Preamp/Dac for Nord One UP NC500DM

[AntAxon]

Hi folks, I've been looking into the possibility of upgrading to the Nord One Up NC500DM. I was hoping to use my Marantz PM8005 as a preamp but it seems having spoken to Colin it won't be suitable. I want to be able to connect my CD player and turntable to the amp along with my laptop so I'm told I need to buy a preamp and DAC too. I notice on Ebay you can buy the Audiolab CDQ8200 Non OLED new for about £500 I assume this would work and I could sell my CD player. Is there a better alternative that anyone knows of? I don't really want to get rid of the Marantz SA8005 as I'm really happy with it.

I don't want to spend a fortune for the DAC/Preamp so £500 is about my limit as I only really wanted to spend around £2K on an upgrade. If I sell my Marantz PM8005 at least it will help with the purchase of the DAC/Preamp.

My other concern is whether my Tannoy Precision 6.2 speakers would be totally outclassed by the Nord.

I listened to the AVI DM10s today and I was really impressed Major Fumbar's review was spot on. So if the Nord is going to work out too expensive I will buy the AVi's I think.

 

[jonathanRD]

Hi folks, I've been looking into the possibility of upgrading to the Nord One Up NC500DM. I was hoping to use my Marantz PM8005 as a preamp but it seems having spoken to Colin it won't be suitable. I want to be able to connect my CD player and turntable to the amp along with my laptop so I'm told I need to buy a preamp and DAC too. I notice on Ebay you can buy the Audiolab CDQ8200 Non OLED new for about £500 I assume this would work and I could sell my CD player. Is there a better alternative that anyone knows of? I don't really want to get rid of the Marantz SA8005 as I'm really happy with it.

I don't want to spend a fortune for the DAC/Preamp so £500 is about my limit as I only really wanted to spend around £2K on an upgrade. If I sell my Marantz PM8005 at least it will help with the purchase of the DAC/Preamp.

My other concern is whether my Tannoy Precision 6.2 speakers would be totally outclassed by the Nord.

I listened to the AVI DM10s today and I was really impressed Major Fumbar's review was spot on. So if the Nord is going to work out too expensive I will buy the AVi's I think.

I too was interested in the Nord power amps, and whilst I needed to confirm they would work together, I was looking at both the Yamaha WXC-50 and the Creek Evolution 100CD (and 50CD), both of which have pre-amp functionality, both have DAC's and the Creek is also a CD player. But neither have phono stages so you would need a separate one.

 

[jonathanRD]

It's better to have a good amp driving 'less able' speakers than the other way around. But in time - no doubt - you would be considering upgrading your speakers.

Have you heard the Nord power amp?

I never got to hear the ADM10's but I agree that they provide a formidable VFM option. I did consider that if I liked them it would be hard to ignore that VFM especially if the budget is tight.

 

[AntAxon]

Hi JonathanRD, thanks for your thoughts on preamp/dac etc. I get the feeling that the Nord with the preamp etc is going to just a bit too costly for me at the moment but I would be able to stretch a little further if it was really good.

I have not heard the Nord but the reviews I have read make it a very interesting prospect. I would of course visit Colin in Cheltenham for a demo if I thought it was a viable option, which is what I'm trying to establish.

However, yes, I have heard the AVI DM10s today, I must admit they are everything that Major Fumbar said. I was impressed how crisp and sharp the sound was. Just like listening through very expensive headphones. For the price they would take a lot of beating in my opinion.

 

[jonathanRD]

Hi JonathanRD, thanks for your thoughts on preamp/dac etc. I get the feeling that the Nord with the preamp etc is going to just a bit too costly for me at the moment but I would be able to stretch a little further if it was really good.

I have not heard the Nord but the reviews I have read make it a very interesting prospect. I would of course visit Colin in Cheltenham for a demo if I thought it was a viable option, which is what I'm trying to establish.

However, yes, I have heard the AVI DM10s today, I must admit they are everything that Major Fumbar said. I was impressed how crisp and sharp the sound was. Just like listening through very expensive headphones. For the price they would take a lot of beating in my opinion.

I had the luxury of home demoing a few amps - each over a few days to really get a feel for them. So I knew that I really liked the Exposure amp. There was other gear that I wanted to listen to - so that eventually I could say that I had given all the main options a go, before making a decision. The problem is that plans don't always 'go to plan' and sometimes it can get difficult and costly to arrange demos, especially home demos. So when an opportunity presented itself to get an Exposure amp (albiet the pre/power) I decided to ditch my plans for further demo's - that might have taken me another six months to arrange, and just go for it. It doesn't matter now whether something else might be better as I am happy with what I have. And I know that I am prepared to be patient again and eventually upgrade my speakers - which means that I am likley to spend considerably more than if I had purchased the DM10's.

So if it is easy to get to Cheltenham, go have a listen but you know that is going to cost you more money both short term and longer term if you upgrade your speakers. On the otherhand, if you are sure you liked the DM10's and they fit your needs and pocket, there comes a time where you draw a line and make your decision. *smile*

 

[AntAxon]

Hi Johnathan I've just been reading your journey how you finally arrived at the Exposure amps. It is very interesting, you certainly put a lot of work into your choice of amplifier. I know what you mean about there comes a time when you have to draw a line and make a decision. I must admit I'm finding HiFi a bit of an addiction always looking for the next fix. It is getting to be a bit costly as there always seems to be something a bit better and then disatisfaction sets in.

 

[jonathanRD]

Hi Johnathan I've just been reading your journey how you finally arrived at the Exposure amps. It is very interesting, you certainly put a lot of work into your choice of amplifier. I know what you mean about there comes a time when you have to draw a line and make a decision. I must admit I'm finding HiFi a bit of an addiction always looking for the next fix. It is getting to be a bit costly as there always seems to be something a bit better and then disatisfaction sets in.

It's interesting that you often hear posters saying that they have given up on the 'tinkering' and that they wish they had done so years ago (before spending so much cash), but for many the most interesting part of this hobby is the tinkering.

The worst thing I ever did was start reading this forum *fool* as it renewed my interest in upgraditus.

Are you at the stage to purchase something that means no further upgrades for a while? *smile*

 

[AntAxon]

Are you at the stage to purchase something that means no further upgrades for a while? *smile*

I'm not.....my wife is!