So, Nord is a value-proposition, IF they sound good.
Here’s some of what they say on the Nord website:
"We source the very best Modules and components from around the world. Modules come from the market leaders Hypex, Purifi and ICE Power. But we use only the very best of their products. We then integrate them with custom Nord boards and electronics to deliver some of the very best sounding Amplifiers available at any price.
Operating with ultra low noise floor and exquisite bass control, revealing palpable breaths, finger plucks and decaying notes delivered by the mids and treble. Levels and layers of detail, dynamics and sound stage are breathtaking, with the ability and current reserves (28A) to drive the most demanding speakers down to 2 ohms. All delivered with no hardness or harshness."
Do Nord amps sound good? Well, from what I gather, your random amp of this type will have (borrowing Nord’s language):
- ultra low noise floor
- exquisite bass control
- dynamics
- sound stage
But:
- Levels and layers of detail -- not sure if this claim will be true
- no hardness or harshness -- not sure if this claim will be true
And those last two are deal-makers or breakers. That plus tonality, which also needs to be checked.
The Nord Web site and many posters return again and again to the easy-to-quantify factor -- the "module" involved (Purifi, Hypex, Ice, GaN). The Nord company has all three -- but how are they implemented? Which to choose? I cannot tell.
But the key point was alluded to by @atmasphere (when he said how different all Class D amps sound from one another) and articulated well by @verdantaudio:
That said, while GaN can enable cleaner switching and potentially lower certain distortion artifacts, the overall sound quality of an amplifier depends far more on the complete design—its modulation scheme, feedback topology, power supply implementation, and output filter engineering—than on the semiconductor material alone. GaN is a powerful tool, but not a guarantee of superior sound by itself.
The very nicely built DIY Hypex (recent module) I tried sounded harsh with my speakers, in my room. The M23 first gen Purifi Eigentakt sounds better. An earlier version of a GaNfet amp I heard sounded bright, forward and harsh. But the AGD Audion GaN sounds quite amazing so far.
Regarding my AGD vs. NAD comparison, I have one more listening session to do to feel confident about the differences I am pretty sure I am hearing. Report to come.