Class D Buying advice

[surfstu]

Hi,

I am interested in building an amp to drive some Celestion Ditton 66 speakers, specs below.

I have priced the ncore 400 modules along with the SMPS 600 but the price to make a stereo amp (2xmodules, 2 x SMPS) is 1222 euros and a bit beyond my budget.

I know that the UcD modules have been in existence for a long time now but I read that they have been continually upgrading the UcD modules with nCore technology, I have built my own Valve amplifiers in the past and I would like to know how the UcD modules will compare? And are they new and improved versions of the old UcD modules?

Or, is there anything of similar build / sound quality that i could use to drive the celestion Dittons? My budget would be more in the region of 700 euros ($800) and I will be placing all modules and supplies into one case which I will make myself,

Thanks in advance

SPECS:
* 18 Hz to 40 kHz -
* 102 dB S.P.L. output
* 4 - 8 Ohms impedance
* THD below 0.7%
* Recommended Amplifier: 10 Watts to 160 Watts RMS
* Nominal input: 80 watts; peak load: 150 Watts
* Driver Complement:
- HF2000 Dome Tweeter (specified by the B.B.C. for monitor use)
- MD500 Dome Mid-range
- FC12 Bass (12")
- Passive A.B.R (12")
* All drivers made by Celestion in England
* Cabinet Dimensions 40" x 15" x 11.5" = 100 x 38 x 29 cm

 

[el156se]

hi stu. I have been tweaking a ditton 44 for a friend, with positive results (changing all the caps from the original x-over). He bought the boxes with the tweeters already changed. My friend feed them with a el84 push pull, and the result was striking as he positioned the boxes in a kind of near field set-up in a regular listening room (about 20 sq meters), using a more than decent digital source. My experinece with hypex UCD 180 HG Hrx + smps400A180 was far less than expected- bellow class ab decent amps- no multiamping. I'we buit my own 12 watts valve SE with el156, using AE dutch output trannies and 6s45pi driver. The UCD180 sounds like a joke compared to valve SE, at least on my two way bass reflex passive monitors sporting 15'' + 1" (with SEOS horn) beyma drivers, 97 dB sensitivity. If you want to go further at this price range, do not make a move without listening first what you buy. Don't trust the hype, just your ears man! My reference is Genelec 1038B active studio monitor.

 

[surfstu]

Thanks el156se,

I'm still leaning towards Class D, mainly for its ease of construction, I need plug and play for this project. Would love to devote the next six months to building a valve amp but small babies will not allow it. Think I can manage assembling some modules.

Did you find that the UcD180HG+HxR were no good? Or just not as good as your SE tube amp? Lots of high end manufacturers seem to like class D but I do want modules that require very little modding or fancy pre signal circuitry,

S

 

[el156se]

no good for my taste; you cannot compare him with tube amps at all. I have been testing a LAB.GRUPPEN FP6400, which is a PA industrial 2 channel class D amp made in 2003 (it costs about eur850 second hand in europe today) capable of 400w/channel. Compared to this, UCD180 is a silly joke. I performed the test just to have a glimpse on what class d is capable off. The only downside is that the Lab.gruppen does not sounds impressive at low listening levels (it's PA amplifier), instead was shining at medium to high volume settings (large symphonic orchestra recordings sounded like real). My single ended amp is still in service 🙂

 

[surfstu]

Are there any other plug and play modules that will outperform the hypex UcD range?
S

 

[abraxalito]

What makes assembling classD amp modules easier than assembling classAB? The lack of heatsinking? If you're definitely wanting classD then look out for modules based on the IRS2092 chip, there are plenty of those available from differing vendors. There's a long, long thread over at AudioCircle about one of them, here - $175 Class D amp--120 wpc

 

[nigelwright7557]

I would vote for irs2092 based class d amp too.
The 2092 still comes in DIP form too. I always socket mine just in case.

There are loads on ebay, might even find a kit there too.