I have not heard the any of the Ncore modules but have heard Merrill and was surpised. I spend a lot of time in Scandivian for work and heard the Apoll Acoustic amps at the Helsinki HiFi show last month. My experience was very much similar to Petland's. Apoll is ICE power with their own power supplies and I heard music, detail, soundstage, etc. These clearly were not the Class D of yesterday. When I came home I could hear what was missing from my SS and tube amps, which are not inexpensive.