Ref 18V3

Chris Martens, AVGuide.com

“...I found that from the moment I powered-up the Reference 18s they immediately produced a more detailed, three-dimensional, and dynamically expressive sound than any of the NuForce amps I’ve reviewed in the past…(Reference 18) does an increasingly good job of capturing the sense of air surrounding instruments or reverberating within the confines of recording spaces...
…The fascinating result is that both lateral and front-to-back imaging becomes at once more focused and specific, yet also exhibits a more natural and organic sound…The bass reproduction I’ve ever heard from any amplifier at any price.
…the amplifier’s nearly unbeatable combination of extension, depth, power, nuance, and, above all, control. No other amplifier I can think of does a better or more consistent job of getting woofers to behave themselves and to follow the music, rather than allowing them to wander off on uncontrolled lowfrequency excursions on their own…remember this: When your recordings are up to the task, the Reference 18 will make them sound mind-blowingly good…" Read Full Review

Tim Shea, SoundStageHiFi.com

“…they performed flawlessly, and no matter how high I cranked the volume, they never got more than moderately warm to the touch…Out of the corner of my ear, I heard what I’d been missing…and there it was: the dimensions of both individual instruments and the recording venue were revealed. This screwed up my workout, but I sat there and listened to almost the entire CD -- the Reference 18s were unraveling and presenting this recording in a new way...the Reference 18s made listening a consistently more involving experience, regardless of the musical genre… I was pulled several rows forward, and felt more as if I were now sitting in the venue’s sweet spot…
…The NuForces threw a more expansive soundstage, with weightier and more believable 3D images; in comparison, the McCormack seemed to put up two-dimensional cardboard cutouts. The amps were comparable in dynamic range, but the NuForces were clearly superior in tonality and tautness of bass…” Read Full Review

Edgar Kramer, 6moons.com

The new cross matrix array (CMA) capacitor bank design provides faster energy delivery than the SLA design in the 9V3SE. See here for further details.
"…the grainless and beautifully balanced treble range. Within the context of my system which I’ve been evolving gradually and successfully in terms of transparency and detail retrieval, the Ref 18s' way with cymbals, triangles and any HF-rich instrument was thoroughly and absolutely natural…that the Ref 18s live up to its siblings and indeed the entire class D genre in their reproduction of bass.
...Any—and I mean any—bass challenge will be thoroughly handled with power, detail, punch and awe-inspiring depth (recording and speakers permitting). These amps seriously allow you to discover what your woofers are capable of - almost frighteningly…
…In my review of the Reference 9SE V3 I concluded with a statement that, in some way or other, described the diminutive overachievers as being competitive with amplifiers of far higher physical and fiscal stature. The Reference 18 monoblocks outdo their stable mates by way of presenting a more tonally accurate sound that is also more relaxed in the midrange, and as paradoxical as it may sound, even more intimately detailed, resolute and powerfully dynamic…So what of the Reference 18 and its position in the amplification firmament? Given their superb chassis construction, striking appearance, advanced technology and spectacular sound, I’d say their position would be rather - er, stratospheric. I’d even say that the growing ranks of reference-quality amplification have a new cutting-edge and ingenious contender.“ Read Full Review

Mike Silverton, StereoTimes.com

"As, again, no surprise, I hear superb transparency, resolution, dynamic finesse, textural integrity and a rock-steady, well-detailed soundstage. ... What the amp does so well is consistent with what I’ve come to expect. I hear the Ref 18’s advances as both real enough to set it apart and remarkably familial."
Read Full Review

Ref 9V3 SE

Edgar Kramer, 6moons.com

I'll say it again - get over technology prejudices of class A, class AB, SET and so forth. Get things right and the V3 Reference 9 Special Edition amplifiers will compete with any amplifier you care to mention at any price while running cool and draining very little electricity from your wall socket. Go on, do your bit to save the planet. Your conscience and ears will thank you.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nuforce12/v3.html

Brian Kahn, Home Theater Review

The NuForce Reference V3 Special Edition amplifiers will let you see deep into your music, bringing out more of the information that would otherwise be buried by less detailed products. The Reference 9 V3 Special Editions, being a touch on the warm side, let speed and detail shine without the analytical sterility normally associated with these characters. All in all, the NuForce Reference V3 Special Edition won't sugarcoat a bad recording but they will coax a ton of enjoyable musical detail out of high quality recordings and if you have high resolution recordings, this amplifier will let their increased resolution really shine through.
http://hometheaterreview.com/nuforce-reference-9-v3-special-edition/

MCH-3SEC7

TAS Editor-in-Chief Robert Harley

"...There are many Class D amplifiers on the market, but most of them are designed primarily for high-efficiency and low cost rather than for good sound. Frankly, there are many terrible-sounding Class D amplifiers out there. A Class D amplifier that met all my needs was the NuForce MCH-300SEC7. This is a seven-channel implementation of nearly the same circuitry used in NuForce¡¦s high-end Model 9V3SE monoblock amplifier, which has garnered praise for its musical qualities. An earlier version of that monoblock was awarded the Amplifier of the Year Award in 2005 by The Absolute Sound."
Note that Robert Harley has selected MCH-300SEC7 for his personal home theater use.
http://www.avguide.com/review/big-sound-small-home-theater-tpv-94?src=Playback

Randall Smith, Home Theater Sound

The NuForce MCH-3SE-C7 made a big impression on me. I have always used class-A or -A/B amplifiers in my system because I believed only they could give me the performance I required. NuForce has opened my eyes: their MCH-3SE-C7 provided all the qualities I demand from my system. My music was just as dynamic, just as detailed, and just as transparent as with the combination of amps that I own, but the NuForce takes up a fifth of the space on my floor or in my equipment rack. If you have to trade a little to get a little, then sometimes a compromise is a good thing. In the case of the NuForce MCH-3SE-C7, you can have it all.
http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/nuforce_mch3sec7.htm
MCH-3SEC7

Stereo 8.5V2, Ref 9 V2, Ref 9 V2 SE

Robert Smith, Audio & Video Lifestyle Magazine

One company that has made leaps and bounds in Class D is NuForce, it has been burning the midnight oil with research and development...The performance of the Ref 9 v2SE monoblocks was impeccable, the best that I have heard regardless of price...
Ref 9V2/9V2SE

Edgar Kramer, 6moons.com

The V2SE and for that matter the standard V2 somehow bring the listener closer to the soul of music...These are musical amps, no matter the style. The Special Edition version in particular dug so deep into recordings that minute details, the breaths, finger pops and brushes, creaks etc are all presented to the listener and exposed to the world. Other amplifiers fail to dig to the same extent, leaving these musical minutiae buried...
The V2 amps stand up to any amplifier I've had in my system, irrespective of technology or price and I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same in yours.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nuforce6/followup.html
Ref 9V2/9V2SE

Chris Merten, The Absolute Sound

...But what really sets the SE V2 apart from its predecessors (and many other good amplifiers) is its ability to convey detail while preserving essential qualities of liquidity and smoothness...
...NuForce amps have traditionally been known for their very high damping factors and ability to keep woofers under control, but what makes the SE V2 special is the way it can serve up intense bursts of low-frequency energy while simultaneously reproducing the subtlest of bass transient and textural details...
NuForce's Reference 9 SE V2 monoblock amplifier offers real elements of excellence at a reasonable, though certainly not cheap, price. If the amplifier's strengths align with your musical tastes and the characteristics of your ancillary equipment, the result can be breathtaking realism and deep musical satisfaction.
Ref 9V2SE

Anthony Kershaw, Audiophilia

If your needs run to a new amp and/or preamp, I can recommend the NuForce products with much enthusiasm. Buy with confidence. The follow up customer service from Jason Lim and his team is first rate and the products are built to last. In addition, they are fully upgradeable as new ideas/improvements are developed.
http://www.audiophilia.com/wp/?p=64
Ref 9V2SE

Martin Appel, Audiophilia

My first response was amazement. These amps were dead quiet. No grain. No hash. Just dead quiet. When music poured forth, it was so palpable. The sound staging abilities these amps exhibited was dramatic...
NuForce has to be congratulated for achieving reference quality amplification that can compete with the 'mega monsters' out there at a far more real world price...
As such, the NuForce amps will take place of pride in my system and become my new reference amplifiers.
http://www.audiophilia.com/hardware/Solid_State_Amps/reviews/nuforceref9.htm
Ref 9V2SE

Jim Swantko, Audio Video Revolution

I must admit that, prior to my time with the NuForce Ref 9 V2 SEs, I was firmly ensconced in the camp that dismissed switching amplifiers. I felt they had no business in the world of true "high end." I am man enough to admit when I am wrong. I simply cannot recommend these amplifiers highly enough to those who appreciate the very best. They are small, energy efficient and cool running. They are smooth from top to bottom, with an open, airy top end, beautifully textured midrange and a bottom end to die for.
http://www.avrev.com/equip/nuforce_reference9se_amp/index.html
Ref 9V2/9V2SE

Patrick Dillion, Affordable Audio

It's not chump change but gaining a complete amplification package for $3500 that offers flexibility, connectibility and enough power to drive almost anything in a sonically pleasing manner is no simple challenge...these just deliver a sound that belies their footprint...The Nuforce amps have a sound that cannot be simply labeled class D, as if that conveys an identifiable sonic signature we all understand...
So far, this is the best value I've heard this year - a strong recommendation in affordable audio.
Stereo 8.5V2

Robert H. Levi & John Brazier, Positive Feedback Online, USA

I can't name a solid-state amp that gives you soundstaging, imaging, or depth perspective better than these little guys at under $8000! Moreover, at this kind of high power. What a deal! The Reference 9V2s are the best yet from NuForce and receive my highest recommendation.
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue32/nuforce_v2.htm
Ref 9V2

Robert H. Levi, Positive Feedback Online, USA

The very latest and most sophisticated to date is the NuForce Reference 9V2SE Monoblock which is one of the most harmonious solid state or digital amplifiers to ever entertain these ears via my number one reference system. With more textural nuance than a Halcro or Boulder, more suavely persuasive presentation than even Theta, and with comparable dynamic range to a Pass X350.5, this is one of the best solid state amps I've heard to date. I don't care if it's digital or class xyz, the proof is in the listening
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue33/nuforce.htm
Ref 9V2SE

Frank Alles, StereoTimes.com, USA

...the V2 is quiet to the extreme. This enables the listener to hear details deep in the background that get lost or obscured by other high-end amplifiers...
While it is easy to regard any amplifier that performs this well as a "benchmark" and a "reviewer's tool", what came across most vividly in my home was the beautiful music emanating from my speakers. Therefore, I prefer to think of the NuForce Reference 9 V2 SE as a "Music Machine", pure and simple.http://www.stereotimes.com/amp020808.shtml
Ref 9V2SE

Mike Silverton, StereoTimes.com, USA

The Reference 9 V2 is a great amp by any measure (and I'll bet it measures like a dream)... However, as impressed as I am by the Ref 9 V2, I'm in love with the Ref 9 SE V2. I don't see how amplification can get much better than this. Different, certainly, which is why so much zealous partisanship informs perfectionist audio. If you've a hi-rez system and value verisimilitude, the Reference 9 SE V2 belongs on your short list.
http://www.stereotimes.com/comm070207.shtml
Ref 9V2SE

Albert Bellg & Bob Wood, UltraAudio.com (SoundStage! Netowork), USA

NuForce has a history of beating up on their competition, and these latest offerings will no doubt continue that tradition. With the Reference 9 V2 monoblock power amplifier and P-9 preamplifier, NuForce has surpassed its own previous considerable achievements. Even audiophiles who don't read Popular Science can be excited about that. - Albert Bellg
The NuForce Reference 9 V2SE is as good a monoblock power amplifier as I've heard. I can't imagine a better one. Did it sound warm and tube-like? Not when compared to my last tube amp. Was it dry, sterile, chalky? No. The Reference 9 V2SE sounded more like live music than anything I've owned. - Bob Wood
http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/nuforce_reference_9v2_p9.htm
Ref 9V2 , 9V2SE & P-9

Ref 8.5, Ref 9, Ref 9 SE

Chris Martens, AVGuide & The Absolute Sound, USA

Because NuForce's Reference 9 monoblocks are eminently affordable, you might think they won this award on the basis of value, but that's not the half of it. These little Class D gems are sonic shockers in ways normally associated with amps that cost a fortune. Their defining characteristics are terrific transparency, incisive dynamics, deeply extended bass that offers excellent pitch definition and "traction," and superb three-dimensionality. Though accurate almost to a fault and lacking the luminous midrange glow of some of the greatest tube amps, the Reference 9s are charmers in their own right, with an uncanny ability to reveal previously hidden information in familiar recordings. (Reviewed by Chris Martens, Issue 158. Power Amp of The Year, Issue 160)
Ref 9

Lucio Cadeddu, TNT-Audio, Italy (in English)

The NuForce REF9's are the most evident proof that Class D technology is mature and can perform extremely well, so much to be able to replace "traditional" technology in terms of quality/price ratio, to say the least...I'm quite sure die-hard traditionalists won't accept this sign of the times. I'm not optimist. Still, I hope clever audiophiles will - at least - try to understand WHY this technology and these amplifiers in particular are a true revolution, the first one in decades of solid-state technology. It is NOT an easy step, I do understand, it hasn't been easy for me, either. The NuForce REF9's represent a modern era Rubicon.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/nuforce_ref9_e.html
Ref 9

Srajan Ebaen, 6moons.com, USA

...So, no Second Coming or Rewriting The Rules yet when judged from the jaded ivory tower seat; but a major thumbs-up from the real world where everyone else cavorts and frolicks.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nuforce2/9.html

Jeff Van Dyne, Home Theater and Sound, USA

NuForce has advanced technology for the sake of art and has done so with tremendous success. If you've been hearing a lot about this amplifier and have wondered whether it's everything it's cracked up to be, it is. The NuForce Reference 8.5 monoblock is the best-performing amplifier I've ever had in my system, and no one needs an engineering degree to understand that.
http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/nuforce_reference_85.htm
Ref 8.5

Robert H. Levi & Ed Morawski, Positive Feedback Online, USA

...the NuForce 9.02 monoblocks are now the most deliciously musical solid-state amplifiers I've heard. As I listen, I just want to hear more, more, more, and any bit of fatigue has been zapped. To the slippery-smooth sound, extraordinary detail, and wondrous dynamics of the 9.0s, the 9.02s add textural cues and liquidity...(Robert)
...It is quite astonishing how much bass these little amps produce¡XI never got completely used to it. I was quite pleased with the Reference 9s. Not only do they represent very good value for the money, but they also offer convenience, power, quality, but most importantly, extremely good sound. (Ed)
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue23/nuforce_9.02.htm
"The definition of the 9 SEs is as good as that of any solid-state amplifier I've heard, and that includes Halcro, Pass, Edge, etc...
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue26/nuforce9se.htm
Ref 9Ref 9SE

John Brazier, Positive Feedback Online, USA

Of all the accolades these amps have garnered on the 'net and in print there is one statement that nearly all the reviews have included as the icing on the cake, and I too am compelled to join in that song... "I like them so much, I am buying the review sample
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue27/nuforce9se.htm
Ref 9SE

Frank Alles, StereoTimes.com, USA

...My feeling with the 9.02 was that its speed, bass control, treble extension, and overall focus had likewise improved over earlier versions...
Ref 9

Mike Silverton, UltraAudio.com (SoundStage! Netowork), USA

Consider a pair of tiny amps that, as I hear them, exceed the sonic performance of a humongous and rightly celebrated twosome that cost a tad less than six times as much. I have seen -- and heard -- the future, and it is indeed a hoot
http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/nuforce_reference_9se.htm
Ref 9SE

David Price, Hi-Fi World, United Kingdom

There's no such thing as the perfect power amplifier, and there probably never will be, but if you want an ultra versatile, super clean sounding high end device, NuForce's new Reference 9SE is the one, says David Price...
Ref 9SE

None English Language Reviews

Laurent Thorin, Haute Fidelite, France

• Recommended Purchase...5 Star ***** awards in all catetories.1
• Antoine Gresland, Haute Fidelite, France Reference Class recommendation
• Zajacz Tamas, HiFi Piac, Hungary1

Deon Schoeman (Chief Editor), Audio Video South Africa

It's very hard to equate such a performance to both the physical dimensions of the monoblocks, and their asking price. Both delicate and powerful, equally intimate and expansive, with a real empathy for the music, the NuForce Reference 9s are the power amp arena's ULTIMATE GIANT KILLERS!

Ruud Jonker, Music & Emotions, The Netherlands

Switching amps are getting better ervery time. Nuforce sets the standards both in sound and in pricing. Nuforce is far better than the big majority of traditional Class-A or Class-B products. Every audiophile should listen to it once to draw some (painful) interesting conclusions in comparison to their own set.