Apollon NCx500ST Stereo Amplifier Review

[Julf]

Apollon claims, about 6 weeks of power time and may be about 200 hours signal time.
Just woundering users experience of burn-in

As stated, the only parts that change in any (possibly) audible way during initial use are electromechanical components like speakers (and to some minor degree valves/tubes). No such issues with solid state gear.

 

[AkodoGilador]

Apollon claims, about 6 weeks of power time and may be about 200 hours signal time.

Really?

Where?

Alex

 

[Meshuggener75]

Really?

Where?

Alex

 

[OldTimer]

No label at the back. Which one is left and which one is right. Is it free?
Is this happened also to others such as Buckeye, Hypex, etc? They change it as channel 1 and 2, not left and right channel.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Apollon claims, about 6 weeks of power time and may be about 200 hours signal time.
Just woundering users experience of burn-in

I'm sorry for Apollon, that I respect as a manufacturer (and have been a customer myself), but...

What a BS claim that is...

 

[Overseas]

I'm sorry for Apollon, that I respect as a manufacturer (and have been a customer myself), but...

What a BS claim that is...

Well, probably it is already best practice in the market, so if they do not prescribe it, regular people will perceive a lack of counselling. You know....

 

[Chagall]

Well, probably it is already best practice in the market, so if they do not prescribe it, regular people will perceive a lack of counselling. You know....

Think it's more of a "device performs best outside your 14-days return window" practice...all companies do it. Ofc, I have no proof, but would ask them for proof of burn in, just for giggles.

 

[mike70]

Think it's more of a "device performs best outside your 14-days return window" practice...all companies do it. Ofc, I have no proof, but would ask them for proof of burn in, just for giggles.

Yes ... and more chance to your brain to "feel" an improvement. You're waiting for it.

 

[Meshuggener75]

I bought new Bryston Dac3 and BP17³ connected to amp 14B³.
The sound from beginning was not good in my ears. Thinn and bright.
I leave it on 24/7 and sound become better and better for each day. Some bad recordings / songs was not Listeningable.
If it was electronic or if it was my ears that was extra sensitive or sick or something else i dont know.

I only know it was difference. From i want to return this equipment to inlove this equipment.

 

[Chagall]

I bought new Bryston Dac3 and BP17³ connected to amp 14B³.
The sound from beginning was not good in my ears. Thinn and bright.
I leave it on 24/7 and sound become better and better for each day. Some bad recordings / songs was not Listeningable.
If it was electronic or if it was my ears that was extra sensitive or sick or something else i dont know.

I only know it was difference. From i want to return this equipment to inlove this equipment.

When buying expensive stuff, you expect exceptional, life-changing results. Given enough time, the novelty wears off, you accept the new balance on your bank account, stop listening to amps and start to enjoy the music. You have changed.

 

[Meshuggener75]

Think it's more of a "device performs best outside your 14-days return window" practice...all companies do it. Ofc, I have no proof, but would ask them for proof of burn in, just for giggles.

You still have one week left if you burnin

When buying expensive stuff, you expect exceptional, life-changing results. Given enough time, the novelty wears off, you accept the new balance on your bank account, stop listening to amps and start to enjoy the music. You have changed.

Would be interesting to do a controlled blindtest between products that supposed to be burn in and products that is not.
Maybe can be more prof than speculations.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Would be interesting to do a controlled blindtest between products that supposed to be burn in and products that is not.
Maybe can be more prof than speculations.

Blind tests are useful to observe potentially audible differences, if these would have been first measured and proved. Long-term burn-in of electronics is not a thing. At all. Warm-up is, however, but a gear that would perform very differently after warm-up would be a bad design to begin with, which is not the case here.

Speaker burn-in is another story. It could need for further investigations (blind test for, say, one speaker brand new VS the exact same one, but several months old). The very few measurements available aren't proving anything significant. My two cents: drivers burn-in is very short term, and is then already done in the production chain anyway. But claiming significant difference after dozens or hundreds of hours is just ridiculous.

 

[Chagall]

Blind tests are useful to observe potentially audible differences, if these would have been first measured and proved. Long-term burn-in of electronics is not a thing. At all. Warm-up is, however, but a gear that would perform very differently after warm-up would be a bad design to begin with, which is not the case here.

Speaker burn-in is another story. It could need for further investigations (blind test for, say, one speaker brand new VS the exact same one, but several months old). The very few measurements available aren't proving anything significant. My two cents: drivers burn-in is very short term, and is then already done in the production chain anyway. But claiming significant difference after dozens or hundreds of hours is just ridiculous.

Completely agree!
I would just like to add (on a more basic level) that people potentially would pay for 6 weeks of burnin service, but would never pay more for a 6 weeks old demo unit.
It's the same thing, but to our brains one is a service and the other one is just a used unit - so much for brains vs marketing.

I won't be posting anymore about this discussion.

 

[AkodoGilador]

Completely agree!
I would just like to add (on a more basic level) that people potentially would pay for 6 weeks of burnin service, but would never pay more for a 6 weeks old demo unit.
It's the same thing, but to our brains one is a service and the other one is just a used unit - so much for brains vs marketing.

But but but! The "6 week old demo unit" will have had lots of wrong music going through its delicate circuits, whereas "6 weeks of burnin service" will use carefully calibrated pure white noise!

How can you possibly claim that these are the same thing?!!!

Alex

 

[lordhumungous]

Received this amp a few days ago . Initial impressions are extremely favorable. Dead silent,high resolution and tons of power. I have dropped the gain to the 2 or 3 level
and that seems about the right gain for my Focal Choras .

 

[lordhumungous]

Me too. Too good to resist, especially for the $. I am a big Benchmark fan, but at 1/3rd the price of the AHB, and lots more power too, I could not hold back. Yep, can't wait for this one to arrive. Got it in the handsome dark gray. Unlike a few other members, I really love the rounded corners, and especially the vented design. I believe the rounded corners actually make the unit stronger too. I love an amp that really uses the chassis for cooling!

Here's my take. I sold my my Benchmark amp about 2 months ago. It just didn't have enough power for me with lower sensitivity speakers. I prefer this Apollon to the Benchmark I had .More power ,seems just as detailed if not more and is quieter( Yes it is , thats a fact ).

 

[Julf]

Dead silent,high resolution and tons of power.

So how high is the resolution?

 

[antcollinet]

So how high is the resolution?

Well according to the review, 18 to 21.3 bits depending on output power ...

 

[CleanSound]

I'm sorry for Apollon, that I respect as a manufacturer (and have been a customer myself), but...

What a BS claim that is...

I'll speak honestly, I suspect few things:

1) Confirmation bias which led to genuine honest believe that burn in time is legit with the manufacturer.
2) Play into the existing industry voodoo as it is a eco system (very delicate one nevertheless).
3) The measurement of their amps are way way below hearing threshold and even if they weren't, most people don't have trained ears. So, people spend all of this money to realize no difference, they will return it. If you tell them there is a burn in time, perhaps, confirmation bias will get them to keep it.

The most important thing for me is that Apollon actually owns a AP (and one of the latest and greatest version) and produces various measurements upon request by potential customers, full transparency. And on post# 329 and # 385, they even did a stress test on their amps. The customer service is always excellent, this far.

 

[Descartes]

Anyone from the US purchased this amplifier or any other from Apollon?