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

[Buckeye Amps]

When you expecting to start shipping the NCx amps? And how many channels you expecting?

Up to 3ch. And not until May at the earliest. Hypex sold out of the first batch before I could get my order in, so not expecting my stock to be filled until May

 

[BluesDaddy]

Yes but it comes with the trade off a slightly higher noise floor when bridging.

How much higher are we talking? I mean, I have 67 year old ears, in a 20' by 19' room, and don't even listen to movies THAT loud. I was reading the review on the Emotiva XPS-1 phono preamp, which I've had for years, and realized I've never turned up the volume without music playing to hear if I got noise from the power supply that Amir mentions (I do, but obviously it has never bothered me).

 

[Buckeye Amps]

How much higher are we talking? I mean, I have 67 year old ears, in a 20' by 19' room, and don't even listen to movies THAT loud. I was reading the review on the Emotiva XPS-1 phono preamp, which I've had for years, and realized I've never turned up the volume without music playing to hear if I got noise from the power supply that Amir mentions (I do, but obviously it has never bothered me).

As Rick pointed out, the slight rise in the noise floor does also bring with it a higher gain, so in actual usage the noise floor is a non issue.

 

[DonH56]

The higher noise floor matters if you are very close to the speakers and/or they are very sensitive (high dB/W/m number). Then you may hear more hiss, which may or may not matter to you, and is only an issue when idle or very quiet passages.

 

[goryu]

@Buckeye Amps

Any updates available on when the NCx amp line up will be detailed on your web site?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

@Buckeye Amps

Any updates available on when the NCx amp line up will be detailed on your web site?

I hope to have final details and a new thread up this week. I have the mono and 2ch details wrapped up. Waiting on the 3ch (as there are two approaches I can take to get full power output and waiting on price quotes for both)

 

[goryu]

I hope to have final details and a new thread up this week. I have the mono and 2ch details wrapped up. Waiting on the 3ch (as there are two approaches I can take to get full power output and waiting on price quotes for both)

For the 3 channel amps, I would think one could use three separate smps', use the 3K smps for all three channels, or perhaps get something made to order from connex or one of the other smps makers...

Looking forward to seeing what you have come up with...Thanks!

 

[Buckeye Amps]

For the 3 channel amps, I would think one could use three separate smps', use the 3K smps for all three channels, or perhaps get something made to order from connex or one of the other smps makers...

Looking forward to seeing what you have come up with...Thanks!

The SMPS3k is not an option (per Hypex).

Two separate SMPS1200’s would be one option but require a rework to the existing 3ch board.

The other option is a Micro Audio SMPS which they are getting back to me on later this week.

 

[goryu]

The SMPS3k is not an option (per Hypex).

Two separate SMPS1200’s would be one option but require a rework to the existing 3ch board.

The other option is a Micro Audio SMPS which they are getting back to me on later this week.

Maybe the 3K is not an option as it would lead to supply pumping issues with an odd channel count?

Why not 3 smps 1200's?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Maybe the 3K is not an option as it would lead to supply pumping issues with an odd channel count?

Why not 3 smps 1200's?

The 3k is intended for full bridge amp modules like the NC2k.

For use in something like the NCx, special considerations would need to be followed, outlined in paragraph 2.1 of the 3k manual. Suffice to say more hassle then it is worth.

And for the SMPS1200, three of them would be overkill for 3ch and add unnecessarily to the price.

 

[goryu]

The 3k is intended for full bridge amp modules like the NC2k.

For use in something like the NCx, special considerations would need to be followed, outlined in paragraph 2.1 of the 3k manual. Suffice to say more hassle then it is worth.

And for the SMPS1200, three of them would be overkill for 3ch and add unnecessarily to the price.

Yeah, I believe that's the supply pumping issue. With a 2 channel amp, inverting one channel takes care of the issue but with three channels, there would be some sort of imbalance.

A third smps would allow all modules to operate at fully rated power and would only be $150 or so more than 2. I bet there are those who would gladly pay the extra cost of a 3rd smps to have 3 fully powered channels. I know I would!

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Yeah, I believe that's the supply pumping issue. With a 2 channel amp, inverting one channel takes care of the issue but with three channels, there would be some sort of imbalance.

A third smps would allow all modules to operate at fully rated power and would only be $150 or so more than 2. I bet there are those who would gladly pay the extra cost of a 3rd smps to have 3 fully powered channels. I know I would!

Two 1200’s would give you a max wattage of 2400w while three NCx have a max wattage draw of 2250.

Regardless, my hope is the Micro Audio solution.

 

[goryu]

Two 1200’s would give you a max wattage of 2400w while three NCx have a max wattage draw of 2250.

Regardless, my hope is the Micro Audio solution.

I don't see how you spit the output of two smps evenly between 3 modules. I would think you would have to split the output of 1 smps between 2 modules and use the second smps for the 3rd module...

Micro audio solution seems like a better plan indeed if you are aren't willing to use 3 1200smps. Keep us posted, thanks!

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I don't see how you spit the output of two smps evenly between 3 modules. I would think you would have to split the output of 1 smps between 2 modules and use the second smps for the 3rd module...

Micro audio solution seems like a better plan indeed if you are aren't willing to use 3 1200smps. Keep us posted, thanks!

Sorry, you are correct in that regard yes.
Hence why I am hoping for the Micro Audio solution.

Though I am also only using one SMPS1200 for the 2ch so might put off a few people from a raw specs approach… in real usage it won’t be an issue.

 

[goryu]

Why not offer dual mono and 3 supply 3 channel as an option?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Why not offer dual mono and 3 supply 3 channel as an option?

Not at that point in the business yet. Would require another set of boards/inventory to carry. And higher purchasing quantity per order for the SMPS. Which would cut into the purchasing power of my existing products and affect pricing, lead times, etc.

The main goal has always been to offer these amps at pricing that is at or below others. A dual mono would, in all honesty, give no audible improvement or advantage in real world usage for the effort and cost involved for me to bring it to market.

If I end up going the Micro Audio route for the 3ch and someone wanted to nitpick they could request the same SMPS in their 2ch build.

I am not too concerned about it as I have, to date, had zero people take issue with the 3ch Purifi only using a single SMPS1200.

 

[goryu]

I believe the Purifi has materially lower input requirements in comparison to the NCx500 so while a single 1200 supply may be plenty for 3 purifi modules, I can't help but wonder if that would be true with the NCx500...

 

[Buckeye Amps]

For the NCx, (2) modules could theoretically draw ~1500w combined into 4ohm during peak draw. So a loss of 150w per channel at peak possible output, which would mean maybe 1dB less max per channel compared to if the full 750w was available. Not something I myself would worry about.

 

[goryu]

For the NCx, (2) modules could theoretically draw ~1500w combined into 4ohm during peak draw. So a loss of 150w per channel at peak possible output, which would mean maybe 1dB less max per channel compared to if the full 750w was available. Not something I myself would worry about.

I thought we we talking about 1 smps for 3 modules...not significant for 2 NCx modules but for 3, the draw would be 2100 watts so the loss would be 300W per channel, which would be close to half their rated output. I would consider that significant.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

I thought we we talking about 1 smps for 3 modules...not significant for 2 NCx modules but for 3, the draw would be 2100 watts so the loss would be 300W per channel, which would be close to half their rated output. I would consider that significant.

Oh no, sorry. I have been talking (in the last couple of replies) in regards to two NCx modules and one SMPS (as my replies have been to the dual mono suggestion).