Buchardt I150 integrated Amp/DAC

[watchnerd]

You live in a different world or universe than most of us I guess.... The point I am trying to make is that this product is not for you. If you want subs and seperate bass management there are alternatives enough.

I'm just telling you the science.

This is ASR, after all.

Buchardt's attempt to market an all-in-one system certainly has lifestyle appeal and may be quite popular and sell well.

But to claim that the drivers in two modest sized satellites are "enough" is more marketing than engineering.

 

[xarkkon]

I already switched from the Sonos Amp to an IOTAVX SA3 with my S400 with a Sonos Port (bypass). Why would you need ARC on a stereo amplifier? Every TV has Toslink. The IOTAVX already has much better Center imaging for movies in stereo than the Sonos Amp had in dolby 5.1. And on top of that dynamics are much more balanced. With the Sonos Amp I was always struggling with soft voices in movies and too load sound effects etc. For music it is bright. My Sonos Amp now works just fine as a stereo receiver for my outside speakers.

https://www.buchardtaudio.com/products/stereo-hub their own stereo hub comes with HDMI ARC. I'm sure it's not end of the world without it, but just a pity that they can't include it here when they clearly can do it in their other products.

 

[Eckelstone]

https://www.buchardtaudio.com/products/stereo-hub their own stereo hub comes with HDMI ARC. I'm sure it's not end of the world without it, but just a pity that they can't include it here when they clearly can do it in their other products.

Their hub seems to be exactly the same as the one that System Audio is offering. So I don’t think they are making that hub themselves. It is just a Wisa Hub they give as an option with their active speakers, as oppossed to using the RCA connectors or a different Wisa hub.

https://system-audio.com/nl/product/stereo-hub-3/

 

[boggit10]

Looks very nice indeed, love the styling. But for those on a budget,
we offer the NC252MP based Integrated with optional streamer for £699 also available in silver.

 

[Matias]

If you are spending this amount of money on speakers and amplifier you would never use a preout for subwoofer, but high level input anyway. For example rel subwoofers.

Have you read on the REL website why do they recommend using the amplifier signals instead of balanced? And also why other top subwoofer makers (JL Audio, SVS) don't recommend the same?
So please don't post this as it were an universal high end truth which it is not.

 

[xarkkon]

Their hub seems to be exactly the same as the one that System Audio is offering. So I don’t think they are making that hub themselves. It is just a Wisa Hub they give as an option with their active speakers, as oppossed to using the RCA connectors or a different Wisa hub.

https://system-audio.com/nl/product/stereo-hub-3/

Heck! That's disappointing... heh.

And on the subwoofer thing... I'd say that they're needlessly reducing their market over a single output. They've gotten a good enough reputation from their speakers and I'm sure people without Buchardt speakers might want to give their integrated amp a try. While not everyone has subs (or would willingly use the speaker output), I think the added cost required to put in that sub output could be very well worth it for them.

 

[Koeitje]

The reason why Buchardt does not add Bass management, because that would interfere with there room correction and they are of the opinion their speakers go deep enough. The power of this amp is that they have developed it together with the S400. So the same as with their upcoming active systems, they were able to substantially improve the sound of the existing speaker and give you and experience that you could otherwise only get by handpicking and trying out components and measuring yourself. This in particular is the advantage of active systems for consumers like me. If you are talking about progress, this is progress and it brings HiFi sound to normal homes and interiors as all in one solution. Different products for different customers, not one being better than the other, simply different.

That's a joke right? I don't recall the S400 having 12-18" woofers?

Its also a missed market opportunity: a Buchardt subwoofer.

 

[Eckelstone]

Heck! That's disappointing... heh.

And on the subwoofer thing... I'd say that they're needlessly reducing their market over a single output. They've gotten a good enough reputation from their speakers and I'm sure people without Buchardt speakers might want to give their integrated amp a try. While not everyone has subs (or would willingly use the speaker output), I think the added cost required to put in that sub output could be very well worth it for them.

Lot’s of stereo amps don’t have dedicated Sub outs. They only made this amp because they were so enthusiastic about their A500 speaker, that they want to give their S400‘s buyer the same experience. Especially with their room correction and low level listening enhancement. One of the shortcoming of the S400, and I know that as an owner, is that they really shine at louder volumes. That low level correction is based on the science and design of S400. So owners of other speakers would not have that benefit anyway.

On their fb page Buchardt states that you can use the pre-outs to connect a Sub, so maybe there will be a setting in their app to make it variable or fixed line/pre out.

 

[Eckelstone]

That's a joke right? I don't recall the S400 having 12-18" woofers?

Its also a missed market opportunity: a Buchardt subwoofer.

Buchardt is going active. So their might be a Wisa sub in the future.

 

[jhaider]

The reason why Buchardt does not add Bass management, because that would interfere with there room correction and they are of the opinion their speakers go deep enough.

If true, the first reason sounds like a drawing board problem. As in, the approach is irreparably flawed, so back to the drawing board.

If true, the second reason broadcasts ignorance of modern high fidelity audio system design. Yes, for a single listening position a pair of speakers with sufficient LF extension and volume displacement can be EQ'ed to sound very good. Add more than one listening position, and everything falls apart. IMO, "lifestyle systems" miss the point if they lock you down.

If you are talking about progress, this is progress and it brings HiFi sound to normal homes and interiors as all in one solution.

Expensive but hamstrung is not "progress" by any measure, when there are much cheaper products (here, ELAC and MartinLogan integrated DAC amps with bass management and room correction for ~500 USD) with the necessary feature set.

Different products for different customers, not one being better than the other, simply different.

An integrated amp or preamp with flexible bass management is definitely better than a hamstrung one.

Your assumption here is just because basic features are present, they must be used. Bass management can be turned off for a 2.0 channel system. If this necessary feature was omitted at the design stage, however, it can never be turned on.

 

[watchnerd]

This in particular is the advantage of active systems for consumers like me. If you are talking about progress, this is progress and it brings HiFi sound to normal homes and interiors as all in one solution. Different products for different customers, not one being better than the other, simply different.

I'm curious why you think merely being active negates the need for a subwoofer when:

--Professional active monitors (Genelec, JBL, Dynaudio, etc.) have been sold with matching subs for years

--"Prosumer" actives like the Kii Three can be bought with a bass module / "sub in a stand"

Active speakers don't let you magically defy laws of room acoustics or bass displacement / distortion / SPL issues with smaller drivers.

 

[ENG]

Looks very nice indeed, love the styling. But for those on a budget,
we offer the NC252MP based Integrated with optional streamer for £699 also available in silver. View attachment 63273

With streamer, what DAC is on board?

 

[Matias]

With streamer, what DAC is on board?

I suppose it is the same one they have standalone in the link below, based on Khadas Tone Board with Sabre ES9038.
https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/product-page/nord-easy-stream-connect-dac-es9038

 

[Matias]

Looks very nice indeed, love the styling. But for those on a budget,
we offer the NC252MP based Integrated with optional streamer for £699 also available in silver. View attachment 63273

I would very much like to see one of those reviewed here on ASR, any chance of sending to @amirm?
https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/product-page/nord-one-int-c-nc252mp-integrated-amplifier-in-black

 

[boggit10]

No, it's our basic streamer and uses an integrated AP8064 MV Silicon combined ARM + Audio controller device with built-in DAC. It sounds OK better than a Sonos Connect or Chromecast its a £50 option. In the grand scheme its as good as most integrated product at this level.
The above-mentioned is a standalone £239 Streamer which uses the Khadas Tone board and a more complex streamer board is in another league sonically courtesy of the superb Tone board DAC. Beats my Lumin D1 CA 851n and I use every day as my main source now. Has a lovely. robust,and easy to use app also.
This is the standalone Streamer for a tiny company like ours is a difficult product to bring to market.

 

[boggit10]

The basic Audio/DAC in our INT-C integrated Amplifier

 

[xarkkon]

Lot’s of stereo amps don’t have dedicated Sub outs. They only made this amp because they were so enthusiastic about their A500 speaker, that they want to give their S400‘s buyer the same experience. Especially with their room correction and low level listening enhancement. One of the shortcoming of the S400, and I know that as an owner, is that they really shine at louder volumes. That low level correction is based on the science and design of S400. So owners of other speakers would not have that benefit anyway.

On their fb page Buchardt states that you can use the pre-outs to connect a Sub, so maybe there will be a setting in their app to make it variable or fixed line/pre out.

There's a pre-out? Ah! That would be great! Pretty much all I need to know then. Not as good as a sub-out, but it's something at least.

 

[Booker]

"Coming soon" info just posted on Buchardt Audio's Instagram.

 

[Eckelstone]

Appears they included a separate sub pre out in the final version !! So they took the comments here and elsewhere seriously.

 

[Vini darko]

Nice looking unit.