Ken Stokes and David Robson take their Nord NC500 power amps for the latestupgrade using the newly available Nord REV D Buffer Boards as used in their MKII Amp with 2590/990 package Sparkos and Sonic Imagery op-amps to compare and contrast the merits of each.  The complete upgrade board with Op Amps are £712.80 with Sonic Imagery 990’s and £658.80 with Sparkos 2590’s including VAT. Extra OP Amps are:  Sparkos £60 each and SI990 £73.80.

“I was first introduced to the Nord brand with my good friend Ken Stokes on a visit to the North West Audio Show at Cranage Hall (Holmes Chapel) a couple of years ago. We met Colin North, the owner and designer of Nord amplifiers. Ken acquired a Nord NC500SE not long after and I an early Mk1 Nord NC500 in a 3/4 sized case, both these amps being twin mono design (one case containing two separate monoblock units).  Having now owned my Nord NC500 Class D amplifier for about a year I’ve come to appreciate the quality and level Class D amplification is achieving with continued improvements and upgrades…”

Read the full review here