UCD180 questions

[Jan-Peter]

Hi Gertjan,

Thanks for all your nice words. Indeed we will have to improve the text for the ON input. For us this is clear, but for the customers it must also be clear.

Glad you like the sound of the UcD so far. One of the nice aspect of the NE5532 is the noise level, this is indeed quit low. Ofcourse there are better op amps but for the price it is a very good performer. It is not a problem to use a more costly device, but I like to keep the price resonably. Perhaps in future we will have different options for the input op amp.

To compare different amplifiers it is better to keep it passive, a more way active setup is far more complexer. It is now only switching between the different amplifiers. Indeed in your active setup you will have a higher definition. But when you hear now difference this will be even bigger in the higher definition setup


A small suggestion;
When you make a more way active loudspeaker setup I would strongly advise you to use always the same amplifier for every channel. You inform us to use the ZAPpulse in your active setup for the bassloudspeaker.
But in your reply you tell us "seems also to have faster better controlled bass". In this case I would also use the UcD180 for the bass......

Wait for more sound tests

Best regards,

Jan-Peter

www.hypex.nl

[rha61]

Hi

In their last gear ( C46 preamp , MDA1000 DAC ) , MCIntosh uses systematically Philips NE5532

NE5532 has not only good noise performance , it has a very good distorsion spectrum too

http://fnt-www.ss.titech.ac.jp/~haji...rtion/opa.html

Alain

[ghemink]

Originally posted by Jan-Peter
Hi Gertjan,

Thanks for all your nice words. Indeed we will have to improve the text for the ON input. For us this is clear, but for the customers it must also be clear.

Glad you like the sound of the UcD so far. One of the nice aspect of the NE5532 is the noise level, this is indeed quit low. Ofcourse there are better op amps but for the price it is a very good performer. It is not a problem to use a more costly device, but I like to keep the price resonably. Perhaps in future we will have different options for the input op amp.

To compare different amplifiers it is better to keep it passive, a more way active setup is far more complexer. It is now only switching between the different amplifiers. Indeed in your active setup you will have a higher definition. But when you hear now difference this will be even bigger in the higher definition setup


A small suggestion;
When you make a more way active loudspeaker setup I would strongly advise you to use always the same amplifier for every channel. You inform us to use the ZAPpulse in your active setup for the bassloudspeaker.
But in your reply you tell us "seems also to have faster better controlled bass". In this case I would also use the UcD180 for the bass......

Wait for more sound tests

Best regards,

Jan-Peter

www.hypex.nl

I know it is tought to test with different amps in an active system. What I think is the best way is to listen for a week or so to a few CDs with a certain setup. Then switch to another setup and listen again for some time to the same CDs. Switching back and forth in one listening session is a disaster with so many amps. I think it is better to get used to the sound of one setup for sometime and then switch to another setup.

About my woofers, these are dipole woofers running below 120Hz. So I think the differences between ZAppulse and UCD are probably not that big in that frequency range. My statement about better controlled bass is also something I obserced for the other class D amps. ANother reason for wanting to use the ZAPpulse is that I bought 4 of them and they are quite expensive in comparison with the UCD`s. Another good reason is that they can be bridged and can handle very low impedance loads as their output coil can handle a lot of power. I need bridged operation since the dipoles need a lot of power at low frequencies. When used in non-bridged mode I get my amps clipping (both ZAPpulse and Accuphase). I checked the movements of the cones, was not tthat bad so I don`t think the woofers were bottoming. Also ZAPpulse and Accuphase seem to clip at a slightly different power level which also indicates clipping and not bottoming of the woofers. So I need quite massive power for the woofers. The UCD400 maybe able to deliver that, but my Accuphase also delivers 200W at 8Ohm so I think one UCD400 for a woofer would not be enough. Bridging two of them for one woofer could be a solution to get more power. However, with two ZAPPulses I can bridge two woofers in parallel (4Ohm load, so 2Ohm per module). In that case, the ZAPpulse would be a cheaper solution, and I already have them, would be a waiste not to use them. I may want to try to compare the ZAPpulse with the ucd 180 some time on the passive system, but really the active system is better to hear the differences.

Best regards

Gertjan

[ghemink]

Originally posted by rha61
Hi

In their last gear ( C46 preamp , MDA1000 DAC ) , MCIntosh uses systematically Philips NE5532

NE5532 has not only good noise performance , it has a very good distorsion spectrum too

http://fnt-www.ss.titech.ac.jp/~haji...rtion/opa.html

Alain

Hello Alain,

The NE5532 does not look bad, so highest priority should probably be the caps. The active digital crossover/speaker correction system that I use seems to use OP2134 opamps, so a logical choise maybe to use the same opamp in the UCD180.

Best regards

Gertjan

[rha61]

Hi Gertjan

Maybe there is the risk you increase the qualities and faults of opa2132 sound presentation ?

Alain

[phase_accurate]

Did you like the blue color of the UcD180?

Hi Jan Peter

Why are you asking ME in particular ? Am I the only one with the blue version ?
Yes they look indeed nice but no one will see it in the final application unfortunately.

I have another question: What make and type of connector are you using for the inputs on the UcD ? I'd really like to use it as connector and not as soldering posts. But I don't like to search around too much when someone already has the answer.
This would maybe an idea for an orderable option and also worth a remark on the data-sheet BTW.

I am still in the process of soldering, crimping and drilling. I want to test them together with a new crossover topology. Thats why I haven't fired them up yet. But I am definitely looking forward to listen to them.

The NE5532 does not look bad, so highest priority should probably be the caps.

Why not use a nicer one (like polypropylene) in parallel and leave the other one in its current place ?

Regards

Charles

[ghemink]

Originally posted by phase_accurate


Hi Jan Peter

Why are you asking ME in particular ? Am I the only one with the blue version ?
Yes they look indeed nice but no one will see it in the final application unfortunately.

I have another question: What make and type of connector are you using for the inputs on the UcD ? I'd really like to use it as connector and not as soldering posts. But I don't like to search around too much when someone already has the answer.
This would maybe an idea for an orderable option and also worth a remark on the data-sheet BTW.

I am still in the process of soldering, crimping and drilling. I want to test them together with a new crossover topology. Thats why I haven't fired them up yet. But I am definitely looking forward to listen to them.




Why not use a nicer one (like polypropylene) in parallel and leave the other one in its current place ?

Regards

Charles

Hi Charles,

These caps are electrolytic caps. These caps seem to have a + and - connection. Normally, those caps should have positive voltages on the + connection. Giving them to deal with an AC voltage, should not be the ideal condition. I have not measured anything on the module. It could be that the inputs of the UCD module are negatively biased so that the caps most of the time (or always) see positive voltages on their + connection.

Anyway, for the amps for the tweeter and midrange, these caps do not need to be 22uF, can be much smaller, so I plan to remove them for the tweeter and mids and replace them with Polypropylene. Then I`m sure they can`t do any harm. To be honest, at this moment I don`t know whether they do any harm. I will try it in the future.

Best regards

Gertjan

[Jan-Peter]

Hi Charles,

I don't specially mean you, but you called mine small modules "quit sexy". So I was wondering how it is in real life

The connector we use is a copy of the Molex KK series, 2.54mm pinning. Indeed a good idee to offer several sets of different type of cables. We are currently developing a website where these modules can be orderd.

I am not an expert in how different electronic components do sound. For this we better wait till Bruno is back from his vacation. If you are shure about your filters/preamp having no DC I would simply remove the cap's and listen to a small piece of copper wire

In a way no cap is not such a problem, however a small DC input wll create a small plop in your loudspeaker. It is increadible how less DC voltage will create a hearible plop!


Regards,

Jan-Peter

www.hypex.nl

[UrSv]

Originally posted by Jan-Peter

-- snip --
In a way no cap is not such a problem, however a small DC input wll create a small plop in your loudspeaker. It is increadible how less DC voltage will create a hearible plop!


Regards,

Jan-Peter
-- snip --
www.hypex.nl

Forgive me if I am not reading accurately enough but did you not say earlier (Post #7) that removing the caps could produce power supply pumping?

[Jan-Peter]

Indeed, that's what I said.

But according to the info what I have from Philips is with a good subsonic filter (15-20Hz), and enough electrolityc capacitors in the powersupply (10.000uF) will save you for the pumping effect.

With the now used 22uF caps, the -3dB low frequency point is around 4Hz.

The main reason for this two caps is only to avoid DC at the output to the louspeaker.

I guess the best is first to get some soundexperience with this modules and after that start to thinking about tweaks.
A good chance these modules do sound much different as other amplifiers

Regards,

Jan-Peter

www.hypex.nl