Un peu plus de specifications toutes fraiches :
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1478114/nufor ... t_23540905" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I was able to connect with the NuFORCE CTO and asked him some of the questions being posed. He too refrains from suggesting qualitative differences between competing brands, and lets the sound and performance speak for itself. In any event, his comments are below:
Quote:
While we can't comment on UMC-200 because we have never seen the inside of one; They are solidly engineered unit, sold direct, and they offer probably equal or better value and build the same as mass market products.
While Nuforce doesn't reveal publicly,
from the French review site, it was found that in AVP-18, they used the Cirrus Logic 8-channel volume control, CS3318, which are believed to be the best 8-channel volume controller with a superior sound. According to Emotiva forum, UMC-200 uses a different control. So the analog architecture after the DACs between the 2 units are are completely different.
Cirrus Logic’s flagship CS3318 is an eight-channel, high-voltage, digitally controlled analog volume control IC that is the benchmark for audio quality, showcasing 127 dB dynamic range.
Complete analog volume control
8 independently controllable channels
3 configurable master volume and muting controls
Wide adjustable volume range
-96 dB to +22 dB in ¼ dB steps
Low distortion and noise
127dB dynamic range (CS3318)
123 dB dynamic range (CS3308)
-110 dB THD+N
Noise-free level transitions
Zero-crossing detection with programmable time out
Low channel-to-channel crosstalk
120 dB inter-channel isolation
Nuforce as a policy doesn't want to review circuit specifics, the reason is that people tends to jump to conclusions based on the part choices: XXX DAC is definitely better than YYY DAC, LME opamp is better than NE5532 etc..... Nuforce believes that properly designed analog circuits use the right parts in the right place is more important than using 'better' parts in a wrong place. All I can reveal is that Nuforce applied audio grade film caps in the signal path, and Elna electrolytic capacitors which are audio grades and are likely 5-10x more than generic no-brand China made capacitors. The critical output I/V conversion filters used Burr-Brown OPA2134, which sounds excellent in this application. (Again, please, don't start imagining that swapping to a more expensive op-amp equals better sound because it all relates to proper application).
