Apollon Audio Class-D Amp Build Quality

[maty]

With the Hypex buffer, each mono amp:

Today: $ 1,571.75


With Sonic Imagery or Sparkos: + € 300

Today: $ 1,923.13


Europe Union: you need to add VAT (Spain: + 21%).

And shipping.


Remember: you need two mono amps to have stereo.

 

[PierreV]

Remember: you need two mono amps to have stereo.

Oh, really?

 

[maty]

Oh, really?

More than one, in a hurry, will not multiply the price by two. It never hurts to warn. In the photo appear two amps which can lead to confusion with the final price.

 

[Bamyasi]

After @maty's posts today Apollon website has been overwhelmed by requests and crashed, so all I can see now is Error 522...

 

[Jefrpol]

I'm in the market for amps and I find, in many ways, the Apollon NC500 based amps appealing. To anyone that knows:

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?

Similarly, is it only the buffer board that separates it from the Bel Canto amps that use the same modules or the NAD or, for that matter, Nord Acoustic?

 

[amirm]

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.

 

[Matias]

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

 

[solderdude]

The 'normal' opamps perform admirably there and there is no reason to even suspect these will sound any different.
Only the specials (Muse01 and Burson) perform badly with lots of distortion.
Especially the Burson is reaching audible levels.
A shame really to make an otherwise fine performing diigital amp poorly by inserting 'audiophile' opamps in its path that clearly change the sound.

When the Burson would have been tested by Amir it too would have shown poorer performance (for others it will be much better sounding)

 

[Jefrpol]

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?

 

[Matias]

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?

It is supposed to be better with the larger opamps. Even Sparkos said that with the larger area he could do everything he wanted but could not with the smaller opamp.

Lots of technical description on their website:
https://sparkoslabs.com/pro-discrete-op-amp/

And some fun.

 

[laidick]

@amrim wonder if you did any test for the Apollon amp? E.g. NC800SL or NC1200SL?

Thanks.

 

[Matias]

I noticed on the Apollon website that they switched the speaker connectors to WBT 0703 with customer choice of Cu or Ag.
Also they are using "a 5mm aluminium baseplate instead of a perforated iron baseplate (...) for even better passive cooling".
Now most of their website pictures are outdated.

I wonder why the flagship PNC1200M mono blocks are not listed though.

The NC1200SLM is shown with the new items above.

 

[amirm]

@amrim wonder if you did any test for the Apollon amp? E.g. NC800SL or NC1200SL?

Thanks.

I have not.

 

[Matias]

New picture of the stereo version of NC1200 amp.
https://www.apollonaudio.com/hypex-nc1200-based-class-d-amplifier-apollon-audio-nc1200sl/

 

[maty]

It should not be so difficult to make a good implementation of the modules like Tibor with Apollon! It is the logical implementation if you have a case with enough interior space.

Optimized.

 

[Matias]

Cases are italian made Modushop. The rest of the componentes is listed on the Apollon pages. But the attention to detail and layout is what makes them stand out, in my opinion.

https://modushop.biz/site/index.php?route=product/category&path=73

 

[Matias]

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/

 

[digitalfrost]

 

[maty]

It is always a pleasure to see how well Apollon assembles and wire.

 

[Ron Texas]

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/

The ludicrous mode strikes, with plaid added.