Hbarrel, The main APL Hi-Fi site is currently under extensive re-development. Please check back in a month for more information.
Thank you for you patience!
Regards,
Alex |
Optarchie, you have NWO-2? I am not familiar with your moniker. Please provide more detail.
Thanks,
Alex |
Kaaos, I do not have any dealers and I personally sold each of the NWO players. All of my customers still own their NWO-1, NWO-2 and NWO-2.5. None of them have compared their NWO with a "friend" who has a Meridian 808 either.
This said, Optarchie does not own NWO-2 nor he has ever heard one.
Regards,
Alex |
Nilthepill, there will be one in the LA area very soon a week or two. The owner is willing to accommodate audiophiles interested to audition the NWO-2.5
Please send me email if interested so I can forward it to the owner.
Regards,
Alex |
Hello Guido, the NWO-1 was entirely single ended design with 10 DACs per channel and single ended output stage. The NWO-2 is all balanced with 10 x fully differential DAC design which equals 20 DACs per channel (10 + 10 in differential mode). The tube stage was also re-designed to differential mode featuring new output transformers. The NWO-2.5 has the same differential topology as NWO-2 but it comes re-designed DAC boards, re-designed Master Clock and additional PCB which allows for much purer digital signal path. Conversion of DSD to PCM is changed from the original 88.2K to 176.4K. Since the AKM DACs are capable of 216K input sample rate, all NWO players up-convert all formats to 211K.
Regards,
Alex |
The inverse is just as true. Moreso if you ask me. This may be true but you will have to spend substantial amount of money on downstream components while still not sure if they will truly reveal the source capabilities. The NWO-2.5 is also capable of simplifying things by proving a preamp redundant, especially with the upcoming Wi-Fi and Analog input options. So I think it would be a better idea building up on a solid base instead of starting from the roof. Just IMO! Regards, Alex |
Fjn04, there is no difference between RCA and XLR with APL products because of transformer coupled output of the tube stage (no capacitors). If you enjoy the resolution of balanced designs, you may want to consider the new NWO-M1 which, unlike the older single ended APL3910 (no longer offered), is employing fully differential configuration.
Please email us if you have more questions.
Thanks!
Alex |
Thank you all for the nice words and continued support! The NWO-2.5 player is something that Ive developed with lots of love and best sound possible in mind. The extremely positive feedback the NWO series have received and the fact that there are none available on the used market speaks volumes and is my best Christmas present ever. Thanks again!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Best wishes,
Alex |
Drubin, Mmakshak's Denon 3910 is the all-solid state entry level APL player with the original PCM1796 Burr-Brown DACs. It has re-designed output stage with MOSFET output buffers. So, no AKM DACs, no Upsampler, no Tubes. It really sounds very good at its price point, IMO. On a scale from 1 to 10, if this Denon is 1, the AKM tubed version is 5-6 and the NWO-2.5 is at least 12. :-)
Regards,
Alex |
I'm curious which hi-end TT's and phono stages have been equalled by NWO2.5 RBCD. As reported by the owners, the NWO-2.5 equaled and sometimes outperformed the following vinyl setups: 1. Teres 360/Shroeder Reference/Lyra Olympus/Artemis PL-1 2. SME30/SME5/Kondo IO-J/Kondo phono pre. Regards, Alex |
Thanks for the commercial message Alex. Nothing commercial Bob, just the truth and also a direct answer to a specific question asked by Dgarretson. Vinyl rig #1 (Teres 360) belongs to Hifirabbit here on Audiogon Vinyl rig #2 (SME30) belongs to Sychdeli here on Audiogon too. They can both speak up if what I said was not true. Regards, Alex |
There are very nice sounding preamps available, no doubt about it. I also have my own preamp design which has been sitting on the shelf unused for 2 years now.
Except for switching the sources and eventual phono stage built in, the preamp main function is impedance matching and attenuation (volume control). A preamp would be a benefit for any audio system in most cases.
The NWO-2.5 has enough output power to drive any cable or amplifier. It can even drive headphones directly hooked to its output. It also has unique remote controlled H-Attenuator with 0.5db step built in which takes care of the volume control. The H-Attenuator is made in a way that is absolutely transparent.
This said; as good as a preamp can be, the NWO-2.5 simply does not need it nor does it benefit from it, any preamp.
Regards,
Alex |
Audiosu, the output stage inside the Denon is a version of my own preamp output stage. :-) This one is Single Ended.
The NWO-2.5 tube stage is differential (balanced) which, among other benefits, results in significantly increased output power and much lower output impedance, so it is considerably better than the one in the APL 3910. :-)
When it comes to NWO-2.5 and a preamp is like having two of your favorite SOTA preamps hooked up in series. Of course, one preamp would sound better than two in series making one of them redundant. :-)
Regards,
Alex |
Bob, it can be 1.5 or 2.5V RMS.
Regards,
Alex |
Mmakshak, your entry level APL 3910 does not have volume control built in so you can not go direct to the amps.
The NWO-2.5 has the volume built-in but, until now, it did not offer analog inputs. This was a problem for customers with vinyl setups. We now have Analog input option which allows for connection of any analog source including a phono preamp.
Since there are audiophiles who have the phonostage built in their preamps, we have decided to develop MC cartridge input for the NWO-2.5 as well. When ready, one would not need a phono preamp anymore. :-)
The "Rockport gentleman" does not have APL player for now, he has EMM Labs Signature. So far he did not have the chance to audition NWO-2.5 in his system.
Regards,
Alex |
Steve, you're most welcome! Enjoy it! :-)
The Denons, as well as many other high-end digital products, has a switching mode power supply inside, while the NWO and many others have linear power supply.
The reason why I am bringing this up is because there is a huge difference between what power cord and power conditioner/regenerator will be used together with digital audio component having switching mode or linear power supply. This said; what works best with Denon might not be best with NWO.
Regards,
Alex |
Guido, usually shielded power cords in combination with power conditioners or re-generators work very well with units utilizing switching power supplies.
Your X-01 Ltd has a dual R-Core linear power supply which, in my experience, works best without any power conditioning or re-generators (the X-01 and UX-1 have a built in EMI filter) and the use of un-shielded and, preferably, un-twisted power cords made of pure Silver.
As far as the Shunyata PC goes, may be Earflappin can give his summary since he has been using these extensively.
Hey, when are you going to visit? Any time soon? :-)
Regards,
Alex |
