NuForce Icon HDP High-end Headphone Amp, USB DAC, Preamp

Description

converter (24bit/192kHz), plus a headphone-amplifier circuit and preamp output. Supporting digital USB, S/PDIF in coaxial and 3.5mm optical (3.5mm) modes, along with an analog line input, the HDP accommodates all manner of audio devices. The Icon HDP, which has been designed to serve as the heart of a high-performance audio system, competes head-on with DACs and preamps costing several times its price.

Note: The Icon HDP employs the same DAC as our high-end CDP-8 and a preamp similar to that of the P-8S. The following design features contributed to the stellar performance of the Icon HDP:

• The digital input has no capacitors in its signal path. The analog input utilizes a single DC-decoupling capacitor.
• Components along the signal path are minimized.
• The 24/96 USB interface outputs a I2S signal to a high-quality DAC.
• The digital circuit occupies a separate daughter board.
• The DAC chip consists of four internal 24/192kHz DACs that provide a fully differential and balanced output. The differential signal's DC offset operates without a need for decoupling caps.
• Digital and analog voltages each have separately isolated internal power regulations.
  

Specifications

Analog Inputs

• RCA or 3.5mm when inserted Digital input

• S/PDIF - Coaxial or 3.5mm Optical when inserted. Coaxial up to 192kHz/24-bit or Optical up to 192kHz/24-bit

• Coaxial input impedance 75 Ohm

• RCA or 3.5mm when inserted

Digital input

• Coaxial input impedance 75 Ohm

• S/PDIF - Coaxial or 3.5mm Optical when inserted. Coaxial up to 192kHz/24-bit or Optical up to 192kHz/24-bit

• Coaxial input impedance 75 Ohm

USB DAC

• USB 1.0 and 1.1 up to 44.1kHz/16-bit, USB 2.0 Full-Speed up to 96kHz/24-bit
• 88.2 kHz is not supporte
• USB 1.0 and 1.1 up to 44.1kHz/16-bit, USB 2.0 Full-Speed up to 96kHz/24-bit
• 88.2 kHz is not supported

RCA Output

• 2.6 Vrms (cuts off when headphone is inserted)
• Output impedance 100 Ohm

Headphone Output

• 6.3mm full-size headphone output jack drives headphones up to 600-Ohm (96 mW@600-Ohm)
• Output impedance 10 Ohm2.6 Vrms (cuts off when headphone is inserted)

Headphone power spec

• 288mW rms @ 30 Ohm
• 210mW rms @ 120 Ohm
• 152mW rms @ 300 Ohm
• 123mW rms @ 500 Ohm
• 96mW rms @ 600 Ohm
• 59mW rms @ 1200 Ohm
• 43mW rms @ 1700 Ohm
• 35mW rms @ 2000 Ohm

THD+N

• 0.001% @ 1kHz.

Frequency response

• 10Hz to 100kHz (-0.5dB)

SNR > 100dB

Power Requirement

• 12-15V, 1.6A, 100-240VAC (Worldwide AC

Dimension

• 6" x 4 1/2" x 1"

Summary

The NuForce Icon HDP is more than just a DAC. It's also a Class A headphone amp and preamp. Furthermore, NuForce claims it leads the field in all three disciplines.

Features

• USB 2.0 Full Speed compliant and 1.1 supported, 8-96kHz/16-24-bit (88.2kHz is not supported)
• S/PDIF input: Coaxial up to 192kHz/24-bit or Optical up to 192kHz/24-bit
• Analog input: 3.5mm or RCA input
• Audiophile-grade DA converter
• Low-distortion, high-current headphone amplifier
• High quality analog volume control