A few comparisons before I forget. Comparisons were done on analog(linn lp12, ekos, nude arkiv, lingo, mana reference table. Lehmann Black Cube SE; Oritek pre/dac, Valab solid-silver interconnect, Acoustic Zen double-barreled(Satori?) Shotgun speaker wire, biwired Sota Time Domain 4 speakers. All components are on isolation devices(brass cones, wood and brass cones, isolation rack). The amps were on 4-inch Mapleshade amp stands, and used Lessloss power cables. The 9.0v2 made the sound of the 8.5v1 seem like the 8.5 was favoring certain frequencies. The 8.5v1 was a bit hard to live with, but its sound approached the 9.0v2 when set on Maprik's myrtle blocks with isonodes underneath(then the Mapleshade amp stand). It still might have been hard to live with even using this tweak. The rubber footers of the 9.0v2 looked the same as the 8.5v1 but felt softer. If you were expecting the possibility of the treble bothering you, the 9.0v2 doesn't(and doesn't exhibit what people complain about Class D sound). When I heard some Parasound JC-2 amps recently, I thought the JC-2 needed to speed up(There may be various reasons for this, and maybe getting used to how the JC-2's sound diminishes this thought.) Note: All cables were separated from each other and lifted off the carpet. I think if you have the 8.5v1's, you have to ask yourself if you can beat the sound of the 9.0v2's for the amount of the upgrade. The answer, I believe, is that you can't. Again, another good value from Nuforce. Another note: Room acoustics were in place-ASC tube traps, RPG abfussor, 8th Nerve rectangles, Cathedral Sound Panels, Synergistic inspired bowls, and a little DIY fabric-covered, irregular plastic things.
