Buckeye NC252MP Stereo Amplifier Review

[Deleted member 48726]

No I havent - I use long therm listening to avoid any blind testing nocebo* bias, and I can sometimes hear differences between amplifiers. Thats not strange at all if one amp has a SINAD of 65 and the other 95.

* https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocebo

So you haven't found an AB class amp with better SINAD than 65?

 

[Tangband]

So you haven't found an AB class amp with better SINAD than 65?

There seems to be plenty of 75-80 dB SINAD AB amps around 500 dollars but none with a high 95 SINAD that has plenty of power at the same time. Many class A/B in the budget/midfi pricerange sounds muddy and unclear compared to a good class D - in my opinion.

Many modern good class D amplifiers can play bass in a more pitch accurate way than many older class A/B amps can .

 

[daniboun]

As you know, I have the audiophonics 250nc which is basically the same amplifier as this one, and I havent found any class A/B amps sounding nearly as good in this pricerange.

I agree for Class A/B amps )
on the other hand there are better alternatives in class D

 

[amirm]

This amp is below "Shop Grade", it costs too much, the case has vents that will not keep the saw dust out.

Amps that require a brick wall filter for testing are not coming in the front door.

Perhaps if you gave me one I would bring it in through the shop for dissection.

I do not know if the switching frequent is audible or not. I do not plan on listening to it.

I have a AUX-0040 to use as a dissection tool.

What are you calling "brick wall" filter? Here is the response of AUX-0040:

That is flat to nearly 100 kHz and then goes down by 500 KHz. The filter requirement is due to front-end of Audio Precision analyzer not being able to handle the high frequency noise. It upsets its auto-scalar among other things. Other analyzers don't need such filters.

 

[dweeeeb2]

Does that interfere with IR remote controls?

Great little unit is an IR Repeater kit. I got one for like $30 and can run multiple units behind solid doors

 

[phoenixdogfan]

If you could actually get your hands on the board from EBay (which is hard, but not impossible because Hypex only sells it to OEMs) you could order a case from Ghent and do a Diy for around $400-450. Archimago did that in 2020.

An Inexpensive Hi-Fi Class-D Stereo Amp for the 2020's: Hypex nCore NC252MP (DIY Assembly)

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

archimago.blogspot.com

 

[RickS]

Yes, the Buckeye case is rather pedestrian, but in all fairness, it is more case than the Audiophonics AND more features. The Buckeye has clipping detection and auto-sense that the Audiophonics does not. See pic below…

Note the microprocessor-based input board on the left side. As for any difference in audio performance, the inputs go directly to the Hypex module. So, unless the tested amp module is unique in some way, any other OEM will have same performance.

 

[MAB]

No I havent - I use long therm listening to avoid any blind testing nocebo* bias, and I can sometimes hear differences between amplifiers. Thats not strange at all if one amp has a SINAD of 65 and the other 95.
* https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocebo

Your use of 'nocebo' makes no sense. Do you really get anxiety when asked a question that requires you to focus? Do you really think that your brain and ears behave in a way that you have the ability to make quantitative comparisons over more than a few seconds? You quote Toole all the time, but seem to leave out the parts that confirm contradict your bias. Stop selectively referencing, your conclusions as a result aren't real.

Many class A/B in the budget/midfi pricerange sounds muddy and unclear compared to a good class D - in my opinion.

Again, this isn't Audio IMO Review. Your opinions are more likely artifacts of the all the YouTube videos you repeatedly reference.
The thing is, it would be so easy for you to make measurements to back up your claims (or contradict them), but you always seem to squirm out of substantiating your claims. Clarity can be measured, can you perform it and get back to us? Otherwise it isn't real.

Many modern good class D amplifiers can play bass in a more pitch accurate way than many older class A/B amps can .

Pitch-accurate. Really? Like, if you took an FFT it would show different frequency components? Please do so and report back, otherwise it isn't real. Is pitch-accurate related to PRaT? If not, can you develop a test for PRaT? Otherwise PRaT isn't real.
Older Class A/B? How about newer? Does Class A get the PRaT right? Can you get and old and a new A/B amp and test for all of the above, otherwise it isn't real.

I really don't care what tests you do, electrical is great since all of this nonsense you claim is going to be clearly evident in the electrical data. Or organize a study like Toole and others have done (since you selectively quote Toole). Otherwise... Not real.

Once again, you hijack review and measurement threads with your contrarian opinions and anecdotes, which would be fine if you had a shred of evidence for your claims.

 

[MacClintock]

You're certainly not going to buy this for its style or finish, and the price means all the money is spent on where it really matters.

Well, every piece of gear has to have some physical appearance. And even totally objectivist audiophiles are not totally uninterested in good looks. I bet for the same amount of money that went into the finish and design better outcomes would have been possible.

 

[restorer-john]

@wwenze No DC blockers needed. First thing they do is rectify the mains to DC.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Sexier? LOL. That wouldn't be hard. Buckeye stuff looks like a cross between a cheap car battery charger and a UPS.

Better heard and not seen.

You only look at an amp for a few days or weeks. Eventually it becomes ignored background noise. Unless you're a nut.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

There seems to be plenty of 75-80 dB SINAD AB amps around 500 dollars but none with a high 95 SINAD that has plenty of power at the same time. Many class A/B in the budget/midfi pricerange sounds muddy and unclear compared to a good class D - in my opinion.

Many modern good class D amplifiers can play bass in a more pitch accurate way than many older class A/B amps can .

I'd like to see some data verifying that class D is better suited for bass reproduction. This must be visible in a frequency response? Or output power? What is it?

Also it would be good to know which class a/b amps you have compared with your class d that have audibly inferior sound.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

You only look at an amp for a few days or weeks. Eventually it becomes ignored background noise. Unless you're a nut.

That's a weird comment. Surely the design and construction matter and you state it like it's a fact that it's strange to think so.
Wait a couple of weeks and I'll be selling the cheapes amps with class d modules in used shoeboxes like hot cakes. I'll pm you then..

 

[Buckeye Amps]

For some reason I’ve come to enjoy the comments against the looks of our amps during these reviews

 

[Rottmannash]

Love the books you use to prop up the turntable feet. Classy. "The Portrait of Mr. W.H." by Wilde and some other Penquin Classic on the left (can't quite make out the title). Forget looking at audio power amps, have a look at someone's books!

I thought those were CD cases...

 

[Rottmannash]

For some reason I’ve come to enjoy the comments against the looks of our amps during these reviews

Yeah, I'm smirking all the way to the bank (with the money saved vs fancy casework).

 

[daniboun]

For some reason I’ve come to enjoy the comments against the looks of our amps during these reviews

When we take an ASR review we know a little about what we are exposing ourselves to.) Performance-wise, nothing to complain about, other NC252MPs have already been tested before. We expected nothing worse, nothing better I think....

On the other hand, if I were you I would take all the feedback as a great opportunity to revise the design) If manufacturers spend astronomical sums to shape their creation, it's because there is a reason) The first that is exposed to the eye is the object itself)

In all I wish you the best for your business )

 

[phoenixdogfan]

For some reason I’ve come to enjoy the comments against the looks of our amps during these reviews

I'm really of two minds about this. I built a Purifi Eigentact from parts using a Ghent case which I adapted from his NC-400 stereo case. It is not particularly pretty. I had a back end fabricated at a local metalworking shop and I just spray painted it with Krylon. So I don't see a lot of sense in spending a mint on expensive casework. In fact I have a post where someone asks in a thread what the best looking amp is, and I show a Purifi in a Ghent case, and then say it should be stuck in a BDI cabinet which would of course then make it the most beautiful amp in the world. The same could, obviously, be said of this amp. And it looks like an absolutely terrific performer at a very, very fair price. And I know you stand behind the product, so no "who do I turn to" if my DIY fails kind of worries.

Buttttt. It does look particularly rough to me. I don't know what those protrusions are on the side panels. Are they rubber, baby buggy bumpers? Kinda look like it. Again, don't want to be too harsh, but I do think very little should go mechanically or electricly wrong with the case. So little, it's probably no a great risk to supply from even China--provided the world wide supply chain doesn't continue to experience major disruptions. Because not everybody can afford BDI cabinetry.

 

[KenA]

Not all buyers care about cosmetics. A lot of amps go into a cabinet or closet, never to be seen again.

Yup, get that, some of us are content with ugly amps, ugly cars, ugly clothes, ugly girlfriends… Each to their own eh.

 

[daniboun]

I'm really of two minds about this. I built a Purifi Eigentact from parts using a Ghent case which I adapted from his NC-400 stereo case. It is not particularly pretty. I had a back end fabricated at a local metalworking shop and I just spray painted it with Krylon. So I don't see a lot of sense in spending a mint on expensive casework. In fact I have a post where someone asks in a thread what the best looking amp is, and I show a Purifi in a Ghent case, and then say it should be stuck in a BDI cabinet which would of course then make it the most beautiful amp in the world. The same could, obviously, be said of this amp. And it looks like an absolutely terrific performer at a very, very fair price. And I know you stand behind the product, so no "who do I turn to" if my DIY fails kind of worries.

Buttttt. It does look particularly rough to me. I don't know what those protrusions are on the side panels. Are they rubber, baby buggy bumpers? Kinda look like it. Again, don't want to be too harsh, but I do think very little should go mechanically or electricly wrong with the case. So little, it's probably no a great risk to supply from even China--provided the world wide supply chain doesn't continue to experience major disruptions. Because not everybody can afford BDI cabinetry.

Just speaking about Ghent audio cases : they are the worst alternative for any diy projects (for me). No need to spend 100€ for a NC252mp enclosure + 26€ for shipping....
You can find some great designed cases @50€ with 10mn front panel and 4mm rear easy to drill )