[gRF]

How come there was no any mention of newcomers ?
Is uDac2 upsampling DAC?

[Sherlock]

The Icon2 is pretty disappointing to me.  It looks like an Icon with a headphone amp and the power-amp section of the 'Icon amp'.   Now that's all well and good, but the big problem with the Icon was those ridiculous rj45 connectors.

In order to use real speaker wire (duh) you still have to pay a hundred bucks for one of those speaker-wire boxes.   Which I've been told are discontinued.  ????

They really should have done whatever it took to put real speaker connectors on this amp.   

It's like not putting a sub-out on the 'Icon Amp'.   These are nice products but they need to fix the basics.   

[Sherlock]

This may be the deadest forum on the internet.   

[gRF]

This may be the deadest forum on the internet.

looks like it...

[roscoeiii]

Well, Sherlock's post may have scared folks away. It is generally considered poor form on AudioCircle to criticize a manufacturer's products in the manufacturer's circle. There are other areas of Audio Circle where that is not a problem, but manufacturer's circle is not one of them.

Welcome to Audio Circle for the both of you. This is a great forum for audio related topics, and I hope you will both be able learn a lot from and contribute a lot to this site!

But please be aware that different circles have different expectations attached to them. The other biggie is the For Sale forums, where it is considered bad form to criticize the item for sale or the seller's asking price. If you want to haggle over price, this is best done in a PM.

[rustydoglim]

The Icon2 is pretty disappointing to me.  It looks like an Icon with a headphone amp and the power-amp section of the 'Icon amp'.   Now that's all well and good, but the big problem with the Icon was those ridiculous rj45 connectors.

In order to use real speaker wire (duh) you still have to pay a hundred bucks for one of those speaker-wire boxes.   Which I've been told are discontinued.  ????

They really should have done whatever it took to put real speaker connectors on this amp.   

It's like not putting a sub-out on the 'Icon Amp'.   These are nice products but they need to fix the basics.   

I suggest you read carefully the description and product spec on the Icon2 website.
Icon2 = Icon uDAC2 + Icon Amp + Preamp
It is exactly what I stated above.

You are entitle to your opinion, but it is impolite to criticize a manufacturer's product on the circle without even try it first.

We have been overwhelm so I have been inactive on this site for quite some time.  We have been trying hard to keep up with demand of our products.

[Picker]

I see the $140 Icon2 circuit board for Icon owners @ http://www.nuforce.com/hp/support/upgrade.php and $50 for the 60W PSU, but no way to order them in the estore? heck, I don't see where to order a *new* Icon2?

Oh, I've read: "The [S-1] waveguide boosts the midrange, adding +6dB at 1.5kHz. Hence, the active filter in the Icon counters that with a filter range of 800Hz to 2.5kHz and a center frequency at 1.5kHz and -6dB attenuation." [when RJ45 pin 1 and 8 are common]

Does the Icon2 have this same filter when its connected to S-1 speakers?

Does the S-X leave these pins open because it doesn't have a waveguide? Why move from S-1's titanium cone to S-X's paper cone?

Any update on the S-2 speakers?

[Sherlock]

I suggest you read carefully the description and product spec on the Icon2 website.
Icon2 = Icon uDAC2 + Icon Amp + Preamp
It is exactly what I stated above.

You are entitle to your opinion, but it is impolite to criticize a manufacturer's product on the circle without even try it first.

We have been overwhelm so I have been inactive on this site for quite some time.  We have been trying hard to keep up with demand of our products.

I BUY YOUR PRODUCTS.  I OWN AN ICON AND THE HUNDRED DOLLAR SPEAKER WIRE BOX (with it's 'you were dumb enough to buy our gimped amp, now we can charge whatever we like to fix our problem pricing') AND AN HDP.

The RJ45 connectors on the Icon and Icon-2 are the most hare-brained, anti-consumer design decision I have seen on a piece of hi-fi gear in 30 years.

And you gimped these products....why?  Because you wanted to put filters in the amps for when they were used with your speakers, that's why.  So instead of doing it right in the speakers and charging a fair price you push those expenses along to people buying the amp.   And then you discontinue the RJ45 coupler box (it is nowhere on your webpage) and expect people to buy an Icon-2? 

I like your products and I buy them but this 'we won't use standard speaker outputs on our amp so we can fix a problem in our speakers, passing the hassle and expense along to anyone who buys the amp' is just nuts. 

And if you don't like me saying so, tough luck.   SOMEONE NEEDS TO. 

If these were mediocre products it wouldn't be so frustrating.  But these are very nice products with a real problem for anyone who wants more than 2 meter speaker wires. 

[fredgarvin]

Yeah right. Who's shill are you? Read the rules.

Back to the topic, the Icon2 sounds like a nice improvement of the Icon line to me. People spend more than $100 on speaker wire everyday. My question would be on the ability of the Icon to drive speakers with less than high efficiency? My guess would be that in the intended application smaller speakers would fare well.

[gRF]

...the Icon2 sounds like a nice improvement of the Icon line to me...

Did you have chance to hear Icon2, or to compare Icon vs. Icon2 ?

[fredgarvin]

Did you have chance to hear Icon2, or to compare Icon vs. Icon2 ?

No, I should have said it READS like a nice improvement.

[Chromisdesigns]

Not sure why ANYONE would buy that $100 "cable converter" box if you wanted speaker cables other than what come with the Icon.  If you are using Icon speakers, too, just add an RJ45 extension.

Otherwise (or if you want to play cable tweak games) buy a $10 RJ45 crimp and repair tool set and put the ends on whatever you want to use.  If your speakers are not Icon, then just don't short the appropriate wires.

Cheaper, doesn't take up space, and just as effective.  Gee--maybe that's why Icon discontinued the $100 "box"....?

[rustydoglim]

Unless I misunderstood Sherlock's comment, you are happy with the performance but upset about RJ45 connector (I believe Icon2 differences have been explained clearly) and the RJ45 to speaker connector box.

It is very clear from our spec that RJ45 is used. You might not like it, but that's the way it is going to be.
There are several reasons we decided on RJ45:
1) Space constrain
2) Good performance using ethernet cable
3) Easy to connect for consumers.  These products are targeting non audiophiles (I can see why a 30 year experience audiophile like you will get frustrated). Extending the cable is also easy.  Icon2 comes with RJ45 to banana connector cable that is 2m long, enough for just about every consumers.

S-1 has been discontinued and Icon2 doesn't have the built-in filter for S-1. 
Icon series are consumer product line and we can not guarantee upgrade path.

The RJ45 connector box was created due to requirement from a major international distributor. $99 seems expensive to some people, but that's the way it is.  With several connectors, a circuit board to mount them, chassis, retail profit etc, it is reasonable.  It is not like we have any hidden charge with this product.

Icon HDP and Icon Amp are designed for audiophiles or consumers with advance knowledge of audio equipment setup.

Jason