NuPrime IA-9X Integrated Amplifier - Silver

One Switch Changes What This Amplifier Sounds Like

The IA-9X has two amplifier voices built in. A toggle on the front panel picks between them. One position runs NuPrime's ODC circuit alone, built for the lowest distortion the company could reach. The other adds a second circuit on top of it.

That circuit adds natural harmonics through Class A transistors. NuPrime calls the result warmer and richer, closer to a tube amp. The display tells you where you are: fo is ODC alone, 2fo is ODC plus harmonics.

NuPrime suggests the low-distortion mode for studio work or rock. The harmonics mode suits vocals and classical. This is a real change in voicing, not a tone control. Trying both costs you nothing but a reach to the front panel.

A Phono Stage You Can Actually Match

The moving-magnet phono input is a two-stage RIAA design. It uses the same MUSES8820 op-amp as the line stage. Sensitivity is 4.0mV at 1kHz and gain is 65dB. That suits most moving-magnet cartridges without fuss.

What sets it apart is the adjustment. Switches on the underside pick 32k, 47k or 100k ohms of loading. Three more pick 100, 220 or 320pF. You tune the match to your cartridge instead of taking one fixed setting.

What the Numbers Look Like

Output is 90 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms. Into 4 ohms it makes 145 watts, and peaks reach 100 and 160 watts. The source is an ODC Class D module with two very low distortion sections in a delta-sigma circuit.

Distortion is 0.0014% at 5 watts, where signal-to-noise is 95dB. At 50 watts those read 0.003% and 105dB. Frequency response runs 10Hz to 50kHz within 3dB. Gain is 17 times. Inputs take 1.5V RMS into 47 kilohms.

Behind the panel sit 13,200 microfarads of custom capacitance and 25-amp bridge rectifiers. Volume is digital across 99 steps, and it remembers where you left it. Inputs switch through sealed relays, not a rotary contact.

Small Enough to Put Almost Anywhere

The chassis is 9.25 inches wide, 2.4 inches high and 11.1 inches deep. It weighs 8.4 pounds. That is about half the width of a normal component. It fits a desk, a bookshelf or a small rack without taking it over.

NuPrime asks for four inches of clear space around it. Idle draw is 13.5 watts and standby 4.6 watts. Trigger in and out on 3.5mm jacks switch the rest of your rack with it.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Marcin Gałuszka reviewed the IA-9X for HiFi Class and found the bottom end its strongest suit: "the low-frequency range is a significant advantage of this design," with bass control he called "impeccable," and a midrange "well-saturated with harmonics."

John Ransley of the New Zealand hi-fi specialist Totally Wired set it against NuPrime's separates: "the sound of the IA-9X is so similar to that of the Evolution STA, you'd be hard pressed to separate them."

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You cannot decide between neutral and warm — the front-panel toggle means you do not have to choose once and live with it.
• Space is tight — 90 watts a channel out of a 9-inch-wide box that runs cool enough for a bookshelf.
• You have a balanced source — a stereo XLR input sits alongside two RCA pairs, which is unusual at this size.
• You play moving-magnet vinyl — the phono stage is switchable for both loading and capacitance, so it can be matched properly.
• If your music is digital, budget for a DAC — the IA-9X is analog only, with no digital inputs, no streaming and no Bluetooth. NuPrime's own DAC-9X is the same width and finish and adds a headphone amplifier the IA-9X does not have.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Speakers go to the single pair of binding posts. A turntable connects to the phono input, then set the loading and capacitance switches underneath to suit your cartridge. A balanced source takes the XLR input, and two more sources fill the RCA pairs.

The display names the active input as C1 for phono, C2 for XLR, and C3 and C4 for the two RCA pairs. There is no preamp output, no subwoofer output and no headphone jack, so plan those into a source component instead.

Before you power it up, check the voltage selector on the underside. NuPrime ships every unit set to 230V so it cannot be damaged in transit, which means a US owner has to move it to 115V first.

Pairs Well With

Building around the IA-9X? Here are some good companions:

• Speakers: 90 watts suits a capable standmount pair — see our Bookshelf Speakers.
• Turntable: The adjustable moving-magnet stage is already fitted — see our Turntables.
• DAC: The one thing this amplifier does not do — see our Digital-to-Analog Converters.
• Interconnects: Feed that balanced input properly — see our Interconnect Cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power does the IA-9X deliver?

90 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms and 145 watts into 4 ohms, with peaks of 100 and 160 watts. The output stage is Class D using NuPrime's ODC modules.

What does the fo / 2fo switch actually do?

In fo the amplifier runs the ODC circuit alone for the lowest distortion. In 2fo a harmonic generation circuit using Class A transistors is added, which NuPrime describes as warmer and more tube-like.

Can I connect a turntable directly?

Yes, if your cartridge is moving magnet. Loading switches offer 32k, 47k or 100k ohms and capacitance 100, 220 or 320pF. Moving-coil cartridges need an outboard phono stage or step-up.

Does it have any digital inputs or streaming?

The IA-9X is a purely analog amplifier — one XLR pair, two RCA pairs and phono. A streamer or a DAC connects to any of those line inputs.

Do I need to change anything before first use?

Yes. Every IA-9X leaves the factory with the voltage selector set to 230V as a safeguard. Set the switch on the underside to 115V before connecting power in the United States.

Is it covered by a warranty?

NuPrime warrants the IA-9X for one year from the date of retail purchase against defects in materials and workmanship, with service available through its US service center.

See It in Action

Snake Oil Audio listens to the IA-9X:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about integrated amplifiers, matching a phono cartridge, or adding a DAC to an analog system? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.