AUDIOPHONICS AP310-P250NC

[Yersinia Bestmate]

Hello!

Didn't find a thread considering this particular amp and I thought why not open one.

So Audiophonics AP310-P250NC is on sale at the Audiophonics website. It costs around 700€ here in EU depending on the local VAT (in my country it's about 722€). Has anyone yet got user experiences, or even some measurements of this amp?

On paper it looks promising - ncore amp and an integrated preamp with some sort of relay-based volume control (Muses-something) and preamp bypass (as in old NAD amps, for example), balanced input aswell as single-ended ones. I have been planning to replace my integrated amp/power amp combo with a single device (NADc720bee/MPA-S250NC) and this looks very interesting.

I'm a bit concerned about two things, though. First is the high-pitched noise some have been complaining of in other AP amps with similar display. Second is the performance of the preamp as there is no data avaivable of the preamp section.

What are your thoughts or expereinces of this product?

Photo from Audiophonics website.

Edit: fixed worst typos.

 

[brunes]

Do you need the preamp part, the 3E audio has some good performance and is cheaper.
DAC with volume and Amp would give you volume control.

3E Audiophonics
I quickly looked, I think this is the same Ncore module here

 

[Matias]

IMO it's an OK product for more of an entry level system. Being integrated means less cables, but also less flexibility. Price is great though.

A more versatile system would be a DAC with volume control, possibly a streamer too (WiiMs) and an external power amp.

 

[Yersinia Bestmate]

IMO it's an OK product for more of an entry level system. Being integrated means less cables, but also less flexibility. Price is great though.

A more versatile system would be a DAC with volume control, possibly a streamer too (WiiMs) and an external power amp.

Yes - it is more versatile, kind of at least.. however I'm trying to decrease the number of separate boxes and cables in my nr.1 set, therefore a one-box solution (with the exception of built-in dac) is what I'm looking for. I'm already familiar with AP MPA-S250NC power armp, to which I've been very pleased with.

What do you mean by entry-level in this case?

 

[JeremyFife]

The similar product was reviewed here and came out pretty well: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...phonics-da-s250nc-dac-power-amp-review.44379/

No noise reported. Pre-amp performance was decent - not SOTA but perfectly good enough.

Seems like a nice piece of kit if you want to reduce clutter

 

[Yersinia Bestmate]

The similar product was reviewed here and came out pretty well: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...phonics-da-s250nc-dac-power-amp-review.44379/

No noise reported. Pre-amp performance was decent - not SOTA but perfectly good enough.

Seems like a nice piece of kit if you want to reduce clutter

Yup that is in fact one option I've kept in mind but I would like to maintain the possibility to change dac or to add some archaic type of audio gear into my system, hence the importance of analog inputs.

AP310 has totally different pre amp section I believe, since there are no analog inputs in DA-S250NC.

 

[JeremyFife]

Yeah - it was really just to note that an Audiophonics integrated had been reviewed and seemed decent.

Any reason why you don't just go for a Yamaha AS-701 or similar? Reliable, well regarded and pretty much does it all including analogue input and a DAC.

 

[Yersinia Bestmate]

Having spent most of my audio-hobby-life among class-ab devices, I'm just interested in class-d tech atm. That Yamaha is a reasonable suggestion though, and I will keep it in mind. Thanks!

 

[Snafu]

Do you need the preamp part, the 3E audio has some good performance and is cheaper.
DAC with volume and Amp would give you volume control.

3E Audiophonics
I quickly looked, I think this is the same Ncore module here

I have this exact amp (XLR). Shocked how good it is. Device itself and noise from speakers = dead silent, i mean six feet under dead silent. There is no any kind of audible noise from speakers. Sound is clear and balanced, gain isn't much but plays my 89dB speakers much louder than necessary if needed. No on/off pops. Build quality is good.

5/5 from me

 

[oldandintheway]

Feeling cranky today, so to answer the OP's question, it appears that no one on here has any actual experience to offer with this specific product, which I have the same questions about. Unfortunately, that has not kept them from suggesting other products, or other system configurations, or prompting him to defend his interest in this "entry level" product. Why would you even need those inputs, and all hipster's just use their dac's volume control anyway. Such is life in forum land, the signal to noise ratio sucks.

 

[JeremyFife]

Feeling cranky today, so to answer the OP's question, it appears that no one on here has any actual experience to offer with this specific product, which I have the same questions about. Unfortunately, that has not kept them from suggesting other products, or other system configurations, or prompting him to defend his interest in this "entry level" product. Why would you even need those inputs, and all hipster's just use their dac's volume control anyway. Such is life in forum land, the signal to noise ratio sucks.

10 posts ( excluding this one). Ignore the OP and your post = 8. Post #9 commented on actual experience of the same amp, posts #5 / #7 noted that the brand was well reviewed for a similar product.
I'd say 3/8, or 37.5%, on track response is pretty good.
Some of the other posts may well have been helpful too.
It's ok to be cranky - we all are sometimes - but bite it back and offer something constructive instead.

Peace, and music

 

[Yersinia Bestmate]

It really does look like there's not much anything out there regarding this integrated amp. What I managed to find out with a quick google search is that the MUSES72320 vol control used in the preamp section of AP310-P250NC and in the separate AP310 preamp is used in Burson Soloist 3X Performance and Pass Labs XP-30 preamp .

And even though I do not mind being given alternative suggestions regarding the possible purchase, I do hope discussion could be kept in the device mentioned in topic.