March Audio Hypex Ncore Power Amplifiers

[March Audio]

Speaking of, I like what you're doing with your single form factor approach. Was wondering by chance, have you included standby, automatic power on features and its just not mentioned on the website yet? Or is power button sole operating mechanism? Sorry if this was covered elsewhere already.

Hi @D700 . Yes the website needs work, just very time poor at the moment. It should be a priority.

So the amps have a low power standby power supply which meets the 2013 ERP Lot 6 0.5W requirements. Its actually only 0.12 watts. Pressing the front panel touch switch brings it fully on.

It doesn't feature automatic power on (guessing you are referring to audio input sensing???). If I get much feedback requiring external/remote power on via say 12v switch input socket, then it's easy to incorporate in subsequent builds.

I can also add a socket for this for special one offs with the existing amps if its crucial for a customer.

 

[March Audio]

Benchmark have different DACs but they have all the same specifications where it matters (D to A conversion). Benchmark don’t make one inferior DAC and one superior. The difference between DACs is due to different user needs, like inputs and outputs.

You seem to make different amps in order to tap the market’s willingness to pay, just like the airliners do when they create a myriad of choices.

To me, engineering is also about making things as simple as possible.

“It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away".

Why take away power in a power product?

@svart-hvitt

This is a business. It is intended to make money. I make no apology for that. However the products are IMO sustainable. I don't agree with your position that having just one product equals sustainability. Your position also seems to imply that, for example, most of the audio manufacturers should stop doing what they are doing; i.e. making similar products that compete with each other. This position clearly has to extend to manufacturers of any product, cars, TVs whatever. That doesn't make much sense to me.

I do appreciate your view on this subject, but it is a wider political discussion that really should have its own thread elsewhere.

Thanks

Alan

 

[March Audio]

I think you nailed it: @March Audio is «not selling audiophile BS» an you «like his case designs». It doesn’t sound like robust competitive advantages, does it?

I won't comment directly on other competitors in this specific area, but look inside some of them (and outside for that matter) and you will see build and attention to technical detail are not all equal. Things that do affect performance.

One of the reasons that motivated me to make these amps is because of an experience where I had to correct technical problems and faults with AN Others similar amp product. I knew I could do a lot better technically and in terms of case quality etc.

The products will be part of a range that compliment each other in terms of excellent technical performance, aesthetics and operation and of course a no BS approach where I am happy for the products to be technically independently tested and examined. Ultimately streamer, dac, amps and speakers. They are already selling so clearly there is enough differentiation and uniqueness to provide competitive advantage.

Cheers

Alan

 

[March Audio]

It’s not as if I don’t understand company economics and marketing 101.

***However, this is a science forum***

where engineering ideals should be of more interest than petty pecuniary calculations, wouldn’t you agree?

Specifically audio science.

So let's not bomb this with your political views.

 

[HammerSandwich]

Never heard of rhetorical questions huh?

Well, actually... Oh, sorry!

 

[Headphonaholic]

I fully support anyone willing to make quality products and stand behind them 100%. Furthermore Alan has been openly taking feedback to improve upon his products. That's not to say he is making it design by committee, but adding improvements that make sense. I can't think of many manufacturers that do things like that.

At the end of the day saying that there shouldn't be other products because it's not different enough is absurd. Because where do we draw the line as to what is allowed? Everyone wants something different. Besides that competition breeds better products.

If anyone feels so strongly that the practices of any company is wrong in anyway, guess what? Don't buy from them! It's really that simple. I agree that companies should be responsible in regards to the planet but I don't see why it's Alan's sole job to save the planet.

 

[March Audio]

I'll allow de-rating due to heatwave conditions in Australia at the moment...

@restorer-john I was going to post the psuedo FTC test for the P502 but the dummy load couldnt handle it and I have another open circuit resistor. A different dummy load is on its way.

 

[D700]

Hi @D700 . (guessing you are referring to audio input sensing???).

Yes, I was referring to auto input sensing. Given that this amp is essentially a slave to whatever preamp feeds it, would seem to me input sensing would be elegant solution...no triggers, switches, remotes or whatever. I could place the amp anywhere in the rack, not necessarily where the switch is easy to access, like on the bottom. I’m considering a Bluesound Node 2 or a Marantz ND8006 as front end..or one of the Cambridge units. Auto sensing would give me ability to run the whole thing from their apps. Food for thought.

 

[restorer-john]

A different dummy load is on its way.

One of these? :

Or just go hard and get one of these (1500KW):

 

[March Audio]

Yes, I was referring to auto input sensing. Given that this amp is essentially a slave to whatever preamp feeds it, would seem to me input sensing would be elegant solution...no triggers, switches, remotes or whatever. I could place the amp anywhere in the rack, not necessarily where the switch is easy to access, like on the bottom. I’m considering a Bluesound Node 2 or a Marantz ND8006 as front end..or one of the Cambridge units. Auto sensing would give me ability to run the whole thing from their apps. Food for thought.

@D700 Although most subwoofers have this functionality you might struggle to find many power amps that do. Im sure there are some but....

The Bluesound Node 2 you mentioned does indeed have a 12v trigger out, so would be very easy to interface my one of my amps.

 

[svart-hvitt]

Specifically audio science.

So let's not bomb this with your political views.

@March Audio , is sustainability about political views?

An attempt to bring the debate under scrutiny by means of scientific rhetoric is this paper by professor Serafeim:

https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/deliver...0004125117006093026120074030116072119&EXT=pdf

From the abstract:

«We explore the extent of adoption of sustainability practices over time and the implications for firm performance. We find that for almost all industries, sustainability practices converge within an industry over time, implying that they spread as common practices. We also find that the extent of convergence across industries is associated with the adoption of sustainability by the industry’s market leaders and the relative importance of environmental and social issues compared to governance issues. Further, we distinguish between a set of sustainability practices on which companies converge within an industry, which we term “common practices,” and a set on which they do not, which we term “strategic.” We subsequently explore performance implications and find that the adoption of strategic sustainability practices is significantly and positively associated with both return on capital and expectations of future performance as reflected in price to book valuation multiples, whereas the adoption of common sustainability practices is reliably correlated only with expectations of future performance. Overall, we provide evidence about the role of sustainability as a long- term corporate strategy and as a common practice».

My advice to you was to define for yourself what you think is «common practices» and what is «strategic» in terms of sustainability.

I am not of the opinion that sustainability is only about one’s political views. Isn’t sustainability more about short-termism vs long-termism?

However, I agree that this debate is larger than @March Audio and thus would better be served in a designated thread.

Take a look at the Harvard paper and tell me what you think. Are such thoughts of relevance for @March Audio ?

 

[March Audio]

Svart-hvitt it is your political views in the wider sense and I have politely asked you not to use this thread as a platform for you to campaign about it. I have said all I am going to about sustainability. Totally off topic and innapropriate.

Hi @amirm What's the situation regarding moderation at the moment?

 

[amirm]

@March Audio , is sustainability about political views?

An attempt to bring the debate under scrutiny by means of scientific rhetoric is this paper by professor Serafeim:

https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/deliver...0004125117006093026120074030116072119&EXT=pdf

From the abstract:

«We explore the extent of adoption of sustainability practices over time and the implications for firm performance. We find that for almost all industries, sustainability practices converge within an industry over time, implying that they spread as common practices. We also find that the extent of convergence across industries is associated with the adoption of sustainability by the industry’s market leaders and the relative importance of environmental and social issues compared to governance issues. Further, we distinguish between a set of sustainability practices on which companies converge within an industry, which we term “common practices,” and a set on which they do not, which we term “strategic.” We subsequently explore performance implications and find that the adoption of strategic sustainability practices is significantly and positively associated with both return on capital and expectations of future performance as reflected in price to book valuation multiples, whereas the adoption of common sustainability practices is reliably correlated only with expectations of future performance. Overall, we provide evidence about the role of sustainability as a long- term corporate strategy and as a common practice».

My advice to you was to define for yourself what you think is «common practices» and what is «strategic» in terms of sustainability.

I am not of the opinion that sustainability is only about one’s political views. Isn’t sustainability more about short-termism vs long-termism?

However, I agree that this debate is larger than @March Audio and thus would better be served in a designated thread.

Take a look at the Harvard paper and tell me what you think. Are such thoughts of relevance for @March Audio ?

This discussion doesn't belong here. No more please.

 

[svart-hvitt]

This discussion doesn't belong here. No more please.

Sure. I made a new thread here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../does-audio-gear-need-to-be-sustainable.6330/

 

[D700]

@D700 The Bluesound Node 2 you mentioned does indeed have a 12v trigger out, so would be very easy to interface my one of my amps.

Thanks, I will keep this in mind. Best of luck on launch of the new amps. I like your design esthetic.

 

[kaka89]

@March Audio I live in Hong Kong, may I know what is the return policy?
Also do you know the damping factor of these amp?

 

[March Audio]

Hi @kaka89

Can you be more specific about return policy? Are you asking if you can return it if you don't like it or change your mind?

The amplifiers have very low output impedance. The 122 and 502 are 2.6 mOhms and the 252 1.5 mOhms. So for an 8 Ohm load that equates to a Damping Factor of 3077 and 5333 respectively. In reality it won't be quite that due to the additional resistance of the board lead out and speaker terminal posts, but this is still exceptionally good.

Regards

Alan

 

[kaka89]

@March Audio Correct. There are audio company out there offer trial period and/or free return. Wondering is March Audio one of them.

Also, it would be nice if you could share what special design/implementation you did in the product make it special and better than other ncore product out there. (Maybe in a new thread?)

Thank you, and wish you all the luck with your new amps.

 

[March Audio]

Hi @kaka89

Sorry but no we don't offer free trials. However if a customer really isn't satisfied we will accept a return subject to the item being returned in perfect condition, at the customers expense, and a 20% restocking fee.

Regarding what differentiates our amps, we'll I'm not going to talk specifically about other manufacturers and what they do/dont do, but if you look inside (and outside for that matter) not all products are equal in terms of attention to technical detail and build quality. Things that do make a difference in performance. Plus of course the casework is of a very high standard, fit and finish being milled from solid anodized aluminium. We test all amps for 24 hours and prove they meet spec, plus of course a 3 year warranty.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Alan

 

[kaka89]

Thank you @March Audio , sounds like you have spent quite some effort on the case.
We have not seen any pictures of inside yet. Looking forward to see more information to the amp and @amirm 's review.