Fahzz
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Is there still a member on here that is connected to Audiophonics?
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
AUDIOPHONICS MPA-S250NC Amp Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
Speedskater
Major Contributor
I'm late.
While the XLR shell could or should be connected to the cable shield, the Audio Engineering Society has a Standard that it should NOT be connected.
AES 54 thinking is that with an XLR extension cable, a connector shell might come in contact with a metal object at a different potential.
* * * * * * * * * *
So for unit to unit cables,you can ignore AES 54.
Hi ASR community, this is my first post in the forum. Thank you all for the great service to the audio "fans" and industry too. I have zero knowledge in amplifier electronics, but I hope somebody can help me. Between the Audiophonics MPA-S250NC XLR here and the IOM NCore NC252MP here which one has a better internal layout, components and performance? I have seen some posts noting problems in some layouts, and I wanted to ask your opinions. Thank you very much!
Edit: As i will use the XLR from DAC and I won't need the RCA, for me me these two are equal in terms of features. It seems to me Audiphonics has better heat dissipation (slots on bottom and top plate). Also, it has analog outputs with gold colour (but I do not know enough to say which one is better...). Not sure if the layout with the in and out connectors on the short side of the amp module is better or worse than the IOM, but i can see longer internal cables and also the power cable crossing the layout. Does that have impacts?.
The IOM has a lower case (55 mm vs 65 mm of the Audiophonics) which would leave me 1 cm more of space from the TV (I want to mount the amplifier vertically, between the wall and the 85 inches wall mounted TV, basically in the 7-8 cm space of the TV mount.). The idea is to mount it close to the top edge of the TV, so it can dissipate the heat more easily). The IOM case is much nicer, but onestly I do not care much as it will be hidden behind the TV.
While searching for more info in the forum, I discovered this amp based on a different module:
AUDIOPHONICS AP300-S2503E Power Amplifier 3E AUDIO 260-2-29A PFFB
The enclosure is 65 mm, so it will squeeze in like the other Audiophonics amp, but should have much better heat dissipation which in my application is qhite important, with slots on top, bottom and sides. The cable layout (again very unsure as I don't have knowledge on this aspect in amps) looks to me tider and more efficient with shorter cables.
Price is comparable, actually with the same enclosure the NC252MP version costs more.
So I have to take a step back: NC252MP or 3E Audio 260-2-29A PFFB??? Which one would you buy? If of relevance, I have to power 2x Focal 302 on wall speakers siding the 85" TV, and I will add a powered sub connected to the DAC (at the moment I am oriented towards Topping E70). Streaming will be from mini pc (running also room calibration) connected via USB to DAC. DAC to ampli will be XLR plus 12V trigger.
Audiophonics MPA-S250NC XLR
IOM NCore NC252MP
AUDIOPHONICS AP300-S2503E Power Amplifier 3E AUDIO 260-2-29A PFFB
Edit: As i will use the XLR from DAC and I won't need the RCA, for me me these two are equal in terms of features. It seems to me Audiphonics has better heat dissipation (slots on bottom and top plate). Also, it has analog outputs with gold colour (but I do not know enough to say which one is better...). Not sure if the layout with the in and out connectors on the short side of the amp module is better or worse than the IOM, but i can see longer internal cables and also the power cable crossing the layout. Does that have impacts?.
The IOM has a lower case (55 mm vs 65 mm of the Audiophonics) which would leave me 1 cm more of space from the TV (I want to mount the amplifier vertically, between the wall and the 85 inches wall mounted TV, basically in the 7-8 cm space of the TV mount.). The idea is to mount it close to the top edge of the TV, so it can dissipate the heat more easily). The IOM case is much nicer, but onestly I do not care much as it will be hidden behind the TV.
While searching for more info in the forum, I discovered this amp based on a different module:
AUDIOPHONICS AP300-S2503E Power Amplifier 3E AUDIO 260-2-29A PFFB
The enclosure is 65 mm, so it will squeeze in like the other Audiophonics amp, but should have much better heat dissipation which in my application is qhite important, with slots on top, bottom and sides. The cable layout (again very unsure as I don't have knowledge on this aspect in amps) looks to me tider and more efficient with shorter cables.
Price is comparable, actually with the same enclosure the NC252MP version costs more.
So I have to take a step back: NC252MP or 3E Audio 260-2-29A PFFB??? Which one would you buy? If of relevance, I have to power 2x Focal 302 on wall speakers siding the 85" TV, and I will add a powered sub connected to the DAC (at the moment I am oriented towards Topping E70). Streaming will be from mini pc (running also room calibration) connected via USB to DAC. DAC to ampli will be XLR plus 12V trigger.
Audiophonics MPA-S250NC XLR
IOM NCore NC252MP
AUDIOPHONICS AP300-S2503E Power Amplifier 3E AUDIO 260-2-29A PFFB
Last edited:
My Audiophonics MPA-S250NC XLR arrived today. Ordered last thursday night, shipped on friday. 475€ including tax, free shipping to Germany.
Ordering, payment and shipping went well. Took a little long for my taste (3-4 business days) on a distance that's basically Bordeaux in France to Cologne in Germany, but that's on DPD, and nothing Audiophonics can influence. Well packaged, they could've tossed around the package with nothing happening.
First impression and visual inspection is very good. Proper brushed aluminium case. Solid binding posts, with ridiculously big wire holes of 5mm diameter - 4 AWG would fit in there, complete overkill. Simple industrial charme. So far, so good.
Included mains power cable is of the cheap generic variety as expected, but 3x1.5mm² (14-15 AWG). Easily good enough.
Internals:
Wiring is neat, soldering looks good. Mains wiring done with proper care. Note how the chassis protection ground is properly connected with the anodisation removed - as opposed to above (presumably old) PR pictures. Mains wiring to module is additionally sleeved too. Can never hurt, especially in a small case.
Ventilation is from bottom front to upper back, similar to standard PC airflow. Seems sound. Feet are ~1cm high, more than enough space.
No listening test yet, need to make cables first. As far as construction and workmanship is concerned:
Ordering, payment and shipping went well. Took a little long for my taste (3-4 business days) on a distance that's basically Bordeaux in France to Cologne in Germany, but that's on DPD, and nothing Audiophonics can influence. Well packaged, they could've tossed around the package with nothing happening.
First impression and visual inspection is very good. Proper brushed aluminium case. Solid binding posts, with ridiculously big wire holes of 5mm diameter - 4 AWG would fit in there, complete overkill. Simple industrial charme. So far, so good.
Included mains power cable is of the cheap generic variety as expected, but 3x1.5mm² (14-15 AWG). Easily good enough.
Internals:
Wiring is neat, soldering looks good. Mains wiring done with proper care. Note how the chassis protection ground is properly connected with the anodisation removed - as opposed to above (presumably old) PR pictures. Mains wiring to module is additionally sleeved too. Can never hurt, especially in a small case.
Ventilation is from bottom front to upper back, similar to standard PC airflow. Seems sound. Feet are ~1cm high, more than enough space.
No listening test yet, need to make cables first. As far as construction and workmanship is concerned:
Last edited:
Follow up to above post after three listening afternoons. Due warning: subjective review, no measurements, limited comparison. This is strictly supposed to express simple end user impressions.
Setup conditions and practical things first: source is a phone playing various standard CD quality FLAC files, some 24/48 and 24/96 ones (mainly own productions), 320kbps CBR or VBR V0 MP3, and even YouTube streaming - via USB to SMSL DO100, circumventing the usual Android forced resampling. Speakers are Canton RC-K. Take the frequency range listed there with three grains of salt, 22 Hz isn't achievable even with the active "control box" (=fixed line level EQ box tuned to speakers) which I lost long ago. For reference, treat them as reasonably good, but not stellar, fairly neutrally tuned large bookshelf speakers that go down to 40Hz at best, not more. The important thing for subjective judgement is that I know them and in this room VERY well. There's a subwoofer here, but wasn't used so far. Why not, to be explained later. Two main listening positions: nearfield at desk (2.6m wide), and midfield at couch, approx. 3m speaker to ear distance. Straight angling, listening therefore slightly off axis, as has proven beneficial by long experience. Room is approx 20m² or ~210sqft, so relatively small.
Practicality
Amplifier turns on with no audible pop or click. Turning off gives a slight, but absolutely not worrying little thud. Audible, but faint and definitely uncritical to speakers (very average 87dB/W/m sensitivity here).
There is some hiss (white noise) from tweeters. So faint, with my ears more than 2-3cm or 1" away from tweeters it diappears. Qualifies as completely inaudible in any practical scenario.
Front power LED ring is cold white, and not too bright. Not obnoxious at all even at night in low light setting. Not like it would concern me, but for some people it would if too bright. It isn't.
Device stays cool no matter what. There aren't any high power demands here, I highly doubt I'm even using 2x100W, probably much less. Still good volumes, be assured. Occasional "relative full blast" to my ears' liking, which are rather sensitive and distort early, didn't change that. It's summer here and inside temperature is between 25-28°C. Absolutely no problems in that regard.
Minor negative point: there is no user manual, at least none was delivered. I certainly don't need one for a simple device such as a basic power amplifier, but for beginners that would've been nice.
With all that out of the way, let's get to the meat:
The sound. How well does it deliver?
Yes.
Seriously. This chain delivers at all possible volume levels short of my neighbours ringing at my door (which has happened multiple times), and beyond. Detail and resolution is outstanding, even at comparably nighttime levels, and it always stays the same. I've never been a fan of loudness features, and this amplifier and source/speaker/room combination yet again confirms why I'm not: it always sounds the same. Exceptional detail, at low and subjectively high levels both. Great transparency, especially on the rather complex synthetic leads in electronic music I love so much, likewise on full spectrum analog PWM synthesizer bass with crazy oscillator hardsync I did a lot of in my amateur haydays. At the risk of sounding awfully stereotypical, it resolves and reveals new details in tracks I've been listening to for years and decades - to goosebump levels.
And then there's the bass. All my favourite tracks tend to have heavily strong bass around 40-50 Hz, some a little below, and rather balanced spectrum above that. It all gets revealed with outstanding precision. So dry and precise and controlled, only now I understand the often touted "iron grip" of good class D. Easily deep enough to not want any more. Saying that as a proper seasoned basshead.
I do get how some people used to certain sonic signatures can describe it, and comparable class D as somewhat "flat". It is just that, but in the best sense: very flat and neutral. It does exactly what the source signal is asking it to do, no more, no less, and very cleanly so. Exactly what I was looking for all these years.
Two basslines chasing each other, carefully separated by the producers like in this example
sound excellent. Bass control is so good, even with my limited speakers, I didn't even want to employ the subwoofer. Simply seems unnecessary.
And then there's industrial metal such as
that combines utter attention to detail and careful and powerful sound design, with acoustic violence. And it's just great.
I've listened to all the good stuff I've known for very long and am highly familiar with for long years, and listened to on all kinds of systems, including crappy ones, car stereos, and showrooms of high end dealers. Everything sounds really, utterly, unbelievably good. The occasional crappy recording or worse, bad Techno vinyl pressing sounds hilarious. It's more fun and easy identifying these typical source flaws than it has been.
Final verdict: the Hypex NC252MP does it all. Quiet, loud, soft, brutal. No matter what you feed it, it drives even mediocre speakers to new heights. Combined with good build quality by Audiophonics at a very reasonable price, it gets the rare seal of
Setup conditions and practical things first: source is a phone playing various standard CD quality FLAC files, some 24/48 and 24/96 ones (mainly own productions), 320kbps CBR or VBR V0 MP3, and even YouTube streaming - via USB to SMSL DO100, circumventing the usual Android forced resampling. Speakers are Canton RC-K. Take the frequency range listed there with three grains of salt, 22 Hz isn't achievable even with the active "control box" (=fixed line level EQ box tuned to speakers) which I lost long ago. For reference, treat them as reasonably good, but not stellar, fairly neutrally tuned large bookshelf speakers that go down to 40Hz at best, not more. The important thing for subjective judgement is that I know them and in this room VERY well. There's a subwoofer here, but wasn't used so far. Why not, to be explained later. Two main listening positions: nearfield at desk (2.6m wide), and midfield at couch, approx. 3m speaker to ear distance. Straight angling, listening therefore slightly off axis, as has proven beneficial by long experience. Room is approx 20m² or ~210sqft, so relatively small.
Practicality
Amplifier turns on with no audible pop or click. Turning off gives a slight, but absolutely not worrying little thud. Audible, but faint and definitely uncritical to speakers (very average 87dB/W/m sensitivity here).
There is some hiss (white noise) from tweeters. So faint, with my ears more than 2-3cm or 1" away from tweeters it diappears. Qualifies as completely inaudible in any practical scenario.
Front power LED ring is cold white, and not too bright. Not obnoxious at all even at night in low light setting. Not like it would concern me, but for some people it would if too bright. It isn't.
Device stays cool no matter what. There aren't any high power demands here, I highly doubt I'm even using 2x100W, probably much less. Still good volumes, be assured. Occasional "relative full blast" to my ears' liking, which are rather sensitive and distort early, didn't change that. It's summer here and inside temperature is between 25-28°C. Absolutely no problems in that regard.
Minor negative point: there is no user manual, at least none was delivered. I certainly don't need one for a simple device such as a basic power amplifier, but for beginners that would've been nice.
With all that out of the way, let's get to the meat:
The sound. How well does it deliver?
Yes.
Seriously. This chain delivers at all possible volume levels short of my neighbours ringing at my door (which has happened multiple times), and beyond. Detail and resolution is outstanding, even at comparably nighttime levels, and it always stays the same. I've never been a fan of loudness features, and this amplifier and source/speaker/room combination yet again confirms why I'm not: it always sounds the same. Exceptional detail, at low and subjectively high levels both. Great transparency, especially on the rather complex synthetic leads in electronic music I love so much, likewise on full spectrum analog PWM synthesizer bass with crazy oscillator hardsync I did a lot of in my amateur haydays. At the risk of sounding awfully stereotypical, it resolves and reveals new details in tracks I've been listening to for years and decades - to goosebump levels.
And then there's the bass. All my favourite tracks tend to have heavily strong bass around 40-50 Hz, some a little below, and rather balanced spectrum above that. It all gets revealed with outstanding precision. So dry and precise and controlled, only now I understand the often touted "iron grip" of good class D. Easily deep enough to not want any more. Saying that as a proper seasoned basshead.
I do get how some people used to certain sonic signatures can describe it, and comparable class D as somewhat "flat". It is just that, but in the best sense: very flat and neutral. It does exactly what the source signal is asking it to do, no more, no less, and very cleanly so. Exactly what I was looking for all these years.
Two basslines chasing each other, carefully separated by the producers like in this example
sound excellent. Bass control is so good, even with my limited speakers, I didn't even want to employ the subwoofer. Simply seems unnecessary.
And then there's industrial metal such as
that combines utter attention to detail and careful and powerful sound design, with acoustic violence. And it's just great.
I've listened to all the good stuff I've known for very long and am highly familiar with for long years, and listened to on all kinds of systems, including crappy ones, car stereos, and showrooms of high end dealers. Everything sounds really, utterly, unbelievably good. The occasional crappy recording or worse, bad Techno vinyl pressing sounds hilarious. It's more fun and easy identifying these typical source flaws than it has been.
Final verdict: the Hypex NC252MP does it all. Quiet, loud, soft, brutal. No matter what you feed it, it drives even mediocre speakers to new heights. Combined with good build quality by Audiophonics at a very reasonable price, it gets the rare seal of
Last edited:
Fahzz
Addicted to Fun and Learning
That's no panther!
Corvuscorone
Member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2021
- Messages
- 65
- Likes
- 87
Frequency response of large cardioid diy speakers + subwoofer at the listening position at a distance of 3m from the speakers. Smsl mda1 raw dac + Emotiva PT-100 preamplifier + Audiophonics MPA-S250NC power amplifier. Played calibrated 24bit 96kHz pure pink noise from youtube and measured with phone microphone using Spectroid application.
Attachments
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
Whether it's accurate or not, I don't care. Isn't it amazing that we have these kind of measurement tools and software we can run on a handheld device basically for free in 2024?
Corvuscorone
Member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2021
- Messages
- 65
- Likes
- 87
It's really great that apps like this are available for free. The phone's microphone may not be very accurate, but I adjusted the low pass crossover and volume of my subwoofer based on these measurements. There were many pink noise videos on Youtube, several of which were clearly not very accurate. I've also tried the EQ adjustments of the Wavelet application when playing from the phone through the speakers, and I think these Spectroid measurements are very indicative from the ear. I also measured a couple of other amplifiers and they gave slightly worse results for some reason.
It seems like a very unlikely mistake, check your source, and...erm... check your hands.
Already done that and yes, facing the speaker the right channel speaker tests comes from the left side. Ive tried to connect it to another preamp and it was the same. Created a new thread for this.
I own this Amplifier in the XLR edition.
I was wondering where i can find out what the Polarity of the Trigger Socket should be as i would attach a wallmart supply as a trigger.
Also another scenario, what will happen if i leave the Amp swith permanently On and use a remote controlled Socket in order to switch off the power before it reaches the amp?
Will it damage the Soft Start switch in the long run?
In case the information is in this thread i missed it.
I was wondering where i can find out what the Polarity of the Trigger Socket should be as i would attach a wallmart supply as a trigger.
Also another scenario, what will happen if i leave the Amp swith permanently On and use a remote controlled Socket in order to switch off the power before it reaches the amp?
Will it damage the Soft Start switch in the long run?
In case the information is in this thread i missed it.
Last edited:
JeremyFife
Major Contributor
Hi, I'm not sure I understand your question so apologies if I've got this wrong.
The trigger input is for you to connect another piece of equipment to; usually a pre-amp or DAC. Then, when you turn on the pre-amp or play something, your pre-amp will 'trigger' the power amp and turn it on for you.
What do you want to do with the wallmart supply?
Hello there. I am aware what it’s for.
In My setup there is no device with a trigger output. So I have to build one. So I wanted to find out where + and where - is on a typical trigger. As in “Center Positive”. Hope that makes more sense ?
In My setup there is no device with a trigger output. So I have to build one. So I wanted to find out where + and where - is on a typical trigger. As in “Center Positive”. Hope that makes more sense ?
JeremyFife
Major Contributor
Makes good sense - I hope I didn't come across as patronising. Can't help with your actual question I'm afraid. Audiophonics have been quite good at responding to direct questions when I've asked them before.
Patronising? No not at all!
I think it’s many times hard to communicate through a few written sentences without misunderstandings
Hi, I need some information: I would like to connect this amplifier directly to an Eversolo DMP A6 DAC streamer, which does not have a trigger. Should I leave the amp on 24/7 if I always want it ready to use or is there a way to put it on standby or something? Thank you
If I'm not mistaken, audiophonics is selling a 12V trigger you could use on gear which have none.
Similar threads
