Buckeye Amps: Hypex NCx500 Official Thread

[RickS]

Europe we had already above 50cent/kWh .. it settled a bit, but in average we are above 35cent/kWh in Germany

Thanks for sharing. Cost of living tends to be lower in my region of US. Actually, am currently at 10 cents but remembered 5.

Just to check, went back to 2022 and it was 5 cents/kWh. That is just a generation rate btw, we get charged for distribution separately.

 

[gby]

Rick, I live in the Boston, US area and my monthly electric bill cost divided by the kW-hour used all up/all included is right around $0.25 to $0.26 per kW-hour. For residential our area is flat rate/no time of day variation. So, not as bad as some folks but certainly more expensive that some areas in the US.

 

[goryu]

No reason people should need to worry about electricity costs when these amps are on standby. This should be fixed sooner rather than later.

 

[vicenzo_del_paris]

Thanks for sharing. Cost of living tends to be lower in my region of US. Actually, am currently at 10 cents but remembered 5.

Just to check, went back to 2022 and it was 5 cents/kWh. That is just a generation rate btw, we get charged for distribution separately.

For me, (located in France) it is 25 cents/kWh (generation, distribution and all taxes included).

 

[thegeton]

My Feb 2024 bill from Port Orchard WA, USA (just across the Puget Sound from Seattle)

You get nailed with that Tier 2 usage.

 

[RickS]

Rick, I live in the Boston, US area and my monthly electric bill cost divided by the kW-hour used all up/all included is right around $0.25 to $0.26 per kW-hour. For residential our area is flat rate/no time of day variation. So, not as bad as some folks but certainly more expensive that some areas in the US.

if I do that math for my March bill, am at $0.13/kWh.

p.s. did same math for last June and rate was same as my March bill

 

[Heyu]

I think I read somewhere Buckeye will implement Dirac. Is this true?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I think I read somewhere Buckeye will implement Dirac. Is this true?

That is a feature we are considering offering with our upcoming 2ch integrated, yes.

 

[3rdrockblue]

Will the standby feature be available as a retrofit for 2ch Hypex NCx500?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Will the standby feature be available as a retrofit for 2ch Hypex NCx500?

At this time it would only be a feature with the Micro Audio SMPS'

 

[Buckeye Amps]

The amps using a Micro Audio SMPS are marked as such. Which are the 3ch NCx and the Mono 7040SA.

Ironically those will be the first amps outside the NCxxxMP series that will have true standby control and minimal power draw in the coming weeks/months.

 

[MicroAudio]

Is there a way to make sure you don't get the "Micro Audio SMPS" when ordering a Buckeye amp so you don't have to deal with the high idle power drain that doesn't stop unless the power switch is turned off?

The order pages that I see represent that the NCx500 comes with a Hypex SMPS1200A700. Is there anyway to update order pages before changing the PS component used? Thank you!

Who told you that the SMPS1200A700 power draw in standby mode is 0 W?

Did you measure the power draw of the SMPS1200A700 by yourself before making any claims?

SMPS2K draws 0.1W or less in standby mode.

It's better you support your claim with evidence next time.

Thanks

 

[MicroAudio]

Dear MicroAudio,
It looks like you didn't read message #443 above in this thread where users are reporting 38W while on and 21W while in auto mode with the Micro Audio SMPS? In message #445 Dylan explains Buckeye is installing the Micro Audio SMPS but doesn't have "a proper design/pinout in place to handle the Micro Audio SMPS Standby feature." He further explained that it is only being used in "the 3ch NCx and the Mono 7040SA" currently.

So while the Micro Audio SMPS may have a low standby power draw with a proper Standby design that's not what's happening in currently shipping Buckeye amps with this SMPS. I hope that explains the issue.

@amper42

I did.

But using different SMPS in place of the SMPS 2K won't change or affect the power draw in trigger mode or auto mode.

Thank you.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Also, I misspoke days ago. We do have the proper pinout in place for doing standby control of the Micro Audio SMPS. Just need to do some testing (which is being done while we finalize the Purifi 9040BA amp) and most likely can be implemented with a simple firmware update.

 

[Heyu]

I'm confused about the gain stage on the NXC500. Can you change it without connecting an av receiver or dac? It mentions Hypex and Buckeye gain.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I'm confused about the gain stage on the NXC500. Can you change it without connecting an av receiver or dac? It mentions Hypex and Buckeye gain.

Yes. The Buckeye gain stage has three different settings changed via toggle switch on the back.

The Hypex gain stage has a set gain.

 

[Heyu]

What's the difference between the mono and stereo since specs seem the same and they sound the same?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

What's the difference between the mono and stereo since specs seem the same and they sound the same?

Max power is a little higher on the mono (website needs updated for the 2ch to reflect this) but the difference is an inaudible difference (less than 1dB).

Monoblocks are mainly targeted for those who like to have an amp near each L/R (and sometimes Center) speaker.

 

[Heyu]

Max power is a little higher on the mono (website needs updated for the 2ch to reflect this) but the difference is an inaudible difference (less than 1dB).

Monoblocks are mainly targeted for those who like to have an amp near each L/R (and sometimes Center) speaker.

I see thank you. Also this may be a dumb question but using a preamp with this amp will the preamp take away from the sound quality?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I see thank you. Also this may be a dumb question but using a preamp with this amp will the preamp take away from the sound quality?

Any good preamp will not negatively affect the sound quality.