Buckeye NC252MP Stereo Amplifier Review

[Ajax]

Hi All,

Some bizarre comments, and even stranger ratings, for an inexpensive amp that exerts 120 transparent watts into 8 ohms.

With regards to appearance, I'm a bit different to most audiophiles, I tend to listen to music, not look at it.

FYI mine is kept out of sight in a ventilated cupboard together with my original Sonos connect (streamer) with optical out into a secondhand Benchmark DAC2 and then balance into the Buckeye. I run the whole thing remotely off the Sonos app via my iPhone and I'm extremely happy with the performance of this inexpensive simple system. Sounds great at low and high volumes.

A vast majority of you guys will bag subjective nonsense and high price crapp until the cows come home, and then Dylan comes along with an objectively superior product that falls into Amir's excellent range for only US$575 and you start looking for things to criticise. For US$750 you can have the same performance but with 200 watts of power, which would drive anything.

Get a grip or you'll never be happy.

 

[ocinn]

This just further proves that amps are getting damn close to being a “solved problem” like DACs have become in recent years.

MiniDSP Flex + This amp + competent speakers and subs is a damn good setup for the money

 

[Sokel]

All about looks (yes,I know it's me who's talking ) but none gave a satisfactory answer about it's inability to meet it's stated by Buckeye specs.
Anyone cares to elaborate?

 

[DSJR]

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.

Got to add that my fifty year old 'Class AB+B' amp does just fine in the bass note 'pitch' department (and according to Ken Rockwell, still performs pretty well without collapse into loads over 4 ohms). I can also clearly hear recording and production differences from album/track to album/track if I want to (even into the rather genteel sounding passive speakers I have).

I think amps like this are a done deal really and if made with known easily available parts and modules, should have a long service life with any luck (for example, ICE modules have been around a couple of decades now, haven't they and Hypex around ten years?). I don't need new power amps and visuals don't matter as what I use is in a cupboard so not on show. I think some spectacular performance is available these days (surely 20Hz is the realm of sub-woofers for most lovers of such frequencies - or maybe certain vintage transmission line speakers?).

May I add that 'pr@t' or 'boogie factor' may be more to do with odd order distortion coupled with 'almost instability' as a good few 5* amps of the 80's and 90's had here in the UK. Nowt whatever to do with neutral stable low-distortion performance, which audiophools used to call 'boring' (oh the shame , but I can't turn the clock back sadly so have to regard it as a personal learning curve).


I've shared this before - Here's my very own power amp, which in front panel-less version was intended to be mounted out of the way visually and powered 24/7 for many years and I kick myself that I didn't buy a front panel which was on offer a couple of years back in the US - shipping charges were ridiculous on 'the bay' and doubled the suggested purchase price of this accessory.

 

[AudioSceptic]

I made my NC502MP and NC252MP with these enclosures : (I use it for most of my DIY amps, 10mm front / 4 mm rear)

View attachment 315154View attachment 315156
View attachment 315159View attachment 315160


And did my NC250MP dual MONO with a Vintage enclosure.... but found it ugly )))

View attachment 315161

The one at the top looks great to me. Could you tell us where the case is from please?

 

[daniboun]

The one at the top looks great to me. Could you tell us where the case is from please?

All cases come from Audiophonics )
I am using this one for most of my projects

Boîtier DIY 100% Aluminium Angles Arrondis 272x212x60mm Noir - Audiophonics

Cet élégant boitier DIY 100% Aluminium aux angles arrondis d'un rayon de 15mm est idéal pour intégrer un DAC, un préamplificateur, un amplificateur ou tout autre montage audio.

www.audiophonics.fr

Here my last 3E TPA3255 Amp for example :

 

[AudioSceptic]

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.

Maybe, but wouldn't that depend on where you source your casework, etc.? Keeping things local, a principle I like, means that you have reduced options.

 

[AudioSceptic]

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

There must be lots of nuts out there...

 

[Overseas]

I don't give a dam' what the shit looks like, just make sure the price reflects it.

What keeps me away from class D (as totally non technical guy) is lack of speaker outputs for bi wiring, that is my guilty pleasure, be it effective or not.

 

[AudioSceptic]

All cases come from Audiophonics )
I am using this one for most of my projects

Boîtier DIY 100% Aluminium Angles Arrondis 272x212x60mm Noir - Audiophonics

Cet élégant boitier DIY 100% Aluminium aux angles arrondis d'un rayon de 15mm est idéal pour intégrer un DAC, un préamplificateur, un amplificateur ou tout autre montage audio.

www.audiophonics.fr

Here my last 3E TPA3255 Amp for example :

View attachment 315306
View attachment 315307

I should've guessed! I often look at their site for complete amps, but it didn't occur to me to look for cases. Do you happen to know who actually makes them?

 

[AudioSceptic]

I don't give a dam' what the shit looks like, just make sure the price reflects it.

What keeps me away from class D (as totally non technical guy) is lack of speaker outputs for bi wiring, that is my guilty pleasure, be it effective or not.

The extra sockets are just in parallel, aren't they, so why not just double up your cables into the banana plugs, or whatever you use?

 

[AudioSceptic]

Got to add that my fifty year old 'Class AB+B' amp does just fine in the bass note 'pitch' department (and according to Ken Rockwell, still performs pretty well without collapse into loads over 4 ohms). I can also clearly hear recording and production differences from album/track to album/track if I want to (even into the rather genteel sounding passive speakers I have).

I think amps like this are a done deal really and if made with known easily available parts and modules, should have a long service life with any luck (for example, ICE modules have been around a couple of decades now, haven't they and Hypex around ten years?). I don't need new power amps and visuals don't matter as what I use is in a cupboard so not on show. I think some spectacular performance is available these days (surely 20Hz is the realm of sub-woofers for most lovers of such frequencies - or maybe certain vintage transmission line speakers?).

May I add that 'pr@t' or 'boogie factor' may be more to do with odd order distortion coupled with 'almost instability' as a good few 5* amps of the 80's and 90's had here in the UK. Nowt whatever to do with neutral stable low-distortion performance, which audiophools used to call 'boring' (oh the shame , but I can't turn the clock back sadly so have to regard it as a personal learning curve).


I've shared this before - Here's my very own power amp, which in front panel-less version was intended to be mounted out of the way visually and powered 24/7 for many years and I kick myself that I didn't buy a front panel which was on offer a couple of years back in the US - shipping charges were ridiculous on 'the bay' and doubled the suggested purchase price of this accessory.

View attachment 315305

Crown/Amcron, but is that the 150 or the 300? Wasn't pretty, was it, but I remember the "perfect" performance in reviews at the time.

 

[Tangband]

Crown/Amcron, but is that the 150 or the 300? Wasn't pretty, was it, but I remember the "perfect" performance in reviews at the time.

Not talking about the same amp, but … Crown 1500 xli is one of the amps I have owned that didnt sound good compared to Hypex ncore 252 or even a cheap tpa 3251 , not even in the bass department. My Aiyima a04 was much more articulated .
Rega Brio ( newest version ) sounded worse to, in every way. And I dont have the slightest measurement to show why

 

[Sokel]

I should've guessed! I often look at their site for complete amps, but it didn't occur to me to look for cases. Do you happen to know who actually makes them?

Hifi2000 (Modushop for many of us) probably,they also state them as a client:

Home | HiFi2000

#Machining #Catalog #Modushop -Laci Burai Google It is already the fourth electronics container I buy from Hi-FI 2000 and I always had well-made products, both…

hifi2000.shop

I use some of their cases for decades for DIY stuff,they have custom options pretty much about anything.

 

[DSJR]

Crown/Amcron, but is that the 150 or the 300? Wasn't pretty, was it, but I remember the "perfect" performance in reviews at the time.

*Leans on his zimmer frame *

When I started properly as Saturday boy in 1974, I was at one of only three UK dealers for Crown and couldn't understand why amongst the far eastern bling and 'cooker style' and actually still good Crown preamp of the time, the D-150 we had on dem was sat 'face down' as in the pic on top of the display units we had, so not really visible. using the comparator, which destroyed all the 'damping factor' that Crown promoted back then, the smaller D-60 1u size power amps were judged to be slightly nicer/kinder sounding and owning a motley collection of these (two inherited bridged pairs and a stock 'stereo' example) I think it's more slight sonic compression when pushed rather than a 'better sound' as such. DC offsets on my tatty D-150 are still well within spec and the four electrolytic caps on the board may possibly have been replaced at some point in its life. Thing is, I can clearly hear recording and production differences and the thing doesn't appear to have any other 'character' to it and in an hour of domestic listening, it barely gets above room temperature on the heatsinks, let alone warm or hot as a pro model HH VX300 Mos-FET amp I have here does and a little used (for fear of thermal stress) Krell KSA50S did, so while I stay with passive speakers, it's not going anywhere!

I don't think we ever saw the last Crown prosumer Power Line models based on the D series here (PL3 is the equivalent) but the D-150Amk2 comes up regularly with more modern components and so on internally and direct coupling throughout (it could have been called DC150Amk2 I gather) as mine has DC filtering caps on the input.

 

[Walter]

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..

I used the cardboard box it came in as the case for my TPA3116 amp in my office for a couple of years, in plain view. Kept meaning to drill holes a wooden box I'd bought for almost nothing, but never got around to it. I did eventually upgrade the appearance--I replaced the wicker chair I was using as a stand with a side table.

 

[Sokel]

I used the cardboard box it came in as the case for my TPA3116 amp in my office for a couple of years, in plain view. Kept meaning to drill holes a wooden box I'd bought for almost nothing, but never got around to it. I did eventually upgrade the appearance--I replaced the wicker chair I was using as a stand with a side table.

Active cooling I guess.

 

[AudioSceptic]

I used the cardboard box it came in as the case for my TPA3116 amp in my office for a couple of years, in plain view. Kept meaning to drill holes a wooden box I'd bought for almost nothing, but never got around to it. I did eventually upgrade the appearance--I replaced the wicker chair I was using as a stand with a side table.

You could at least upgrade to a biscuit tin, to provide some screening and heatsink.

 

[Walter]

Admittedly, this amp is not the screaming value it used to be. I suspect that is more due to Hypex than Dylan, but I don't really know. You can buy one from Europe with better looks, fewer features, and possibly slightly lower quality assembly for almost $100 less, even including shipping to the USA, assuming you don't get hit with Customs duties. But then you are also looking at $50 each way for postage if problems arise. If you live in Europe, VAT costs even more, but the shipping is much less, so that is probably the way to go. In the USA, I'd personally probably still go with Buckeye, since I tend to be on the wrong end of Murphy's law far too often.

Edit: I just checked, and this amp is $54 cheaper than the VTV with the trigger option. Maybe Hypex markup in the USA is a bit exorbitant? Or maybe the cost for smaller volumes is a lot higher.

 

[Walter]

Active cooling I guess.

I left the top of the box open for awhile but the chip never got more than warm, so I closed it up for spill protection. I should have left it that way...