Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Exceptional build quality with Swiss watch precision and meticulous attention to detail
- Simple, elegant, and unique aesthetic design
- Employs a simple, symmetrical circuitry using discrete components
- Offers a very clean, transparent presentation with no detectable fuzz or smearing, revealing a wealth of detail
- Battery power provides complete isolation of audio circuitry, delivering up to twelve hours of listening
Product Considerations
- The industrial red anodizing with a mustard gold front panel may not appeal to everyone's taste
- The volume knob whirls, and the remote can make sudden lurches up or down
- Phono-stage gain and loading are internally adjustable using a soldering iron, which is good for sound, but bad for convenience
- Some running-in may be required to achieve their full duration and lowest output impedance
- The darTZeel pre and power together proved a combination that was almost too perfect, perhaps a slightly sickly sweetness that could have one yearning for a bit of aggression or rudeness with certain music
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The NHB 18NS is a highly desirable product, and one of the very few that could successfully fill the void left by the Ayre K-1xe, a design that already rearranged views on pre-amplifiers
- Far more than sharing just a physical appearance, the circuit design of the 18 is virtually identical to that of the NHB-108 power amplifier and shares the sonic darTZeel family sound
Takeaway: The NHB-18NS is a high-end preamplifier built with exceptional quality and attention to detail designed to deliver pure and open sound. Its unique battery power design and carefully considered components can provide a musically enlivening experience.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
NHB-18NS
reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Line Gain: Up to + 11 dB
- Phono Gain: 54 to 72 dB (up to 83 dB gain at output)
- Analog Input Impedances: Zeel BNC 50 ohms from 1Hz to 1 MHz, RCA line > 30 kohms from 5 Hz to 50 kHz, XLR Line > 15 kohms from 5 Hz to 50 kHz
- Line Output impedances: RCA = 75 ohms, darT BNC = 50 ohms, XLR < 600 ohms, REC OUT < 150 ohms
- Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 500 kHz, +0, -1 dB
- Rise Time: < 0.5 µs
- Slew Rate: > 24 V/µs, peak-peak
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 1 % from 10 Hz to 100 kHz
- Crosstalk: < - 80 dB from 20Hz to 20kHz
- Signal to noise ratio: > 92 dB (A), Line; > 70dB (A), Phono w/factory settings
- Power consumption: 7 - 77 watts
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 440 x 335 x 170 mm (17.32 x 13.2 x 6.7 inches)
- Total depth with handles: 415mm (16.4 inches)
- Weight: 24 kg power supply 3 kg, total 27 kg
Description
The most advanced preamplifier ever designed. With its groundbreaking signal path technology, battery power supply and unrivalled phono stages, the NHB-18NS is still the benchmark for preamplifiers. The NHB-18NS is peerless in terms of clarity and musicality. Designed to control NHB-series power amplifiers, it offers state-of-the-art preamplification and control.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- The brand's products are visually striking, using a consistent design language that includes red casework, gold front panels, and unique internal component arrangements, intended to express its luxurious origin.
- They often incorporate unusual design choices, including the "Power Nose" on/off switch, "Pleasure Control" volume knob, and a display that shows "Foreplay" upon power-up and "Climaxed" when powered off.
- darTZeel utilizes a proprietary 50-ohm BNC connection, branded as "Zeel" for inputs and "darT" for outputs, aimed at creating a matched impedance link between their components for optimal signal transmission.
- Delétraz's designs minimize components in the signal path, avoiding switches or relays for input selection, and use a contactless optical volume control system to maintain signal purity.
Select products
Select product comparisons
LHC-208
- Positioning: The entry-level integrated amplifier in the darTZeel lineup.
- Description: Features a compact design and integration of a network player and DAC, making it practical for digital music enthusiasts. Unlike the more powerful NHB-468, focuses on versatility with its built-in streaming and digital conversion capabilities, suitable for small to medium-sized rooms and those with a moderate budget.
CTH-8550
- Positioning: The mid-range integrated amplifier offering in the darTZeel lineup.
- Description: Features dual-mono architecture and extensive input options, providing a balance of power and versatility. While it shares the dual-mono design with the higher-end NHB-108, it offers a more affordable solution for those seeking high-quality sound.
NHB-108 Model Two
- Positioning: The premium dual-mono power amplifier in the darTZeel lineup.
- Description: Features ultra-rapid circuitry and lack of global negative feedback, providing exceptional sound purity in the lineup. Compared to the NHB-468, it offers a more refined power output.
NHB-468
- Positioning: The flagship monoblock amplifier in the darTZeel lineup.
- Description: The most powerful amplifier darTZeel has ever built, delivering groundbreaking power and dynamic range. It surpasses the NHB-108 in sheer power output, making it perfect for those who need to drive large, demanding speakers in expansive spaces and are prepared to pay for the pinnacle of audio performance.
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Avg. Product Price
$75,001-$100,000
Used For Sale
5
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
322
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
5
Founding Year
2002
Our take on the brand
darTZeel is a hifi brand known for their unique CP2C circuit that combines current and voltage sources to deliver precise power to speakers while correcting driver counter electromotive force. Their NHB-18NS preamplifier uses Light Dependent Resistors for volume control and battery power to eliminate mechanical contacts and AC noise, resulting in exceptionally pure sound reproduction.
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Our interview with the brand
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What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
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Used
darTZeel
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What if you spend more?
Dan D'Agostino
Relentless
149500
149500
/
2
Reviews
Dan D'Agostino is an ultra-premium hifi brand distinguished by its unique copper heat sinks with holes and distinctive circular green-lit VU meters that give their amplifiers a steampunk aesthetic. Their amplifiers feature proprietary "Super Rail" technology that maintains high voltage for front-end transistors, while their three-chassis Relentless Preamplifier uses 30-pin interlocking connectors to eliminate wiring anomalies.
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- Over-engineered, hugely heavy, and XLR-balanced-only design aimed at clients who accept balanced-only systems
- 'Dual Zone' functionality provides two playback zones with independent sources for each
- The two mono preamp chassis form a sandwich with the power supply/control section in between, communicating through interlocking gold-plated 30-pin aerospace connectors, eschewing cabling between the three sections
- The heavily shielded power supply is housed in its own chassis, which is intended to sit between the boxes housing the two audio channels, incorporating internal line conditioning circuitry
- Volume control knobs are very smooth, and the volume control has no sweet spot
Product Considerations
- XLR-balanced-only design might require adapters for RCA-only devices
- The remote control was initially a 'huge, weighty affair', though a new version was almost ready at the time of review
Takeaway: The D'Agostino Relentless Preamplifier is an extremely well-engineered, high-end product intended for those wanting the best possible audio quality and are unconcerned about cost. It offers unique features such as dual-zone functionality and a sophisticated multi-chassis design.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Dan D'Agostino is an ultra-premium hifi brand distinguished by its unique copper heat sinks with holes and distinctive circular green-lit VU meters that give their amplifiers a steampunk aesthetic. Their amplifiers feature proprietary "Super Rail" technology that maintains high voltage for front-end transistors, while their three-chassis Relentless Preamplifier uses 30-pin interlocking connectors to eliminate wiring anomalies.
Product Page
Product Page
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- The 3010 offers a wealth of controls, including six pairs of outputs which can be separately attenuated, and a 'blend' function to change stereo to mono
- Notes start and stop precisely, but in a refined manner, and grace notes appear fleetingly before disappearing
- Startlingly pure reproduction, especially noticeable on smaller-scale recordings
- Captures the ringing peal of the organ in the nether regions with great power, and distinguishes tonal fidelity
- Music 'rips without any compression', and sorts out complex musical passages
Product Considerations
- If you prefer the sound of tubes, the Boulder 3010 will not give you a sumptuous tonal balance or holographic soundstage associated with tubes, because it seeks fidelity to the source
Takeaway: The 3010 offers precision and clarity in music reproduction, making it a highly addictive listening experience. The 3010's control and accuracy allow the music to breathe freely.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Boulder is among the elite tier of hifi amplifier brands. Based in Colorado, they are recognized for their exceptionally low-noise and high-power Class A and Class AB amplifiers. They are frequently cited as "dream systems" by audiophiles and reviewers.
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What competes at this price?
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Gryphon
Commander
93800
/
Released
2022
Since Gryphon's founding in 1985, the company's philosophy has remained constant: the relentless pursuit of sonic perfection without compromises in design, construction or cost. The culmination of Gryphon's four decades of design and engineering expertise are fully realized in Commander: the most advanced preamplifier ever made.
Gryphon is one of the most respected high-end amplifier brands in the world. Its bass grip is phenomenal, thanks to an unusually high level of capacitance, which keeps everything tight and controlled, even with demanding speakers. Gryphon is also known for its bold, brutalist design—a look that a lot of people love. You’ll find their gear all over Europe and Asia, and the Diablo 333 is often considered an ‘endgame’ amp by those chasing the very best sound and aesthetics.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Superlatively low noise floor contributes to dynamic prowess and resolution of fine details
- Linear and immaculate signal processing with minimal alteration of the source signal
- Delivers silky black backgrounds on recordings
- Provides effortless relaxation and clarity of musical line due to exactitude
- Excellent soundstage depth
Product Considerations
- The unit produces a lot of heat, so ensure adequate cooling
- Physical buttons and volume knobs are absent on the preamplifier
- Infrared remotes are not as good as Bluetooth remotes
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The Commander preserves the signal about as well as a Boulder preamplifier, but adds a degree of silkiness to the proceedings
- The Gryphon lacks a bit of the supernatural musical flow and midrange bloom of a darTZeel preamplifier, but has superior dynamics, a lower noise floor, better bass control, and more accurate transient pitch definition
- The Commander improves upon the Pandora's widely recognized exceptional performance
Takeaway: The Gryphon Commander is a high-end preamplifier that offers exceptional clarity and control, making music sound pristine. It's a great option to explore for those who want a powerful and accurate sound.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Gryphon is one of the most respected high-end amplifier brands in the world. Its bass grip is phenomenal, thanks to an unusually high level of capacitance, which keeps everything tight and controlled, even with demanding speakers. Gryphon is also known for its bold, brutalist design—a look that a lot of people love. You’ll find their gear all over Europe and Asia, and the Diablo 333 is often considered an ‘endgame’ amp by those chasing the very best sound and aesthetics.
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soulution
727
77975
/
Released
2023
What a difference noise makes! soulution's new reference preamplifier sets new benchmarks in terms of noise, phase errors, common mode rejection and distortion.
Soulution Audio is distinguished by its ultra-wide bandwidth and high-speed circuitry, which allows for high levels of local negative feedback without adverse effects, and uses switch-mode power supplies that provide stable voltage under any load. The brand's amplifiers minimize signal path length by using copper bars instead of wires, while achieving exceptionally low noise floors and precise bass control through their high-speed, high-feedback circuit design.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The Soulution 727 preamplifier sets benchmarks in terms of noise, phase errors, common mode rejection, and distortion
- Offers improved noise reduction, increased resolution, and more extended bandwidth compared to its predecessor, the 725, without significantly altering the tonal balance
- Timbres are natural, uncolored, and true to the source material
- Provides impeccable control from deep bass to stratospheric highs, with excellent timing
- The soundstage gets wider and deeper with more air around instruments and performers, offering higher resolution combined with more lifelike musicality, even more heft and authority in the bass, while smallest details get resolved with greater delicacy
- Careful attention to grounding is needed, as the quality of the electrical ground can significantly impact the sound
Product Considerations
- The new layout of buttons and knobs might take some getting used to for existing Soulution users
- The maximum gain for the balanced and unbalanced inputs to the balanced outputs was a little lower than the specified 4dB, at 3.7dB
- The optional MC/MM phono section is not included in the base price and must be purchased separately
- The 727 might require assistance to put in place because it weighs 62lb
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Soulution 725: The 727 offers incredible detail, focus, and definition without the leaned-down, more analytical presentation of the 720, and the 727's imaging is more embedded in the recorded acoustic, while the 725 tended to project images forward
- Vs Dan D'Agostino Relentless: The Relentless threw a wider and deeper soundstage, also surrounding instruments and voices with a lovely extra cushion of air, yet sounded even faster than the impressively fast 727
- Vs Soulution 720: The 727 now offers the incredible detail of the original 720—maybe even in a greater amount—without the 720's somewhat leaned-down, more analytic presentation
Takeaway: The Soulution 727 is a top-tier preamplifier lauded for its neutrality, detail retrieval, and accurate reproduction of sound, making it a solid choice for audiophiles seeking uncolored and honest sound. Its advanced engineering and meticulous design result in a sound that's both revealing and musical.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Soulution Audio is distinguished by its ultra-wide bandwidth and high-speed circuitry, which allows for high levels of local negative feedback without adverse effects, and uses switch-mode power supplies that provide stable voltage under any load. The brand's amplifiers minimize signal path length by using copper bars instead of wires, while achieving exceptionally low noise floors and precise bass control through their high-speed, high-feedback circuit design.
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Product Page
VAC
Statement
82000
/
Released
This VAC Statement dual mono triode vacuum tube phono (MM/MC, three gain modes, adjustable load, stereo/mono operation) preamplifier is designed for extreme applications. On the back panel there are two DC umbilical cords and large Amphenol aerospace connectors, a reminder of the massive dual mono power supply. There are inputs for four independent phone sources. In addition, each input may be of the conventional single-ended type or may be fully balanced.
VAC is a hifi brand known for its unique iQ Continuous Automatic Bias System, which maintains optimal tube performance and prevents drift during music playback. Their amplifiers feature point-to-point hand wiring and custom film and foil capacitors, with each unit undergoing extensive quality control including listening sessions before shipment.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Renders timbre accurately with unassailable truthfulness, conveying tonal color in fine gradations of shading and articulation
- Offers a balanced, coherent, and color-free spectrum of sound across the entire audio bandwidth
- Conveys the dynamic range of musical scaling, including its weight and impact
- Delivers unflappable power, offering unsullied transient response and exhibiting a vise-like grip of control of the loudspeakers
- Recreates space and acoustical properties of recordings in a stunningly authentic and credible way
Product Considerations
- Compared to transistor-based electronics, it falls perceptibly short in macrodynamic scaling, microdynamic nuance, perceived speed of transients, and assured control of the lowest bass frequencies
Takeaway: The VAC Statement 452iQ Musicbloc™ amplifier offers unmatched tonal purity and spatial presentation among tube amplifiers, pushing the boundaries of what's possible with valve-based amplification. It delivers engaging, emotional, and credible sound, making it a worthwhile consideration for those seeking a top-tier listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
VAC is a hifi brand known for its unique iQ Continuous Automatic Bias System, which maintains optimal tube performance and prevents drift during music playback. Their amplifiers feature point-to-point hand wiring and custom film and foil capacitors, with each unit undergoing extensive quality control including listening sessions before shipment.
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NAGRA
HD Phono
87500
/
Released
2023
After years of intense research and development, the HD PHONO is finally available for discerning listeners of vinyl. It is the ideal complement to the HD range and the world-acclaimed HD PREAMP, HD DAC X and HD AMP monoblocks.
Nagra Audio, a Swiss brand with roots in professional recording and film (including two Oscars for soundtracks), brings watchmaking-level precision to their hifi equipment through extensive in-house manufacturing of components like transformers. Their HD Preamp and Classic DAC showcase unique technologies, including virtual battery power supplies and PCM-to-DSD conversion, while their commitment to quality is demonstrated by rejecting over half of their tested valves to maintain exceptional standards.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Reference-class device that orchestrates an audio experience of enchanting clarity
- Impeccable construction with a flawless machined chassis housing complex technology
- Extraordinary custom cobalt core transformers that are cryogenically treated and hand-coiled with meticulous care
- Six vacuum tubes are used, including the rare use of EF806S—a high-gain pentode tube, which is extremely low in microphonics
- Switchable loading from 5 to 390 ohms with 5 ohm incremental adjustability and a remote control allowing refined adjustments
Product Considerations
- Best suited for pairing with the finest cartridges for optimal vinyl reproduction
- It is important to consider cartridge pairings to achieve the desired sound
Takeaway: The Nagra HD PHONO provides an audio experience of enchanting clarity because of its exceptional design and construction. It's a great choice for people who really love listening to music on vinyl.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Nagra Audio, a Swiss brand with roots in professional recording and film (including two Oscars for soundtracks), brings watchmaking-level precision to their hifi equipment through extensive in-house manufacturing of components like transformers. Their HD Preamp and Classic DAC showcase unique technologies, including virtual battery power supplies and PCM-to-DSD conversion, while their commitment to quality is demonstrated by rejecting over half of their tested valves to maintain exceptional standards.
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CH Precision
P10
80500
/
Released
2023
The latest introduction to our flagship 10 Series, the P10 phono-stage joins the benchmark L10 and M10 amplifiers, products that have quickly establishhed themselves as an almost universal reference. They followed in the footsteps of our original P1 phono-stage, a unit that has also long been recognised as THE benchmark for phono performance, by reviewers and end-users alike.
CH Precision is known for its modular design philosophy that lets customers tailor and upgrade their units over time without replacing the entire component, with sophisticated controls accessible via tablet from the listening position. Their amplifiers offer five different operating modes (stereo, bridge, passive and active bi-amplification, and monaural) and allow users to adjust specific audio parameters like global feedback ratio and input gain settings for optimal speaker matching.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Dual monaural twin-chassis design
- Offers both MC current-sensing and MM/MC voltage-sensing inputs for versatile cartridge compatibility
- Provides gain adjustment, input impedance selection, and selectable EQ curves for precise sound adjustment
- Incredibly low noise (less than -144/142 dBu) and low THD+N (less than 0.001%)
- Delivers crystal clear, airy, and incredibly detailed performance with excellent stage construction and holographic sound
Product Considerations
- Maximum power consumption from the outlet is 400W
- External power supply weighs 23 kg, while the preamplifier itself weighs 20 kg, making it a heavy setup
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to R2R-system based on master tapes playback, it brings the sound of a high-quality vinyl path closer
Takeaway: The CH Precision P10 is an extraordinary phono preamplifier that unlocks incredible dynamics and detail from vinyl records. Its advanced features and exceptional performance make it a top-tier choice for serious audiophiles.
Video review
Our take on the brand
CH Precision is known for its modular design philosophy that lets customers tailor and upgrade their units over time without replacing the entire component, with sophisticated controls accessible via tablet from the listening position. Their amplifiers offer five different operating modes (stereo, bridge, passive and active bi-amplification, and monaural) and allow users to adjust specific audio parameters like global feedback ratio and input gain settings for optimal speaker matching.
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