Bel Canto eOne amps - Is this the future?

Muralman1 - point well taken. You are right on the money when you state that NO amp (including the H2o or the NuForce) will be the best for anybody's system. Just too many variables, room acoustics, system synergy, AC quality, personal taste/predudices, etc., etc..

Nothing wrong with your enthusiasm for the H2o either! I'm the same way when I find something I feel is exceptional. I think the fact that you have been pleased with the H2o for such a long time now, speaks volumes. Many times an audio love affair starts off bright but then dims as listening hours get logged on for a particular device.

Right now the NuForce is king in my system, but my own audio nervousa always keeps my amplifier-nirvana goal a moving target.

Scintilla - I used the TAD 150 Signature for preamp when I auditioned the H2o. Don't get me wrong, it was by no means a "bad" amp, just didn't trip my aural trigger at the time. I have read & talked to quite a few other 'philes that also LOVE the H2o, so I might audition the Signature version again in the near future, but again, I really like the performance-per-dollar ratio of the NuForce at about half the price of the H2o Sig.

Nuforce doesnt use the UCD module

Humanmedia...I stand corrected. NuForce doesn't use the UcD module. Based on what I read its design approach is more like UcD than ICE.

Hi Denf,

Not trying to be picky but the I thought the standard stereo H20 costs $2500 which a bit less than a pair of the Nuforce 9.02....Unless you meant compared to the H2O signature monos. Have you heard the Signature monos from H2O? Also, I happen to run across your system and review and you said that you drove the standard H2O stereo direct from your Areo Capitol player and the result were less than stellar. I think that is no surprise considering the H2O has only 8kohms input impedance if I remember correctly.

Scintilla. I ran the H2o both ways, direct from my Capitole, then at the end with a TAD 150 Signature. Really could not detect much of a difference as the Capitole is designed to run amps direct with a little over 4.5 volts out, so in a sense, it has it's own built-in preamp section.

I have rarely heard other Capitole owners (or reviewers) say that they preferred the sound of the Capitole with a preamp.

Based on my own personal experience, it seems like you would have to compare the Signature version of the H2o to come close to the sound of the NuForce. BTW Scintilla, have you actually even heard the NuForces?