Nuforce Icon DAC DAC

A young American company never fails to amaze with advanced digital technology, combining non-trivial constructive solutions and catchy modern design. Nuforce Icon DAC is intended to work with a personal computer. On the rear panel, you can find analog RCA inputs, a USB 2.0 port, and a coaxial output. In addition, a 3.5 mm mini-jack is provided for connecting portable equipment, and on the front panel there is a full jack for headphones.

The digital section is built on a 32-bit converter, and the maximum parameters of the input PCM signal are limited to 32/96. In addition, Nuforce Icon DAC is able to decode the DSD stream, which is gaining popularity among audiophiles. For installation in the operating system, a proprietary ASIO driver is required, which is available for download on the company's website. The converter is powered using the small network adapter included in the kit. You also can find among the accessories a special stand for vertical installation of the device on the table.

From a linear output, the converter produces a peppy energetic sound, which in dynamics is highly competitive with more expensive devices. It is worth noting a very high sound resolution and the excellent separation of instruments, which makes it possible to intelligibly reproduce recordings that are complex in spectral composition. In general, the sound is extremely transparent, with a clearly drawn and sharp top and structured fast bass. The middle is worthy of separate praise. Despite the slight tension of the pitch, the voices are full of life and sensual timbres. The sound stage is detailed and has a natural scale; no serious questions arose regarding the positions of imaginary images. The headphone amplifier has a solid volume margin and excellent sound, except for a little hardness at the very top. In this case, at times the middle may seem to be a bit rough, but speaking about the energy, there are no shortcomings here.