March Audio Hypex Ncore Power Amplifiers

[Willem]

I was wondering how these amplifiers behave with Quad electrostats. I have always powered those with Quad amplifiers (and have been happy doing so). My idea was that given that these speakers present a rather different kind of load, powering them by an amplifier designed by the speaker's designer was a good idea. However, I think my Quad 2805s can do with a bit more power than is available from my refurbished Q606-2. I could get a a pair of Quad QMP monoblocks, but these are both quite expensive and not exactly frugal with electricity at a moment that I am trying to reduce my ecological footprint.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Nord say that their version gives "85-90% of the sound quality of an NC500", which sounds pretty much like standard audiophile bollocks to me

Sure thing. Did they estimate this "10-15%" quality drop by ear-listening... Or maybe did they calculate the THD+N as being 15% worst... (which is not)? Complete non-sense indeed.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to buy anything from Nord. This, being completely unacceptable:

 

[March Audio]

I was wondering how these amplifiers behave with Quad electrostats. I have always powered those with Quad amplifiers (and have been happy doing so). My idea was that given that these speakers present a rather different kind of load, powering them by an amplifier designed by the speaker's designer was a good idea. However, I think my Quad 2805s can do with a bit more power than is available from my refurbished Q606-2. I could get a a pair of Quad QMP monoblocks, but these are both quite expensive and not exactly frugal with electricity at a moment that I am trying to reduce my ecological footprint.

No problem at all. A different load to many normal speakers but still not something that creates major issues to any decent low output impedance amp. Valve amp not advised.

 

[SEKLEM]

Power is just via the front touch switch. They have a very low power standby PSU which uses about 0.1 Watts.

I agree that its not a good idea to leave equipment on. These amps performance is not temperature sensitive. Any amp that does have a significant change in performance after "warming up" is essentially a poor design. Its thermally unstable.

Is it possible that future implementations could employ 12v triggers?

 

[March Audio]

Is it possible that future implementations could employ 12v triggers?

It's something I'm planning to as option. It won't be standard as the demand for it is so small.

 

[Ron Texas]

Sure thing. Did they estimate this "10-15%" quality drop by ear-listening... Or maybe did they calculate the THD+N as being 15% worst... (which is not)? Complete non-sense indeed.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to buy anything from Nord. This, being completely unacceptable:

Perhaps I'm blind and likely senile, but exactly what is wrong?

 

[Icboschert]

Polarity on the right side

 

[Ron Texas]

Polarity on the right side

OK, I get it.
@VintageFlanker Just curious, what is the source of that photo? I'm not saying it happened, but it's relatively easy to Photoshop the binding posts so that the polarity would be incorrect. If both of the red ones were in the center, that's not unusual as Crown amps are made that way.

 

[digitalfrost]

OK, I get it.
@VintageFlanker Just curious, what is the source of that photo?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-and-measurements-of-nord-one-nc500-amp.7704/

That was actually from the amp a member sent to amir.

 

[Ron Texas]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-and-measurements-of-nord-one-nc500-amp.7704/

That was actually from the amp a member sent to amir.

I see. Not Photoshop altered, but not directly from the manufacturer either. However, I would accept for purposes of this forum there was an assembly error. If something like this were an issue in a criminal case a break in the chain of custody makes evidence inadmissible, in the US, at least.

Behringer delivered many A500 amplifiers where one channel was not connected to the PSU. They are still in business. Due to the small batch nature of this business, this kind of mistake is possible anywhere.

 

[g29]

I see. Not Photoshop altered, but not directly from the manufacturer either. However, I would accept for purposes of this forum there was an assembly error. If something like this were an issue in a criminal case a break in the chain of custody makes evidence inadmissible, in the US, at least.

Behringer delivered many A500 amplifiers where one channel was not connected to the PSU. They are still in business. Due to the small batch nature of this business, this kind of mistake is possible anywhere.

Don't forget the delivery guys in the chain of custody. They are notorious for mishandling evidence !!!

 

[Ron Texas]

@g29 that's impact damage. It's possible whoever sent it in for review disassembled it and reassembled it wrong. Considering some of the things I have seen, it's possible. There's probably a lot of DOA electronics which were mishandled during shipping.

The problems with A500 amps were so widespread as to be almost unbelievable.

Just looking for info on the A800 and found some buyers received DOA amplifiers. By the way, there are no published S/N or distortion specs for the A800, so they must be terrible.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I see. Not Photoshop altered, but not directly from the manufacturer either. However, I would accept for purposes of this forum there was an assembly error.

This is a Nord amp, not a NC500 DIY kit. I don't imagine the owner (or @amirm, for that matters) intentionally reverse the polarity after buying.

Behringer delivered many A500 amplifiers where one channel was not connected to the PSU. They are still in business. Due to the small batch nature of this business, this kind of mistake is possible anywhere

Behringer is a much larger company than Nord. Nord is propably the most popular company to sell Ncore (Icepower etc...) assembled custom amps... But it is still very confidential/underground. I suppose they make something like dozens to one hundred units per month maximum. Finding this kind of issue for the few units made is worrying, in my book. Quality control must be questionable.

 

[SEKLEM]

It's something I'm planning to as option. It won't be standard as the demand for it is so small.

Demand counter is set at "one".

 

[Ron Texas]

This is a Nord amp, not a NC500 DIY kit. I don't imagine the owner (or @amirm, for that matters) intentionally reverse the polarity after buying.


Behringer is a much larger company than Nord. Nord is propably the most popular company to sell Ncore (Icepower etc...) assembled custom amps... But it is still very confidential/underground. I suppose they make something like dozens to one hundred units per month maximum. Finding this kind of issue for the few units made is worrying, in my book. Quality control must be questionable.

I don't believe anyone intentionally wired this amp wrong. It's obviously a mistake, but a mistake anyone else could make. Unless someone can show me there is a pattern, I am inclined to dismiss it as an outlier. You do have a choice of vendors, so if you don't like Nord, use someone else

 

[restorer-john]

I don't believe anyone intentionally wired this amp wrong. It's obviously a mistake, but a mistake anyone else could make. Unless someone can show me there is a pattern, I am inclined to dismiss it as an outlier. You do have a choice of vendors, so if you don't like Nord, use someone else

I agree. Also the fact that Nord have their speaker terminal polarity opposite to conventional practice where the hot/red/+ are usually both to the outside and the cold/blk/- are both together. They have them arranged red-blk, red/blk.

It's just a random anomaly and nothing to worry about.

Nord's site photo:

 

[digitalfrost]

 

[March Audio]

OK, I get it.
@VintageFlanker Just curious, what is the source of that photo? I'm not saying it happened, but it's relatively easy to Photoshop the binding posts so that the polarity would be incorrect. If both of the red ones were in the center, that's not unusual as Crown amps are made that way.

Just a note (as the threads about my gear ) - I really have no problem discussing other manufacturers gear, but I will take the opportunity as the subject has come up to point out that the multi channel amp I bought from Nord before I started manufacturing had several channels out of phase (input signal side). One channel didnt work (connection issue again input signal side) and IIRC the one Amir tested also had one of them out of phase.

Luckily I had the skills to fix the problems instead of having to send it back to the UK.

 

[March Audio]

I don't believe anyone intentionally wired this amp wrong. It's obviously a mistake, but a mistake anyone else could make. Unless someone can show me there is a pattern, I am inclined to dismiss it as an outlier. You do have a choice of vendors, so if you don't like Nord, use someone else

Mistakes do happen. I make them when building amps. BUT thats why I run a suite of tests on each amp plus 24 hour soak before it goes out the door. Its basic QC.

 

[Wombat]

I don't believe anyone intentionally wired this amp wrong. It's obviously a mistake, but a mistake anyone else could make. Unless someone can show me there is a pattern, I am inclined to dismiss it as an outlier. You do have a choice of vendors, so if you don't like Nord, use someone else

The product should not have got out the factory door. Full stop(period). No excuses.