I have tested some of these op-amps in a DAC and they did nothing for performance. So my answer would be no, they are not worth the premium. Without measurements they may even hurt performance. Go by what we know, than what we don't know.To what extent does the input buffer board and choice of op amp change the sound or how the modules used measure? Is there an advantage to Apollon's (in this instance) pro board over their basic board? Is it worth the extra $300 or so (for mono pairs) to go for the more expensive board?
I have tested some of these op-amps in a DAC and they did nothing for performance. So my answer would be no, they are not worth the premium. Without measurements they may even hurt performance. Go by what we know, than what we don't know.![]()
This manufacturer has the opamps in an NC500 based amplifier measured and they are different in his case.
https://www.acoustic-technology.com/en/blog-atm-en/buffer-for-hypex-nc500-v3-smd-part-ii
I confess the charts don't mean much to me (I scroll down to the explanations) but it seems clear that there could be changes and they could be worse with different op amps.
What about the boards? Do these 'pro' boards increase performance?
I have not.@amrim wonder if you did any test for the Apollon amp? E.g. NC800SL or NC1200SL?
Thanks.
NC2K with 2000W@2ohm, 2500W@4ohm and 1600W@8ohm. 2k euros each monoblock amplifier.
https://www.apollonaudio.com/hypex-nc2k-monoblock-amplifier-apollon-audio-nc2kslm/