Hypex NCx500 Class D Amplifier Review

[amirm]

Unrelated note, I'd like to see a good way to more easily compare power vs distortion at different frequencies between amplifiers.

Didn't you see this measurement in the review???

 

[BR52]

Where is the not populated IC place in the input board for, pre gain? Hopefully the "high gain" test can be done.

 

[marcom22]

I don't like these tests that only focus on a use case that is not relevant for 99,9% of people. Who here has a source that goes to 10V output?

Unrelated note, I'd like to see a good way to more easily compare power vs distortion at different frequencies between amplifiers.

Do you know pre-amp?

 

[amirm]

Where is the not populated IC place in the input board for, pre gain? Hopefully the "high gain" test can be done.

Going to sleep now but plan to test higher gain modes tomorrow.

 

[pma]

Didn't you see this measurement in the review???

Really getting poor above 10W.

 

[BR52]

The "pre amp guys" can read this thread:

The Signal Chain: How do noise and distortion propagate through my system?​

It can be hopefully helpful.

 

[Koeitje]

Didn't you see this measurement in the review???

Yes, but I meant that you can't really overlay these graphs on top of each other when you compare different amplifiers because its not a single line. You always have to keep them next to each other.

 

[Rja4000]

Who here has a source that goes to 10V output?

I do ;-)

RME ADI-2 Pro has a +24dBu output range option, which is above 12V.
My Yamaha digital mixer also pushes 10Vrms out
(A bit borderline to pull the last watt out of this one at 12dB gain, though.)

But you're right and Amir said he agrees.

 

[Matias]

There were several other power amps measured in low gain as well as in higher gains. Let's wait for Amir to return and publish those too.

I do ;-)

RME ADI-2 Pro has a +24dBu output range option, which is above 12V.

Indeed the RME would have no problem driving it directly, and with AutoRef enabled, having the highest SINAD in the widest volume range possible. Killer combo!

 

[Snoopy]

Wow.. 500 watt monoblock at that performance... Incredible. Now we really can move on.... How could this even get better?

We have already perfect DACs.. amps like this one.. add Dirac to it.

 

[pma]

I wonder why the XLR body is "grounded" this way??

And why the distortion rises (even THD+N/level at 1kHz!) as early as above 5-10W??

Any, answers, @Hypexsales ?

 

[VintageFlanker]

Who here has a source that goes to 10V output?

I do. Many, many preamps can output (way) more than 10Vrms. As may some DACs: Benchmark DAC3, RME ADI-2 PRO, Matrix Element X2...

 

[BR52]

There were several other power amps measured in low gain as well as in higher gains. Let's wait for Amir to return and publish those too.

Agree because they use the "Putsye#s hypex 78xx 79xx low noise replacement boards" for the low voltage supply in the module. I did this in my Audiophonics Purify as well and could measure little less noise as well.
Maybe a DIY-hint?

 

[FrantzM]

Tough Crowd!


We are being spoiled with a shower of excellent products ..

I don't know if I would hear a difference from a good AVR but a pair of these + RME ADI-2 FS + a Pair of Revel 328 Be + some (2 , 3?) serious subs from the usual suspects (Monoprice, Rythmik, SVS, etc...) ...

Heaven!

Peace.

 

[restorer-john]

I do. Many, many preamps can output (way) more than 10Vrms. As may some DACs: Benchmark DAC3, RME ADI-2 PRO, Matrix Element X2...

Seriously, those 'preamps' are hardly anything more than obscure products. Their sales would be insignificant and their installed base, even less significant. They are not, nor ever will be mainstream HiFi preamplifiers. Probably sold 10 thousand between all of them.

Let's get real. The standard input sensitivity for domestic HiFi power amplifiers has been 1.0-2.0V for 50 years. Even with balanced, you can double that on a bad day. So 2.0-4.0V. Anything else it utterly stupid.

Yes, I have preamps that will output 30V RMS, but they are outliers and their rated output is 1.5V.

12dB is a joke. Nobody takes that seriously. Power amplifiers are ~26-29dB. Even Amir tweaks his integrated levels to be somewhere near that.

 

[BR52]

May be off-topic but:

Agree because they use the "Putsye#s hypex 78xx 79xx low noise replacement boards" for the low voltage supply in the module. I did this in my Audiophonics Purify as well and could measure little less noise as well.
Maybe a DIY-hint?

 

[marcom22]

I do. Many, many preamps can output (way) more than 10Vrms. As may some DACs: Benchmark DAC3, RME ADI-2 PRO, Matrix Element X2...

If I can ..... also the fantastic Topping Pre90 can

 

[Sokel]

If I can ..... also the fantastic Topping Pre90 can

Isn't that have 9V input sensitivity?

 

[DSJR]

To those criticising distortion levels, it does show how far mid priced *domestic* amps have come in forty years. Back then, when subjectivism was the burgeoning thing in the UK, an estimated sinad of 70 - 80dB or so was common in the 'best sounding' mid-price amps as tested by Martin Colloms and 40 - 60dB was reserved for the very best 'sounding' high end confections he loved and pushed so much, power was low generally and very few power houses made it (I think the Tresham derived Tannoy was one and the NAD 2200 was sort-of liked I recall without checking). This amp as tested would be in a different higher plane frankly and I hope the more usable higher gain option won't affect figures overmuch.

Seriously folks, this amp module is almost certainly totally transparent to the sources fed it and I'm sure in larger rooms with larger speaker systems, the power output would be thrilling if it was given its head!

 

[staticV3]

Isn't that have 9V input sensitivity?

The Pre90 has max 16dB gain and 17.7Vrms max output.
To get 10Vrms out of the Pre90, you have to input 1.7Vrms at max gain.