Hypex Ncore

[cOz]

I finalized my layout today. Here are the basics:

• L 10” X W9” X H3.47”
• Bulgin Push Button front Switch
• Light pipe centered on front
• 2 Neutrik inputs
• 1 Set of Speakons
• 1 Set of Propeller Binding posts
• 1 IEC with integrated switch/fuse/filter
• No Logo
• Flexible amp module layout. 1 amp module can be mounted in 3 locations
• Natural Anodized Finish

The size of the first run is 10 units. I will announce pricing soon and expected delivery is 4-8 weeks.

Thanks for everyone’s input and help,
Robert

 

[mr_push_pull]

in my experience, there's no such thing as thumb rules for speaker positioning.
but as you said, this is very off-topic...

 

[TheShaman]

Then stick´em om a plate on the back of the speakers and forget about expensive refined mono block enclosures. It would be a sin to stuff such nice aluminum cases inside the speaker

That would be an option but my speakers are not DIY and I'm not comfortable messing them up..
For now I'll have to settle for the next best thing.

Next to the speaker or behind it doesn't make much of a difference (5cm of extra speaker cable perhaps). And in any case it still has to look good, just as the rear side of our DIY components look good even though no one sees them.

 

[back]

That would be an option but my speakers are not DIY and I'm not comfortable messing them up..
For now I'll have to settle for the next best thing.

Next to the speaker or behind it doesn't make much of a difference (5cm of extra speaker cable perhaps). And in any case it still has to look good, just as the rear side of our DIY components look good even though no one sees them.

you could build new speakers?

 

[Juhleren]

That would be an option but my speakers are not DIY and I'm not comfortable messing them up..
For now I'll have to settle for the next best thing.

Next to the speaker or behind it doesn't make much of a difference (5cm of extra speaker cable perhaps). And in any case it still has to look good, just as the rear side of our DIY components look good even though no one sees them.

TheShaman, I see your point. No need to violate a perfectly working not DIY speaker

Regarding the extra 5cm cable I too don´t think that you have much to fear. 5m on the other hand probably would make quite a difference, but not necessarily to the worse ;-) - at least IMHO and experience...

 

[reo]

Deciding if the NC 400 is overkill ,but i wish not , so here is my humble question for someone who has more knowledge than i.
I'm driving 2, 16 Ohms 25W RMS max Widebanders.,
The NC core can drive 400W into 4 Ohms, 200w into 8 ohms ,
therefore the NC 400 would deliver 100W at 16 ohms ? .
regards
rol

 

[Juhleren]

reo, yes expect 100W RMS 16ohm. And yes headroom IS nice. If the speakers are resolving they will benefit greatly from a good amp. That you at the same time get more power than you need is much better than the opposite which some "in here" with power hungry speakers fear.

 

[CaféNoir]

Higher cost (2 mono's) = fewer buyers

I sense "lukewarm" interest, and small numbers = ...
Very curious to see if we can make this work.

Cheers,

Richard

Not lukewarm as far as I am concerned. I think your case looks fantastic, and if your manage to do it for a cost close to your estimation, I truly believe it would be a tremendous achievement. I'm not sure everybody realizes that a case milled from a solid block of aluminum like that is what make some high-end equipment worth the price of a little ferrari.

Many DIYers have lost their lives impaled with flying drill bits trying to achieve something looking half that good.
come on!
If it happens, count me in.

 

[ackcheng]

Richard,

May be you can make it more generic, so others can fit in ucd or even other class A/b modules in your chassis. This will increase your sales number. But in that case, it is better not to engrave ncore on the front!

 

[TheShaman]

you could build new speakers?

I will - as soon as I move to a bigger place and Hypex release their HiEnd DSP!
Hence the search for a modular case design for my Ncores!

I do know a few ppl who would wish to have as nice a loudspeaker as my ATCs so I won't have trouble selling them for a good price.
But I'm sticking with ATC drivers, that's for sure!

 

[Julf]

Stand by

Sorry to interrupt the discussion about the case, but as I am looking at the permanent installation for my box, I wonder about the stand-by functions of the nc400 and smps600, respectively. The nc400 has a "nAMPON" input that needs to be pulled down to activate the amp, while the smps600 has a "SMPS Standby" input that needs to be pulled up to put the SMPS in standby.

So first question is if both are actually needed, or if it is enough to permanently connect the nc400 nAMPON low, and let the SMPS do the switching on/standby/off. This assumes the nc400 soft start circuitry does soft start and shutoff without blowing my speakers...

If both are needed, is the nc400 weak pull-up of nAMPON enough to drive the SMPS Standby, so that I could simply switch both down to ground to turn everything on? Uh, I guess I just realized my error in my thinking - with the SMPS in standby, there probably won't be a pull-up voltage present on the nc400....

 

[Bruno Putzeys]

Just tie the nampon line down. It's only there for in case you want to have a mute control.

The smps standby is also optional. If you leave it open it starts normally. You can only use this pin meaningfully if you have some sort of standby supply on board.

 

[Julf]

The smps standby is also optional. If you leave it open it starts normally. You can only use this pin meaningfully if you have some sort of standby supply on board.

Thanks, Bruno!

I am planning to use the smps standby, as I want to control both power amp boxes (placed next to the speakers) from a central control/preamp/active crossover box (so the preamp will provide a +12V switch signal). Do you see any issues with running the control signal in the same multi-conductor audio signal cable as the (balanced) input signals for the amps, as I would like to have just one cable from the control/pre box to the power amps (carrying 4 pairs - woofer, mid and treble audio signal + standby control signal), and the cable will be something like 6 m long?

 

[Bruno Putzeys]

The balance in the cable is seriously disturbed if you run extra conductors within the same shield. The cross section of a balanced cable should be symmetrical about the centre. Otherwise much of the interference rejection ability is lost (the term for this problem is SCIN, shield-current induced noise). So you'll have to get one of those multipaired "snake" type cables.

Otherwise, using the standby pin as a kind of trigger signal is fine.

 

[Julf]

So you'll have to get one of those multipaired "snake" type cables.

Well, that was my current thinking, so individually shielded pairs inside a common outer sheathing and shielding (I guess it is technically "screened shielded twisted pair"). My only concern is that audio snake cables might be less than perfect twisted pairs (as compared to something like UDP/CAT5 data cables).

My concern with the standby control signal was that it might be carrying high frequency noise that would not coexist well with the signal leads in the same cable.

 

[matjans]

pro audio uses just that quite often. multi stranded balanced cable in one jacket. You could, depending on the number of channels required, use one channel as the stdby pullup.

https://www.helios-online.nl/shop/product/24-71/gac_4_pair

I know a certain contributer to this thread has created his own version for recabling a dutch studio
(not the one in the link, btw, couldn't find the multistrand version online easily)

 

[back]

I will - as soon as I move to a bigger place and Hypex release their HiEnd DSP!
Hence the search for a modular case design for my Ncores!

I do know a few ppl who would wish to have as nice a loudspeaker as my ATCs so I won't have trouble selling them for a good price.
But I'm sticking with ATC drivers, that's for sure!

sure i would use a pair of ATC mids to my next project but only
mids

 

[Julf]

Thanks, Matjans,

I am aware of the use of multi-strand balanced cable in pro audio (and have used a fair bit of it myself back in the days of analog dinosaurs), but I am concerned that the "pro" audio cables don t really focus as much on making the twisted pairs really symmetric and properly twisted (I know data transmission cables not only try to make sure the twists are well formed, but also use different twist pitch in different pairs to minimize crosstalk).

The analog cable I was looking at was the Van Damme one,

Welcome to VDC

but I might try CAT7 shielded data cable for comparision. Heck, an 8-pin ethernet connector might actually be a good plug for it

 

[matjans]

I am concerned that the "pro" audio cables don t really focus as much on making the twisted pairs really symmetric and properly twisted

TPR 16 Multikabel A bit expoensive though, and I doubt you'll need 16 channels.

 

[Julf]

TPR 16 Multikabel

Duh! Ah, of course...

Yes, 16 cables is double the number I need - and I am concerned that it looks pretty thick and stiff - no problem when making a studio installation, but I am sure my wife wouldn't be too thrilled to have it running around the floor in our living room...