Yes. The new module isn't even on the datasheet. It has a crazy precision master clock. But yes I suppose the results from the gear would be a more appropriate discussion for this thread rather than the gear
The results are definitely very appropriate for this thread.
Hello,
Nice thread, I follow this with great interest. I own the Nord NC500 as well as the Hypex NC400, the last using for more than two years in my chain. My speakers are Dynaudio Confidence 5, these are quite power hungry and so I tried the NC500. This speakers are on the clear side with rather high resolution, very natural ( as far as this way of listening to music can be natural) and a low sensitivity (82 dB/Wm). The sound is very close giving me a deeper and more powerful bass presentation with the NC500. Actually I use the buffer rev B, C is on the way to my home. Every OP amp I tried sounded different, the best results so far I have with the Audio GD EARTH (discontinued) and the brown-dogged LME 49990 being quite close in presentation, only different is presentation of room (or better imagination of the virtual room) and slightly sharper sibilants with the LME. I am a little bit tired of rolling OP amps for best sound.
In one German Audio forum there was a discussion concerning the sound of power amplifiers, someone pushing his opinion, that every amp sounds the same despite the price or may be principles (class A, class D). In my ears that may be true for short time listening, but not with intense listening over several hours or may be days and weeks. But I am not in the mood to discuss this, just my 10 cents.
I am looking forward to try the buffer board C which Colin offers for a quite fair price.
Pleasant listening for everyone
Nice thread, I follow this with great interest. I own the Nord NC500 as well as the Hypex NC400, the last using for more than two years in my chain. My speakers are Dynaudio Confidence 5, these are quite power hungry and so I tried the NC500. This speakers are on the clear side with rather high resolution, very natural ( as far as this way of listening to music can be natural) and a low sensitivity (82 dB/Wm). The sound is very close giving me a deeper and more powerful bass presentation with the NC500. Actually I use the buffer rev B, C is on the way to my home. Every OP amp I tried sounded different, the best results so far I have with the Audio GD EARTH (discontinued) and the brown-dogged LME 49990 being quite close in presentation, only different is presentation of room (or better imagination of the virtual room) and slightly sharper sibilants with the LME. I am a little bit tired of rolling OP amps for best sound.
In one German Audio forum there was a discussion concerning the sound of power amplifiers, someone pushing his opinion, that every amp sounds the same despite the price or may be principles (class A, class D). In my ears that may be true for short time listening, but not with intense listening over several hours or may be days and weeks. But I am not in the mood to discuss this, just my 10 cents.
I am looking forward to try the buffer board C which Colin offers for a quite fair price.
Pleasant listening for everyone
Hello Helmut
How did you find the nc400 compared with the OEM nc500 on your speakers?
I mean with default LM Buffer vs nc400.
Thanks
Sond NC400 vers NC500
Hello,
well the Sound is nearly identical, Imaging at par, bass presantation is better, deeper. The bass of my C5 is a little bit shy if it doesn't see strong amplifiers. Thats why I gave the NC500 a chance.
I also tried LME49720NA with NC500, but this OP amp doesn't work for me.
Each OP Amp changes the Sound significantly. With LME 49990 they are realy Close with more bass on the NC500. But this is only with my Speakers, may be different with others.
Hello,
well the Sound is nearly identical, Imaging at par, bass presantation is better, deeper. The bass of my C5 is a little bit shy if it doesn't see strong amplifiers. Thats why I gave the NC500 a chance.
I also tried LME49720NA with NC500, but this OP amp doesn't work for me.
Each OP Amp changes the Sound significantly. With LME 49990 they are realy Close with more bass on the NC500. But this is only with my Speakers, may be different with others.
Top end and treble are the same, also imaging is (nearly) the same. The virtual room is quite identical, may be slightly tighter (NC400) with less air between instruments. So NC500 brings me a little bit closer to the music. With some OP amps NC500 is brigther, I prefer those with a similar presentation of the top end (otherwise I wll hear sharp sibilants and I hate these).
Many thanks Helmut
I guess from this we can deduce, subjectively, that the default HYPEX Input Buffer is pretty transparent if the nc400 is completely transparent. We are hearing the Amplifier as it is with the OEM defaults.
Hopefully I will get round to SebbyP to hear Buffered vs un-Buffered nc500
I guess from this we can deduce, subjectively, that the default HYPEX Input Buffer is pretty transparent if the nc400 is completely transparent. We are hearing the Amplifier as it is with the OEM defaults.
Hopefully I will get round to SebbyP to hear Buffered vs un-Buffered nc500
Yes, NC400 is absolutely transparent, in my chain and also in the chain of a friend who uses everything but the NC400 different from my chain. He has Audio Research Tube Pre and Spendor Speakers, I use passive Pre (Stevens & Billington TX102 silver and now "The Truth"). So sounds NC500, depending on the OP amp used (Burson is quite strange sounding e.g.). But I Need the buffer, with TX102 I have impedanz mismatch
Many thanks Helmut
I guess from this we can deduce, subjectively, that the default HYPEX Input Buffer is pretty transparent if the nc400 is completely transparent. We are hearing the Amplifier as it is with the OEM defaults.
Hopefully I will get round to SebbyP to hear Buffered vs un-Buffered nc500
He still has the rev B boards and hasn't tried the SIL-994. His opinion is likely going to be changing soon
Sebby has already clearly stated that he prefers unbuffered with the Phison PD2. But unless you have a Phison PD2, that won't mean much to you.
I'd agree with Helmut in my testing. I have both NC400 and NC500. Using the eval Hypex board with the LM4562 on the NC500, I have a slight preference. The NC500 has a bit more enegy, seems to present a tiny bit more dynamics, punchiness in the bass department, whilst still sounding totally natural and not creating a bass-heavy envelope.
I find the top end pretty much the same as far as I can tell in my system (SACDs converted to FLAC using Saracon). Superb airy, spacious presentation
I find the top end pretty much the same as far as I can tell in my system (SACDs converted to FLAC using Saracon). Superb airy, spacious presentation
He still has the rev B boards and hasn't tried the SIL-994. His opinion is likely going to be changing soon
Sebby has already clearly stated that he prefers unbuffered with the Phison PD2. But unless you have a Phison PD2, that won't mean much to you.
I have had Rev C boards for a couple of weeks
I am a little late coming back to this thread so I probably have missed a lot. I apologize.
Mike/bavmike's recommendations to me have been spot on.
If I were still using my tube preamp, I think I'd prefer the 994 op amps. With my solid state preamps, the Sparkos and the new Rev C. boards/buffers have a slight edge.
I absolutely love the 994's, but sometimes want a tiny bit more sweetness, for my taste. No right or wrong. It's like tweaking a recipe for your taste.
Colin/boggit and Mike/bavmike, thank you so much for all the help. Loving my Nords!
Mike/bavmike's recommendations to me have been spot on.
If I were still using my tube preamp, I think I'd prefer the 994 op amps. With my solid state preamps, the Sparkos and the new Rev C. boards/buffers have a slight edge.
I absolutely love the 994's, but sometimes want a tiny bit more sweetness, for my taste. No right or wrong. It's like tweaking a recipe for your taste.
Colin/boggit and Mike/bavmike, thank you so much for all the help. Loving my Nords!
I have had Rev C boards for a couple of weeks
Yes and as far as I know you have only tried them with the SIL 994's in them. But the advantage you have is you have 2 solid reference points. The Hypex board going through the LM4562 based buffer, and bypassed using the gain stages of the Phison PD2. I have compared both of those references to my SIL 994 based boards and rate them:
1: Hypex board bypassed direct driven by Phison PD2
2: SIL 994 based buffer through my custom board based on Richards circuit
3: Hypex board through LM4562 based buffer.
#1 and #2 winning by a long shot.
You say you prefer the LM4562 in the Hypex board over the SIL994 in the Nord Rev C board. But the only way to really know that the reason you don't like the SIL 994 is due to the SIL 994, would be to pop some LM4562's in the Nord Rev C boards and do an apples to apples comparison with the Hypex boards.
The sound you don't like could very well be due to something on the Nord boards, rather than the SIL994 itself. I know Richard has a very rigorous QC process each and every SIL 994 goes through before they ship. So I have my doubts that there's any issue with the SIL994.
I'm glad your impressed Joe! Now you need some LME49990's to try! But they need soldered onto adapters. Maybe if someone can chime in on where to buy them, have them shipped to me and I'll solder them onto adapters for you and ship to you.
Or...you could just order them same place i did. Even if they are fakes, you most probably get the same kind of fakes
. Great sound. I bought mine here: 1PCS Dual to Mono LME49990MA replace OPA2604 NE5532 TL072 | eBay Still some left.Buy two.
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Or...you could just order them same place i did. Even if they are fakes, you most probably get the same kind of fakes
Buy two.
Perfect then! There you go Joe only $16 each!
are you referring to rev B or C or? how does it look with rest of your audio chain? can you share name of the song you feel sounds bright? or PM
Using Rev C boards, but so far only with the SI which as I say sounds fine so no need for me to keep changing at the moment.
All my music sounds fine at the moment although obviously some tracks brighter than others but no longer get listening fatigue or think I better not play that as it sounds awful.
Only thing changed in recent months was the amplifier had a number of differents amps before and was never 100% happy.
I would have been happy with the standard Hypex buffers but had some spare cash so purchased the Sparkos and Burson with the Rev B boards and preferred the Bursons. But now prefer the SI as instruments are more natural sounding. Rev B and Sparkos sounded a bit dull to me but maybe one day I will change something and prefer them in the Rev C.
Rev C = Rev B plus the basic EMI/RFU filter that should have been there in the first place. Rev C = the Hypex recommended circuit with a socket for op amp rolling (and feedback compensation for the SIL op amp). Some have preferred IC op amps.
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