Pat O’Brien
WAR Audio (www.warco.com.au)
Australia

I wanted to write a review of a product that knocked my socks off as an audiophile, distributor, and manufacturer. Over twenty years I have heard numerous products and some of them have been quite impressive. Most of these products had to be tweaked into a system. When I first got the Ref8 amp I decided to hook into my secondary system’s MTM speakers using Focal drivers, to run these in, normally I let amps breaking for at least 20 hours before I would sit down have a listen. But when I heard what I thought someone has turned the big rig on I immediately knew something that was different. There was an extension on the top end that drew you to the music so I called the regular gang of guys and told them that I’ve got a product that’s little known and has impressed me even though it wasn’t even broken in.

They were all there in a flash to see what I was talking about and once they saw it they thought I was just kidding. Before we began to listen I gave them a little info and the technology behind this little beauty Ref8 by NuForce.  Also I transferred the amps to the big rig using WAR Reference1 Speakers using Mighty Raven tweeter. First track to play was Lovely Nnenna  Freelon  (live album). Minute into the track one shouted this is the most musical amp we have heard so we kept listening for the next 5hours trying all kinds of music. Next couple of weeks Ref8 started to developed the bottom end that was among the best we heard. I would rate the Mids on par with the best single ended Valves, Highs extend far beyond most amps and the amount of incredible speed. Transients, Soundstaging, Rhythm and Pace, Dynamics, Macro and Micro detail, and most of all musicality are all hallmarks of this amp. In Short, this is the Halcro with Soul. In the near Future we will be putting the Nuforce Ref8 against the Halcro dm68. Will keep you posted. Also this is the audio bargain that make other amps sounded embarrassing. We are talking about some of the highly rated amps: Valve and Solid State. Kudos to the Nuforce team. They have done a fantastic job.

Setup

Source:  Belcanto PL1 Player
Pre Amps: Belcanto Pre2
                  Pass Aleph P
Amp: Nuforce Ref8
Cables: Luminous Audio Silver Reference Signature IC
             Luminous Audio Reference Signature speaker cable
Power Cables: War Topgun, TG Audio
Speakers: War Reference 1
Rack Solid  Tech Rack of silence
Still points equipment supports
Solid Tech Cradle of Silence
ERS Paper