NuPrime IDA-8 Integrated Amplifier

IDA-8 review by Paul Rigby, theaudiophileman.com

– John Ransley, Totally Wired Limited

“…From the very first listen, the IDA-8 elicits a big ‘WOW’. For those that know me you’ll appreciate I can be a bit of a cynic and our home system is very much biased toward the analogue. So the initial recommendation of the IDA-8 is not given lightly. It’s the immediate impression of enhanced clarity coming out of the little NuPrime that is most striking…”

– Julie Mullins, theabsolutesound.com

“…The IDA-8 conveyed the music’s richly woven textures as well as its individual parts. Soundstaging was deeper and wider than I expected for an amp in this price category, with precise instrumental placement. Background noise was also shockingly low; the IDA-8 boasts an impressive 95dB signal-to-noise ratio…
…the IDA-8 is a winner, and a force to be reckoned with in its category (and beyond it)…it brought warmth to its clean and clearly resolved presentation of digital sources to…Though a touch dark in character (à la Class D), it delivers substance and warmth with A well-conceived Class A/Class D hybrid that doesn’t want for power or clarity, the IDA-8 ought to find itself on the audition short list of a wide range of hi-fi hobbyists, from newbies to more experienced audiophiles…”

– Roger Kanno, soundstagexperience.com

“…When I’d hooked up the Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 45 speakers to the IDA-8 and begun playing music, I realized that the NuPrime was unlike any other entry-level amplifier I’d ever had in my system. Everything immediately sounded more precise and controlled…
… the little IDA-8 sounded so refined and powerful that I soon decided that, to get a true measure of its sound, I needed to move it into my reference system. In that system I had a variety of high-end but still high-value speakers to use with the NuPrime IDA-8: the KEF R900, Definitive Technology Mythos ST-L, and GoldenEar Technology Triton Five. Even with those floorstanders, the IDA-8 was able to tightly control the low frequencies in Lorde’s bass-laden Pure Heroine (24/48 FLAC, Lava Music/Republic). The IDA-8’s midrange was also something special: exceedingly clean but very full, reproducing voices with clarity and presence while also providing their full weight and body. With the IDA-8, I felt I was hearing everything in Susan Wong’s 511 (24/96 FLAC, Evosound) — not something that I think I have ever said before about an integrated amp costing under $1000…The NuPrime’s sublime midrange allowed voices to float effortlessly in mid-air…
…It sounds fantastic, has plenty of power to drive any reasonably efficient loudspeaker to room-filling levels, it’s compact, and, best of all, it costs less than $1000…the NuPrime IDA-8 was so good that it seemed almost a shame to extract it from my reference rig and reinstall it in my second system, where it will remain as my new budget reference amplifier. It’s one of the best deals available in audio today…”

– Guy

“I wasn’t very optimistic until I actually hooked it up. Wow! It was fine…I wanted you to know how terrific this little gem is although you probably know that already…”

– By Amal, audiocircle.com

“…The IDA-8 became my target only on reviews because of its completeness and its sounds which is a bit warm with the class A preamp and to be frank, the price was really interesting.
…The output sound is great, the design of the amp and super nice and you can put it everywhere with its size!…”