As far as i understand here below philips UcD patent expired soon;
US7113038B2 - Power amplifier
- Google Patents
US6803816B2 - Switching power amplifier
- Google Patents
I guess we will see new players in the market. I guess they have better build in quality. What do you think?
US7113038B2 - Power amplifier
- Google Patents
US6803816B2 - Switching power amplifier
- Google Patents
I guess we will see new players in the market. I guess they have better build in quality. What do you think?
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what technique are amps like this using?
Orchard Audio - Monoblock, Audio Power Amplifier, Home Audio | Orchard Audio
Orchard Audio - Monoblock, Audio Power Amplifier, Home Audio | Orchard Audio
IF there will be new players, they will compete on price, not quality.
The high quality people will go for the newer, better technologies.
Jan
It is using Texas gan with smillar closed loop topology. The owner Leo has an account here https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/members/orchardaudio.html
You can ask him. 🙄
Hello Mr. Didden;
Well, i am not fully agree with you hypex and purifi are new compared with ucd but they sacrifice gain to down that low level distortion same as orchard bosc.
If we put a preamp and gain grate infront of it distortion will be same or worse.
My favorite is ice1200AS2 then UCD amplifiers and then MA12070
yeah I saw the TI integrated GaN devices hes just very cagey with details on his (expensive) boards. I recall seeing opamp integrator and post filter feedback. My curiosity was how his product relates to UCD.
Well, UcD, Hypex and Purifi are not new parties - they are the same people of course.
We were referring to newcomers that would take advantage of expiring UcD patents. Those people will compete on price (that's the only way they can make some money).
Jan
Hypex has discontinued its cheaper diy offerings. I would be quite happy if someone offered something akin to the UCD180st at Hypex's old prices (+/-69€).
Right now, the UCD180HG is weirdly cheaper (100€) at their website than it is at resellers (115€ @ audiophonics), which might be a sign they're getting rid of old stock and moving towards ncore.
Right now, the UCD180HG is weirdly cheaper (100€) at their website than it is at resellers (115€ @ audiophonics), which might be a sign they're getting rid of old stock and moving towards ncore.
Was on the Hypex website for few minutes ago. The UcD 180 HG with HxR (voltage regulator) was €80. The UcD 400 HG - €100. UcD 700HG - €120. Both with HxR.
D.
D.
Are you sure? Hypex prices are excl. VAT and Audiophonics prices are incl. VAT, so it works out around the same I think?
Yes, I had already corrected all the prices for VAT.
Just as Dreatings said above, the UCD180HG is 80€ without VAT on their website. So about 100€ VAT included (slightly rounding up).
Just as Dreatings said above, the UCD180HG is 80€ without VAT on their website. So about 100€ VAT included (slightly rounding up).
Quality on what aspect?
I never found UCD amplifiers that amazing if it comes down to PCB design and quality for production and assembly.
Lately they are (finally) doing a lot better with the NCORE and NCAS designs with integrated SMPS.
But personally I think they put themselves in an awkward position for not going for some kind of ASIC. Keeping in mind what the vast majority of big players are asking for these days.
Which is an awful lot bigger than just an handful of audiophile brands.
The new TI TPA IC's might not be on the same level in terms of theoretical performance, the real-estate on the board is a million miles better and much more convenient.
People seem to forget that there is much more than just "raw" performance that makes an amp great and reliable.
There are a lot of great amps as well as developers out there making incredible designs.
I am very curious what kind of creative designs we will see when these patents expire.
I'm sure Hypex have thought about making a chip. I don't think it makes sense for them as their amplifiers have so few components and those components benefit from been discrete. E.G the Rdson of the TPA chip MOSFETS are not state of the art and the voltage tolerance of the part is relatively low, a lot of the Hypex product line is operating at higher voltages. If you look at the original UCD papers the example amplifiers have very few components!
https://www.hypex.nl/img/upload/doc/an_wp/WP_AES118BP_Simple_self-oscillating_class D_amplifier.pdf
Even if you look at the NCORE amplifiers most of the board area is passive components such as output filters and rail caps.
https://www.hypex.nl/img/upload/doc/an_wp/WP_AES118BP_Simple_self-oscillating_class D_amplifier.pdf
Even if you look at the NCORE amplifiers most of the board area is passive components such as output filters and rail caps.
Well, I happen to know a bit of production numbers from Hypes etc. I think they are exactly providing what the big players ask for!
Or maybe they are not very smart, compared to you?
Jan
UcD design most difficult for ground plane arrangement. Low cost part is not an issue.
I have learned designing UcD since I joined this forum, on 2005.
But now I have found solution for ground problem. Use thick plate as ground chassis also as heatsink so that you can take many places of ground without worry of closed loop and signal circulating.
I have learned designing UcD since I joined this forum, on 2005.
But now I have found solution for ground problem. Use thick plate as ground chassis also as heatsink so that you can take many places of ground without worry of closed loop and signal circulating.
I damn so cracy with UcD.
But I focused for Pro Audio. Even my poor amplifier still give great sound. I would say thank personally to you and Bruno.
If you assemble an amplifier on modern chips (not discrete), the sound will be much better. I tried to run my GAN amplifier in UcD mode, I also have the original UcD, the sound of a modern amplifier is better.