My thoughts on the Ncore
I have had the Ncores up and running for a couple of weeks now and I am blown away! I do acknowledge the fact that my previous amplifier might not be of comparable quality, but still the Ncores are miles ahead (and about $1000 cheaper as well).
The resolution and placement of instruments/sounds is top notch, tight and controlled bass. The level of detail is like nothing I have heard before. “Relaxed” sound with plenty dynamics, never runs out of steam. The match with my Kora Eclipse tube-pre is perfect in my ears (had to reduce the gain though).
Loving them and possibly the most evident upgrade I have done in my system in years. It’s a keeper and I think that this might be my last and final amplifier (until it dies sometime in the future)
System: Nas > MacMini > Benchmark Dac1 > Kora eclipse Tube-pre > Ncores > Energy Veritas 1.8
I have had the Ncores up and running for a couple of weeks now and I am blown away! I do acknowledge the fact that my previous amplifier might not be of comparable quality, but still the Ncores are miles ahead (and about $1000 cheaper as well).
The resolution and placement of instruments/sounds is top notch, tight and controlled bass. The level of detail is like nothing I have heard before. “Relaxed” sound with plenty dynamics, never runs out of steam. The match with my Kora Eclipse tube-pre is perfect in my ears (had to reduce the gain though).
Loving them and possibly the most evident upgrade I have done in my system in years. It’s a keeper and I think that this might be my last and final amplifier (until it dies sometime in the future)
System: Nas > MacMini > Benchmark Dac1 > Kora eclipse Tube-pre > Ncores > Energy Veritas 1.8
Did that, and everything looked fine on the underside. Had another look at the topside, and seems one of the solder pads fro R141 has shifted - so probably damage to the tracks in the inside layers of the PCB. Might be possible to bridge over the damage if I had the circuit diagram, but...
Sounds like I'd better join the queue for a new one from the next batch...
Julf,
If it is just 1 solder pad of a SMD resistor, you should be fine. Just means the copper has lifted of the glassfiber layer, can happen when to much heat / mechanical pressure is applied (happened to me to much at work before I used a microscoop). Just make sure it doesn't touch anything else on the board.
If it is just 1 solder pad of a SMD resistor, you should be fine. Just means the copper has lifted of the glassfiber layer, can happen when to much heat / mechanical pressure is applied (happened to me to much at work before I used a microscoop). Just make sure it doesn't touch anything else on the board.
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That's the problem - everything else looks OK. Can't find anything else wrong. It just doesn't work
Did you have a look with a microscoop? I use a stereo scoop with 10X magnification, with this I am able to see the tiny solder briges that are sometimes left behind when removing smd components, with the naked eye these are very hard to spot. Sometimes it also helps to use a hot air desoldering iron to "reflow" the solder joints.
I got an LC Audio The End Xp ,that one got " slower " with bigger capacity. I think it had something to do with the toplologi. It was a non feedback amp. I hate Non fedback amps from now on.
Well, as the input stage only draws 40 mA, it would be really easy to use a couple of zener diodes to stabilize that voltage - allowing you to go back to full power on the main supply.
No, didn't use a microscope, but a 8x magnifying glass - pretty sure there are no solder bridges.
Then the only thing I can think of is the "reflow" methode (with a hot air desoldering gun and some flux)..
I don't get what's happening (= I forgot
), is the danger that he would exceed the voltage limits for his input stage, so he has dropped his rail voltage to provide it directly? Zeners with a cap bypass would surely work, but I understand Erlend wanting to find the cleanest possible source. He could use a IC regulator or precision voltage source...if there were room for that...But if the voltage simply feeds regulators like the HxRs, which have an incredibly high PSRR, your zener/cap suggestion would be as clean as anybody could want. Also wondering about your resistor woes...obviously you measured for shorts and opens both within and near the resistor afterwards. I've had stray fibers of copper do a job on a circuit, then disappear with a good shake or compressed air. Do you think a semiconductor was blown from the incident? When I see a total collapse with no visible damage, that's what I suspect next.
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