Hello all,
I finished the dual channel nCore enclosure design after days of discussing with several DIYers. Specs are:
Dimension: WxDxH = 250x308x70
Power supply: SMPS400x2, or SMPS600x1
Audio Amp power: NC400x2
Power input: IEC
Audio input: XLRx2(16mm dia.), RCAx2 (8mm dia.)
Audio output: DINx4 (10mm dia)
Material: High quality aluminum alloy
Surface finish: silkscreen, sand blaster, hard anodized
Body color: black
Front panel color: Black or silver
Laser logo: Yes
I will make a small batch if there're 20pcs demands. There're already 8pcs pre ordered, so if there're 12 posts followed these nice cases will rock.
The price is about $90 w/o shipping, weight around 2kg. If no venting slot on top cover the price can be several $ lower.
The design:
front view
back view
front with cover open
back with cover open
top view
I finished the dual channel nCore enclosure design after days of discussing with several DIYers. Specs are:
Dimension: WxDxH = 250x308x70
Power supply: SMPS400x2, or SMPS600x1
Audio Amp power: NC400x2
Power input: IEC
Audio input: XLRx2(16mm dia.), RCAx2 (8mm dia.)
Audio output: DINx4 (10mm dia)
Material: High quality aluminum alloy
Surface finish: silkscreen, sand blaster, hard anodized
Body color: black
Front panel color: Black or silver
Laser logo: Yes
I will make a small batch if there're 20pcs demands. There're already 8pcs pre ordered, so if there're 12 posts followed these nice cases will rock.
The price is about $90 w/o shipping, weight around 2kg. If no venting slot on top cover the price can be several $ lower.
The design:
front view
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
back view
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
front with cover open
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
back with cover open
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
top view
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Last edited:
Some member said they want to use SMPS1200 instead of 2xSMPS400. so I redesigned the enclosure for both configuration. DIYers can mount either one SMPS1200 or two SMPS400.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I'm designing and gathering the feedbacks from DIYers. The final version is 2x400 or 1x1200. These enclosures can be ordered soon, probably next week. Of course it can go with all black with nCore logo, or any other logo or image you like. The first 20 orders have free service of engraving custom photos like this:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Hi guys, the enclosures are under manufacturing. You can place the orders now:
RE2507-NC enclosure for 2 channels Hypex NC400 - Boards | Kits | Components | Modules | Tools
orders will be shipped within one week.
The front panel is black and a nCore logo will be laser engraved on it.
RE2507-NC enclosure for 2 channels Hypex NC400 - Boards | Kits | Components | Modules | Tools
orders will be shipped within one week.
The front panel is black and a nCore logo will be laser engraved on it.
Fan-cooled RE2507-NC enclosure for dual NC400
At first, I ran the amplifier without a fan but decided that it was simply too hot for long-term reliability. Alan Moore of Moore Machine & Gear kindly offered to cut a hole in my case for free using his very expensive milling machine so that I could mount a 120mm computer fan. I was delighted that the case had ample room to mount the fan inside without contacting the amplifiers. I ran the fan at half its 12V DC rating using a spare 6V DC adapter which reduced the fan speed and noise. I tucked the adapter neatly into the front of the case. The hottest part of the case is now room temperature while other parts feel cold. The fan is barely audible at a 3-foot distance—a small price to pay for what I gained in lower temperatures & reliability:
Later, I reduced the fan noise even further by installing an Austrian-designed Noctua NF-S12A FLX fan. It isn't as pretty as the former fan with LED lights but I'll sacrifice lights & color for sound. When I mounted the Noctua fan, I realized that I could mount the protection grill inside the case instead of the outside for a cleaner look:
At first, I ran the amplifier without a fan but decided that it was simply too hot for long-term reliability. Alan Moore of Moore Machine & Gear kindly offered to cut a hole in my case for free using his very expensive milling machine so that I could mount a 120mm computer fan. I was delighted that the case had ample room to mount the fan inside without contacting the amplifiers. I ran the fan at half its 12V DC rating using a spare 6V DC adapter which reduced the fan speed and noise. I tucked the adapter neatly into the front of the case. The hottest part of the case is now room temperature while other parts feel cold. The fan is barely audible at a 3-foot distance—a small price to pay for what I gained in lower temperatures & reliability:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Later, I reduced the fan noise even further by installing an Austrian-designed Noctua NF-S12A FLX fan. It isn't as pretty as the former fan with LED lights but I'll sacrifice lights & color for sound. When I mounted the Noctua fan, I realized that I could mount the protection grill inside the case instead of the outside for a cleaner look:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
My only temperature measurement was with my hand. After running the amp at a medium to near-high sound level for 1 hour, I could not keep my finger on the NC400 transformer for more than 2 seconds. If one were to forgo using a fan, I would deem anything short of mounting a heatsink directly to the NC400 transformers to be insufficient. The heat simply would not be able to sufficiently conduct from the transformer, through the bottom of the NC400's circular aluminum heatsink since the printed circuit board isolates the transformer. When I put the palm of my hand on the bottom of the case directly below the NC400's, I would judge the temperature to be 140 - 150 deg. Fahrenheit. The ambient temperature of my room was about 70 F. With my fan, the bottom of the case drops to about 80 F and the remainder of the case matches the room's ambient temperature of 70 F. Even if additional passive heat sinks mounted on the sides of the case could drop the temperature on the bottom of the case, I feel confident that the NC400's transformers would be too hot to suit me. Since I am an audio purist, I appreciate not having to run a fan, but the Notcua NF-S12A FLX fan is sooooo... quiet that my purist sensitivities are completely satisfied as well as my appreciation for a cool-running amp and the subsequent extended lifespan of the electrical components—especially the electrolytic capacitors. If you want to make any changes to your case, you could offer two versions of the top cover: one with a hole to accommodate a 120mm fan and one without. My guess is that the fan version would outsell the non-fan version, especially due to the high number of LED illuminated fans available and human vanity. Do a Google image search for "enermax led fan" and you'll see what I mean. Aside from the cooling issue, I am completely satisfied with your case. The machining and black anodized finish is excellent and my fan cleared the top of the NC400 amps when I mounted the fan & protective grill INSIDE the case!
P.S. I put silicone heatsink paste on the bottom of the NC400's before I screwed them to the chassis.
Fan-cooled RE2507-NC enclosure for dual NC400
I held a piece of tissue paper over the ventilation holes present in your case and the paper rises to about a 45 degree angle because of the air flow exiting the case. I couldn't be more pleased with the lower temperatures. And as I said before, the transformers on the two NC400's (which are the hottest part of the amp) get a direct hit from the fan. This benefit may not be achieved from a rear-mounted fan.
If you find a fan small enough to fit on the back, the reduced size would have to be compensated with increased fan speed to match the same volume of air flow as my 120 mm fan. Obviously, the 120 mm fan is going to beat a smaller fan since it won't have to turn as fast to accomplish the same amount of work and it will be quieter and last longer. I build desktop computers for a living and decided long ago to abandon any power supply equipped with 80 or 92 mm fans because of their higher failure rate and louder noise. I started using Seasonic power supplies with 120 mm fans and have never looked back. They are quieter and not one fan (or PS) has failed me after ~200 builds. The 120 mm Notcua NF-S12A FLX fan I chose for my dual NC400 stereo build has a mean time between failure (MTBF) of 150,000 hours which translates to 17 years. Since I'm running it at half its 12V DC rating, the fan could potentially last even longer.
I held a piece of tissue paper over the ventilation holes present in your case and the paper rises to about a 45 degree angle because of the air flow exiting the case. I couldn't be more pleased with the lower temperatures. And as I said before, the transformers on the two NC400's (which are the hottest part of the amp) get a direct hit from the fan. This benefit may not be achieved from a rear-mounted fan.
do you think a case with big LED fan on top really looks like a professional hifi device?
I think you should offer it as an option since opinions vary on aesthetics. For me, a beautiful case that causes an amplifier to overheat because it lacks a fan is not a professional hifi device. Several people who saw my amplifier before I replaced the the LED fan with the ugly-looking Noctua fan thought it looked exotic. The black LED fan also matched the case better than the beige Noctua. If the fan grill is also black instead of chrome, the entire thing will be less noticeable. Do a Google image search for "120 mm black fan grill" without quotes.
Fan-cooled RE2507-NC enclosure for dual NC400
The existing vent holes seem to be fine and have no need of redesigning. Only the one big hole for the fan & the screw holes need to be added. For what it's worth, my hole diameter is 115 mm and is located 32.3 mm from the back edge of the case.
I'm curious as to why you would modify a case to suit only one person. Has anyone else requested modifications to lower the NC400 amplifier temperatures?
The existing vent holes seem to be fine and have no need of redesigning. Only the one big hole for the fan & the screw holes need to be added. For what it's worth, my hole diameter is 115 mm and is located 32.3 mm from the back edge of the case.
I'm curious as to why you would modify a case to suit only one person. Has anyone else requested modifications to lower the NC400 amplifier temperatures?
Prior to building the first six NC400/SMPS600 mono blocs in Siliconray RE2207 chassis I was concerned about component temperature. I read a lot on the subject including Bruno's posts in this forum. (Since that time I built about twenty more mono and one stereo/SMPS1200 in this RE2507.)
Bruno stated quite clearly the hottest running component is the largest capacitor in the PS. I'm sure of this because he went so far as to state that after X years (20 IIRC) the capacitor running continuously at X temperature (somewhere within its rated specification range) might change its value but might/could/would still be within spec. He also posted about recommended spacing above/below the PS, etc.
The poster states his transformer is hot, but states nothing about the largest capacitor in the SMPS1200A400.
IMO, and I feel strongly about this, it's absolutely useless to make any generalization about component temperatures in this application based on the information provided. The following minimum hard specs are required to draw any conclusion for any other application:
Actual temperatures of the hottest components
Actual (not maker's marketing dreams) impedance graph and sensitivity for the loudspeakers
Sound room volume, three dimensions
Actual tested SPL peaks/average with music at the listening seat...test tones are worse than useless because they are misleading
Ambient temperature at the amp site with the amp off
Is the amp enclosed or in free space, and if the former, what is magnitude of air volume?
Speaker wire gauge (yes, this absolutely could make a huge difference because NC400 makes a ton of current and too little copper converts amp current into useless wire heat instead of speaker power...I have direct experience with NC400 re. this item)
A dramatic change to any single item above could turn one's results upside down.
Get Hypex' comments in reference to the above facts and then make conclusions relative to your own application.
Minus that it seems useless or worse (misleading) to conclude anything from this post whether another application may run too hot or not.
My 2c.
Stereo exceeds mono performance
Mono NC400 amp with 600W power supply is limited to 600W maximum PS current per ch. Stereo NC400 powered by single 1200W PS has potential advantage: one shared 1200W PS can split between two channels any current up to 1200W maximum. IOW, if one NC400 required >600W, the other channel <600W, any combination up to 1200W total, the stereo amp exceeds mono block performance. Strange but true.
Only two known potential mono advantages: protection circuit in SMPS600 apparently lacking in SMPS1200A400 and potential for lowest speaker cable resistance via closest possible siting to the speakers.
I'm one of few persons with direct AB experience with NC400 powering two high end speaker loads identical except for minimum impedance 2.65 Ohms vs. 10.6 Ohms.
NC400 has extreme current potential. On extreme loads NC400 performance audibly suffers with too high speaker cable resistance. I recommend much more copper than formulas found on the net.
Mono NC400 amp with 600W power supply is limited to 600W maximum PS current per ch. Stereo NC400 powered by single 1200W PS has potential advantage: one shared 1200W PS can split between two channels any current up to 1200W maximum. IOW, if one NC400 required >600W, the other channel <600W, any combination up to 1200W total, the stereo amp exceeds mono block performance. Strange but true.
Only two known potential mono advantages: protection circuit in SMPS600 apparently lacking in SMPS1200A400 and potential for lowest speaker cable resistance via closest possible siting to the speakers.
I'm one of few persons with direct AB experience with NC400 powering two high end speaker loads identical except for minimum impedance 2.65 Ohms vs. 10.6 Ohms.
NC400 has extreme current potential. On extreme loads NC400 performance audibly suffers with too high speaker cable resistance. I recommend much more copper than formulas found on the net.
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