That is right. It's an upgrade. Mine has it too so I asked Hypex. It is extra isolation.
Ah. So now we can have endless debates about the influence on sound quality 🙂
Brought them to life this morning - nice 🙂 - yes I know the signal cable could be shortened but while I'm still experimenting, I've left the length on the cables just in case I change configuration. Unlikely though as they sound great and run cool.
![]()
I have built my two with a similar board layout.
You may find it an advantage to remove your rear panel and turn it round 180 deg so that your input is very close to the input socket on your amp and likewise your LS connections. With your LS connectors in the corner try and keep the LS cable away from the board and input cable. Hypex recommend twisting the LS cable. Extend or remake the mains cable and run it down the side of the amp and round the front of the SMPS well away from the input.
I eventually turned the SMPS round 180 to minimise the mains cable length and keep my ventilation slots clear of any possible obstruction but that meant making a new longer SMPS-NC400 interconnect from the cable supplied with the NC400. Took time and tested my soldering skills as the conectors are designed to be crimped.
The AMPS performance can only be described as SUPERB a credit to Bruno and the team at HYPEX
Have we now reached a point where Class D is better than a Class A gas guzzler ?
Ianmac
Last edited:
Here is my pair of NC400, built in Hifi2000 boxes (not so tight fit, height is 80mm):
Very ugly holes at the back panels, but I don't care too much.
Any critic/suggestion about wiring is welcome.
Antonio

Very ugly holes at the back panels, but I don't care too much.
Any critic/suggestion about wiring is welcome.
Antonio
Ah. So now we can have endless debates about the influence on sound quality 🙂
Yeah right. 😀
Plastic is not a natural material, thus it does not sound natural. We must use natural materials, like earwax, goatskin, cotton or linseed oil. According to some people, plastic insulation is evil you see.......
But according to me, audio (and "High-end" in particular) is a magnet to BS.
But according to me, audio (and "High-end" in particular) is a magnet to BS.
I guess we need more non-magnetic materials 🙂
Now I have to sell my original ncores so I get get the new ones with extra isolation, damnit.
That is right. It's an upgrade. Mine has it too so I asked Hypex. It is extra isolation.
It's not what I'd call an upgrade. Originally we counted on the two 3mm gaps (primary heat sink to core, core to secondary) to give us double insulation. Worked fine, until someone pointed out that if the primary heat sink was even slightly bent out of true the insulation distance would become compromised. These products are being put into the hands of people without formal electrical installation qualifications and this was one way to improve robustness.
So do you suggest/recommend that we wrap insulation around the core?It's not what I'd call an upgrade. Originally we counted on the two 3mm gaps (primary heat sink to core, core to secondary) to give us double insulation. Worked fine, until someone pointed out that if the primary heat sink was even slightly bent out of true the insulation distance would become compromised. These products are being put into the hands of people without formal electrical installation qualifications and this was one way to improve robustness.
I shouldn't bother unless you plan to drop the supply on the floor before it's mounted in a case.
Now I have to sell my original ncores so I get get the new ones with extra isolation, damnit.
How much do you want for them? 😀
Comparison between SMPS and Linear Supply
So my friend just compared the mono NCORE I made for him with linear supply and another with SMPS. A 115 db system was used as speakers. 4 X 15 " in each speaker. There was no big difference between them. The one with linear supply was slightly
more " analog " and a little more attack with the SMPS. I was not there but I would prefer the one with analog supply from what I was told.
So my friend just compared the mono NCORE I made for him with linear supply and another with SMPS. A 115 db system was used as speakers. 4 X 15 " in each speaker. There was no big difference between them. The one with linear supply was slightly
more " analog " and a little more attack with the SMPS. I was not there but I would prefer the one with analog supply from what I was told.
Last edited:
The one with linear supply was slightly
more " analog " and a little more attack with the SMPS. I was not there but I would prefer the one with analog supply from what I was told.
So what you are reporting is that the nc400 works better with the SMPS than with an analog supply? News at 11... 🙂
It...
does not sound like that is what he said to me... the subjective impression of more "attack" could easily be an artifact caused by RF contamination of the signal by the SMPS; I am not saying it IS, but it could be.
More in depth analysis is clearly needed here to come to any conclusions, and a completye description of the linear supply in question might be helpful as well-of course there are all kinds of linear supplies which could be tested...
So what you are reporting is that the nc400 works better with the SMPS than with an analog supply? News at 11... 🙂
does not sound like that is what he said to me... the subjective impression of more "attack" could easily be an artifact caused by RF contamination of the signal by the SMPS; I am not saying it IS, but it could be.
More in depth analysis is clearly needed here to come to any conclusions, and a completye description of the linear supply in question might be helpful as well-of course there are all kinds of linear supplies which could be tested...
the subjective impression of more "attack" could easily be an artifact caused by RF contamination of the signal by the SMPS
That s the problem with subjective descriptions. They can mean pretty much anything you want them to mean.
Here is my pair of NC400, built in Hifi2000 boxes (not so tight fit, height is 80mm):
![]()
Very ugly holes at the back panels, but I don't care too much.
Any critic/suggestion about wiring is welcome.
Antonio
Antonio,
Did the boxes come pre-drilled ??? The right chassis appears to have better wire placements than the left chassis. The power lines do not cross the signal lines and are further apart.
That s the problem with subjective descriptions. They can mean pretty much anything you want them to mean.
Very subjective. Also I suspect a preconceived bias: the linear supply sounded "analog" and the SMPS had more "attack," whatever that is. Now everyone else's bias is going to jump in with "analog, like in smoother, softer, more realistic, veiled..." and "attack as in digital nasty, etched, revealing, cleaner..."
Let's refrain. There are no conclusions here.
So what you are reporting is that the nc400 works better with the SMPS than with an analog supply? News at 11... 🙂
No not really . We will try at my place sometime. I have not heard it myself. What I wanted to tell was " no big difference " . For me that is positive for the SMPS.
"Analog, like loss of control, approximate, round in the edges", "digital, like accurate, controlled, honest"
... Now everyone else's bias is going to jump in with "analog, like in smoother, softer, more realistic, veiled..." and "attack as in digital nasty, etched, revealing, cleaner..."
Let's refrain. There are no conclusions here.
Why wouldn´t it be the later that is preferred?
- Conclusions? -who ever said anything about that 🙂
Personally I just like it to sound "right" 😉
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
- Home
- Amplifiers
- Class D
- Hypex Ncore