It has signal sensing with adjustable sensitivity and adjustable turn off time when no signal has been fed. That's how I use it. Signal sensing works for both digital and analog inputs. The standby power consumption is reasonably low. In my opinion this kind of auxiliary features makes it the best plate there is.
192kHz/24bit on S/PDIF seems to be a challenge in my setup
Even when running Mogami 75ohm coax cables crimped to Canare/Belden special 75ohm RCA connectors signal is lost after the first two Fusion amp's - I am using four, a 502 and 503 each side.
No problems at 96k and no problems when using AES3 on 110ohm cables
Have any of you experienced this and found a work around??
I received an answer from Hypex that they generally recommend running AES in parallel to the S/PDIF for control at 192k.
And that control should still be ok in this case.
Which is really my only concern, nevermind the 192k but I would not want issues on the volume and presets due to lost communication on S/PDIF
Even when running Mogami 75ohm coax cables crimped to Canare/Belden special 75ohm RCA connectors signal is lost after the first two Fusion amp's - I am using four, a 502 and 503 each side.
No problems at 96k and no problems when using AES3 on 110ohm cables
Have any of you experienced this and found a work around??
I received an answer from Hypex that they generally recommend running AES in parallel to the S/PDIF for control at 192k.
And that control should still be ok in this case.
Which is really my only concern, nevermind the 192k but I would not want issues on the volume and presets due to lost communication on S/PDIF
After 3 years of usage do You miss FIR functionality? I've read that Hypex has developed a new version with both FIR and IIR filters but can't launch it due to supply chain problems. So I'm not sure if its worth to wait or just get the current IIR version and enjoy the music.
@Norgaard I've read that there is risk of blowing up a module if its switched off/on after loosing sync, something to watch out for.
Does your signal sensing actually work? Mine does not work well at all. If I connect to my TV's Toslink, it will keep coming on and off (have tried all sensitivity settings. It does this when the TV is off.) Same if I connect to an analog sources. If I also have auto sensing input selection, sometimes an analog input (also turned off) will just take over when the TV is quiet / paused... then the left channel (slave unit) completely goes out (seems to lose master/slave connection until I manually flip the switch and wait for lights to go out and turn back on.) Auto sensing input works when it's just analog or digital, but when it goes from digital to analog without powering off the master/slave connection dumps and I only get sound out of one speaker.
I just assumed they were all finicky like this.
I use an analog signal into my hypex amps, so I cannot comment on the digital inputs. My experience with signal sensing is that it works, but it is not flawless. For me, the most sensitive setting was too sensitive, and the unit would never turn off, even if my preamp was off. The next step up in sensitivity is not quite sensitive enough. With low level program material, it often fails to come on. I usually startup the hypex amps by turning the volume control to a high level, until I hear the relays "click", then I return the volume control to the desired setting. My preamp does not have a remote control, so I have to manually turn it on and adjust the volume control anyway.
That is very different from mine. I use it connected to the TV, which plays digital music on my fileserver through a Roku app. My wife likes Karaoke, so the analog out of the TV goes to a mixer for the mics that then outputs to the Hypex so she can use the Roku for Youtube Karaoke.
With the amps at 4/4 (least sensitive, I assume, 1/1 works the same, though.) if I have everything switched off for a while (plate cold to the touch,) and switch them on, they will stay off if digital only is connected. They'll sense correctly when the TV is turned on and outputting sound. But once they're warm, then they don't work right. They will properly turn off after TV is off for the amount of time set, but then they turn on again right away (<1 minute for sure, usually much less.) I can hear them out in the living room clicking on and off every 15 minutes if I am not using them and like in the office room or something.
If analog is connected (but the mixer not just turned off, but completely unplugged, since it doesn't have a power switch we switch it at the power strip,) then it will sense signal even when the plates are cold, and then do the same thing as digital where it turns off, then turns back on right away again. This adds the complication that when we go from digital to analog without power cycling, the slave side cuts out.
Very annoying, and now I'm looking at power strips that will turn on when the TV turns on (but I don't always want the TV on... trying to figure out how to set it up best. I thought I wouldn't need a recevier / preamp, but the whole analog / digital issue where the slave side turns off...
I got it all working with my Harmony remote & the hypex remote kit so that everything was getting controlled from one remote, but now looks like I might need something like a minidsp flex digital or something that will ADC the analog... plus a solution to not be burning 50W or whatever day and night... getting frustrating.
Anyway I guess my units have an issue, but I bought them quite some time ago.
That's interesting. I use digital inputs only and volume is controlled in the preceding preamp. Works without any issues high or low volume.
I suggest you contact Hypex support, they might be able to work this out with a firmware update.
The different power modes are not supposed to work across the inputs according the manual
Checking the actual text in the HFD manual 4.95 it states the following:
Shutdown power mode
As already mentioned in “Activate signal detection” the FusionAmp knows two power-
down modes: “Standby” and “Low-Power”.
In “Standby” power mode, the device draws less than 0.5W from the mains power
supply. The only wake-up method in this mode is audio on the analogue XLR or RCA
(or SUB input if your FusionAmp is equipped with a high-level input extension) inputs
when signal detection is enabled (see “Activate signal detection”), or with a remote
control, if your device is equipped with a remote control set. Most of the FusionAmp
hardware is put in suspend mode to save power. The sensitivity is user selectable as
explained before, in four levels. If audio is detected for at least 0.5s, the unit will start
up.
When the device entered “Low-power” mode, the MP-DSP Digin module is not switched
off, but is used to scan the digital inputs. When audio is detected on one of the digital
sources (equal or more than -60dB for at least 0.5s), the system will start. In low
power mode, the FusionAmp will consume less than 1.5W. “Low-Power” mode is only
available when a MP-DSP Digin module is detected.
obviously setting the trigger for off less sensitive than the level for on will cause problems.
Checking the actual text in the HFD manual 4.95 it states the following:
Shutdown power mode
As already mentioned in “Activate signal detection” the FusionAmp knows two power-
down modes: “Standby” and “Low-Power”.
In “Standby” power mode, the device draws less than 0.5W from the mains power
supply. The only wake-up method in this mode is audio on the analogue XLR or RCA
(or SUB input if your FusionAmp is equipped with a high-level input extension) inputs
when signal detection is enabled (see “Activate signal detection”), or with a remote
control, if your device is equipped with a remote control set. Most of the FusionAmp
hardware is put in suspend mode to save power. The sensitivity is user selectable as
explained before, in four levels. If audio is detected for at least 0.5s, the unit will start
up.
When the device entered “Low-power” mode, the MP-DSP Digin module is not switched
off, but is used to scan the digital inputs. When audio is detected on one of the digital
sources (equal or more than -60dB for at least 0.5s), the system will start. In low
power mode, the FusionAmp will consume less than 1.5W. “Low-Power” mode is only
available when a MP-DSP Digin module is detected.
obviously setting the trigger for off less sensitive than the level for on will cause problems.
I read it here, on the last 2 or three pages of this thread this was mentioned https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ypex-plate-fusionamp-amplifiers.18537/page-10
So I'm trying to choose between buying a used unit now or shelve out for a new one, possibly pricier, with FIR capability. If forecasts for the car industry are any measure then I guess chip shortages would last at least until 2023 but that is just my opinion. So I'm leaning towards buying it now, as it is, with IIR only.
Alright, I spent way too much time reading way too many posts on Hypex and went a little ahead from reading between then lines. On page 7 or 8 it was suggested that a new DSP module with FIR capability is coming since like 2 years and later a Hypex rep wrote that they are barely keeping production up to demand with current supply chain problems, so any plans to introduce new products are put on a shelf. This where I got this idea from.