Really?It's not that bad. When I was first getting started in 2020/early 2021, the USD to EUR was lower than it is now.
Really?It's not that bad. When I was first getting started in 2020/early 2021, the USD to EUR was lower than it is now.
So what you are saying is that you have a high enough profit margin?See my above post. It's not anywhere near how bad it has been before. So it's not even on my radar for worry/consideration yet. As of right now it is just tariffs I have to consider and adjust for.
I wouldn't say the profit margin is high, especially when compared to most other brands.So what you are saying is that you have a high enough profit margin?
Your chart indicates the point I made very clearly in 2021...so yes, really.
As for our favorite class D amps, the Purifi modules will be tariffed from Denmark @10%, and AC/DC switching power supplies from some foreign country @10%, (as long as it's not China @145 or 245% !!!). PC boards, ICs, and passives can be locally sourced easily. Chassis can also be made locally. Ditto for power cords, etc. So, our exposure is not that great, I believe. Do I have this right?Yes.
Sure, as long as the US amp builders don't use any foreign components. Too bad pretty much all PCBs are made in China, assembled from semiconductors are made in China, Malaysia and Taiwan, using photo-lithography equipment from The Netherlands. Oh, and even the enclosures are made from steel from Canada or India.
You would have to ask each brand/manufacturer for a breakdown. For instance, the price difference between having PC boards manufactured in the US vs. China is still such a drastic price difference that even a 500% tariff would be cheaper than turning to US manufactured PC boards.As for our favorite class D amps, the Purifi modules will be tariffed from Denmark @10%, and AC/DC switching power supplies from some foreign country @10%, (as long as it's not China @145 or 245% !!!). PC boards, ICs, and passives can be locally sourced easily. Chassis can also be made locally. Ditto for power cords, etc. So, our exposure is not that great, I believe. Do I have this right?
Enjoy your time offJust wanted to put a PSA out there so no one reads into the current extended lead times for something they are not (such as thinking it is due to issues procuring parts, cost barriers, etc). It is merely because we are finally taking an official vacation for the first time in over four years:
For the first time in over four years, we are taking a short vacation here at Buckeye Amps. We will be gone for 10 days at the end of May/beginning of June. Any new orders starting today (5/8) will have an extended build time of 4-5wks. Once we return from vacation, we will work diligently to bring the build times back down to previous levels. Thank you everyone!
FYI... The follow-up article, which Dylan had mentioned that he was expecting in the June issue of Stereophile, did make it into the June issue, on page 109 of the printed version, which arrived in my USPS mailbox yesterday (Saturday, 10 May 2025). Not sure, but that issue may also be out on the news stands by now. Not sure if or when the online version may be updated with the follow-up.
This! Lots of worrying about amps, DACs and even cables and connectors, when it is the speakers, room and source material that make the difference.Pretty telling how little (read: no) difference technical faults of that magnitude, due to a faulty module, made in practice. Perhaps people shouldn't obsess so much about their amps (or electronics in general)...
Amplifier | 8ohm | Peak Voltage Swing (Vpk) | Damping Factor | Slew Rate |
Purifi 1ET9040BA | 375w | ±90 V (180 Vpp) | >2,000 | 26 V / µs |
Parasound A21+ | 300w | ±78 V (156 Vpp) | >1,100 @ 20 Hz | > 130 V / µs |
thank you this is very helpful.The voltage swing, damping factor, and slew rate are distractions. Voltage swing doesn't matter without the ability to feed the current required for that voltage into an actual speaker, and that's where you need power. Power = voltage X current, to use common terms. But even the power ratings for these amps are at 1% distortion, which is on the very steep part of the power vs. distortion curve.
That driver is rated to produce 98 dB SPL at one meter driven by 2.83 volts into 8 ohms in free air. If you want 120 dB SPL from that speaker at 1 meter, you'll need 22 dB gain, or 35.6 volts into 8 ohms. You'll need 158 watts. If you want 120 dB SPL at a listening position, say, 4 meters from the speaker, you'll need an additional 6 dB of power, or 632 watts, assuming the speaker is linear at those levels (which their power rating, if real, suggests can be assumed).
An NC502MP that is bridged is still showing a SINAD in the range of 100 dB at that power output into 8 ohms. That's twice the output of the Purifi module you listed into 8 ohms, though the Purifi will maintain lower distortion while doing so. This is unimportant--the Hypex is already inaudibly low in distortion.
But all my assumptions are worst-case. In a real room (rather than free air) you'll get room gain because the lateral sound waves will be in part reflected back to you (as they would not be in free air). And 4 meters is over 13 feet--that's a fairly large room though it might be realistic. But mostly you may not need 120 dB SPL which is extremely loud and beyond the requirement or tolerability of most residential situations. It would not take much moderation of those requirements to bring that Purifi amp into line with your needs. I would probably use the NC502MP because it's less expensive and more powerful when bridged for single-channel output. Just don't use the bridge 502 for really difficult speakers. (This is not a difficult speaker with a minimum impedance of 6 ohms.)
The driver you listed seems to be made for line-array applications for PA systems--they aren't claiming performance in the subwoofer range (20-40 Hz) but rather very high efficiency in the woofer range. If built into a sub cabinet, an 18" cube (outside dimensions) would provide their recommended interior volume.
Rick "party speakers?" Denney
It doesn't. The issue Amir saw was well up in the top octave. This speaker has no response in that region, and will be filtering out those frequencies anyway.thank you this is very helpful.
sometimes amirm does a transfer function graph showing different frequencies. I see class d struggles here after 1khz compared to class AB e.g. topping b200.
Where does this fit into the picture?
OK thanks. Can you confirm if I do later decide to use the amp for full range speakers, if then it would be of concern?It doesn't. The issue Amir saw was well up in the top octave. This speaker has no response in that region, and will be filtering out those frequencies anyway.
The Hypex modules do have a distortion floor of about -100 dB, but that will also have no effect on your plans.
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Rick "don't see any struggles related to Class D" Denney