Buckeye PURIFI 1ET9040BA Amp Review

[Chanur]

One blog post also, https://www.buckeyeamp.com/blog , with comparison MOSFET and GaN.
I've auditioned the (integrated) Korean HiFi ROSE RA180 GaN amplifier.

This was awesome. I had been wondering about the sounds like Class A nonsense too. Cleared it up well.

 

[EdW]

If I were to shell out for a set of these Monoblocks could I reasonably expect them to last the rest of my life? Or is that just not a thing with class D ? If not maybe getting a cheaper Stereo amp is the way to go.

Bryston, has offered very high build quality and long warranties - but at a very high cost. As far as I’m aware they don’t use Purifi modules.

March Audio offer very similar Purifi 9040 based mono blocks to Buckeye with 5 year warranty as standard but for a 10% payment will extend the warranty to 10 years. They are more expensive than Buckeye amplifiers and depending on your location, duties, tariffs etc will add further expense. Higher efficiency resulting in cooler running of Buckeye and March Audio amplifiers compared to conventional amplifiers would tend to enhance reliability.

Getting Purifi 9040 class performance with class A, AB etc is nearly impossible and will cost several times more money . . . and of course you have still got the warranty problem with them too with the absolute certainty that repair bills will be high for a high end product.

 

[Mort]

If I were to shell out for a set of these Monoblocks could I reasonably expect them to last the rest of my life?

How long will you live? The answer is probably no.

 

[Everett T]

If I were to shell out for a set of these Monoblocks could I reasonably expect them to last the rest of my life? Or is that just not a thing with class D ? If not maybe getting a cheaper Stereo amp is the way to go.

How old are you, lol? I had a McIntosh amp that I sold that lasted me 32 years and had to have 1 channel rebuilt. Almost nothing lasts forever
.

 

[GavriloD]

If I were to shell out for a set of these Monoblocks could I reasonably expect them to last the rest of my life? Or is that just not a thing with class D ? If not maybe getting a cheaper Stereo amp is the way to go.

Do you need monoblocks or is the stereo version sufficient?
Do you need 9040, or is 6525 sufficient? Same performance.
The 2-channel 6552 is $1200, very attractive for most situations.

 

[Chanur]

It was more of a general question. I assume these in general are not repairable like the old amps and are more just replace them when they break like modern technology?

 

[tineared]

It was more of a general question. I assume these in general are not repairable like the old amps and are more just replace them when they break like modern technology?

Whether they are repairable would depend on the skills of the tech.
Since the power supply module is separate from the amp module, the worst case scenario would be to replace one or the other, not the whole unit.

 

[Chanur]

Whether they are repairable would depend on the skills of the tech.
Since the power supply module is separate from the amp module, the worst case scenario would be to replace one or the other, not the whole unit.

Awesome. That's good to know.

 

[Mort]

By the time one of these fails due to wear and tear, I will want a new amp anyway. Who am I fooling?

 

[Chanur]

By the time one of these fails due to wear and tear, I will want a new amp anyway. Who am I fooling?

I mean that's probably true of me as well, I just like to believe it will be optional and not mandatory. For my peace of mind. That being said I can't imagine wanting anything else besides these except for looks. I think they look good but they are certainly utilitarian so I'm sure the HiFi jewelry part applies to most of us at least somewhat.

 

[Mort]

I mean that's probably true of me as well, I just like to believe it will be optional and not mandatory. For my peace of mind. That being said I can't imagine wanting anything else besides these except for looks. I think they look good but they are certainly utilitarian so I'm sure the HiFi jewelry part applies to most of us at least somewhat.

Makes sense to me. I own balanced systems I don't need, SINAD I can't hear and max SPL beyond anything safe.

It's worth paying for something that adds a little pride of ownership.

 

[GS430man]

If I were to shell out for a set of these Monoblocks could I reasonably expect them to last the rest of my life? Or is that just not a thing with class D ? If not maybe getting a cheaper Stereo amp is the way to go.

Like most electronics, if you keep them clean and cool, and don't spill liquids on them, or drop them, they can reasonably last for many years. Decades even.

 

[Chanur]

Like most electronics, if you keep them clean and cool, and don't spill liquids on them, or drop them, they can reasonably last for many years. Decades even.

I also saw on their FAQ today that they do repairs and stuff at Buckeye which satisfied all my worries. I know I can get a bad board replaced there if anything happens.

Does anyone know if the WIiM Ultra has enough voltage to get proper power out of the Purifi amps?

What about something like this? Would it match?

Vision SLR Preamplifier

The Vision SLR preamplifier has our best-ever solid-state preamp circuits in a stunning fully remote controlled chassis. The Vision SLR preamplifier takes solid-state preamplifiers to a new level of musicality and user convenience. It has remote controlled power, volume, mute, input switching...

avahifi.com

 

[GavriloD]

Pre-amps are a bit of a problem. I would like something with balanced outputs; Wiim Ultra would not be my choice.
Maybe an Eversolo A6? Then again if you want to have a TT with an all-analog path, it gets complicated.

 

[Chanur]

I have a an entry level turntable for now. To be upgraded at a later date as we have enjoyed having it. Audio Technica LP60x and a SMSL CD player. So I need at least those two connections.

 

[Mort]

Does anyone know if the WIiM Ultra has enough voltage to get proper power out of the Purifi amps?

I do not believe so. It's 2v. Any competent balanced DAC will bump to 4v and that should be enough.

 

[Chanur]

I do not believe so. It's 2v. Any competent balanced DAC will bump to 4v and that should be enough.

Can you recommend something?

 

[Mort]

Can you recommend something?

I use a topping d70 pro sabre because I like the level meter lol. It's overkill. D10 balanced is $150 or so.

What's the budget?

 

[Chanur]

I use a topping d70 pro sabre because I like the level meter lol. It's overkill. D10 balanced is $150 or so.

What's the budget?

My budget would be up to 1500-2000 or so assuming once I ordered the Buckeye. I need to be able to connect my turntable via RCA currently and my SMSL CD player.

Looked at
NuPrime DAC10
Tonewinner
Emotiva

But I don't really know anything about their quality.

 

[Mort]

My budget would be up to 1500-2000 or so assuming once I ordered the Buckeye. I need to be able to connect my turntable via RCA currently and my SMSL CD player.

Looked at
NuPrime DAC10
Tonewinner
Emotiva

But I don't really know anything about their quality.

Open a thread, you'll get lots of suggestions. For instance, You might skip the Wiim ultra and go with a simple Wiim pro just for the streaming. Get a good DAC that also functions as a pre amp.