Nuforce Icon feedback

rustydoglim · « **on:** 24 Mar 2008, 11:34 pm »

Post all your feedback of Icon here.

This comment came from a distributor who just received it yesterday:

I've been listening to this baby all afternoon, and it simply sounds incredible! Honest!
Compared to the Trends & Kingrex stuff, the Icon walks all over them easily for sound quality.
Another thing I noticed - the Icon has a hell of a lot of drive, and can power a whole bunch of speakers of varying sensitivities without noticeable strain (within normal listening levels, of course). For example, I'm now running it near full volume with the Mark & Daniel Minis, a virtual torture-test for any smallish amplifier, and it's making the speaker really sing! The Trends & Kingrex crapped out when I tried them last time, with the Kingrex seriously clipping and burning out even at three-quarter volume. The fact that the Icon can drive the near-impossible-to-drive-well Minis says a lot about it, and I'm pretty sure that customers will use the Icon with a whole bunch of audiophile speakers - something to think about in positioning the S-1. The Icon may well be a runaway success on its own.

rustydoglim · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Mar 2008, 01:54 am »

1st end user posted this review:
http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?PHPSESSID=2c9c2f8e61b81c35b059f100dc103b91&topic=50938.60

Some info on 6moons: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nuforce7/icon.html

Looks like we have to double our Icon production for April

Feisal K · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Mar 2008, 03:19 am »

darthfunk's Mini review

hotbird's mini review

rustydoglim · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Apr 2008, 01:47 pm »

Srajan's mini-review on 6moons.com:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nuforce7/icon_2.html

IronLion · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Apr 2008, 01:49 pm »

Just saw that review Jason, it is a very good one! If I ever go for a smaller setup in the living room or kitchen I would definitely go for the Icon.

mcullinan · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Apr 2008, 01:58 pm »

How long are the speaker wire connections?
Thanks.
Mike

nuforce-casey · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Apr 2008, 05:14 pm »

The included speaker cables are 1-meter each side.

Luigi · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Apr 2008, 08:44 pm »

Picked up a loaner Icon from the Nuforce distrib in NZ.

Not much info in the box, though it is nicely packaged. Not that that matters - you chuck it all out anyway.

More importantly, it's finished much better than you'd expect of 249 clams.

Compared with Trends, the sound is much improved via its USB input hooked up to my iMac. I guess you'd expect this, but it's the reason I wanted one of these things. Im using Fostex 96dB OB speakers for desk top, and while there's more background hiss/noise via speakers than with Trends, the result is more satisfying. Imaging is more real, tonality improved. There's a richness there missing before. Most of this is likely the onboard DAC. A bit of crack on start up but nothing me or the Fossies can't tolerate.

Next up, trying out battery power, but need to find out whether hot-pin positive first. Given there are no data with the Icon or on the site.........

Whatever happens, it's likely a keeper. And Im up for the S1s and earphones probably too.

The red colour is pleasant, not sunnies-required red.

nuforce-casey · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Apr 2008, 11:46 pm »

We follow the conventional Negative outside, 2.2mm Positive pin inside pin-outs.

jmudrick · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 May 2008, 02:06 am »

hmm.. I've got the AudioMagus battery supply for the Trends. This means I can or can't use that with the Icon? Am also using attenuators with the Trends. What kind of volume pot is on the Icon?

nuforce-casey · « **Reply #10 on:** 7 May 2008, 07:27 am »

Quote from: jmudrick on 4 May 2008, 02:06 am

hmm.. I've got the AudioMagus battery supply for the Trends. This means I can or can't use that with the Icon? Am also using attenuators with the Trends. What kind of volume pot is on the Icon?

We can't comment on products that we are not familiar with. The Volume pot is a conductive-plastic design, custom made to fit the Icon chassis.

Rocket · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 May 2008, 10:06 am »

Hi,

Do you think the icon would be sufficiently powerful for your nuforce s9 speaker?

Regards

Rod

BradJudy · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 May 2008, 05:17 pm »

Quote from: Rocket on 7 May 2008, 10:06 am

Do you think the icon would be sufficiently powerful for your nuforce s9 speaker?

Nuforce lists a minimum recommended amp power rating of 50W for the S9, so I doubt they will recommend using a 12W amp with them.

rustydoglim · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 May 2008, 10:09 am »

It can drive the S-9 and will sound pretty good, but who use as S-9 as a desktop speaker

Go for the S-1 ($249/pair) which will give you some of the live like sound of S-9.

pyroglastic · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 May 2008, 04:36 am »

Does anyone think it's significant that the packaging materials recommend against using it with 4 ohm speakers? I didn't see anything about this on the NuForce web site. I'm about to hook up this svelte little amp to my 4 ohm J.M. Reynaud Twins. Why the caveat?

rustydoglim · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 May 2008, 10:47 am »

With 4 ohm load, the current required will be larger and the result is lack of power. If you push it too hard, you might trigger over-current protection temporary shutdown. It won't harm the amp or the speaker.
This is just a general advice without knowing other spec of the speaker or the listening setup. It might work well with some 4 ohm speakers.

pyroglastic · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 May 2008, 05:54 am »

I've been going back and forth between the Icon and my Trends TA-10 all day. They are so completely different. The Icon is much warmer, produces far more bass and has a wider sound stage. It is so warm (on my JM Reynaud Twins) that some of the detail gets lost. I am now anxious to hear the S-1s.

Darthfunk1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 May 2008, 07:48 am »

Hi Casey/Jason,

What is the recommended/optimal volume setting when Icon is use as a USB DAC.

1) PC master volume level setting
2) Icon volume level setting
3) Volume level setting for active speakers
4) Recommended player e.g foobar, itunes, etc

nuforce-casey · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 May 2008, 04:57 am »

Quote from: Darthfunk1 on 13 May 2008, 07:48 am

Hi Casey/Jason,

What is the recommended/optimal volume setting when Icon is use as a USB DAC.

1) PC master volume level setting

Put the Windows software volume setting at MAXIMUM

Quote

2) Icon volume level setting

It really depends on the speakers' efficiency. I would try to stay between 12 to 3 o'clock position.

Quote

3) Volume level setting for active speakers

If using Icon as a preamp, then you want to turn active speakers to the maximum volume setting.

Quote

4) Recommended player e.g foobar, itunes, etc

I prefer Winamp (many plug-ins, and support for watching movies), and Foobar2000, and the ubiquitous iTune since I have to load music to the Ipod

....

albertcamus · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 May 2008, 08:51 pm »

Just a little comment on listening icon today :

I listened icon on little speakers quad (i'm not sure of the model 9L i think) with cd player arcam cd192, it was a little ugly with volume 3/4. The speakers was clearly not good enough for icon, dont know its price.
So we change the speaker for tannoy miniautograph (around 3000 dollars in europe) and it was good, pleasant. This time the weak point was the Icon.
It seems the Icon is very good for its price.

I purchased a icon today but can't listen on my system yet cause 4m between my speakers (cabasse pianosa 70W).
I'm thinking hard how to plug-in.
In fact, I am waiting for nuforce speaker s1.

Thanks nuforce for this icon.