NuForce MCH-3SE - 2U (3.5") height, 300Wx7@4ohm, 33 lbs, SE class

anibal1966 · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 Sep 2007, 05:34 pm »

IMHO Hard Disks and CD-DVD drives become quickly dated, if not obsolete. I prefer them not to be part of sophisticated high end kit, and use instead inexpensive, external drives (such as oppo dvds, ipods, squeezeboxes, pcs...).

A dream kit would be a high end DAC-digital preamp, a home hi-fi version of the Behringer Ultracurve Pro 24/96.

It would have diverse digital inputs (spdif, usb...) and would do digital input selection, digital equalization/room correction and digital/analogue conversion before sending analogue signal to amps.
If it also did digital crossover it could source then NuForce MCH amps for multiamping.

There is nothing similar in the hifi market. Strangely, because many audiophiles use only digital sources.

RonB · « **Reply #21 on:** 4 Nov 2007, 10:57 am »

As far as a comparison to other "similarly" designed multi-channel amps...how would the new Axiom Audio amp stand up as a quality competitor?

rustydoglim · « **Reply #22 on:** 5 Nov 2007, 01:24 pm »

I do not know. If it is using icepower module (highly suspected), then you can read numerous reviews that compared Nuforce with other icepowere based amps.

One unique benefit of Nuforce is that we use the same amplifier board throughout the Ref and MCH series product line. Therefore the performance of MCH will closely follow the Ref series.

Toka · « **Reply #23 on:** 14 Nov 2007, 08:35 pm »

Are any reviews for the MCH-3SE-C7 due to be published in the near future? I'm very interested to hear/read what they are all about...

rustydoglim · « **Reply #24 on:** 14 Nov 2007, 11:32 pm »

All the MCH modules use the same amplifier board as the Ref series amps, so please read the Ref series reviews. Audiophile magazines generally do not review multi-channel amp the want they review stereo or mono amps.

MCH-3SEC7 has the following: 7 V2 boards with 2 300W SMPS and 2 SE capacitor boards.
Ref 9SEV2 has 1 V2 board with 1 300W SMPS + 1 SE capacitor board.
Therefore MCH-3SEC7 is like 2 Ref 9SEV2 plus 5 extra channels. You can turn off the power to each individual amp board!!! This is a unique feature for audiophiles who want to switch between home theater and 2 channel listening.

So why buy Ref 9SEV2 if MCH-3SEC7 is nearly identical? With Ref 9SEV2, you get a dedicated and isolated mono amp with slightly better binding post and RCA connector. You can also go with multiple mono amps (remember, each has its own power supply) for bi-amping. You also get the flexibility of upgrading the mono amps to future generation of our technology. MCH platform allows you to upgrade too but it might be more limited. We don't know yet. Oh, the small mono amps allow you to move it right behing the speaker and use XLR as interconnect to improve performance.

Karsten · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 Nov 2007, 10:34 am »

I'm currently testing the AVP-17 - MCH-3SE7 combination here. It is easy and intuitive to use and gives a very realistic presentation. My poor cat almost got a heart attack

The setup here is using full range speakers and no sub, still there is plenty of power available for a room shaking experience.

The MCH-3SE7 also works great as a 2 channel amp, performance wise it is not far from the Ref 9 series, it is easy to hear that these two designs are related to eachother.

Regards,
Karsten

plivac · « **Reply #26 on:** 30 Nov 2007, 03:49 pm »

Question for NuForce or other owners: I just received the MCH-3SE and AVP17 - is it OK to put the AVP17 on top of the MCH or vice versa since the amp needs more heat space?

plivac · « **Reply #27 on:** 2 Dec 2007, 07:58 pm »

Well I feel I am officially in Music Nirvana. The MCH and AVP are a great combo together with the ASW Genius 300s.

The AVP17 has some quirkiness, but I am hoping those will be sorted in the AVP32.

Also, note that the AVP is shorter than the MCH, so the picture that Nuforce has on their site is misleading, since you cannot put the MCH on the AVP.

Here is my thread on the AVS forum for the Nuforce Combo:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=931736

Toka · « **Reply #28 on:** 3 Dec 2007, 03:18 am »

Quote from: plivac on 2 Dec 2007, 07:58 pm

The AVP17 has some quirkiness, but I am hoping those will be sorted in the AVP32.

What sort of things have you found? I haven't seen too many user reviews so I'd be interested to read your impressions.

plivac · « **Reply #29 on:** 3 Dec 2007, 03:19 pm »

Not much at this point (although I am not using it for video processing) - couple of Things:

note - not HDMI 1.3 or Master audio formats related

..also the sound is great so far.

1. no BYPASS for 5.1/7.1 audio - automatically in processing Dolby mode
2. no lypsinc options
3. I would like to have a separate headphone input in back

I am using MIX OUT output - but the manual doesn't mention it
4. the manual is not written well - it should have a flow chart of functions

that's all I can think of now...

plivac · « **Reply #30 on:** 4 Dec 2007, 03:02 pm »

.. also I think there may be Signal/Noise issues when combining a headphone amp with the AVP17, since the AVP 17 doesn't have a dedicated TAPE OUT in the back where the volume cannot be controlled from the AVP 17, but rather only from the headphone AMP.

As a result I have to keep my headphone AMP Volume at MAX and adjust the volume on the AVP17 - this results in some noise as the AMP accentuates the lower volume on the AVP17.

Jason at NuForce told me that Casey is the guy to speak to about this - so I am waiting to hear back from him....

Toka · « **Reply #31 on:** 5 Dec 2007, 06:08 pm »

Thanks for your thoughts...hopefully some of those issues can be fixed with a firmware update. Overall, though, how does it compare to other units you have used?

plivac · « **Reply #32 on:** 6 Dec 2007, 03:24 pm »

I don't think that I will be an objective source since I owned a Marantz SR5500 prior to this (which sounded good - although not even close to the NuForce separates), but I can tell you that it sounds a lot better than what I heard while auditioning speakers previously - including Arcam, Integra, and Denon.

I also think that having the MCH-3SE helps a lot - but I can't say how it would sound coupled with a different MCH amp.

cheers

rustydoglim · « **Reply #33 on:** 7 Dec 2007, 09:16 am »

MCH series use the same amplifier, same capacitor board, same power supply as Ref series.
Here's a cool way to use MCH-3SEC7:
Set up 5 channels for your home theater use. Use the remaining back L/R for 2 channel listening with another pair of speaker (many people have another set of speaker just for music listening). The remote control has several short cut keys to shutdown multiple channels all at once.

plivac · « **Reply #34 on:** 7 Dec 2007, 04:00 pm »

Jason,

don't you need a separate sound processor for that since the AVP17 does not have memory presets for various inputs?

rustydoglim · « **Reply #35 on:** 8 Dec 2007, 05:16 am »

Some people have their favorite 2 channel system (tube preamp + 2 channels from MCH-3SE + music speakers) but you can also just use the AVP-17 alone as the only preamp by connecting the XLR front L/R output to MCH-3SE rear L/R to music speaker

When you select the input source from CD, yes, if you don't shutdown the other MCH channels, you will have two different speakers playing the same music. But then you can shutdown all MCH-3SE channels except the rear L/R.
AVP-17 is really a good AVP, a preamp and a top notch DAC all in one for awesome price of $1350.

Kenobi · « **Reply #36 on:** 20 Mar 2008, 01:49 pm »

Hi all,

Just installed the MCH-3SE to replace Bel Canto Ref 1K for both stereo and multi-channel HT. After two days of burn-in, I am just completely in awe of its musical prowess in stereo. What grabbed me first is the depth of soundstage that disappears into the room. Then the eerily pitch blackhole blackness with which music propagates. With hi-rez signal, comes the superfine resolution that I've never experienced before. Overall, it is amazing that it is smooth from top to bottom despite all the nicely delineated details and air. Also, the transient snappiness of instruments, the balance w/o highlighting of top, mid or bass of the musical picture. Now though program dependent, the tight-fisted fast bass attacks are thrilling and palpable. This thing seems to be playing music in real-time, not a facsimile of it. I hope to spin a movie or two over the weekend to observe its HT performance. If it's anything close to the above, I'll be an even happier camper for a long time to come. More to come after a thorough review.

Regards,

Kenobi

sac8d4 · « **Reply #37 on:** 6 Apr 2008, 04:38 pm »

on a side note, it looks like there will be an upcoming review of the mch-3se in www.hometheatersound.com

http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/nuforce_mch3sec7.htm

Kenobi · « **Reply #38 on:** 7 Apr 2008, 07:58 pm »

Wow! Now this I gotta see. Just wanna see if they'll be able to optimize it a bit for the unit as it could be a bit finicky with brighter electronics and cabling.

Regards,

Kenobi

jamesbrown838 · « **Reply #39 on:** 8 Apr 2008, 06:27 pm »

Hi
I use a MCH 2-5 to power my front proac D15 and 1 channel switched off for music. Next year I hope to goto a MCH-3SE 7 and use 4 channels for the front and three for centre and backs when I save up a few pounds.
It sound good now so upgrade should be great!!!