Apollon NCx500ST Stereo Amplifier Review

[mshapcotte]

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

US-adjacent here [Canada] and I just received a pair of Apollon NCx500 monoblocks in the red finish. Like a few others here I opted for the Speakon connectors. I feel bad hiding them away in a wall-mounted credenza under the TV!

 

[wavetrade]

US-adjacent here [Canada] and I just received a pair of Apollon NCx500 monoblocks in the red finish. Like a few others here I opted for the Speakon connectors. I feel bad hiding them away in a wall-mounted credenza under the TV!

Hidden or not, that is impressive!

 

[earik]

US-adjacent here [Canada] and I just received a pair of Apollon NCx500 monoblocks in the red finish. Like a few others here I opted for the Speakon connectors. I feel bad hiding them away in a wall-mounted credenza under the TV!

Nice cable management. My setup is a little more spaghetti-like, unfortunately. :-/

 

[MCH]

US-adjacent here [Canada] and I just received a pair of Apollon NCx500 monoblocks in the red finish. Like a few others here I opted for the Speakon connectors. I feel bad hiding them away in a wall-mounted credenza under the TV!

I see you use a preamplifier. Out of curiosity, may i ask how do you have the different gains (dac pre and amp) set up? All three should perform quite good, or is it for safety reasons? thanks.

 

[mshapcotte]

I see you use a preamplifier. Out of curiosity, may i ask how do you have the different gains (dac pre and amp) set up? All three should perform quite good, or is it for safety reasons? thanks.

NCx500 is set to lowest input gain. As such the 4V (or even optional 5V) out of the D90LE isn't enough to drive it to full power, hence the Pre90. Plenty of output voltage there.

 

[inno]

Does anyone know the minimum current for the 12v trigger to work?

 

[Iceee]

What are voltages for these gains: 12,8/20,5/29?

I only found for 27,5db: 2.1V?

 

[Julf]

What are voltages for these gains: 12,8/20,5/29?

I only found for 27,5db: 2.1V?

Decibel calculator

So 10.7, 4.7 and 2.5V

 

[Iceee]

Decibel calculator

So 10.7, 4.7 and 2.5V

Thank you very much!

 

[formdissolve]

Is there any advantage to getting the Speakon option if they aren't soldered directly to the board? I have some 10awg Belden with locking bananas, so if I got speakon connectors I'd have to get something like those Benchmark cables (or solder my own).

Looking at the layout, they'd have to solder wires to the Speakon connectors just like the traditional posts:

 

[maver1ck]

Specifications Gain (dB) 12,8/20,5/27,5/29

Please correct me if I'm wrong.
If I have 60W speakers. Then with XLR input (4v) 12,8 will be perfect ?

 

[antcollinet]

Please correct me if I'm wrong.
If I have 60W speakers. Then with XLR input (4v) 12,8 will be perfect ?

Depends on your speaker impedance. 12.8dB will give about 17V out of the amp. This gives around 72W with 4ohm speakers, but only 36 with 8ohm speakers.

But I have to ask - if your speakers are only rated for 60W, what on earth are you doing with a 400W+ amp?

 

[maver1ck]

Depends on your speaker impedance. 12.8dB will give about 17V out of the amp. This gives around 72W with 4ohm speakers, but only 36 with 8ohm speakers.

But I have to ask - if your speakers are only rated for 60W, what on earth are you doing with a 400W+ amp?

Let's call it being future prove. I think my speakers will change eventually
I'm not sure about impedance (on speakers' label there is 4-8 Ohm, I will measure it tomorrow)

Also what can you propose in around 1000 EUR price range better than this ?

 

[antcollinet]

Let's call it being future prove. I think my speakers will change eventually
I'm not sure about impedance (on speakers' label there is 4-8 Ohm, I will measure it tomorrow)

Also what can you propose in around 1000 EUR price range better than this ?

Nothing - if future proofing is your aim it is a perfectly valid choice. And the low gain setting will protect your current speakers.

Not much point measuring the speakers by the way - that would be at DC, whereas to characterise a speaker impedance you'd need to measure with a frequency sweep.

 

[jooc]

Absolutely agree. It's kind of like saying, hey, do you want me to pay you more money for the same amount of work? Imagine someone saying, "no?"

I think that's because up until recently the formula was: "a) Huge Power b) Low distortions/high SINAD c) Reasonable Price <--- Pick any Two"

 

[AkodoGilador]

I think that's because up until recently the formula was: "a) Huge Power b) Low distortions/high SINAD c) Reasonable Price <--- Pick any Two"

Looking at Matias' table of power amps, there's plenty still that fail to deliver even one of those.

Alex

 

[restorer-john]

I feel bad hiding them away in a wall-mounted credenza under the TV!

Impressive looking setup. Nicely done.

I just can't get past zip-ties for a power amplifier- especially long term, but I guess it's pretty light.

 

[mshapcotte]

Impressive looking setup. Nicely done.

I just can't get past zip-ties for a power amplifier- especially long term, but I guess it's pretty light.

Quite light, yes. For the 4 years prior I had Bryston PowerPac 120 SST monoblocks zip-tied in there, which are significantly heavier and ostensibly warmer, but with no issues.

 

[CleanSound]

US-adjacent here [Canada] and I just received a pair of Apollon NCx500 monoblocks in the red finish. Like a few others here I opted for the Speakon connectors. I feel bad hiding them away in a wall-mounted credenza under the TV!

Does the TV mount in front of this credenza, covering it? Very interesting setup, more pics?

 

[mshapcotte]

Does the TV mount in front of this credenza, covering it? Very interesting setup, more pics?

The TV is wall-mounted above the credenza. Like this: https://hecklerdesign.com/en-ca/collections/av-credenzas (although they no longer make the particular model I have).