Anybody know what happened at JOB...

As I mentioned in another post, I felt that Goldmund made a big mistake ( as the Job products are concerned ) in licensing the amplifier technology to Nuforce ( now Nuprime ). Having heard the Nuforce STA200 ( I own 2 ) side by side to the Job 225, they are truly, that close in sq. In fact, many people I have communicated with, based on the fact, that I have been a very big advocate, and promoter ( simply as an enthusiastic listener ), for the little Nuforce, has opted for the Nuforce, and a few folks, had even sold their 225s, and replaced them with the STA 200s. Sensitivity, gain, input and driving impedance, are practically identical between the 2, and if 80wpc can do the job ( no pun intended ), as opposed to 125wpc, at the $499 price of the Nuforce, it becomes a no brainer. Here is another thing I might have mentioned before, about the Nuforce. I am a big tweak ( 50 plus years ) when it comes to resonance and vibration control ( Klipsch and other horns, cabinets, and, all equipment chassis's ). The Nuforce STA 200 has an amazingly " dead " chassis, when it comes to ringing, resonance, or vibration. I look at amplifiers, such as the new Elac Alchemy DPA-2, and feel, at $1500., Peter Madnick could have spent a bit more time, and money, in stiffening up the chassis, as I am sure, it would have resulted in an even better amplifier than it is currently, and my understanding, it is selling well. Enjoy ! MrD.

Abery, I am wondering why Zu does not offer biwiring / biamping options. To be able to vertically, passively biamp your speakers, using a 2nd Sta200, would be, imo awesome. I am using my pair in another system, doing this ( although, admittedly, I listen to my main system, so much more than my other systems ). I know of a few, that have modified their Zus, to have done this. BTW, the statement made by Goldmund, stating the " competition " was fierce, was driven, imo, when Nuforce lowered the price of he STA 200, down to $499. Again, Goldmund, shot themselves in the foot, licensing the circuit out. They are likely getting residuals on the licensing agreement, I suppose. The circuit boards, their layout, the toroids, are quite similar, so factory of manufacture, might, or might not be, the same. Still, at the $499 price, a really nice, musical sounding amp, doing many things right. As I have mention on other threads, this STA 200, made it easy for me, to take an amplifier collection, of over 100 specimens, to now, about 20.  Enjoy ! MrD. 

In my 1/2 dozen times of hearing the RX20s, I always preferred ss amplifiers with  well designed, beefy, power supplies. Some were 40 or so wpc, some were 200 wpc. The speakers are a nominal 8 ohm load, so it should not be a problem for the STA 200. What I feel would be amazing : what I suggested to Abery. To vertically, passively, biamp them, which would require a pair of amps, and at a grand, would be killing a few stones, simultaneously ( read up on this amp configuration set up ). As Abery indicated, and as mentioned before on other STA 200 threads and reviews, matching, to the front end gear, can be tricky. Enjoy ! MrD.

abery, I have to disagree with you, my friend. You had the Rogue pre, prior to your BHK, and you needed to do the same with the Schiit passive. The problem is not with the Nuforce and Zu interface, but the pre’s and the Nuforce. If you eliminate the pre’s, and go passive, without signal playing, turning the passive volume up to max, you would not get hiss or hum ( if no grounding / wiring issues ). It is fine if you want to change the amp, but I remember mentioning a long time ago, the Nuforce, and Job 225, were designed to be driven passively. My Luminous passive ( awesome ), at max volume, without music playing ( dac is on ) shows zero hiss, or hum, through my more efficient speakers, when using the Nuforce. But I understand how much you enjoy tube preamps, so the Nuforce is not a good match, interfacing with your preamps.

adameos, in your 1st room, when you experienced the hum, might be because of a severe ground loop, or even a light dimmer, on the same circuit. Could be any number of things. But the amp is quiet, when used with better matched components, preceding it, in the audio chain.

jtcf, + 1

The majority of woofers, in the majority of speakers, send information, back into the amplifier, called EMF. Many articles on the subject. Some manufactures believe in the concept, some do not. I have always been an advocate of biwiring, and, passive biamping, when the speaker was designed in this way. Passive biamping takes the " back EMF " situation, a step further. The amplifiers, in this case, have less work to do, as they no longer need to reproduce the full bandwidth of frequencies.

Check out the web sites of some of the top, most popular brands, as some give you options of ac plug termination. Once you find one, two, or a few, read the reviews and opinions of the cord owners, as you might get a sense of what they like / what you like....