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Vera Audio P400/1000 Review (Amplifier)

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 1 0.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 7 2.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 52 20.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 193 76.3%

  • Total voters
    253

amirm

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the Vera Audio P400/1000 Hypex NC500 based amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs 26 000 NOK ex VAT (US $2934).
Vera Audio P400 1000 Review Stereo Power Amplifier.jpg

The case is milled from solid aluminum and has a nice quality and look to it. It is also quite heavy for a class D amp. Back panel shows some of the value add:
Vera Audio P400 1000 Review Back Panel Stereo Power Amplifier.jpg


I like the nice switch selectors for gain. And 12 volt trigger. All the connectors look very high quality.

Company makes specific case for thermal management which you can see from the included, variable speed fan:

Vera Audio P400 1000 Review Fan Stereo Power Amplifier.jpg


There is a hole on the other side. In use, I could not hear the fan come on despite stress testing amplifier. They even have heat sinking for the output coil which from past measurements, it gets quite hot.

Finally, there is a nice clipping indicator which I really appreciate. Recovery from overload was instantaneous as well. No shut down. No need for power cycle.

Vera Audio P400/1000 Measurements
Let's start with our usual dashboard of 1 kHz tone at 5 watts into 4 ohm load:

Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Stereo Power Amplifier.png

Company advertises 0.1 dB gain matching and we nicely see that met. SINAD is dominated by distortion and lands the unit at #8 in all amplifiers ever tested (nearly 170):
best class d amplifier review.png


Where the unit really shines is in its low noise floor:
Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement SNR Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Combined with lots of power, we get the incredible dynamic range on the right. This is almost matching best in class DACs!

Multitone test shows low levels of distortion:
Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Multitone Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Crosstalk is above average:

Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Crosstalk Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Typical of Hypex designs, there is no load (speaker) dependency which is great:


Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Frequency Response Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Unit is stable as soon as powered on:

Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Warm-up Stereo Power Amplifier.png


NC500 module is known for its high power capability which we can confirm:
Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Power into 4 ohm Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Letting 1% THD gives us incredible amount of power in such a compact package:

Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Peak and Max Power into 4 ohm Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Switching to 8 ohm load, we still get tons of power:
Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Power into 8 ohm Stereo Power Amplifier.png


There is some non-linearity though above 10 watts which we can see getting worse as frequencies increase:

Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement Power vs Frequency vs Distortion Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Company touts excellent rejection of common mode noise on its input and asked me to measure it:
Vera Audio P400 1000 Measurement CMRR Stereo Power Amplifier.png


Given that the test is at 1 kHz, this is very good performance.

Conclusions
Nice to see a true value-added design around the high power Hypex NC500 modules. From case to cooling and impeccable noise level, there is great effort has been made to produce a performant product. Yes, there is a cost to that especially with a product designed and manufactured in Europe. You have to decide if the value is there for you. It is for me.

I am happy to recommend the Vera Audio P400/1000 stereo amplifier. Great to see a high power amplifier in our top 10 best amplifiers ever tested.

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fordiebianco

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Great to see an expensive piece of equipment that does what it says on the tin.

Hope you, your loved one and house are better, Amir.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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Hope you, your loved one and house are better, Amir.
We are living.... Wife is still in pain yet she is needed to sort through all her stuff that got flooded. Thanks for the well wishes.
 

restorer-john

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I'd say they are running the two amplifiers in opposite polarity in stereo, as the bridge (BTL) connections are between a normal hot and a normal cold. Traditional BTL is hot to hot and inverting one channel with respect to the other.

Running the two modules in opposite polarity will help dynamic power too.
 

RndmLstner

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So the non-linerity of power vs distortion seems to be the only apparent flaw.
(1) Is this particularly out of the norm for a well-measured amp?
(2) What is the impact of this, if any?

Seems bridged AHB2s still sit atop the throne (irrespective of price) for standard circumstances (500w).
 

Xulonn

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Interior photo of the Vera Audio P400/1000 Hypex NC500 based amplifier from the Vera company's website:

Vera Amplifier Interior.jpg
 
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restorer-john

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I like the measurements and love the look.

I think it's really nice looking and performs as well as you'd get with these modules.

They've put a ton of effort into reliability, heat disipation and construction. It sets a new benchmark for Hypex implementations IMO.

The fan on the side looks like a tiny subwoofer. ;)
 

tomtoo

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I think it's really nice looking and performs as well as you'd get with these modules.

They've put a ton of effort into reliability, heat disipation and construction. It sets a new benchmark for Hypex implementations IMO.

The fan on the side looks like a tiny subwoofer. ;)

Look at this backside! And you can bridge it. If i would have the money, a no brainer.
 

respice finem

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Top "no frills" amp, with a straightforward and thus timeless design.

And, unlike many others, it can be repaired with "standard" parts/modules, which many more "exotic" designs can't.

The only thing slightly awkward to me is the fan on the side, but probably buyers in these price regions are educated enough not to place it in a narrow rack.
 
Last edited:

bambadoo

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I am quite sure representive(s) from Vera will join in to comment here :) I know a great deal of work has been done to make sure it performs good.
They also have a purifi version which I guess will even improve upon these measurements except for power of course
 

respice finem

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I am quite sure representive(s) from Vera will join in to comment here :) I know a great deal of work has been done to make sure it performs good.
They also have a purifi version which I guess will even improve upon these measurements except for power of course
Based on how it's built, they could ask "how is this news?" :cool:
 
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