Buckeye PURIFI 1ET9040BA Amp Review

[sapphireracing]

Exactly ... similarly I have Benchmark DAC 3B + Benchmark LA4 (capable of producing 20V rms at its XLR outputs) + Purifi 1ET9040BA mono-blocks (set to lowest gain of 15.5db) for maximum headroom ... works very well together

I'm using a Benchmark DAC 3L with the Buckeye 1ET6525SA 3-Channel amp as well.

With the XLR Output Pads set to -20dB and the Buckeye on lowest gain the volume control is almost 11 o'clock. Would prefer an even lower gain setting and/or larger negative dB option on the DAC3L but an excellent combo nonetheless.

 

[mdunjic]

I'm using a Benchmark DAC 3L with the Buckeye 1ET6525SA 3-Channel amp as well.

With the XLR Output Pads set to -20dB and the Buckeye on lowest gain the volume control is almost 11 o'clock. Would prefer an even lower gain setting and/or larger negative dB option on the DAC3L but an excellent combo nonetheless.

On-demand Dylan provides PDF instructions on how to fully disconnect input buffer board and go with native Purifi gain (around 14.7db) ... I just was too lazy to actually do it, as gain reduction would result in no audible effect ... i.e. my current 15.5db vs completely by-passed buffer board when gain is 14.7db

 

[sapphireracing]

On-demand Dylan provides PDF instructions on how to fully disconnect input buffer board and go with native Purifi gain (around 14.7db) ... I just was too lazy to actually do it, as gain reduction would result in no audible effect ... i.e. my current 15.5db vs completely by-passed buffer board when gain is 14.7db

Interesting, and agree that the difference is not worth the effort.

 

[Chanur]

Does it hurt an amplifier to go months between uses?

 

[Billy Budapest]

Was hoping for better result at 15kHz, looks like around -85/90dB seems to be the limit of what is achievable in Class D.
No need to remind me it is not audible, but still …

Quite some improvement in measurements vs 1et7040 module, so good.

I have 2 of those and could not be more satisfied, they are driving my electrostats without any issue.

Noise floor is around -130dB at 15kHz, distortion creeps up to-125dB, unless I am looking at the wrong measurements.

 

[mdunjic]

Noise floor is around -130dB at 15kHz, distortion creeps up to-125dB, unless I am looking at the wrong measurements.

That’s what I see as well

 

[mdunjic]

That’s what I see as well

He might be talking about this

Post in thread 'Buckeye PURIFI 1ET9040BA Amp Review'
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...urifi-1et9040ba-amp-review.68644/post-2489805

 

[Billy Budapest]

He might be talking about this

Post in thread 'Buckeye PURIFI 1ET9040BA Amp Review'
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...urifi-1et9040ba-amp-review.68644/post-2489805

If so, he totally misread that graph.

 

[magreen]

My REW confirmed effective, DIY Acoustic panels/bass trap (total $500) were even better ROI.

Kindly point me to any useful guidance you have on making these. I want to add to my office setup.

 

[Matias]

Kindly point me to any useful guidance you have on making these. I want to add to my office setup.

Attached is an excellent guide. But acoustics is off topic here, please move questions about it to another thread.

 

[magreen]

Attached is an excellent guide. But acoustics is off topic here, please move questions about it to another thread.

Thank you! (I hope appreciation is not off topic )

 

[Floyd79]

Background

I bought these amps to run Infinity Kappa 9s. For those of you who may not have heard of these speakers before, they are a late 80s vintage with a monster impedance drop to about 1 ohm in the 70hz range. Historically, these speakers have killed lesser amps trying to drive this near short. I had been running the speakers biamped with a Mark Levinson No 29 on the highs and an adcom GFA 555 II on the lows.

Class D introduction

The transition from my old amplification solution to the monoblocks started when I put a small second system together with the 3e A7 monos. These were my first new amplifier in a long time and first foray into the new class D offerings. I liked the little 3e so much I decided to try them on the Kappas. First running highs which brought quite a lot more clarity compared to the Levinson.

I decided to try the 3e as a true monoblock running the kappas full range. Outside of really pushing volume the little amps were outclassing two big beefy Class AB amps of yore. I got curious how the buckeye amps would fare given the power and current delivery on hand, this would effectively solve amplification for these notorious speakers.

Enter the Buckeye 1ET9040BA Monos

They are running in low gain fed by the pre amp stage of a topping a70 pro and an smsl d6 dac.

They retained the neutral character of the 3e and perhaps the treble was less hot/present. The biggest difference came in the form of headroom. My room and ears limit SPLs before the amps are even mildly taxed.

Movie performance

Outside of music the Kappas form my front stage and phantom center in a small 7.2.2 multichannel setup.

The buckeye amps are certainly overkill for this but the level of transparency for movies and shows is fantastic. Coherent and full range from deep bass to highs

 

[KL....]

Background

I bought these amps to run Infinity Kappa 9s. For those of you who may not have heard of these speakers before, they are a late 80s vintage with a monster impedance drop to about 1 ohm in the 70hz range. Historically, these speakers have killed lesser amps trying to drive this near short. I had been running the speakers biamped with a Mark Levinson No 29 on the highs and an adcom GFA 555 II on the lows.

Class D introduction

The transition from my old amplification solution to the monoblocks started when I put a small second system together with the 3e A7 monos. These were my first new amplifier in a long time and first foray into the new class D offerings. I liked the little 3e so much I decided to try them on the Kappas. First running highs which brought quite a lot more clarity compared to the Levinson.

I decided to try the 3e as a true monoblock running the kappas full range. Outside of really pushing volume the little amps were outclassing two big beefy Class AB amps of yore. I got curious how the buckeye amps would fare given the power and current delivery on hand, this would effectively solve amplification for these notorious speakers.

Enter the Buckeye 1ET9040BA Monos

They are running in low gain fed by the pre amp stage of a topping a70 pro and an smsl d6 dac.

They retained the neutral character of the 3e and perhaps the treble was less hot/present. The biggest difference came in the form of headroom. My room and ears limit SPLs before the amps are even mildly taxed.

Movie performance

Outside of music the Kappas form my front stage and phantom center in a small 7.2.2 multichannel setup.

The buckeye amps are certainly overkill for this but the level of transparency for movies and shows is fantastic. Coherent and full range from deep bass to highs

Thank you, @Floyd79, fabulous, the 3e A7 monos were able to run the Infinity Kappa 9s (FR) without (any) issue/s, impressive :=) It would appear even easyly, is that correct?

Yes, the Buckeye amps should do that easyly, shouldn't they, but (perhaps) not overkill or (perhaps) a better term could be Headroom (peace of mind, in this case)....

 

[Floyd79]

The kappas have a switch to ease that one ohm dip to two ohms.

In that mode the 3e never really struggled at all. I did not try them in the 1 ohm mode as they weren’t designed for it though I imagine at lower volume they could handle it.

The adcom that used to run the bass has blown 7 amp fuses before on peaks. Since they are maybe 60% efficient I imagine about 3-3.5 amps were going to the woofer circuit.

The 3e monos each can deliver 5 amps per channel and almost all of that is available to drive the woofer due to the higher efficiency.

The buckeye is the better amp to be sure but the little 3e is definitely a crazy bargain. Anyone with hard to drive speakers can be pretty well certain those little things are up to the task

 

[Billy Budapest]

Could someone tell me how the LED indicates clipping, error conditions, and whatever else it can communicate? Different colors? Blinking patterns? Thanks!

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Could someone tell me how the LED indicates clipping, error conditions, and whatever else it can communicate? Different colors? Blinking patterns? Thanks!

Different colors and blinking. Solid Red is a general error (and is accompanied by the sound cutting out altogether). Blinking Red or Orange is clipping (sound cuts out with the blinking). There is also Green which indicates under/over voltage.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Different colors and blinking. Solid Red is a general error (and is accompanied by the sound cutting out altogether). Blinking Red or Orange is clipping (sound cuts out with the blinking). There is also Green which indicates under/over voltage.

Thanks!

 

[dcolak]

Just when I thought I found the amp for me, I see 10KHz performance... is there a non AB amp that does not have raising thd over 10KHz?

 

[Buckeye Amps]

Just when I thought I found the amp for me, I see 10KHz performance... is there a non AB amp that does not have raising thd over 10KHz?

While rising, it is definitely still below audible thresholds.

 

[CDMC]

Background

I bought these amps to run Infinity Kappa 9s. For those of you who may not have heard of these speakers before, they are a late 80s vintage with a monster impedance drop to about 1 ohm in the 70hz range. Historically, these speakers have killed lesser amps trying to drive this near short. I had been running the speakers biamped with a Mark Levinson No 29 on the highs and an adcom GFA 555 II on the lows.

Class D introduction

The transition from my old amplification solution to the monoblocks started when I put a small second system together with the 3e A7 monos. These were my first new amplifier in a long time and first foray into the new class D offerings. I liked the little 3e so much I decided to try them on the Kappas. First running highs which brought quite a lot more clarity compared to the Levinson.

I decided to try the 3e as a true monoblock running the kappas full range. Outside of really pushing volume the little amps were outclassing two big beefy Class AB amps of yore. I got curious how the buckeye amps would fare given the power and current delivery on hand, this would effectively solve amplification for these notorious speakers.

Enter the Buckeye 1ET9040BA Monos

They are running in low gain fed by the pre amp stage of a topping a70 pro and an smsl d6 dac.

They retained the neutral character of the 3e and perhaps the treble was less hot/present. The biggest difference came in the form of headroom. My room and ears limit SPLs before the amps are even mildly taxed.

Movie performance

Outside of music the Kappas form my front stage and phantom center in a small 7.2.2 multichannel setup.

The buckeye amps are certainly overkill for this but the level of transparency for movies and shows is fantastic. Coherent and full range from deep bass to highs

I loved those speakers. Never understood why Infinity pushed them out the door being so hard to drive.