As Bruno has mentioned...
Many times. There would be no real advantage to offering a lower power module than the nCore 400, the price would be virtually the same, and the nCore 400 performs very, very well at low power outputs.
Of course, for low power usage, one can save money by using a lower power supply.
Many times. There would be no real advantage to offering a lower power module than the nCore 400, the price would be virtually the same, and the nCore 400 performs very, very well at low power outputs.
Of course, for low power usage, one can save money by using a lower power supply.
I read dry and clinical as not musical.
Then my answer is no not at all.
We listened aboud 3 hours.
Rob
and not even a 2 x 100W one - just think of the cost of the heatsinksProbably. But not a 2x400W one.
Of course this isn't DIY in the more traditional sense - assembling from discrete components. It's a set of fully assembled tested and warranted modules. But it still allows for the DIY saving of integration and packaging.
But it's up to every constructor/purchaser to make their individual choices of price/perfomance. An observation that it's not right for you (other commentators, not you Julf) doesn't make a wrong choice for others
I can't imagine that a lower powered device would have been that much cheaper - everything would nominally be the same apart from output devices. So at best that would probably bring the price down to something like ucd400hxr level. And if we believe that the power supply also affects the sound quality, then there's no saving to be made there - or utilise the SMPS400A400 and save 2 x 60 euros
And the Ncore400 performs better at lower powers than a lower power module would (if I remember Bruno's posts correctly)
If you want a different price/performance compromise then you can:
- do it yourself from scratch(!)
- buy the revised Ucd 180 once it's released
Hypex could have made the decision not to produce the ncore400 module at all,
and not to give it a statement front end design
...and then someone else would have complained about that
Im not questioning your expertice, not at all
but 3 hours sounds a bit short, and a bit stressed
I often say to friends who are fast with to form an opinion that they should try and live with it fore a longer period, and then tell me what they think about it
could go both ways, but almost always different
I dont rate short term evaluation very highly
since you seem to have OEM modules, is there any risk you could feel 'obligated' or 'biased' ?
Time will tell how Ncore performs amongst other amplifier topologies; just a matter of interpreting all those subjective reviews that will show up, and eventually making your own decision.
it is a good thing that the reviewer mentioned his setup and the references (the Pass clone and the UCD). I'm sick of those "useful" reviews where the reviewer just says "sounds great!" just to find that his reference is a $50 boombox, while mine costs $8000. unfortunately it happens a lot.
I can't find any reason to find that surprising.
FYI mastering engineer Bob Katz gave up his Pass amp (commercial, not DIY) in favor of class D Lipinski amps. and if he doesn't know better, I have no idea who does
here's a pic of his mastering system with Lipinski speakers and the old Pass Amps (looks like XA160?).
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..... and if he doesn't know better, I have no idea who does
who knows better than who ?
FYI mastering engineer Bob Katz gave up his Pass amp (commercial, not DIY) in favor of class D Lipinski amps. and if he doesn't know better, I have no idea who does
here's a pic of his mastering system with Lipinski speakers and the old Pass Amps (looks like XA160?).
It does not tell me anything until Bob Katz himself declares why he changed amps.
Maybe he was tired of dragging around that heavy Pass amp and preferred something more lightweight
Yes, thanks for the "review" of the Ncores, so we have a first impression.
I am interested in Class D also because of economical reasons (maybe B.Katz followed doctors advice; no heavy lifting). Some time ago I estimated the cost for electricity for a nice class A or tube amp, and became aware that this can be easily 500€ a year .
Not to speak about the ecological aspects here...
But on the other hand life is much too short for bad amplification, and many many Class D amps suffer from this leading edge/decay imbalance thing.
So if these new kids are able to fix this, I would happily sell my SE tube amps.
We will see...
I am interested in Class D also because of economical reasons (maybe B.Katz followed doctors advice; no heavy lifting). Some time ago I estimated the cost for electricity for a nice class A or tube amp, and became aware that this can be easily 500€ a year .
Not to speak about the ecological aspects here...But on the other hand life is much too short for bad amplification, and many many Class D amps suffer from this leading edge/decay imbalance thing.
So if these new kids are able to fix this, I would happily sell my SE tube amps.
We will see...
Hi All!
I'm a real newbie when it comes to DIY and component matching. Is it possible to get good audio quality using a passive pre controlling the Ncore?
1. If yes, wich stepped attenuator value should I use?
2. If no, What preamp kit could you recommend, being a good match with the Ncores?
My fears is that I'll loose dynamics by going with a passive pre, with a flat and boring sound.
I have just finnished Troels Gravesens Ekta Grandes. Have driven them with a S.A.T Amplifix and more recently, a Lexicon RV-8v2. I feel both are a bit lacking in power. The lexicon sounds awful in pure 2ch mode, compared to the Amplifix. Luckily I picked up the lexicon for a cool 100$.
I was hoping to keep the Lexicon for home theater purpouses and use a passive pre(like goldpoint SA2) to a pair of Ncore monoblocks, Being able to use a better DAC and a stepped attenuator for better stereo performance.
All suggestions much appreciated.
I'm a real newbie when it comes to DIY and component matching. Is it possible to get good audio quality using a passive pre controlling the Ncore?
1. If yes, wich stepped attenuator value should I use?
2. If no, What preamp kit could you recommend, being a good match with the Ncores?
My fears is that I'll loose dynamics by going with a passive pre, with a flat and boring sound.
I have just finnished Troels Gravesens Ekta Grandes. Have driven them with a S.A.T Amplifix and more recently, a Lexicon RV-8v2. I feel both are a bit lacking in power. The lexicon sounds awful in pure 2ch mode, compared to the Amplifix. Luckily I picked up the lexicon for a cool 100$.
I was hoping to keep the Lexicon for home theater purpouses and use a passive pre(like goldpoint SA2) to a pair of Ncore monoblocks, Being able to use a better DAC and a stepped attenuator for better stereo performance.
All suggestions much appreciated.
I'm not sure if it's supposed to tell you anything at all (because you seem to know the truth beforehand), but, for the heck of it...It does not tell me anything until Bob Katz himself declares why he changed amps.
Maybe he was tired of dragging around that heavy Pass amp and preferred something more lightweight
excuse my naivety, but I thought that someone who owns a $25000 stereo system and makes a living out of mastering audiophile recordings would not downgrade any component even if the difference is slim. it's not like Bob Katz went "what the heck, it sounds worse than the Pass but it really looks nice and has a lot of good marketing behind it. oh, and some guys on this forum said it's really cool, I'll take it".
tinitus said that he finds it remarkable that a class D amp can compete with a good class A one and I gave an example where someone who is considered to know his stuff pretty well did not find that incredible at all. even if BK gave up his Pass amp just because of weight reasons (do you really think so?) it proves a point and answers the question.
Hi Ajsak,
to my humble ears a passive pre almost everytime sounds like you described. I built a DCB1 buffer from a group buy in this forum and couldn't be happier, easy to build, great sound together with Class D amps and others. Many builts out there, many satisfied builders...
Maybe somebody knows the input impedance of the Ncore, I don't.
to my humble ears a passive pre almost everytime sounds like you described. I built a DCB1 buffer from a group buy in this forum and couldn't be happier, easy to build, great sound together with Class D amps and others. Many builts out there, many satisfied builders...
Maybe somebody knows the input impedance of the Ncore, I don't.
Well I took the effort to find and read Bob Katz' review.
His Pass amp was the XL250, a big and heavy class A monster consuming some 270 watts continuously.
When comparing with the Lipinski amp he found that one to sound better in the bass, and very marginally better in the mid.
His overall marginal preference was for the Lipinski, which can well be understood as this is also the far more economic option, especially when more than one mastering room must be provided with the necessary equipment.
No mention however of what class d technology is applied.
And oh yes, I know the truth beforehand
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