Buckeye NC502MP 8-Ch Amplifier Teardown

[Buckeye Amps]

As has been touched on (and just a quick summary):
The IEC C13 inlet I use is rated up to 15A @ 250VAC (based on UL and CSA certification), but for European certification (VDE), it is listed as 10A. Welcome to the world of different standards/rating requirements.

Regarding usage: these IEC inlets are the same ones I have been using for three years, including on many 4ch NC502MP amps (which would theoretically have the same draw/operating temperature ranges as one of the IECs on the 8ch NC502MP). And on my own builds as well. Zero reported issues or concerns.

 

[charlielaub]

I was about to address this point, but I didn't know about the US thing. Sometimes the world is crazy. Whenever I can I put Powercon on my devices. It's especially neat if you don't have to worry about hunting for loose cables in tour equipment racks.

I also like the PowerCon solution for DIY amplifiers. I am currently ordering chassis for several amps and I am using a PowerCon for AC inlet, plus separate fuse holder and toggle switch. But I believe this would not meet certain specifications that are required for commercial products. In them the user cannot access the fuse without removing the AC mains connector from the Power In Module. This is to prevent a user from touching live fuse terminals with the fuse removed and the mains cable still connected.

 

[Rick Sykora]

I was about to address this point, but I didn't know about the US thing. Sometimes the world is crazy. Whenever I can I put Powercon on my devices. It's especially neat if you don't have to worry about hunting for loose cables in tour equipment racks.

The PowerCon is nice and robust. But is the cord connector is very bulky.

Probably matters less in a rack but would require more depth for use in a cabinet.

 

[Spkrdctr]

The IEC C13 inlet I use is rated up to 15A @ 250VAC (based on UL and CSA certification), but for European certification (VDE), it is listed as 10A. Welcome to the world of different standards/rating requirements.

If the UL rating is 15 amps then in everyday practical use it will easily handle 20 amps. When I was involved in getting a UL rating on something 35 years ago and to meet the requirements the device had to be way over the top built to handle much greater loads for safety. Now, in 35 years UL could easily have changed their old very tough requirements but I don't know about that. For 35 years I have seen the UL label as the gold standard in safety and design over kill. Anyone know if it is still as tough as back then?

 

[BumblingAudioPhool]

Purely anecdotal: I have one of the 4 channel amps. I have modified it IAW the Hypex NC502MP datasheet to run each amp module bridged. Been running it that way for about a year now. No issues to report.

As has been touched on (and just a quick summary):
The IEC C13 inlet I use is rated up to 15A @ 250VAC (based on UL and CSA certification), but for European certification (VDE), it is listed as 10A. Welcome to the world of different standards/rating requirements.

Regarding usage: these IEC inlets are the same ones I have been using for three years, including on many 4ch NC502MP amps (which would theoretically have the same draw/operating temperature ranges as one of the IECs on the 8ch NC502MP). And on my own builds as well. Zero reported issues or concerns.

 

[peniku8]

So, how to get full power out of the amp with a 10A fuse? That's only 275W per channel at 110V.

 

[charlielaub]

So, how to get full power out of the amp with a 10A fuse? That's only 275W per channel at 110V.

Do you need to drive all 8 channels simultaneously with a pure sine wave at full power or will you be using the amplifier to listen to music with a 20dB Crest Factor? Big difference!

 

[voodooless]

or will you be using the amplifier to listen to music with a 20dB Crest Factor? Big difference!

Nah, that would be boring

 

[Joachim Herbert]

With 2 IEC inlets does that mean 2 audiophile fuses for double the improvement??

This is to A/B fuses in a double blind test scenario.

 

[Laniciffo]

Take care of the current ratings.

My personal experience is not very positive.

Moreover some ratings are for peak current.
For example, the most common AC wall connector in continental Europe is labeled 10/16 amp. It's really 10 amps continuous and 16 for peaks only.
I suppose there must be a duty cycle standard associated, but I do not know it.

As I initially thought that I could draw 16 amps safely, I connected a very large electric heater with one of those cords and, after several hours I noticed a bad smell : the plastic around the connection had started to turn into charcoal.

I suppose that's why electric cars limit themselves to 10 amps only when connected to a standard wall plug.

I suppose that with the better control of industrial processes and the new cost savings religion, the safety margins are getting thinner and thinner.
Think of middle-age carpentry vs today's

 

[Sokel]

It's more than ok to take more care than necessarry for safety like this:

But some go into extremes... :

Common sense,nothing more.

 

[charlielaub]

For example, the most common AC wall connector in continental Europe is labeled 10/16 amp. It's really 10 amps continuous and 16 for peaks only.
I suppose there must be a duty cycle standard associated, but I do not know it.

As I initially thought that I could draw 16 amps safely, I connected a very large electric heater with one of those cords and, after several hours I noticed a bad smell : the plastic around the connection had started to turn into charcoal.

If you were able to draw enough current to partially melt your AC wall connector then you are definitely not using a fuse or circuit breaker on your mains circuits with the proper current rating! It should probably be a 10A slow-blow type to prevent exactly this sort of fire-hazard in your home.

 

[charlielaub]

View attachment 277532

Common sense,nothing more.

HOLY COW! The text at the bottom left says "50 60Hz, 5000W Max"!

 

[Sokel]

HOLY COW! The text at the bottom left says "50 60Hz, 5000W Max"!

Why are you surprised?
Boulder is famous about this.
But it doesnt have to be 5-6 figures price these days.There are already 2000 watts (mono) amps at 1000-2000 euro (much less for modules to make yourself),Ice power for example has announce to go as far as 7KW with the Edge chip.

 

[AndreaT]

Great tear-down and analysis of build quality, Amir! So, if I have it right, I should plug each of the two power cords into two different branches of my home electric circuit. If I plug each in a different but close-by outlet, the two outlets might still be on the same branch and have thus a max current available of 15 or 20 A, instead of 30-40 A. To properly feed this multi-channel amplifier I might need to rewire the video/music room.

 

[amirm]

That's correct. Ideally you have split phase duplex outlets so that you can plug two cords into them. If you have to use far away outlets then there may be some issues with ground loops.

 

[Rick Sykora]

Why are you surprised?
Boulder is famous about this.
But it doesnt have to be 5-6 figures price these days.There are already 2000 watts (mono) amps at 1000-2000 euro (much less for modules to make yourself),Ice power for example has announce to go as far as 7KW with the Edge chip.

The Boulder amp looks like a piece of instrumentation destined for a space ship. Sounds as though the price is astronomical as well!

 

[Rick Sykora]

Great tear-down and analysis of build quality, Amir! So, if I have it right, I should plug each of the two power cords into two different branches of my home electric circuit. If I plug each in a different but close-by outlet, the two outlets might still be on the same branch and have thus a max current available of 15 or 20 A, instead of 30-40 A. To properly feed this multi-channel amplifier I might need to rewire the video/music room.

I did the same thing Amir did and plugged them into the same AC outlet.

If the Crown test protocol is correct, most of the time, it is drawing less than 3 amps anyway. @AdamG247 has an older model and recall it was drawing much less.

 

[AdamG]

@AdamG247 has an older model and recall it was drawing much less.

You recall correctly. Here is a summary post about power consumption:

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

Love the new vertically arranged modules with the heatsinks for the 8-channel XL cases. How tall (height) is the XL case and are the XLRs still upside down or are they oriented so that he release tab is on the top? Will the 8-channel Hypex NC252MP model also have the heat sinks? Sorry for all...

www.audiosciencereview.com

TLDR: Each 6 channel nc502mp Buckeye amp draws on average, the same as a 75 watt lightbulb.

 

[Buckeye Amps]

You recall correctly. Here is a summary post about power consumption:

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

Love the new vertically arranged modules with the heatsinks for the 8-channel XL cases. How tall (height) is the XL case and are the XLRs still upside down or are they oriented so that he release tab is on the top? Will the 8-channel Hypex NC252MP model also have the heat sinks? Sorry for all...

www.audiosciencereview.com

TLDR: Each 6 channel nc502mp Buckeye amp draws on average, the same as a 75 watt lightbulb.

Should always be repeated every so often: for most use cases, even an amplifier like this one powering low sensitivity, low impedance speakers listening at reference level will not come anywhere close to tripping a standard household breaker, let alone drawing gobs of continuous wattage.