NC500 vs NC1200 vs Purifi for Revel F226Be's

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

Short-time lurker but deep-diver down-the-rabbit hole first time poster here,

I recently purchased the Revel F226Be's as my first set of speakers which are rated at the following:

Recommended amplifier power range 50 – 200 Watts RMS
Nominal impedance 8 ohms
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 90 dB

I was dead set on the Purifi 400s but after speaking with Apollon Audio, he has pushed me towards the NC500 or NC1200 after showing me this video. Summary of the video is that we actually need more power than our speakers recommended power range. Obviously Apollon is very educated far far far beyond me but this is very confusing a new information to me especially because I was sold that the F226Be's are fairly easy to drive based off reviews.

Do you believe that the NC500 or NC1200 will help the F226Be's sound better than Purifi amp? Why or why not? Also, due to the speakers only being rated for 200 WRMS maximum, is there a risk of blowing out my speakers with the NC500 versus the Purifi?

 

[Matias]

Welcome. Do like me and wait for the higher powered Purifi modules to be released. Best of both worlds.

Or if you want it now and are willing to spend more, Vera Audio P150/600 RS (bridge) does the job very nicely: 900W in 4 Ohm with less than 0,0007% THD+N for about 6.7k usd a pair.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-d-amp-build-quality.9895/page-4#post-438649

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

Welcome. Do like me and wait for the higher powered Purifi modules to be released. Best of both worlds.

Or if you want it now and are willing to spend more, Vera Audio P150/600 RS (bridge) does the job very nicely: 900W in 4 Ohm with less than 0,0007% THD+N for about 6.2k usd a pair.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-d-amp-build-quality.9895/page-4#post-438649

Matias, thank you for the welcome. I have read a lot of your posts so it is funny to me that you are the first person to reply.

Regarding the higher powered Purifi modules, when are they expected to be released? Do they have a model #? I have yet to hear about these although I have read that many were hoping for these. Do you think I would benefit from the higher power of the NC500 versus the current Purifi module?

 

[Matias]

AudioXpress magazine visited the Purifi factory and confirmed the new high power modules are in development, but no launch date or model number was given...

Edit: a pair of Vera's P150/600 RS are more like 6.7k usd.

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

AudioXpress magazine visited the Purifi factory and confirmed the new high power modules are in development, but no launch date or model number was given...

Edit: a pair of Vera's P150/600 RS are more like 6.7k usd.

Matias,

Thank you for that information but now you have added another possible solution. To be honest, Apollon's amps are at the top of my budget which are 55%-75% less than the Vera option. Given that is my budget and given that your advice is to wait for the new Purifi modules, what am I to do in the interim haha? I have no amp, only just got my DAC today (D90), and I am starting with a 2.2 Home Theater/Stereo setup while slowly piecing together the rest of the speakers/amps.

 

[Matias]

Maybe get a temporary NC502MP until the new Purifi amps come out? They are not bad at all!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...n-nc500-vs-nc500mp-or-nc502.15123/post-494190

PS: if going DAC to amp directly, maybe consider variable gain on your amp, or an XLR attenuator maybe.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nced-mqa-dac-review.17419/page-17#post-573443

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

Maybe get a temporary NC502MP until the new Purifi amps come out? They are not bad at all!
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...n-nc500-vs-nc500mp-or-nc502.15123/post-494190

PS: if going DAC to amp directly, maybe consider variable gain on your amp, or an XLR attenuator maybe.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nced-mqa-dac-review.17419/page-17#post-573443

Hmm the variable gain on the amp is new to me. Are there any NC500, Purifi, NC1200 or NC502MP modules that have variable gain?

 

[Mindcool]

Ice Power 1200AS2, for exemple from Nord Acoustrics https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/nord-two-ice-power-1200as2-power-am or Apollon audio https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-as1200-class-d-ice-power-based-amplifier/. Good amount of power with measurably worse distortion, but audible?

 

[Matias]

Hmm the variable gain on the amp is new to me. Are there any NC500, Purifi, NC1200 or NC502MP modules that have variable gain?

I only know of this one:
https://www.vera-audio.com/product.php?product_id=1

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

I only know of this one:
https://www.vera-audio.com/product.php?product_id=1

FYI, I am talking with Apollon and apparently the new mini has variable gain, although not yet picture.

https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-1et400a-mini-stereo-amplifier/

 

[Willem]

Why not get the Hypex and get on with it. It is not as if they are sonically lacking. They are clearly better than human hearing, and having enough power is indeed the most important thing remaining.

 

[boXem]

Ours will have 3 levels of gain settable by rear switch.

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

It a sudden turn of events I have actually measured my comfortable listening limits and average dB was 80-85 at "loud" for me levels and with peaks into 95 dB. (This was with a free android app on an old Note8 so not sure how accurate this is.) Assuming this is accurate, would a Purifi module be enough power for my F226Be's? I am currently using a Yamaha TSR-700 (I know...) my point is referencing is that the Purifi measured at 130 WRMS continuous while this Yamaha measures at 120 WRMS peak and is loud enough?

 

[NTK]

The sensitivity of your F226Be is 90 db SPL / 2.83 V. Assuming your listening distance is 4 m (12 ft), using the calculations per section 9.1 in ANSI/CTA-2034-A, your listening level with 2.83 V input would be 87 dB SPL.

Your Purifi amp will give you 20 dB headroom over my estimated 87 dB SPL. That would mean, if your average listening level is below 87 dB SPL, your Purifi amps are plenty sufficient.

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

The sensitivity of your F226Be is 90 db SPL / 2.83 V. Assuming your listening distance is 4 m (12 ft), using the calculations per section 9.1 in ANSI/CTA-2034-A, your listening level with 2.83 V input would be 87 dB SPL.

Your Purifi amp will give you 20 dB headroom over my estimated 87 dB SPL. That would mean, if your average listening level is below 87 dB SPL, your Purifi amps are plenty sufficient.

NTK,

First of all, thank you for this resource. I have "bought" it ($0) for future reference so that I can do these estimations myself. It is funny how I went down this rabbit hole where I was dead set on a the NC500/NC1200 based on various guidance/videos/resources but when I actually measured the dB I can tolerate, I now realize I would never ever be listening to 100dB for sustained periods of time and I thought I like my music loud.

 

[Matias]

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

Matias,

This is the video that led me down the rabbit hole that the Purifi wouldn't be powerful enough for my speakers. I now realize the dB's they are hitting in this video are never ever going to happen in my house lol

 

[Matias]

Not only SPL, but also bass heavy music. Quartet was a fraction of the power. So it also depends on what you listen.

 

[4FvqL^JQ5ZBE*]

Not only SPL, but also bass heavy music. Quartet was a fraction of the power. So it also depends on what you listen.

Ah true. I wasn't thinking about this but I am also planning to using powered subwoofers for lower frequencies so this makes me think the Purifi really will not be worked that hard at my listening levels.

 

[NTK]

It is wise to offload the bass duties to subs (and high pass the mains!). Most people underestimate how much power they need to get good bass. Below is the equal loudness contour plot from Wikipedia. Take for example the 60 phon line. Notice that 60 phons at 30 Hz equals to 100 dB SPL. That means, 100 dB SPL at 30 Hz sounds only as loud to us as 1000 Hz at 60 dB SPL. And not a lot of speakers can output 100 dB SPL at 30 Hz with ease.