Anyone using Nuforce Ref 9 Mono Blocks?

I've just read some more reviews and these amps seem to really perform very well.

The RFI scares with the NuForce, but the reviews are still very good.

I considered the Nuforce amps but noticed that 6Moons had technical difficulties (twice I believe) and the RFI has been repeatedly mentioned.

I ended up auditioning the Bel Canto S300 (stereo, 150 watts per channel, 8 ohms, $1,395) and was very impressed. After 40 or 50 hours of comparison I ended up selling my Conrad Johnson MV60 and I am a tube fan from way back.

The Bel Canto is a very liquid sounding amp in a tubish sort of way but with the bass and treble extension. No harshness at all. Most impressive to me were the dynamics which hold up stunningly well even in complex passages.

I was worried about RFI since this is also a switching amp, but I had no special problems with a tuner 12" from the amp.

BC also makes a more powerful set of monoblocks, but the S300 is a real buy, IMO.

Boy I dunno Dazman, don't get me wrong, the Bryston is good gear, but I personally have had a plethora of fine solid state (& tube) amps, many with similar topology to the Bryston, and the NuForce 9SE is in a whole 'nother league, IMO. You would do well to at least audition the NuForce. With the 30 day guarantee, what do you have to lose?

In my set-up, the NuForces sounded better, in every parameter, than my then Pass X250.5, which I believe most folks would agree is a better amp than the Bryston 4b, so that is saying alot.

Check out my virtual system and some of my posted reviews to see the lengthy list of "fallen amp soldiers" that came before the Nuforces. Good luck!

I'm starting to think the Bryston 4B SST might be a better amp.

Well if you can't listen to FM radio, that isn't very good, even though I only listen to it once in a while.

I couldn't listen to FM radio or our baby monitor, even on the next floor. But the are VERY good. I sold the pair I had only because I didn't feel the rest of my system was up to these amps. I plan on owning another pair sometime in the future, but I think everything else in my system needs to be improved first.

For the money and the size, I think they're hard (if not impossible) to beat.

I , too am thinking about getting the little amp? Is there a issue if you listen to fm radio ( off the air) , I read somewhere that you can't listen to radio with it? intereference? anyone want to shed some light into this?

I've always been told to upgrade your source first. So I guess a new CDP should be the first step over the amp?

My CDP is a Luxman, tube DZ-03, which is 15 years old. I have a Sony but it's 10 years old.

I want to increase my bass.

I can get a 3 year old Bryston 4B SST for $2200.00 US.

What to do?

While I have never heard either of the amps you are considering, I highly recommend doing something similar to what Tvad is advising. Speaking from my experience, the only way to have peace of mind in my audio equipment decisions is to do A/B comparisons with both components in my room. When I have strayed from this step, I always have had indecision at some later point down the line. There just is no substitute for peace of mind in this hobby. Of course staying with reasonably mainstream equipment helps with the ease of resale. Good luck with your decision.

But be sure to try a violin and some other instruments too. :-)

Ideally I'd love to listen to a Bryston 4B SST and NuForce sie-by-side but I can't, so I have to rely on reviews and the opinion of others.

So far NuForce sounds good but I've heard that Bryston is very good as well.

Thoughts anyone?

I have a Luxman M-03 amp, 16 yrs old, and it weighs approx 60 lbs. It's hard to believe that amps weighing 7 Ibs have more power and better sound, amazing.

Yes, I am a dealer so I'll give you a bit of Nu Force perspective.

I heard the hub bub about Nu Force about a year ago or so after the original 9s came out. The idea and physical attributes of the amplifiers seemed intriguing, so I became a dealer after reading all the press and reviews and thinking to myself this is "too good to be true," after all 160 watts in a box the size of a pop tart box It just can't be real.

The Nu Force 9 are fascinating amplifiers, fast deep and tight bass, a good sized soundstage and a lot of clarity.

I liked the 9s but honestly I didn't love the midrange which was a little dry. The amps sounded great but not ultimatly to my taste, then the 9Se came out and the same cycle was started again, with the killer press, so I ordered them.

Game over now! The 9Se is a different kettle of fish, the 9se had the same attributes as the 9s but with a liquid midrange and they did everything better.

So if budget is an issue get a pair of 9's but save your pennies for the upgrade to the Se version! This is dollar for dollar one of the finest sets of amplfiers out there and really fullfills the promise of what a switching amplifier can really do!

I hope this helps.

Actually I did a search after my post and couldn't believe the threads I found.

Thanks