Review: NuForce 9 V2 SE Amplifier

Category: Amplifiers

First gentle reader, I would ask that you scroll down to the laundry list of amplifiers that I have owned over the years (at least the ones I remember!) in the "similar products used" section of this review. I think it is germane to the body of my review and will point out that while I'm certainly no J. Gordon Holt, I have owned my share of amps over the 30+ years of being a crazed audio nut. (One amp pair that I forgot to add, and this thread wouldn't allow me to back-edit, were Parasound JC-1 mono blocs. Would be between the Hurricane's and Spectron M II).

And no, I am not a 'shill' or in any way associated with the good folks at NuForce. I make this qualification in advance as I tend to get excited when I hear and own something that surpasses my highest expectations and I might tend to 'gush' a bit in this review.

Also - I have waited, what I feel is a sufficient amount of time, to verify that my impressions are still accurate and that my audio bubble wouldn't burst. I have owned the 9 V2SE's for about 4 mos. now and am still smilin' ear to ear everytime I play my system...

Let me cut right to the chase - The NuForce 9 V2 SE's are a dream come true for this audio pilgrim. They offer a refinement of sound that I (and my wallet) could only dream about previously. I do not have unlimted funds. No, I have not owned the over-the-top ultra high-end offerings from the likes of Krell, Mark Levinson, etc., as again my finances (and three kids) simply don't permit, but I have certainly heard my share of these amps at dealers, friends systems etc., and can say with complete confidence that the NuForces can more than hold their own against them and probably are their superior.

Like many, I have struggled with the quest for that perfect blending of the salient qualities of tubes, with the reliability and freq. extension of solid state, but despite hybrids, push-pull, MOSFETS, JFETS, Class A, Zero Feedback, All tube, KT88, 6550, oil caps, mylar caps, etc., etc., etc. was never able to find an amp that could really pull it all together into one whole and complete cloth - until now.

If I had to describe the 'sound' of the 9 V2SE's, I would say they completely mimic an extremely powerful set of state-of-the-art mono block tube amps, with better extension and control at both ends of the freq. spectrum.

Do you remember the first time you heard tubes in a system? Whatever the wattage rating, 40, 80, 100 watts, it always sounded like double the equivalent of solid state power. This is EXACTLY what the 9V2SE's sound like. They have the type of unbridled power and control, over even the most demanding and complex musical passages, with micro and macro dynamics the likes of which I have not previously experienced.

Now, keep in mind, I am coming off a set of modified Jolida JD3000 mono block all tube amps, with 200 watts per side. These had, until this point, been the finest reproduction I have heard in my system, so this is the basis of comparision to most of the comments that follow.

Soundstage:
The W-I-D-E-S-T, D-E-E-P-E-S-T and most 'coherent' soundstage I have ever heard. TOTALLY dependent on the recording. Nothing is ever 'spotlighted' or out of character. Everything is of proper size and proportion within the most illuminated stage you can imagine. It is actually wider and has more 'location cues' (ambience, etc.) than the vaunted Jolida's.

Treble:
The absolute cleanest, clearest, most pristine top end I have ever heard, in ANY system. No 'white-ish' glare or other artifacts at all. The timbre of everything from a triangle to a Zildjian ride cymbal is intact and awesome in it's accuracy. This unlimited extension undoubtedly contributes to the exspansive soundstage as well. Anyone who thinks that ribbons, diamond cones, or exotic metals are superior to a well engineered electrostat would be shocked, I think, to hear the NuForce's through a great electrostat.

Midrange:
This area of reproduction is where it all happens, IMO. If the midrange ain't right, you might as well throw out the rest, 'cause our ears are trained if you will, to be the most sensitive in this frequency range. The 9V2 SE's are a completely NEUTRAL and utterly transparent conduit to what ever passes before it. It is not 'dry', it is not 'lean' or any other sound which would be colored or distorted in any way. It will simply pass on all of the timbre, inflection and body of any voice or instrument that falls within this all important range of frequencies. Never before have I heard the human voice (both male and female) reproduced with such 'naturalness'. Also, EVERY recording I play has it's own unique sound-print or character if you will. I have never experienced this 'cameleon' type of reproduction previously, where the amps are so utterly transparent that they can allow even the most subtle differences, such as microphone type, venue size/type, mixing preferences, sound processing etc. to come through with such verisimilitude on each and every recording I play.

Bass:
Here is an area where I have to default on. As the Vantage's have their own dedicated amps to power the 8" woofers, I cannot offer much perspective only to say that the bass in my system is amoung the cleanest and fastest I have heard. (The bass response is also something that other professional and 'user' reviewers have pointed out to be amoung the great strengths of all NuForce amps).

What else can I add? No, I haven't heard the plethora of amps currently flooding the market place. Is there something out there that is better? Maybe. The Spectron Musician III came VERY close, and the Signature version of this amp might very well be it's equal, but I cannot imagine anything NEAR this price range being able to better the 9V2's in any or ALL parameters. In fact I would be confident enough to feel that the 9V2's would hold their own to ANY amp, regardless of price or topology, type, etc. within this power range. And no, I don't know if you will experience the same sort of magic and system synergy that I am able to pull off. A product at this level of transparancy will ultimately pass on the character your front end components. And finally YES, I do feel that the NuForce 9V2 SE's are a 'landmark' product and one of the most significant audiophile products ever introduced.

Will I ever find anything new down the road that will out perform the V2's? Based on past experience (and my past product reviews) yes. We all don't know what 'better' is until we actually hear it, right? But am am fairly confident, now that digital amps have fully matured, that it will undoubtedly be some form of this type of amplification, regardless of the brand.

Also, as a side-note; I must point out that it is nice to use a product that doesn't over-heat my room, take up tons of rack or floor space and that i don't have to feel guilty about enormous electricity usage every time I turn it on. It's kinda hard to justify big inefficient amps that waste energy while at the same time I'm yelling at my kids to turn off lights, appliances, computers, etc. and replacing light bulbs with high efficiency twist fluorescents!

Material commonly used;

- Norah Jones/Feels like home
- Peter Gabriel/Scurity (SACD)
- Fleetwood Mac-Rumors (DVD-A)
- Yes/The Ladder
- VAn Morrison/what's wrong with this pic
- Barenaked ladies/Gordon
- Andreas Vollenweider/Book of Roses
- Bill Bruford's Earthworks/Dig?
- Ambrosia/Somewhere I've never travelled
- XTC/oranges & lemons (Mo-Fi gold cd)
- The Decemberists/Crane wife
- Mindy Smith/One moment more
- James taylor/Hourglass (SACD)
- Thomas Dolby/Angels & archetypes

Associated gear
Antique Sound Labs Flora EX DT pre-amp
Martin-Logan Vantage loudspeakers
Esoteric UX-3SE
PS Audio P300
Infinity Intermezzo subwoofer
Quantum Power Symphony Pro & Symphony
CCA silver interconnects & speaker cable
Acoustic Zen Tsunami and Nino AC cords
PS Audio UPC 200
Shakti 'Stones'

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