UCD180 questions

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4 channel UcD180 "ProAudio-style" amp

Hi,
I like the PS of Stef very much. It looks much more professional than mine, although having a very similar schematic, i believe at least. And his setup is much nicer too.
As another example you might be interested to have look at my setup:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

More pictures, especially showing the "modular" supplies, are here:.
And yes, I "forgot" the caps across the MBR10100 in this version too. The supply is completely quiet. The simplest way is the best in this case.

Jan-Peter and Bruno,
is this not an idea for the next supply module generation? I would buy them, if they would include a full bridge per cap/rail and use Schottkies instead of a normal SIP module. I need 8 modules for my active speaker setup (in progress) including dipole subwoofer. The type of mounting directly to the UcDs is "sexy". ;)
The reason for using one full bridge per rail is to be seen here:
Best regards, Timo
 
rabstg said:
Stereophile page 119(?) shows the inside of the D-100.


This link shows the inside of its bigger brother, de D-200.

Got these answers to my query about the inner workings of the D-200:

The D-200's use 20,000uF (each channel) bypassed with .47uF's on the power
supply board and are paralleled with another pair of low ESR 470uF at the
output devices.
The transformer VA rating is 300VA (per channel)
Yes, is it a modified UcD design.
 
Bruno or JP

UCD 180AD

I have five of the above modules.

Purchase 4 previously, they are marked UCD 180 Rev 2.0, serial # 0466 (just one as example). All four are identical.

I just received one additional module and it looks a bit different from the above 4 modules. Serial # 0517/0155B398

I havent used any of the modules yet. I want to make five monoblock amps for my HT system.

When looking from the top of the new module, there are now two pairs of full size resistors. C 35 & 36 are BC rather than Yageo. The two 470uf caps are different shorter, brown color. On the green vertical card, on the left of the module, there also is like a larger cap protruding out. Output cap .68uf is now turned 90 degrees. Bottom side, naturally, also has differences.

My questions are:

1. What are the changes made to the newest module?

2. Does this new module sound better?

3. Am I going to have a problem getting 5 monoblock amps to sound alike?

4. Any chance to exchange 4 older modules for 4 new modules?


Thanks
 
Minimum ohms ?

I’ve 90% built a speaker (SL's Phoenix) with two woofers in parallel, which means the amplifier has to drive an impedance that drops as low as 2.5 ohm at 90-100 Hz, and increases to a peak of 25 ohm at the 17 Hz resonance in the cabinet.

What is the minimum ohms of the UcD 180 (or 400)?
Can either of the UcDs handle that?

Thanks

Richard
 
Re: Minimum ohms ?

rick57 said:
I’ve 90% built a speaker (SL's Phoenix) with two woofers in parallel, which means the amplifier has to drive an impedance that drops as low as 2.5 ohm at 90-100 Hz, and increases to a peak of 25 ohm at the 17 Hz resonance in the cabinet.

What is the minimum ohms of the UcD 180 (or 400)?
Can either of the UcDs handle that?

Thanks

Richard


Hi Richard,

Probably the UcD180 can handle it but I would spent a few more bucks and use the UcD400 standard version to power the woofers. In fact I'm doing almost the same thing, I have two 8 Ohm woofers (Visaton TIW 200XLS) in parallel in a dipole woofer powered by an UcD400, they can handle that very nicely. Very tight very well controlled bass, the bass as I like it, I do not like booming bass as you can easily get with closed or basreflex speakers, especially in a small room. I would prefer the UcD400 for this kind of high power low impedance application as it would have more reserves than the UcD180 (at least, that is my reasoning), such as a bigger filter coil, a few dB more power etc. In fact I want to go one step further and power each woofer with its own amp or use two amps in bridge, I have the amps at home but have not yet build up a bridged or single amp per woofer configuration. In mid and high I now use UcD180 and the all UcD system sounds great, very clean, very fast, very well controlled. Going to use UcD400 for all amps (also mid and high).

Best regards

Gertjan
 
Stevenacnj said:
Bruno or JP

UCD 180AD

I have five of the above modules.

Purchase 4 previously, they are marked UCD 180 Rev 2.0, serial # 0466 (just one as example). All four are identical.

I just received one additional module and it looks a bit different from the above 4 modules. Serial # 0517/0155B398

I havent used any of the modules yet. I want to make five monoblock amps for my HT system.

When looking from the top of the new module, there are now two pairs of full size resistors. C 35 & 36 are BC rather than Yageo. The two 470uf caps are different shorter, brown color. On the green vertical card, on the left of the module, there also is like a larger cap protruding out. Output cap .68uf is now turned 90 degrees. Bottom side, naturally, also has differences.

My questions are:

1. What are the changes made to the newest module?

2. Does this new module sound better?

3. Am I going to have a problem getting 5 monoblock amps to sound alike?

4. Any chance to exchange 4 older modules for 4 new modules?


Thanks


Bump
 
There are no sonically difference between all versions of the UcD modules.

All modules doesn´t have a real minimum impedance. During test we always test the modules with a 1 ohm dummy load. The THD must be below 0.05%.

You can save use the modules with a very low load, when the load is very low you have to check the temperature of the UcD amplifier. This will be the real limitation.


Regards,

Jan-Peter
 
Jennice said:



...and that would be ??? (except for the price tag) ;)

Jennice

He was posting to correct himself. Previously he stated there was no _sonic_ difference between modules, he meant from say the ucd180 to ucd400, though personally I'm sceptical of that, there must be _some_ small difference, c'mon, admit it :)

Anyway Jennice, the reason for the difference in cost for the upgraded version is obvious, go look up what an AD8620 would cost you from digikey as compared to an opa134. He's obviously not just stamping an upgraded mark so he can raise the price of the module. You're just getting what you're paying for.

So your question now should be, what am I paying for in the AD8620 that I _don't_ get with an OPA134, and the answer of course lies within their respective data sheets, specifically, on the THD Vs Frequency curves, one is a little more in tune with the nature of the amplifier, so you can now decide if that's worth it to you. It would be for me.

Regards,
Chris
 
Jan-Peter said:
During test we always test the modules with a 1 ohm dummy load. The THD must be below 0.05%.

You can save use the modules with a very low load, when the load is very low you have to check the temperature of the UcD amplifier. This will be the real limitation.

I have a stack of 24V transformers at home doing nothing (for the time being). somehow I think they're trying to whisper in my ear that they want to be mated with UcD180's.

This brings me to my question: If I should find need for it, can two UcD180 modules be used in bridge, provided that the heat sink is sufficient?

Jennice
 
Stevenacnj said:
Bruno or JP

UCD 180AD

I have five of the above modules.

Purchase 4 previously, they are marked UCD 180 Rev 2.0, serial # 0466 (just one as example). All four are identical.

I just received one additional module and it looks a bit different from the above 4 modules. Serial # 0517/0155B398

I havent used any of the modules yet. I want to make five monoblock amps for my HT system.

When looking from the top of the new module, there are now two pairs of full size resistors. C 35 & 36 are BC rather than Yageo. The two 470uf caps are different shorter, brown color. On the green vertical card, on the left of the module, there also is like a larger cap protruding out. Output cap .68uf is now turned 90 degrees. Bottom side, naturally, also has differences.

My questions are:

1. What are the changes made to the newest module?

2. Does this new module sound better?

3. Am I going to have a problem getting 5 monoblock amps to sound alike?

4. Any chance to exchange 4 older modules for 4 new modules?


Thanks

JP

What kind of crap answer was this:

"There are no sonically difference between all versions of the UcD modules"

How about addressing the questions I posted? What reason to change the modules, if it doesnt make them sound better?
 
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