SS Amp for natural vocals

03-30-08: Stehno
I'd put the Nuforce SE-V2 Class D amps right at the top of any list.

While quite good, the NuForce Ref9SE V2 didn't measure up to my Belles 150A Reference monoblocks, which were bested by a Pass Labs XA-30.5 Class A amp. The NuForce amps lacked punch and drive in the mids compared to the Belles and Pass Labs (on Silverline Sonata III). The highs were very nice, and the image was large. Bass was about equal to the Belles, and lacked the last bit of control of the Pass Labs.

Aren't you a dealer for NuForce, Stehno?

Tvad, How did your Belles compare to the Pass amps? How did the midrange including vocals compare? I would like to own a Pass XA.5 but the Belles would fit my budget a lot better.

Yes, I am Tvad. Thanks for blowing my cover. :)

In fact, I only became a dealer as a result of auditioning the original Nuforce Ref 9s several years ago when within the first 80 hours they met or exceeded the musicality, refinement, and bass control of my old McCormack DNA 2 Revision A amp.

Considering the DNA 2 Rev. A was rated 600 wpc into 4ohm loads and my speakers at that time were rated at 86db @4ohms, I found the original Ref9 quite impressive. It might be worth mentioning that the Nuforce amps aren't even fully burned in until about 140 hours.

The SE-V2 versions are only about 40% better than the original Ref 9s and have tremendous bass authority.

-IMO

04-01-08: Tomcy6
Tvad, How did your Belles compare to the Pass amps? How did the midrange including vocals compare?

No one would believe me if I said the Belles and the Pass were close, but they are...particularly when the Belles are used as monoblocks. It's a matter of degree. Overall, the Pass sounds more natural and refined, but then they are Class A and they cost $10k for a 60wpc pair, versus $6k for 500wpc pair.

The differences between them are more pronounced when comparing them as stereo amplifiers. IMO, running the Belles as monoblocks is the best way to go, and reviews support this conclusion.

Alana Yun, builder of Silverline Audio loudspeakers recommended both Belles and Pass Labs to me, and I have to say he was absolutely correct on both counts.

I heard the DALI Helicon 400Mk.2 a few days ago with the Jeff Rowland Design Group 501 monoblocks, driven by the Rowland Capri. This is a truly smooth and revealing combination. I listened to Karrin Allyson, Rebecca Pidgeon, Livingston Taylor, Kenny Rankin, Chicago Symphony, Dallas Wind Symphony and the DALIs really shone well.

Prior to plugging in the 501s were tried a Primare integrated, which did a very poor job of controlling the DALI's woofers, yielding a bloated, bloomy bass. Next, we put in a Rowland stereo 102 and things improved a bunch, but the 501 really took hold of the Helicons and made them sound smooth, deep, detailed and lush, all at once. Those speakers evidently love a bunch of power and high damping.

Dave