Background
Have been a happy user of a pair of DIY Monoblocks built on UcD180AD for more than two years now. I had been planning a super souped up version using UcD400AD since a year or so but a hectic work schedule kept me from putting it together till now.
With Hypex announcing UcD400HGs and the HxR regulators earlier this year and the realisation that another year was about to pass by (like 'Time' in Dark Side of The Moon) set me into action and I completed this pair in October 07. It's been running in for well over six weeks now and seems to have settled in nicely.
The objective was to improve on my previous attempt and to provide a worthy enough platform to all the hard work put in by the Hypex engineers in the HG upgrade and the HxR regulators. A lot has already been written about the sound quality of these modules so I won't go into that. My system config should give you enough hints about my views on the pedigree of these babies. All I want to say is that High end amp manufacturers of this world should be really, really scared. Of course I will be sending Christmas Cards to the awesome folks at Hypex for making this possible
I have also learnt a lot from many talented people on this forum especially those who have contributed to the UcD180 Hot rodding & 400 Q&A threads , so many thanks to you guys as well. If any of you ever pass by Singapore, please do get in touch and the beer will be on me
The specs and tweaks are as follows:
Specs
UcD400HG with HxR regs powered by UcD HG Supply and UcD soft start - soft start is not really needed but provides additional protection, reliable mains terminations and on/off, LED options etc).
- 42V, 330 VA EI Audio grade transformer custom built to my specs in Singapore
- All Aluminum casing, designed and fabricated to my specs in Singapore
Tweaks
- DC coupled signal input
- Auricap 0.68 output cap designed for Hypex
- Bybees in L & N legs of Mains input and Silver Bybees at signal inputs
( I know that some of you here don't like these - but I have had positive experiences. In the worst case, they perform no less than the hook up wire they replace
)
- ERS StillPoints EMI/RFI Sheets and Soundcoat damping sheets in critical
areas
- Super Cryo fuses in Mains and in the HG Power Supply,
- Demagnetised Faston crimp connectors
- Silver nano contact enhancer for all Faston connections.
- Directly soldered joints on one end in the heavy current carrying wires
and crimped at the other end
Misc
- Cryoed Furutech IEC inlets
- Cryoed ACME Mains Silver fuse holder,
- Neutrik Silver XLR,
- Eichmann Speaker terminals
All wiring inside is Cardas 14/12 Gauge hook up wire, except for signal input which is solid core silver and Mains input, DC Sense which is 14 Gauge Silver plated copper with Teflon insulation. Solder used throughout is Cardas Quad eutectic.
Lastly, some pics:
Side View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400SideView.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Rear View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400RearView.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Internals - Top view:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400TopView-Internal.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Internals - Front View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400FrontView-Internal.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
System View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400-Systemview.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Have been a happy user of a pair of DIY Monoblocks built on UcD180AD for more than two years now. I had been planning a super souped up version using UcD400AD since a year or so but a hectic work schedule kept me from putting it together till now.
With Hypex announcing UcD400HGs and the HxR regulators earlier this year and the realisation that another year was about to pass by (like 'Time' in Dark Side of The Moon) set me into action and I completed this pair in October 07. It's been running in for well over six weeks now and seems to have settled in nicely.
The objective was to improve on my previous attempt and to provide a worthy enough platform to all the hard work put in by the Hypex engineers in the HG upgrade and the HxR regulators. A lot has already been written about the sound quality of these modules so I won't go into that. My system config should give you enough hints about my views on the pedigree of these babies. All I want to say is that High end amp manufacturers of this world should be really, really scared. Of course I will be sending Christmas Cards to the awesome folks at Hypex for making this possible
I have also learnt a lot from many talented people on this forum especially those who have contributed to the UcD180 Hot rodding & 400 Q&A threads , so many thanks to you guys as well. If any of you ever pass by Singapore, please do get in touch and the beer will be on me
The specs and tweaks are as follows:
Specs
UcD400HG with HxR regs powered by UcD HG Supply and UcD soft start - soft start is not really needed but provides additional protection, reliable mains terminations and on/off, LED options etc).
- 42V, 330 VA EI Audio grade transformer custom built to my specs in Singapore
- All Aluminum casing, designed and fabricated to my specs in Singapore
Tweaks
- DC coupled signal input
- Auricap 0.68 output cap designed for Hypex
- Bybees in L & N legs of Mains input and Silver Bybees at signal inputs
( I know that some of you here don't like these - but I have had positive experiences. In the worst case, they perform no less than the hook up wire they replace
- ERS StillPoints EMI/RFI Sheets and Soundcoat damping sheets in critical
areas
- Super Cryo fuses in Mains and in the HG Power Supply,
- Demagnetised Faston crimp connectors
- Silver nano contact enhancer for all Faston connections.
- Directly soldered joints on one end in the heavy current carrying wires
and crimped at the other end
Misc
- Cryoed Furutech IEC inlets
- Cryoed ACME Mains Silver fuse holder,
- Neutrik Silver XLR,
- Eichmann Speaker terminals
All wiring inside is Cardas 14/12 Gauge hook up wire, except for signal input which is solid core silver and Mains input, DC Sense which is 14 Gauge Silver plated copper with Teflon insulation. Solder used throughout is Cardas Quad eutectic.
Lastly, some pics:
Side View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400SideView.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Rear View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400RearView.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Internals - Top view:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400TopView-Internal.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
Internals - Front View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400FrontView-Internal.jpg[/IMGDEAD]
System View:
[IMGDEAD]https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh143/sg02023/UcD400HG/UcD400-Systemview.jpg[/IMGDEAD]