Hypex Ncore

[Julf]

My solution has always been to do the same as old tube amps : one power switch (high current DPDT, generally located at the back of the amp) and one standby/led switch (low current DPDT at the front).

Yes, that is my preferred configuration too.

 

[ro9397]

How suitable or unsuitable is the following mains switch, 115V/230V for SMPS1200A400 powering two NC400?

Purchased at auto parts store: "20A/12V...240W" back of package reads: "This part has a low voltage capacity; use only in circuits of 20A and 12V or less"

 

[troystg]

How suitable or unsuitable is the following mains switch, 115V/230V for SMPS1200A400 powering two NC400?

Purchased at auto parts store: "20A/12V...240W" back of package reads: "This part has a low voltage capacity; use only in circuits of 20A and 12V or less"

Not at all for the mains... But can be used on a relay / soft start....

 

[Julf]

back of package reads: "This part has a low voltage capacity; use only in circuits of 20A and 12V or less"

I think I would follow that advice...

 

[wyan]

I am trying to install a "standby" swtich for my nc400. A few questions here:

1) Will battery works? I use a 9V battery to apply voltage to the pins and it works. However, will a battery last long? I suppose the drain on a battery (when the amp is standby and voltage applied) is significant. I really hate having to change batteries very often but then battery with a nice little case is very neat.

2) If battery is not an option, will regular AC-DC adapter (like those used for charging our cell phones) work? They are very cheap and easy to come by. And I guess I can find a neat one too.

Any advice? Thanks a lot.

 

[Julf]

1) Will battery works? I use a 9V battery to apply voltage to the pins and it works. However, will a battery last long? I suppose the drain on a battery (when the amp is standby and voltage applied) is significant. I really hate having to change batteries very often but then battery with a nice little case is very neat.

Haven't actually measured it, but I don't think the drain is very significant - it is a high-impedance input.

2) If battery is not an option, will regular AC-DC adapter (like those used for charging our cell phones) work?

Yes, pretty much any DC adapter with a suitable voltage will work.

 

[wyan]

Julf,

Thanks a lot. That is fast.

Both options are very cheap here. A few US$ equivalent will be enough to buy those stuffs.


WYAN

Haven't actually measured it, but I don't think the drain is very significant - it is a high-impedance input.



Yes, pretty much any DC adapter with a suitable voltage will work.

 

[wyan]

Hi,

Another quick question here. Since nc1200 is not available to DIYers, is bridging two nc400 close to a nc1200 performance-wise? Thanks.


WYAN

 

[Julf]

In terms of output power, yes, but the nc1200 can drive 38A of current, while the nc400 only does 24A (even bridged).

 

[ChrisPa]

And the output impedance doubles when you bridge

 

[OllBoll]

Also, if 400 watts is not enough 1200 will only give you about 4-5 dB more which is not much. I'd guess that most drivers perform pretty poorly at that much power. Unless it is a sub and there the UCD is as good as the NCore anyway so just get one of them instead.

 

[wyan]

Thank you all for the inputs. My nc400 monoblocks are up and running. They sound great.

 

[Studio Au]

I'm looking to get a few more Hypex Amp modules to add to my DLCP to make use of all 6 channels (currently only using two UcD180Hg HRX)

Do you think for sub/woofer, XO somewhere between 150Hz the UcD 400's would be perfectly adequate? Or should I just save up and stump for the nCores?

 

[OllBoll]

I'm looking to get a few more Hypex Amp modules to add to my DLCP to make use of all 6 channels (currently only using two UcD180Hg HRX)

Do you think for sub/woofer, XO somewhere between 150Hz the UcD 400's would be perfectly adequate? Or should I just save up and stump for the nCores?

Bruno commented a while back in this thread that the advantage of the NCore over the UcD is in the midrange and upwards. So unless you want to burn a hole in your wallet it would make most sense to use UcDs for both of those drivers and then use an NCore over 400 hz.

I'm just so sad they don't have a current source NCore, if you can get a hold of a current source amp for over 400 hz then you would likely have a better performing amp than the NCore.

 

[Julf]

if you can get a hold of a current source amp for over 400 hz then you would likely have a better performing amp than the NCore.

Wouldn't that be very much speaker-dependent?

 

[OllBoll]

Wouldn't that be very much speaker-dependent?

Yes, but if he crosses actively at 400 I assume that he will use drivers far above fs where current sources shine. He does have a dlcp so correcting response wouldn't be a problem.

 

[ChrisPa]

Search this thread for 'ucd bass' and 'ucd400 bass'

StigEric in particular prefers the ncore in the bass.

Of course, YMMV

 

[Julf]

Yes, but if he crosses actively at 400 I assume that he will use drivers far above fs where current sources shine. He does have a dlcp so correcting response wouldn't be a problem.

But why would a current source be better than a nc400 with a speaker with a "normal" speaker that is designed for a voltage source (as opposed to a speaker specifically designed for a current source / transconductance amp)?

 

[Studio Au]

I think my upgrade path will be:

UcD400's for Bass.
UcD180's for Midrange,

Then I can add a pair of nCores at a later date to evaluate and drive full range development speakers. If they are substantially better for bass too then then other amps modules can be sold and replaced!

 

[OllBoll]

But why would a current source be better than a nc400 with a speaker with a "normal" speaker that is designed for a voltage source (as opposed to a speaker specifically designed for a current source / transconductance amp)?

Even my voltage source designed crosses speaker performs better with current source than voltage source above fs. Parallel crossovers are not too bad either as they reduce output impedance down low for the tweeter too so the only problem is that response changes which DSP can fix.

And unless the drivers have mad amounts of copper in the motor like the AE ones for example driving them with a voltage source adds a lot of distortion making the low distortion of the NCore pretty useless and on my opinion a money drain. In that case the money would be better spent on a better speaker.