like the macho version.

opnly bafld · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Dec 2012, 06:28 pm »

deleted due to off topic in NuForce circle

wisnon · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Dec 2012, 08:31 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 25 Dec 2012, 04:56 pm

Don't know if the technology has changed since I had the 3020 way back, but NAD first called it "soft clipping" and as I recall it offered 3 dB (doubling of the watts) of headroom. Power Drive sounds like the macho version.

They have both now.
Look it up online.

The nuforce does have the biggest power upside on a percentage basis though... A tripling of dynamic power!

Rclark · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Dec 2012, 08:34 pm »

So this is a 50 watt amp that upon detecting a large transient will boost to 200 watts for the transient? That's pretty impressive.

wisnon · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Dec 2012, 08:38 pm »

Yes, but first watt is important. Happily, this amp seems to have an excellent first watt.
If no analog in is needed, this amp seems to fit almost any bill.