NuForce has quickly become a major player in the audiophile grade, Class D amplification market over the past five years. While the NuForce product line is now quite extensive, ranging from amplifiers to headphones, the company is best known for their Class D mono block amplifiers, the latest version of which is the Reference 9 V3 Special Edition reviewed here. The NuForce amplifiers differ from traditional amplifiers in that they are a "switching amplifier" or "switched power supply amplifier." Most switching amplifiers on the market today are digital switching amplifiers that are considered by most to be a Class D design. The NuForce amplifiers distinguish themselves from this group of amplifiers by utilizing a closed-loop system with analog modulation driven by the audio signal. A traditional analog amplifier is controlled by fixed frequency, carrier based pulse width modulation. The NuForce topology is said to greatly increase efficiency, bandwidth, control (damping), phase problems, linearity and signal to noise ratios.The V3 series released in October 2009 is NuForce's third generation amplifier. Owners of V1 or V2 series amplifiers can have their amplifiers upgraded to V3 for a relatively modest fee. In the case of my V2 Special Edition amplifiers the cost to upgrade them to V3 Special Edition was only $400. Of course you can buy a brand new V3 Special Edition for $5,000. The only difference between the upgraded and new amplifiers is the face plate; the upgraded units will have an old style faceplate with the new "V3" moniker and the new units will have NuForce's new three dimensional faceplate
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