Nuforce, Inc.

Compares very well to the NE-700X

Posted by Westy on 19th Apr 2012

I've had a pair of NE-700's that I've enjoyed very much, so much in fact, that I had some concerns about inadvertantly damaging them during workouts, biking, or other strenuous activity. I decided to give their cheaper cousin, the NE-770X a try. I must say, if I'd had a chance to do a comparison before purchase, I would have been content to purchase the 770's.

I did an admitedly unscientific side by side comparison utilizing source files from my laptop, through a FIIO E7 dac/amp. The 770's are about 90% as good as the more expensive 700's, in my opinion. The most noticable difference is a little less heft in the bass department, although both have excellent controlled bass. The mids and highs were virtually indistinguishable to my ear.

As far as build quality, the 700's have a much nicer metal housing, however I actually prefer the cheaper 770s for physical activity because they are substantially lighter. Both have similar, good design and construction on the strain relief at the plug and earpiece housing. I didn't notice much in the way of microphonics from either set. I guess time will tell if the superior construction of the 700's will translate into better longevity.

I'd be remiss if I didn't note what an excellent company Nuforce is for customer service. Awhile back, I had an issue with another Nuforce product, the original Icon, and Nuforce bent over backwards to resolve the problem, ultimatly sending me a completely new amp. That experience, combined with the quality of their products, made me a loyal Nuforce customer. Highly recommended!