NuForce, a fresh face on the audio scene, was
drawing attention with its Reference 8 monoblocks, which retail for $1500 per pair. These
three-pound, 140W switching amplifiers are said to operate in the analog domain and
generate little heat. Perhaps the most surprising part of the system was the ancillary
equipment. While the preamplifier, a Tom Evans The Vibe ($7000), and the DAC, an Apogee
Electronics Mini-DAC, are reasonably well established, the no-longer-available Sound
Dynamics speakers retailed for about $400 some years ago. Despite the budget origins of
the speakers, the sound was open and airy. NuForce is a company to watch -- and hear.
