Buckeye Amps: New US based Hypex multichannel amplifier builder, line-up announcement!

[Buckeye Amps]

Can you please show the pictures of the backplate with SpeakOn outputs ?

I don't have backplates with the SpeakOn cutouts. I haven't committed to adding that option yet. Once I sell a few more amps I should be able to add that as an option.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

After some quotations, I can offer the SpeakOn option for the rear panel but it would add to the cost by about $75 for the larger case configurations (17" and 19") and about $50 for the small case configurations (12"). So it can be an option if someone is on the fence and that helps them with their decision.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

First 8 channel build underway

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Straw poll: does anyone think there is a market/need for a 12 channel beast? Day dreaming of a 4U height build that would fit (6) NC252's in the 19" wide case. Not something I would stock but could do as a custom build for the most demanding customers. Would also cost a premium as the case would require moving away from the extruded aluminum 2U cases I'm using but it also opens up the possibility of thicker aluminum and true rack mount capabilitiy.

 

[PNWer]

Straw poll: does anyone think there is a market/need for a 12 channel beast? Day dreaming of a 4U height build that would fit (6) NC252's in the 19" wide case. Not something I would stock but could do as a custom build for the most demanding customers. Would also cost a premium as the case would require moving away from the extruded aluminum 2U cases I'm using but it also opens up the possibility of thicker aluminum and true rack mount capabilitiy.

For myself, I'm looking at 11 channels + as many subwoofers as I'm allowed to put into the room.
So my power amps are front 3 + 8 channels for the rest.
8 channels NC252 seems the best candidates.

16 channels processors started at 4,000 USD Monoprice HTP-1 levels..
The next step up are pricey (more speakers are much harder to get into the room).

 

[Buckeye Amps]

For myself, I'm looking at 11 channels + as many subwoofers as I'm allowed to put into the room.
So my power amps are front 3 + 8 channels for the rest.
8 channels NC252 seems the best candidates.

16 channels processors started at 4,000 USD Monoprice HTP-1 levels..
The next step up are pricey (more speakers are much harder to get into the room).

Yea I figure for today's HT rooms 6/8 channels of NC252 are the sweet spot and those who need more for large immersive setups would just get two such units.

But it never hurts to daydream

 

[ReciprocalSpace]

Straw poll: does anyone think there is a market/need for a 12 channel beast? Day dreaming of a 4U height build that would fit (6) NC252's in the 19" wide case. Not something I would stock but could do as a custom build for the most demanding customers. Would also cost a premium as the case would require moving away from the extruded aluminum 2U cases I'm using but it also opens up the possibility of thicker aluminum and true rack mount capabilitiy.

I could see 12 channels making sense for those shooting for a 15 channel setup (3 high power modules, 12 lower power) on a limited budget.
There are several 15 channel processors around $4k now as mentioned, Anthem AVM70, Denon X8500H, Monoprice HTP-1, Emotiva XMC/RMC-1, etc? I suppose someone could always get two 6 channel amps, but I have friend now looking for just one 11-channel box to save space. Maybe you could get business from people looking at Emotiva/Monoprice/Yamaha 11-channel amplifiers?

For me all I need are 13 channels (7.4.6) as front wide don't make much sense (from Trinnov speaker placement guide median angle) and I'm not about to put up 8 top channels for Atmos and DTS-X Pro/IMAX Enhanced.

 

[PNWer]

Yea I figure for today's HT rooms 6/8 channels of NC252 are the sweet spot and those who need more for large immersive setups would just get two such units.

But it never hurts to daydream

I would love the stronger case so the amp can be rack mounted by ears.

One consideration is most users run the front 3 channels with higher power capacity.
Sometimes just L/R mains as stereo music, the center channel also get some power for clear dialogue.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I would love the stronger case so the amp can be rack mounted by ears.

One consideration is most users run the front 3 channels with higher power capacity.
Sometimes just L/R mains as stereo music, the center channel also get some power for clear dialogue.

These cases would cost a lot more. If I order a quantity of 10, they would be $300 per case, so overall prices I am offering would be $200 more than advertised.

If I did one off of such cases on a custom basis, than the case would be nearly $600.....obviously not worth it unless I get them in bulk. And as of right now, I don't have the financial ability to do that.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Updated Pricing on first page

 

[rec head]

If the overall cost of a 12 channel amp is lower than the cost of two 6 channel amps it seems like it would be a good idea to eventually add to your lineup. If it would cost the same or more then you would only be marketing to people looking to save space. That is probably a smaller market but perhaps they'd be happy to pay the premium?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

NC502's are officially in stock

 

[jjmcubed]

Are you planning on offering any three channel amps?

 

[Webninja]

Are you planning on offering any three channel amps?

+1 to this. A three channel plus an eight channel would be great for a full hypex 7.4 system.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Are you planning on offering any three channel amps?

+1 to this. A three channel plus an eight channel would be great for a full hypex 7.4 system.

At this time I don't plan on stocking the single channel Hypex modules.

That said, I believe my price for the four channel amp offerings are still less then three channel offerings from other companies so you'd still be saving money. And in terms of performance, there's nothing different about using one channel of the two channel modules.

 

[catalogguy]

I would like to ask a question and I apologize in advance if this seems too uninformed or in the wrong thread... I have learned quite a bit from this conversation and have to wonder if this approach to amps is best suited to home theatre or is the appreciable sound quality also applicable to 2/2.1 channel?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I would like to ask a question and I apologize in advance if this seems too uninformed or in the wrong thread... I have learned quite a bit from this conversation and have to wonder if this approach to amps is best suited to home theatre or is the appreciable sound quality also applicable to 2/2.1 channel?

In regards to these specific modules, the NCxxxMP series, there really isn't going to be any subjective sound quality difference no matter who you purchase from. Assuming they are wired correctly, the only difference vendors have is whether they offer "high end" binding posts (like WBT) or "high end" speaker wire inside the case. But, and this isn't a biased selling opinion, whether these actually matter for sound is about as subjective as the discussion of $5 interconnects vs. $500 ones.

I can say that for both my 2 channel music listening and my movie watching, the sound from these modules are perfect.

Where it gets more murky when asking your question would be NC500 or NC1200 offerings where different input buffers can be used and intentionally change the tone of the sound. But again, this isn't something that has to be considered with the NCxxxMP offerings.

 

[sigbergaudio]

I would like to ask a question and I apologize in advance if this seems too uninformed or in the wrong thread... I have learned quite a bit from this conversation and have to wonder if this approach to amps is best suited to home theatre or is the appreciable sound quality also applicable to 2/2.1 channel?

Not perfectly clear to me if you are asking about this specific implementation, or the amplifier modules the amps are based on. Either way, the amp modules being used can be found in expensive high end amps (both power amps and integrated). This specific implementation also looks perfectly fine. So it would be well suited for 2/2.1 channel setup intended for music as well.

 

[catalogguy]

Thanks both for the comments. My question was intended to ask about the use of the modules for a 2/2.1 channel music system. I appreciate the info on wiring and bindings posts and the issue around subjectivity of what input buffers may introduce. The Buckeye build with the NC502MP would have more power than anything I currently use and I would like to try out something like that (just for fun and to educate myself). I was surprised to read about these modules (Hypex?) and particularly the comments about sound quality. Now that I have done a bit of Googling, I would like to make sure I am not missing some basic details to ensure this is a good fit for music without the HT application.

 

[sigbergaudio]

Thanks both for the comments. My question was intended to ask about the use of the modules for a 2/2.1 channel music system. I appreciate the info on wiring and bindings posts and the issue around subjectivity of what input buffers may introduce. The Buckeye build with the NC502MP would have more power than anything I currently use and I would like to try out something like that (just for fun and to educate myself). I was surprised to read about these modules (Hypex?) and particularly the comments about sound quality. Now that I have done a bit of Googling, I would like to make sure I am not missing some basic details to ensure this is a good fit for music without the HT application.

Hypex are a leading amplifier technology company from Europe, and the NCore modules were regarded as some of the best amplifier modules regardless of price, until some of the same guys came out with Purifi (which everyone is raving about on this site). They're both well beyond most alternatives.

An example of an amplifier from a well known brand that uses Hypex modules is the Marantz PM-10, it's 8000USD or something.

Disclaimer: We use them in our subwoofers so I'm not 100% objective, but there are several reviews of Hypex based amplifiers here on the forum, so you can see for yourself