Don't overthink this.
The NCx500, Nilai, 1ET400 and probably (while waiting for independent measurements) the 1ET6525SA are all equally great amps.
I expect even the NC122MP/NC252MP will absolutely fit the bill for you if it falls within your power requirements (having heard the latter paired with a Wiim Pro Plus and ELAC DBR62).
I suggest you make your decision based on module characteristics (e.g. required power, idle consumption, heat, ..), integrator's features (trigger, auto on/off, gain, clipping leds, VU-meters, ... ), esthetics (looks, size, ..) and potentially a deal (Black Friday is around the corner). And when all is said and done: follow your gut to keep yourself from second guessing your decision while you should just be enjoying your music. If you can't decide (and even though I'm principally against such practices for the benefit of the outfits and the environment) order both and keep the one you bond with.
For me it was the LPA-S400ET, as I liked the formfactor, I didn't need the power of the NCx500, I couldn't justify the premium for Nilai, I liked the prospect of running cooler, found a great deal and - more importantly - the Purifi felt ( :\P ) right (ironically, the Purifi was released right around the time I landed on ASR and found the "objectivist path", and has kept an attraction that I postponed for years before I finally scratched the itch about 15 months ago). No regrets to date and listening to it as I write this post (coincidentally like the previous poster on GoldenEars, however the Triton 5, with an ADI-2/4 Pro SE as source and the buffer bypassed), I don't feel the slightest itch for the 1ET6525SA. Probably different speakers, if anything.
Last edited:
