The NuForce Icon is an all-in-one desktop amplifier for speakers and headphones. It's a miniature integrated amplifier with a USB DAC and a built-in headphone amp. Icon isn't your typical amp for PCs. The audiophile-grade Icon is a 12-watt Integrated Desktop Audio Amplifier featuring two outputs, a 3.5-mm stereo input for connection to an iPod or other portable device, a USB input for operation with a PC or Mac, and standard RCA inputs. It gives you lots of flexibility and has incredibly capable. "The Icon is a 'Now I get it' product for people who think good-sounding audio is expensive and silly... I think I now know why the Icon has a capital I and the other iPod-inspired products don't: It deserves it," says Wes Phillips in Stereophile magazine. For the headphone enthusiast, the Icon also offers a high-performance headphone output. Of particular interest to the computer user, the Icon's line-out functions as a PC or Mac USB-to-analog audio converter or can also be used as a connection to a subwoofer. With the same patented technology that has won a string of prestigious awards, the tiny Icon brings NuForce¡'s celebrated sound quality to the music lover's desktop. As the core of a desktop audio system, the Icon connects to an Ipod, CD player, PC or Mac. To fully utilize the Icon's sonic capabilities, we recommend high-quality monitor speakers with a sensitivity of 87 dB or higher. Via the best, jitter-free USB technology, the Icon operates as a USB DAC for converting a PC or Mac's audio signal to high-quality analog sound. For optimal headphone performance, the Icon includes a discrete, high-performance headphone amplifier. For operation as an audiophile-grade preamplifier, the Icon's linestage can be connected to a power amp or active speakers. As a high-quality auxiliary power amp in a surround-sound setup, the Icon can be used to drive tweeters or rear-channel speakers.

Desktop power amplifier for PCs

Built-in USB DAC

Dedicated headphone stage

Inputs: RCA, USB (USB 1.1, 2.0 compatible), 3.5mm Stereo

DAC: USB 1.1, 2.0 compatible. USB native bit rate: 32-48kHz, 16-bit