hypex ncore

[Julf]

Originally Posted by bavmike

My current DAC only puts out 3v and it's not enough. That's one of the reasons I'm looking for a new DAC.

The voltage gain of the nCore is 26 dB, or 20 as a gain ratio. 3 V x 20 is 60 V. 60 V into 4 ohms is 900 W. That is not enough?

[bavmike]

Originally Posted by Julf

The voltage gain of the nCore is 26 dB, or 20 as a gain ratio. 3 V x 20 is 60 V. 60 V into 4 ohms is 900 W. That is not enough?

I haven't done any calculations, just personal experience. The manufactures rated output of my DAC is 3v rms. With my speakers which are 89db efficiency and some other towers I've tried which are 92, I'm not getting enough output. Now when I replaced my DAC with the PS audio perfectwave MkII, (which I think outputs 4.5v) it was a perfect match. Turned up to 60% on the perfectwave's volume control, it matched the output of my dac which doesn't have a volume control. Now if you have really efficient speakers or don't listen at loud levels this might not be a problem for you.

[Julf]

Originally Posted by bavmike

I haven't done any calculations, just personal experience.

OK, but do you disagree with the numbers I presented above? The implication is that if you go above 2 V on the input, you will cause the nCore to clip (or at least exceed the 1% THD Hypex specifies at max rated power).

Now if you have really efficient speakers or don't listen at loud levels this might not be a problem for you.

Whatever the efficiency of your loudspeakers, you don't want to drive your amps to clipping.

[bavmike]

Originally Posted by Julf

OK, but do you disagree with the numbers I presented above? The implication is that if you go above 2 V on the input, you will cause the nCore to clip (or at least exceed the 1% THD Hypex specifies at max rated power).



Whatever the efficiency of your loudspeakers, you don't want to drive your amps to clipping.

No I don't disagree with your calculations. But I definitely haven't driven my ncores to clipping. They sounded clear as a bell with zero strain at every level I've listened at. But I am listening to music not sine waves.

[Julf]

Originally Posted by bavmike

No I don't disagree with your calculations. But I definitely haven't driven my ncores to clipping. They sounded clear as a bell with zero strain at every level I've listened at.

Right - that makes me think something in your source might be attenuating the signal to the DAC. What are you using as your source?

[Julf]

Originally Posted by bavmike

The manufactures rated output of my DAC is 3v rms.

Just to be sure, I went back to check. In this posting, Bruno states "Since gain is (very nearly) 20x, you need 2Vrms for full power. "

[bavmike]

Originally Posted by Julf

Right - that makes me think something in your source might be attenuating the signal to the DAC. What are you using as your source?

I use my macbook pro with either Pure music, or Audirvana on OSX, or Jriver on my Windows 7 side. The DAC is a Eastern Audio Minimax plus. It has both tube and SS output stages. The stock tube output stage with stock tube is rated @ 3v RMS. I've upgraded the opamps on the SS side which further increased the output on the SS. So I'm not sure what the SS is putting out but it's more then the tube and is still not enough for me. The PS Audio connected to the same computer and software puts out more then enough.

[bavmike]

Originally Posted by Julf

Just to be sure, I went back to check. In this posting, Bruno states "Since gain is (very nearly) 20x, you need 2Vrms for full power. "

Yes with some louder recordings on my SS output it is enough. But I like to have the extra gain on tap for when I'm listening to quieter recordings. He's probably talking about full power playing back white noise or something

[Julf]

Originally Posted by bavmike

The DAC is a Eastern Audio Minimax plus. It has both tube and SS output stages. The stock tube output stage with stock tube is rated @ 3v RMS. I've upgraded the opamps on the SS side which further increased the output on the SS. So I'm not sure what the SS is putting out but it's more then the tube and is still not enough for me.

Would be interesting to measure how much it actually puts out. Do you have a 'scope?

[Julf]

Originally Posted by bavmike

He's probably talking about full power playing back white noise or something

The content of the signal doesn't matter. A voltage is a voltage. But in any case, the way most modern popular music is compressed to death, it is close to playing full-level white noise anyway