Anyone using Nuforce Ref 9 Mono Blocks?

Dealers have mentioned that you should start with a good source. My speakers are Kef 104/2 and 105/3, which I think are very good.

Every component in a system is important but I think the source plays a very important part.

For example I have Focal K2ps in my car up front and Focals in the rear with an Alpine deck. My friend has the same setup but has an Eclipse deck, which is known for its excellent sound and I have to admit it sounds better than my setup. Of course the cars are different but the deck makes all the difference.

The amp makes a diffence I will admit but wouldn't your source be the place to start. Lets say like the Jolida JD-100A?

Ivor Tiefenbraun started this source first thing back when sources (turntables/arms/cartridges) differed wildly. The thinking persists even now, apparently, but is not so valid as it was in the bad old days.

If you have opaque speakers and amps, how are you going to judge the rest of the chain - or are you going to take a chance and buy something that "they" say is good and trust that when you finally get to the speakers and amp and can at last hear your front end you will like what you hear?

Taste does come in to this, so as I said yesterday how can you make meaningful judgements until you have a revealing back end (which, it bears repeating, includes the room)

Here are the specs of my Luxman amp:

Power output...200W x 2 (FTC, 8 Ohms, 0.03%
Freq Response...10Hz-100kHz
Signal to noise ratio...120dB
T.H.D...0.02%
Input Sensitivity/Impedance...1V/45kOhms
Rated I.M... no more than 0.02%

The amp is 16 yrs old. What will have the most dramatic affect on my system, a new amp or CDP?

CDP

That's what I thought. The problem is I can't listen to the Jolida at my local stereo shop.

Sure I can go and listen to the Arcam 73T and maybe take my CDP with for comparison but then the dealer has different speakers, interconnects and amplifier.

Man, it's tough.