If you ever want to get your opamp input buffer sounding closer to a discrete classA buffer but save a few $$ in the process, the CCS on the output is your friend.
Thanks for the tip! Maybe once Boggit has his new buffer up and running, some of the hardcore DIY guys can try out this trick with the LM4562.
Another thing I noticed is that on those pics of the NC500 with the white gooey stuff around the bases of the rail caps (100uF/100V) those look to be fairly bog-standard Samwha. You could consider upgrading them to low impedance types - another Korean manufacturer Samyoung does good ones - their NXA range looks to have a compatible part, although taller at 25mm. The ripple current rating (they don't show ESRs) is more than twice those Samwhas.
Yes if order huge quantities they can do that from the factory. Would be interesting to hear if there's an audible benefit.
I can't recall where I saw them, but I do remember some pics online of amps using these modules where the implementers have added further capacitance. Which while not at all conclusive is at least suggestive that there are audible benefits.
Perhaps the NAD M22 with the NC400 OEM modules. I'm not sure if the extra caps are for the input buffer or what.
And we don't know if the benefit is from the added capacitance or from the specific type of capacitors.
I' reckon that, taking for granted that there is a benefit, that it'll be the result of lower supply-borne noise. Which comes from lower impedance supplies - potentially the result of more caps and/or caps with lower ESR.
None that I know of at present, no. Its just conjecture at present which suggests there is one.
It would be interesting to know if changing some of these caps might improve the 2ohm performance. Anyone studied the nc1200 modules?
I don't think so. I'm not sure why your so concerned with the 2 ohm performance. These amps will easily drive your speakers to the maximum SPL's they are capable of with inaudible distortion.
Are you planning on powering a tower of 4-8 ohm 15" subs in parallel or something with these amps?
If so wire them series/parallel.
Thing is, I've often read the problem with Digital Amplification has been after 4ohm the numbers drop off a cliff ...here we are seeing it (relatively), but not relatively with the nc400 not nc1200
I've not heard any of these amps yet, but it leaves me suspicious nonetheless.
JULF will just say it's subjective until proven scientifically and double-blind test needed, but the 'Groupthink' with people who have opted to pay ten times more, has been all along that nc1200 has more extension in every frequency department! ...is it the 2ohm (even 1ohm unpublished figure) attributing to this phenomenon?
When I beefed up my TAG McLaren 150wpc monoblock modules, from 20000uF to 60000uF capacitance - they spring to life, like revving your engine and driving at1000-3000 revs vs 2000-5000 revs (I use this analogy) where you literally feel the power band
I had un-modified and modified modules right next to each other so we could test very quickly ...the difference was significant (same volume) with just more punch, bass and mids notably
No question about modifying the rest, which we did
So maybe the new Elna Caps are better, or PSU was under spec by default (5 modules crammed into a case with 2 x SAMWHA vs. 4 x modules with 6 Caps) and these extra capacitors allowed the amp to perform. Either way, more Capacitance, or different Caps made a noticeable sonic difference!
Only caveat, driving these modules hard/loud they can sometimes MUTE until they cool down again, possibly too much current
I've not heard any of these amps yet, but it leaves me suspicious nonetheless.
JULF will just say it's subjective until proven scientifically and double-blind test needed, but the 'Groupthink' with people who have opted to pay ten times more, has been all along that nc1200 has more extension in every frequency department! ...is it the 2ohm (even 1ohm unpublished figure) attributing to this phenomenon?
When I beefed up my TAG McLaren 150wpc monoblock modules, from 20000uF to 60000uF capacitance - they spring to life, like revving your engine and driving at1000-3000 revs vs 2000-5000 revs (I use this analogy) where you literally feel the power band
I had un-modified and modified modules right next to each other so we could test very quickly ...the difference was significant (same volume) with just more punch, bass and mids notably
No question about modifying the rest, which we did
So maybe the new Elna Caps are better, or PSU was under spec by default (5 modules crammed into a case with 2 x SAMWHA vs. 4 x modules with 6 Caps) and these extra capacitors allowed the amp to perform. Either way, more Capacitance, or different Caps made a noticeable sonic difference!
Only caveat, driving these modules hard/loud they can sometimes MUTE until they cool down again, possibly too much current
hypex ncore
Seriously all those worries are for nothing. These will be the best amps you ever heard and have way more power than you ever require. Just buy them and enjoy them. Find your favourite opamp and your set. It will be many many years before you'll find something better you'll want to replace it with.
Nothing is ever going to mute on you. Seriously do you have plans of driving them over the max rated SPL of 117.5 of you speakers on a regular basis? You speakers have a recommended 4 ohm power amp rating of 250w. These are almost triple that.
Seriously all those worries are for nothing. These will be the best amps you ever heard and have way more power than you ever require. Just buy them and enjoy them. Find your favourite opamp and your set. It will be many many years before you'll find something better you'll want to replace it with.
Nothing is ever going to mute on you. Seriously do you have plans of driving them over the max rated SPL of 117.5 of you speakers on a regular basis? You speakers have a recommended 4 ohm power amp rating of 250w. These are almost triple that.
Last edited:
What specific "digital amplification" technologies are we talking about? I don't think we can generalize to all the different technologies, just as we can't say much about "all transistor amplification".
In any case, the ncores are not digital. They are analog class D.
And how many people are we actually talking about?
All I can say is that my nc400's drive my hard-to-drive, current-hungry speakers better than any other amp I have tried.
I totally agree. The ncore amps will not be the limiting factor in your system, and any additional worrying (and money) is better spent on improving your room acoustics and trying to find better source material.
The only reason to ever upgrade from any of the ncores is a need to keep up with what your audiophile peers consider the state of art next week - and as we know, that is a game that never ends.
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/img_1742-jpg.370299/
This was the Cap mod
I understand what everyone is saying here, but there was never a MAX volume problem for me with the TAG Amplifiers 🙂 ...they lacked a little sparkle
Well I am not letting Colin Boggit down, I intend to support his Venture as soon as I can...and if there are improvements to be had, we are ALL tinkerers here, otherwise why the hell do we frequent these Forums - JULF, you should just be happy with your music collection and listen to your music if there is nothing more to gain here....but I feel this is not the case - not intended as an insult ;-)
Some of us know more than others (I still have a lot to learn) but we enjoy, in fact live for, the next tweak/development
This was the Cap mod
I understand what everyone is saying here, but there was never a MAX volume problem for me with the TAG Amplifiers 🙂 ...they lacked a little sparkle
Well I am not letting Colin Boggit down, I intend to support his Venture as soon as I can...and if there are improvements to be had, we are ALL tinkerers here, otherwise why the hell do we frequent these Forums - JULF, you should just be happy with your music collection and listen to your music if there is nothing more to gain here....but I feel this is not the case - not intended as an insult ;-)
Some of us know more than others (I still have a lot to learn) but we enjoy, in fact live for, the next tweak/development
Those guys are clueless. Bruno has created the perfect amplifier technology. Combined with a buffer custom tuned to subjective taste, it's as good as amplification needs to get.
You'll spend over 100k tweaking everything else to the max before the amps will ever be the bottleneck. I brought these into a dealer the other day, and all I can say is there wasn't a system in the store that could outperform it at any price. They made the Devialet 400 system sound like a joke. And that's a $21000 system.
...and come on, the nc500 is cheap, but not 'perfect' like the nc1200 (purposefully in my opinion) :-D
I would recommend just hearing them with a good input stage, like Boggit is building before deciding it needs more tweaks. That will be a very good 1st step. Just play around with the opamps and that's it.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.