Comparing Hypex UCD and IRS2092

[Gustavus]

Folks,

I know this has been discussed a number of times, but I never saw a satisfactory answer looking back at past threads. I've got a few amps that I'm toying around with:

* Hypex UCD400-HG w/HxR
* ClassDAudio.com CDA-254 (IRS2092)
* Connex IRS2092 kit (350w version, modified to accept +/-50v)

I have a Behringer ECM8000 measurement microphone that I used to level match these amps at my preferred listening level (measured using a 250hz tone).

I have three sets of speakersL

* Energy RC10's
* Behringer 2030P's
* Infinity Primus P363's

Probably none of them are considered high end and I've done the majority of my listening on the RC10s as I think they're the best speakers of the bunch.

I've listened to various kinds of music trying to make a difference between them, and frankly I can say that they all sound fantastic to me. I have heard bad amp, and I feel like none of the amps I'm playing with now are bad bay a long shot. Now, years of listening to music too loud, as well as standing next to drummers with bass amp speaker stacks behind me have probably affected my hearing. I certainly can't hear anything past 16khz.

Here's what I'm wondering - for those of you who have wondered the same thing as me or maybe just have ideas do you have any suggested listening material / tests to run?

And here's an obligatory pic of my test bench:

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

 

[Viridian]

I've also been interested in both the Hypex UcD and ClassDAudio amplifiers. I'll be watching for your impressions.

 

[Kjeldsen]

Good piano recordings usually tells if it's a good amp or not.

one example

Nelson Freire Plays Debussy - Nelson Freire | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic

and som low freq

Yello - The Eye - Track 5 Junior B

 

[ForenSeil]

+1
Voice, piano, violine and some other classic instruments (if recordings are excellent) and sharp very deep and precise bass are always good listening material for both testing amps and speakers. Also scenes with extreme dynamic range and many details at the same time at elevated volumes are interesting, as many comercial amps are getting power supply problems there (and it's also good to hear artifacts of lossy compression) - if you like hard psychedelic trance music I could recommend 1-2 songs there 😉.

Here's some more stuff to select from, mostly technically very good/flawless but also some stuff with old typical flaws like recordings from the 70ies
Ultimative HiFi Speaker Test // Lautsprecher Test Playlist - from Minimal to Orchestral (THX, Hi-Fi)
Spotify-Client-Link:
Ultimative HiFi Speaker Test // Lautsprecher Test Playlist - from Minimal to Orchestral (THX, Hi-Fi)

At this quite high level it's not easy to hear differences between amps and it's generally more subjective than objective even when your ears are trained very well.

To assure that you don't trick yourself you should blindfold your eyes, select one or two songs which are technically very good and you know well (or at least heard several times), play from a GOOD audio source and let a friend change amps without letting you know which one is currently playing. Use your mic and measure dB before that to asure that they all are playing at exactly the same volume level.
That's exactly how I decided that I prefer TK2050 over TDA3116 😉

 

[Dr Jim]

Good piano recordings usually tells if it's a good amp or not.

Agreed - a well-recorded piano will mercilessly expose many amplifier flaws, especially in tonality and imaging, but I also like to work up from solo through small ensemble to larger groups - there's much to be learned when the music gets complex and difficult.

For solo piano I like Olli Mustonen's Decca recording of Shostakovitch's Preludes reissued by Arkiv records:

Shostakovich: 24 Preludes; Alkan: 25 Preludes / Mustonen | ArkivMusic

The 3rd Prelude in G is haunting, with very delicate pedal work that will test an amps microdynamics - while the 5th in D struts pace and timing.

My jazz trio standard is Hiromi Uehara's latest release "Alive:"
Amazon.com: Hiromi: Alive: Music

A scarily eclectic studio album - whose only sonic flaw is that Simon Phillip's drum set is splashed across the entire back of the soundstage (Grrrrr....) - try the title cut "Alive" for some powerful trio playing, or Hiromi's haunting solo "Firefly."

For ensemble playing, I've fallen rather deeply under the spell of the 'Contemporary Noise Sextet:'
Search results - "contemporary pig" - Denovali Mp3 Shop

This is rhythmically and melodically compelling music, a good system will extract the real music that's barely below the apparently chaotic surface - a bad system will sound like Phil Spectre on some sort of dreadfully phase-altered drug - try 'A Million Faces' and listen to the piano, bass, and high-hat anchor the brasses to musical reality, or "Goodbye Monster" for some deliciously broken harmonies.

I'm looking forward to your further thoughts....

Cheers

Jim

 

[BigE]

Look at Carla Bley Live! Track one and two.

Track one is very difficult for many systems to separate the instruments. You may or may not like the music.... you certainly won't if it a jumbled mess.

The second track, as it is a solo slide trombone, should be expressive. At one point, you can hear the recording engineer lower the volume. If you miss that, you have issues somewhere in the chain.

 

[Gustavus]

Thanks for the track selections folks. I'll source some of these and sit down and do some more listening. I'd also be curious to hear the opinions of others who have done similar comparisons.

 

[SufferingArtist]

+1
Voice, piano, violine and some other classic instruments (if recordings are excellent) and sharp very deep and precise bass are always good listening material for both testing amps and speakers. Also scenes with extreme dynamic range and many details at the same time at elevated volumes are interesting, as many comercial amps are getting power supply problems there (and it's also good to hear artifacts of lossy compression) - if you like hard psychedelic trance music I could recommend 1-2 songs there 😉.

Here's some more stuff to select from, mostly technically very good/flawless but also some stuff with old typical flaws like recordings from the 70ies
Ultimative HiFi Speaker Test // Lautsprecher Test Playlist - from Minimal to Orchestral (THX, Hi-Fi)
Spotify-Client-Link:
Ultimative HiFi Speaker Test // Lautsprecher Test Playlist - from Minimal to Orchestral (THX, Hi-Fi)

At this quite high level it's not easy to hear differences between amps and it's generally more subjective than objective even when your ears are trained very well.

To assure that you don't trick yourself you should blindfold your eyes, select one or two songs which are technically very good and you know well (or at least heard several times), play from a GOOD audio source and let a friend change amps without letting you know which one is currently playing. Use your mic and measure dB before that to asure that they all are playing at exactly the same volume level.
That's exactly how I decided that I prefer TK2050 over TDA3116 😉

Looks like this poster is no longer active.
More's the pity; one of the few good pairs of ears I can trust from this forum.

 

[eriksquires]

Well, I'm not sure if piano and voices, but I will say I got to hear megabucks 2 way speakers recently and those were the two areas that the system did not play well. Exaggerated bass at the low end to my ears, at least with the male voice. I always had attributed to the speakers though. Never thought it could be the amps.

Best,


Erik