Icepower Vs Hypex digital amplifiers. Which is best?

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Sam Lord

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Joined 2007
I own a pair of Bel Canto S300s, never heard any UcD amps. I really am impressed with these BCs, but it's critical that they use the balanced ins and decent cable (not saying fancy). Their unbalanced ins seem MUCH less dynamic and somewhat less detailed than the balanced. I also think the BC Pre3 to be outstanding. The designer of BC has stated that he does slightly modify the IcePower modules, using some changes to the new OnSemi MJL (4381 for NPN?) output devices which have an auto-biasing feature.

I urge posters to state how they are connecting their amps. FWIW I expect great things from Hypex, having read so much of the design issues and spoken to principals. Thanks all.
 
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cirrus18

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Joined 2008
Sam Lord said:
, but it's critical that they use the balanced ins and decent cable (not saying fancy). Their unbalanced ins seem MUCH less dynamic and somewhat less detailed than the balanced.
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I have just ordered two UcD180HG and a SMPS 180 powersupply which should be delivered to me next week.

It seems to be recommended that one uses a balanced input to connect to the preamp. Mine has only got a normal RCA phono plug output.

As a don't really understand too much about these things, I have a couple of questions perhaps someone would kindly answer.

Does the preamp have to have a balanced output already designed into it or can the RCA output be modified in someway? Please explain how, And what's the advantage of a balanced input anyway?. Would I notice any difference?

With the SMPS 180 powersupply there is some talk on this forum about adding extra capacitors, is this really necessary? As I would have thought that Hypex would have done everything necessary and that adding extra capacitors would just be overkill.
If some reason there is an advantage in having extra capacitors, what sort of values would one suggest, without breaking the bank?, and would it be an advantage to have audio quality ones?
 
bwaslo

bwaslo

Member
Joined 2006
libinst.com
You may want to check the link " Unbalanced to balanced cable. How to drive your UcD modules with an unbalanced source."
at
http://www.hypex.nl/ . A pretty good writeup there for how to do it if you don't have balanced available and don't want to build a converter.

Will one of the SMPS180 units power two of the UCD180 modules well? I couldn't quite figure it from what I saw on the website. I'm looking toward making a similar setup.
 
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cirrus18

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Joined 2008
cirrus18 said:

With the SMPS 180 powersupply there is some talk on this forum about adding extra capacitors, is this really necessary? As I would have thought that Hypex would have done everything necessary and that adding extra capacitors would just be overkill.
If some reason there is an advantage in having extra capacitors, what sort of values would one suggest, without breaking the bank?, and would it be an advantage to have audio quality ones?
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bwaslo said:


Will one of the SMPS180 units power two of the UCD180 modules well? I couldn't quite figure it from what I saw on the website. I'm looking toward making a similar setup.
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Perhaps Jan Peter would be kind enough to answer these two questions.
 
BWRX

BWRX

Ex-Moderator
Joined 2005
classdphile said:
Properly implemented the HG variant however easily humbles the very best amps of any particular class. With very little effort it's pretty close to flawless.
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To make a statement like this means that you must have heard "the very best amps of any particular class", right? Care to enlighten us as to what those amps would be and why you think they were so easily humbled?


classdphile said:
Advising one to listen to them both yourself is a cop out at best, realistically not many can, that's why they take stereophile's word for it, or "all my friends".
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Granted it is often not often possible to obtain both to compare but it really is the best way to find out which you prefer.


classdphile said:
It's beyond my understanding how you'd assert disappointment is unlikely regardless of the choice made, as if to say they're all of equal caliber, to even assume his expectations, or ability to learn how to implement one properly.
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It's beyond your understanding because you are so heavily biased towards Hypex that you can't fathom how anything else could even come close to sounding good.
 
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cirrus18

Member
Joined 2008
bwaslo said:

Will one of the SMPS180 units power two of the UCD180 modules well? I couldn't quite figure it from what I saw on the website. I'm looking toward making a similar setup.
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I e-mailed a couple of questions to Hypex and got this reply which may help to answer some queries people might have.


> I'm never going to want 180 Watts from each amplifier so perhaps it would be adequate. Please let me know if this is so.
Since the RMS value of music is generally about 1/8th of max. power the SMPS will be perfectly capable to drive two UcD180HG's at a deafening volume.

> I have read on the forum that it might be advisable to add extra capacitance for better sonic reproduction.
I wouldn't change things on the SMPS180.

> If I do connected it to 2 power amplifiers is there some special way to run the power to the two models or should I just parallel the powersupply output up?
Nothing special indeed. Just wire the two amps to the SMPS in the most convenient way. If possible twist each set of cables.

Indeed I have to admit that we still have no proper wiring diagram for the SMPS180. I drew you a sketch (attached). This diagram provides in an automatic on/off and a DC-protection for each channel. If there's any question left don't hesitate to contact me.


Best regards,


Jorrit Mozes
Hypex Electronics B.V.
 
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Sam Lord

Member
Joined 2007
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cirrus18

Member
Joined 2008
DcibeL said:
What's hard to understand about that?
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There is certainly nothing in the wiring diagram which is hard to understand, but if you are referring to the questions I asked about wiring the powersupply up, they can't be answered by the just looking at this diagram.

But you answered them very nicely for me.

See the questions I asked below:

Pin 1, SMPS Standby.
Pin 2, Amplifier Standby.
How these two pins connected? Presumably by a switch but from where to where.
I also want to wire up a couple of LEDs to show me when the power is on and when it is on standby. Info how to do this would be appreciated.
Lastly, on the power supply there is a blue potentiometer which I'm frightened to touch because don't know what it does. Is it to adjust the output voltage or what?
Your help here would be most appreciated. Many thanks.
 
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cirrus18

Member
Joined 2008
cirrus18 said:



Now 46KB. See if this works.
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A don't know other people have had the same problem as I have had.
I found that I couldn't add file attachments here when using Firefox, but it works okay if I use Internet Explorer.

I hate using Internet Explorer as it is so slow by comparison to Firefox.

It would be nice is someone who runs the forum notices this problem and could perhaps do a modification to correct it.
 
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