NuPrime Dac-9X – Xtreme?

Playback

The multitest quickly revealed that this is a very detailed dac. Fast, open and insightful. It was the only dac that brought a specific detail from Royskopps “Every little thing” all the way to the forefront. We experienced the same characteristics in our reference system.

‘Deep Waters’ by Richard Hawley sounds fresh and clear. On ‘Gene’ by Robert Ellis, the bells in the song are much easier to detect than on other dacs residing here. On ‘Perfect World’ by Big Scary again bells, micro-details so to speak, are more easily audible.

Prolonged listening is a joy with this dac. The entire album “Lovesongs” by Loverman passed by before we even realize it. This dac does not emphasize or color anything. In the right set-up, for the right listener, there is little to be desired.

Compare

We also brought home the SMSL VMV-D2, but it clearly has to give way to the Nuprime Dac-9X. The SMSL has a nice midrange but after prolonged listening it sounds darker and less engaging. The difference is performance is quite substantial. 

The Sonnet Morpheus (3500 euros) may be a bit less transparent, but counters with more refinement and a more organic tonality. The Morpheus puts more focus on flow, where we would rather describe the NuPrime as ‘snappy’. What’s better, is a matter of taste.

Go to an even more expensive dac, such as the Aqua La Scala (7500 euros), and you get it all. You are no longer listening to an analog or digital system but just to music. You get texture, density, timbre, depth, insight and refinement. But also speed, transparency and detail. Bare in mind we’re talking about a totally different price range here, of course.