Those of you who are interested in a Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition) should consider placing your order now. The kit is on sale for $999 while supplies last. Once I run out, there will be no more kits.
I'm down to four (4) kits with black front panel and five (5) with "silver" (clear anodized) front panels.
Get yours here: Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition)
Tom
I'm down to four (4) kits with black front panel and five (5) with "silver" (clear anodized) front panels.
Get yours here: Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition)
Tom
Attachments
Tom's answer in the Modulus-186 thread: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendor-s-bazaar/328807-neurochrome-modulus-186-40w-8-65w-4-120db-thd-composite-amplifier-module.html#post5575902
32y0: Thanks for helping out. I appreciate it.
I'm down to three silver and five black kits. I'm not planning any other sales, so the deal you see now is the best deal you'll get.
Tom
I'm down to three silver and five black kits. I'm not planning any other sales, so the deal you see now is the best deal you'll get.
Tom
My bad. It's four silver and four black left in stock.
Note to self: Check inventory before posting. 🙂
Tom
Note to self: Check inventory before posting. 🙂
Tom
Down to five (5) kits now. Four in silver, one in black. $999/each while supplies last.
Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition) - Ultra-High End Audio Amplifier Kit – Neurochrome
Tom
Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition) - Ultra-High End Audio Amplifier Kit – Neurochrome
Tom
I occasionally take on custom builds of my amps. I don't advertise this much. Maybe I should... Anyway. One guy wanted a 4-pin XLR on the front of his Modulus-286 Kit (LE) so he could power (inefficient) headphones with it.
I gotta say that drilling into that pretty black anodized front panel was a bit of a harrowing experience. I drilled to 23 mm diameter with a stepped drill and enlarged the hole to 23.6 mm with a file. I protected the panel from scratches with painter's masking tape. The result turned out well, I think.
Tom
I gotta say that drilling into that pretty black anodized front panel was a bit of a harrowing experience. I drilled to 23 mm diameter with a stepped drill and enlarged the hole to 23.6 mm with a file. I protected the panel from scratches with painter's masking tape. The result turned out well, I think.
Tom
Attachments
Hi Tom, great work on this amp!
Looks like the page for the Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition) is down - did you sell the last one?
If so, congratulations!
Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
Looks like the page for the Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition) is down - did you sell the last one?
If so, congratulations!
Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
Yep. The last Modulus-286 Kit (LE) is gone. Thank you to everybody who supported the project.
The Modulus-286 itself is still going strong. I'm down to three modules in stock. Two are configured for 10 dB gain.
Tom
The Modulus-286 itself is still going strong. I'm down to three modules in stock. Two are configured for 10 dB gain.
Tom
Picking up on the guitar music theme (Santana etc..) try Gerardo Nunez for some great flamenco.
Luckily, I'm old enough to have seen Santana (early), Clapton, Hendrix, Zoot Horn Rollo,
Paco de Lucia......
As to kits; had fingers (metaphorically) burned by a Linsley Hood kit in 1980, that occillated badly. The Neurochrome is getting high praise on AOS site here in UK.
Luckily, I'm old enough to have seen Santana (early), Clapton, Hendrix, Zoot Horn Rollo,
Paco de Lucia......
As to kits; had fingers (metaphorically) burned by a Linsley Hood kit in 1980, that occillated badly. The Neurochrome is getting high praise on AOS site here in UK.
You'll reach clipping into 8 Ω at about 2.3 V.
You can find the full Modulus-286 specs in the "Specifications" tab on the MOD286 product page: Modulus-286: 125W power amplifier achieving -120dB (0.0001%) THD – Neurochrome
Scroll down to see the specs for 20 dB gain.
Tom
Unit 28 of 28. First impressions.
Source is the dual Soekris dam1021 in my signature.
I thought the NC400's was excellent until I turned on the neurochrome. After a day of listening back and forth I find the smacking highs and resulting decaying percussion simply doesn't sound as good on the NC400 compared to the 286, clarity of the 286 is very evident. It brings things more in line of the experience I get when running the the HD800's via the Wire BAL-BAL headphone amp.
Just when you thought you reached the limit of the KEF R300 they still have a lot more to give here. Don't get me wrong both amps sound very good but when comparing the two the 286 simply sounds more open and flowing, especially on percussion and anything that has high pitch its more pronounced and with more complex heavy metal material it literally pushes all those instruments through in a much less muddled fashion. Lower volume listening seems to make these differences more pronounced for the 286. Nice!
Despite the reduction in headroom between the amps there doesn't seem to be any difference in power at my average listening levels.
So far most of my listening material for comparison was TOOL Fear Inoculum 96khz release, having played the album to death on the NC400 since its release and now playing it on this amp I can hear significant differences in clarity.
Lastly there maybe some truth behind the Ncore and the output inductor changing the listening experience from one day to the next depending how long you listen, after seeing Bruno explaining why his Purify amps are better it makes you wonder.... infact it was seeing the Purify amp reviews that made me finally bite the bullet on the Neurochrome, after eyeing Tom's amps for a good few years now but I never as I figured my NC400 was good already. I doubted it would ever be an improvement over ncore, until now. I see a lot of people bash class D like mad, refusing to touch it, maybe there is some truth to it?
Very nice amp, well worth the price of admission. Look forward to your future projects.
Source is the dual Soekris dam1021 in my signature.
I thought the NC400's was excellent until I turned on the neurochrome. After a day of listening back and forth I find the smacking highs and resulting decaying percussion simply doesn't sound as good on the NC400 compared to the 286, clarity of the 286 is very evident. It brings things more in line of the experience I get when running the the HD800's via the Wire BAL-BAL headphone amp.
Just when you thought you reached the limit of the KEF R300 they still have a lot more to give here. Don't get me wrong both amps sound very good but when comparing the two the 286 simply sounds more open and flowing, especially on percussion and anything that has high pitch its more pronounced and with more complex heavy metal material it literally pushes all those instruments through in a much less muddled fashion. Lower volume listening seems to make these differences more pronounced for the 286. Nice!
Despite the reduction in headroom between the amps there doesn't seem to be any difference in power at my average listening levels.
So far most of my listening material for comparison was TOOL Fear Inoculum 96khz release, having played the album to death on the NC400 since its release and now playing it on this amp I can hear significant differences in clarity.
Lastly there maybe some truth behind the Ncore and the output inductor changing the listening experience from one day to the next depending how long you listen, after seeing Bruno explaining why his Purify amps are better it makes you wonder.... infact it was seeing the Purify amp reviews that made me finally bite the bullet on the Neurochrome, after eyeing Tom's amps for a good few years now but I never as I figured my NC400 was good already. I doubted it would ever be an improvement over ncore, until now. I see a lot of people bash class D like mad, refusing to touch it, maybe there is some truth to it?
Very nice amp, well worth the price of admission. Look forward to your future projects.
Attachments
I'm glad the kit came together for you nicely and that you're happy with the result. I really appreciate your review. Thank you for writing and for sharing your experience.
Tom
Tom
Nice review spikestabber, your review of the 286 mirrors mine as I used to own NCore 400 as well. I have a pair of 686 modules now and that is the next big amp on the building block.
Enjoy!
Best,
Anand.
Enjoy!
Best,
Anand.
After more listening to Dream Theater with their very dynamic sounds I can further solidify the observations made already. I'm having to relisten to everything that I know note for note down to a tee and its bringing a lot of new observations (and smiles).
you wrote that "modules are configured for 10 dB gain", interesting information on this option, and not 20 dB