Hi Peterb,
I recently took the plunge and ordered the NWO-2.5. I'll post my impressions after I receive and evaluate my unit. In the meantime, I would like to share what I uncovered in my research. This was very helpful in making my decision to take the plunge. Perhaps, it may be helpful for you also.
There are several reviews/impressions of the NWO series on the APL Forum and on Audiogon. Some of the reviewers of the NWO also own several top-tier digital sources including EMM Signature combo, dCS stack, Spectral SDR4000S, Zanden combo, and Reimyo as well as the state-of-the-art vinyl front-ends that ranged from $32K to $65K. In addition to the seductive superlatives for the NWO, the reviewers heralded the NWO-2.0 and its superior successor the NWO-2.5 not only as the state-of-the-art digital but also as being head-and-shoulders ahead of the top-tier players listed above, in both the Redbook and SACD formats. For some reviewers, "nothing came even close" to the NWO-2.5. Perhaps more significant, were the comments that placed the 2.5 on par with or better than the state-of-the-art vinyl. In other words, this may be a milestone for both digital and vinyl. For details, see for example: http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=558
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1126769860&openfrom&285&4#285
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1126769860&openflup&306&4#306
I'm a hard nosed academic and I'm not easily seduced by reviewers' superlatives. Therefore, I wanted to know what is the solid basis for those superlatives describing the NWO-2.5 milestone; the hardware, software, engineering and implementation:
1. The NWO is based on the Esoteric UX-1. It uses the UX-1's chassis and it's top-of-the-line VRDS-NEO transport (NOT the smaller and lighter version of the VRDS in the UX-3, X-03, P-03 or in the Spectral SDR4000S). Check out the pictoral comparison between NWO's transport (the VRDS-NEO) and some transports of other top-tier players: http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=560
Those pictures are worth a million words! The rest of the audio elements in the NWO-2.5 are the brilliant extensive re-design and implementation by Alex Peychev.
2. 20 DACs per channel: A configuration of 10 DACs working in differential mode where each DAC chip has separate DACs inside for the differential outputs. These are the flagship AKM DACs that were designed for professional application with significantly less out-of-band noise compared to other DACs. That should dramatically reduce distortion and noise.
3. 211KHz/32bit upsampling (The world's first implementation was in the NWO-1.)
4. Proprietary APL Hi-Fi Master clock
5. Fully balanced and transformer coupled Class "A" tube output stage that features the dual triode 6H30pi known for it's extremely linear transfer characteristics.
6. H-Attenuator, with remote volume control (so, no preamp is needed), that is configured in Class "A" differential mode.
7. A special version of the output transformer, additional linear R-core power supplies.
Please note that I am not affiliated with APL Hi-Fi. I currently own the excellent APL 3910 with AKM DACs, and I'm impressed with what Alex accomplished in that player. Given NWO-2.5's solid engineering, my sublime experience with it's predecessor, and it's superlative reviews, it appears that this milestone is worth mortgaging the house for. In my humble opinion, it's worth taking the plunge. Stay tuned. I'll post my impressions.
Best Regards,
John
I recently took the plunge and ordered the NWO-2.5. I'll post my impressions after I receive and evaluate my unit. In the meantime, I would like to share what I uncovered in my research. This was very helpful in making my decision to take the plunge. Perhaps, it may be helpful for you also.
There are several reviews/impressions of the NWO series on the APL Forum and on Audiogon. Some of the reviewers of the NWO also own several top-tier digital sources including EMM Signature combo, dCS stack, Spectral SDR4000S, Zanden combo, and Reimyo as well as the state-of-the-art vinyl front-ends that ranged from $32K to $65K. In addition to the seductive superlatives for the NWO, the reviewers heralded the NWO-2.0 and its superior successor the NWO-2.5 not only as the state-of-the-art digital but also as being head-and-shoulders ahead of the top-tier players listed above, in both the Redbook and SACD formats. For some reviewers, "nothing came even close" to the NWO-2.5. Perhaps more significant, were the comments that placed the 2.5 on par with or better than the state-of-the-art vinyl. In other words, this may be a milestone for both digital and vinyl. For details, see for example: http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=558
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1126769860&openfrom&285&4#285
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1126769860&openflup&306&4#306
I'm a hard nosed academic and I'm not easily seduced by reviewers' superlatives. Therefore, I wanted to know what is the solid basis for those superlatives describing the NWO-2.5 milestone; the hardware, software, engineering and implementation:
1. The NWO is based on the Esoteric UX-1. It uses the UX-1's chassis and it's top-of-the-line VRDS-NEO transport (NOT the smaller and lighter version of the VRDS in the UX-3, X-03, P-03 or in the Spectral SDR4000S). Check out the pictoral comparison between NWO's transport (the VRDS-NEO) and some transports of other top-tier players: http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=560
Those pictures are worth a million words! The rest of the audio elements in the NWO-2.5 are the brilliant extensive re-design and implementation by Alex Peychev.
2. 20 DACs per channel: A configuration of 10 DACs working in differential mode where each DAC chip has separate DACs inside for the differential outputs. These are the flagship AKM DACs that were designed for professional application with significantly less out-of-band noise compared to other DACs. That should dramatically reduce distortion and noise.
3. 211KHz/32bit upsampling (The world's first implementation was in the NWO-1.)
4. Proprietary APL Hi-Fi Master clock
5. Fully balanced and transformer coupled Class "A" tube output stage that features the dual triode 6H30pi known for it's extremely linear transfer characteristics.
6. H-Attenuator, with remote volume control (so, no preamp is needed), that is configured in Class "A" differential mode.
7. A special version of the output transformer, additional linear R-core power supplies.
Please note that I am not affiliated with APL Hi-Fi. I currently own the excellent APL 3910 with AKM DACs, and I'm impressed with what Alex accomplished in that player. Given NWO-2.5's solid engineering, my sublime experience with it's predecessor, and it's superlative reviews, it appears that this milestone is worth mortgaging the house for. In my humble opinion, it's worth taking the plunge. Stay tuned. I'll post my impressions.
Best Regards,
John