Anybody compared Purifi’s module build?
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Class D amp long term reliability
- Thread starter sophie smith
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I'm starting to think the same way. And even if I did want to bother with it, I wouldn't really want to void the warranty of a new 500€ amp!
When you mention Hypex's new modules, are you talking about their NCx?
I'm not going to contact them. If you think it's worth contacting them, please do! But you can see from this post of pma's build that at least at the end of 2021 they still had the issue of the PCB being under tension.
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
It's much better IMO. You're not going to get a straight answer out of any assemblers or Purifi on their reliability, but I reckon they'll outlast all the Hypex units except perhaps some of the older UCD units which were very nicely made.
Yes, you can.
Despite agreeing with some disconcerting signs over design, remains to be seen if that translates into reliability issues for either Hypex or Purifi. Given their very comparable overall design is there any indication that Purifi's module is really better? Having both the Purifi 1ET400A and the NCx500 in hand, can tell you the output device heatsinking for them is identical as far as I can see.
Unless some field quality metrics are obtained, with the number of members buying one or the other (or both), ASR member experiences are likely to reflect at some point in the future! In a back door sort of way, we may become a reliability experiment for these products.
In any case, no electronics manufacturer who wants to stay in business plans to have a major customer reliability problem. Yes, they are bound to happen as we have seen with the bigger manufacturers. Purifi is relatively young but Hypex has been around for decades. If the designs are so unreliable, would companies like NAD or ATI be integrating them? Maybe, but I doubt it.
Unless some field quality metrics are obtained, with the number of members buying one or the other (or both), ASR member experiences are likely to reflect at some point in the future! In a back door sort of way, we may become a reliability experiment for these products.
In any case, no electronics manufacturer who wants to stay in business plans to have a major customer reliability problem. Yes, they are bound to happen as we have seen with the bigger manufacturers. Purifi is relatively young but Hypex has been around for decades. If the designs are so unreliable, would companies like NAD or ATI be integrating them? Maybe, but I doubt it.
If you have both in hand, it should be easy to check if there is any bowing of the PCB on the purify modules.Despite agreeing with some disconcerting signs over design, remains to be seen if that translates into reliability issues for either Hypex or Purifi. Given their very comparable overall design is there any indication that Purifi's module is really better? Having both the Purifi 1ET400A and the NCx500 in hand, can tell you the output device heatsinking for them is identical as far as I can see.
Unless some field quality metrics are obtained, with the number of members buying one or the other (or both), ASR member experiences are likely to reflect at some point in the future! In a back door sort of way, we may become a reliability experiment for these products.
In any case, no electronics manufacturer who wants to stay in business plans to have a major customer reliability problem. Yes, they are bound to happen as we have seen with the bigger manufacturers. Purifi is relatively young but Hypex has been around for decades. If the designs are so unreliable, would companies like NAD or ATI be integrating them? Maybe, but I doubt it.
No bowing on any of them.
Bear in mind these are much smaller boards than the MP series board one that John had. My sample size is not much bigger though.
My Ncore NC400’s are still going strong after a decade or more. Original dual mono power supplies and modules and never had a problem. These are the only class D amps I’ve owned and they run cool and sound transparent. I added heat syncs to the PS (tiny ones) but it was only because the original builder had them and added them for free. Not sure if they helped with the longevity.
Ah - ok - different design then. Should have paid more attention.No bowing on any of them.
Bear in mind these are much smaller boards than the MP series board one that John had. My sample size is not much bigger though.
To clarify…No bowing on any of them.
Bear in mind these are much smaller boards than the MP series board one that John had. My sample size is not much bigger though.
”Them“ being NC500, 1ET400A and NCx500 modules. I have seen some bowing on the larger Hypex boards, but does not mean the heat conduction was improper. These modules also usually have thermal protection of varying degrees. The other question is how hard most users drive their amplifiers. In many cases, it is less than we tend to think. Some I know use external fans to cool them, but only because they are in cabinets or just feel better doing so. Suspect they were doing with Class AB amps before they had Class D ones.
I did a little ad-hoc testing of a Buckeye NC502MP. I ran it continuously at 40 watts and monitored the on-board thermistor. At no time did the temperature exceed 50 degrees or did the module shutdown.
Most of us know correlation is not always causation. Unless I see a test showing the warp in the Hypex boards is causing overheating, I am skeptical. Yes, I get the bowing does not look good and may be a problem, but just lack any real data to make a solid conclusion. I am pretty risk averse, but if you think the board bowing is a major deal breaker, go buy someone else’s amp. But if you think your alternative is better, it may just be that nobody showed you that vendor’s potential shortcomings before you bought it too.
Before I found ASR, I had plenty of Emotiva equipment and was very happy with it. I have owned expensive Onkyo and Denon AVRs that have failed. I have a newer Yamaha AVR that has very ugly performance on the analog inputs. We just saw Amir test a Pioneer AVR that could not meet its claimed power output. So far, I have not spent much more on Hypex amps than the other brands I have owned. Am pretty happy with their performance and reliability so far.
Regardless of heat conduction, PCB bowing is never acceptable. It puts stress on solder joints and on components. I've known of multilayer ceramic capacitors and resistors cracking as a result of bowed PCBs's. I've also seen the conuctive end caps of SM components pulling off.
Trell
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Celsius or Fahrenheit? Probably Celsius but one never knows.
fpitas
Master Contributor
I doubt Rick's house runs at less than 50F. But you never know...Celsius or Fahrenheit? Probably Celsius but one never knows.
Celsius. Fair question given where I live though!Celsius or Fahrenheit? Probably Celsius but one never knows.
Electronic parts are mainly specced in Celsius. Will fix my post.
Sure, but seeing one module that has bowing does not get to what caused the bowing and whether it is a design issue or a manufacturing one or something else.
Design or manufacturing doesn't matter to us - it is a problem regardless. That is only of importance to Hypex to understand how to solve it.
At least in the one @restorer-john stripped down it looked like a design issue. The photo of @pma 's amp seems to show the same bowing.
Agree, but whether Hypex acts is dependent on a identified failure rate or trend.
(Hypex) is not going to take action over one forum post. Will need a few more to take action. For all we know they may have done so. On the other hand, it may not be a major issue or has not hit their radar. We just do not have enough data in my opinion.
Trell
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Perhaps he was subtly showing off his new walk-in freezer?
Perhaps he was subtly showing off his new walk-in freezer?
The electronics last longer at 50F!
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