Can anyone help me with calculating the Watts of Nilai stereo, (I’m thinking the Audiophonics stereo version) in the lowest gain setting, with just a passive volume-preamp and Holo Audio Cyan Dac connected so that I won’t blow my AN 10”Alnico 8ohm 95db 45 W speakers. At turning up the volume in the half position (12 o’clock) how much watt will it give? I think the xlr output of Holo Cyan is 4volts but it was measured around 2.6 volts in here… I usually listen to music around 90db - 100db from 2.6meters from speakers. I apologize with my technical ignorance… thank you…
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Hypex Nilai500DIY Amplifier Review
- Thread starter amirm
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Welcome to ASR!
Without knowing the exact model (or part number) of the potentiometer used for the volume control in your preamp, it is not possible to know how much attenuation you get at the 12 o'clock position. Below are the input voltage to output power @ 8 ohm curves for the 3 gain settings. Max rated power into 8 ohm is 260 W for the Nilai.
You are welcome!
Yes. With low gain (11.86 dB per Hypex spec sheet) and 4 V input, the maximum power you'll get is 30.7 W @ 8 ohms (output voltage = 15.7 Vrms).
But be aware that the power handling spec of a loudspeaker may not be what you expect. By the standard test method, speaker power handling ratings are measured with pink noise, and so the power handling number they gave is for a pink noise. That means the speakers can handle 45 W of pink noise, but NOT a 45 W single frequency tone of arbitrary frequency (i.e. a speaker rated of 45 W does not mean it can handle a 10 kHz tone of 45 W, and therefore may not survive, for example, a slow 45 W frequency sweep).
Assuming your Khozmo preamp is using their 48 step ladder type attenuator, the top 11 steps are 2 dB per step and the remaining 37 steps are 1 dB per step. This means 0.631X power per step for the first 11 steps and 0.794X power per step for the rest. Below is the power attenuation curve (step 1 is full power = 1X) . You'll have to find out yourselves how many steps is 12 o'clock from full power
ATTENUATOR – 48 steps LADDER type (mechanical)
Ladder type stepped attenuator This is where 2 resistor and 2 switch contacts are used per step, making up a unique combination of resistors per step that add up to the impedance of the stepped attenuator you use. Effectively a voltage divider network. The total series resistance of each two...
khozmo.com
Thank you, really! I’m relieved… Nobody, (including Hypex) gave me this much detailed answer, all I got was “set the gain at the lowest, be careful with the volume, you’ll be fine”You are welcome!
Yes. With low gain (11.86 dB per Hypex spec sheet) and 4 V input, the maximum power you'll get is 30.7 W @ 8 ohms (output voltage = 15.7 Vrms).
But be aware that the power handling spec of a loudspeaker may not be what you expect. By the standard test method, speaker power handling ratings are measured with pink noise, and so the power handling number they gave is for a pink noise. That means the speakers can handle 45 W of pink noise, but NOT a 45 W single frequency tone of arbitrary frequency (i.e. a speaker rated of 45 W does not mean it can handle a 10 kHz tone of 45 W, and therefore may not survive, for example, a slow 45 W frequency sweep).
Assuming your Khozmo preamp is using their 48 step ladder type attenuator, the top 11 steps are 2 dB per step and the remaining 37 steps are 1 dB per step. This means 0.631X power per step for the first 11 steps and 0.794X power per step for the rest. Below is the power attenuation curve (step 1 is full power = 1X) . You'll have to find out yourselves how many steps is 12 o'clock from full power
View attachment 312674View attachment 312675
ATTENUATOR – 48 steps LADDER type (mechanical)
Ladder type stepped attenuator This is where 2 resistor and 2 switch contacts are used per step, making up a unique combination of resistors per step that add up to the impedance of the stepped attenuator you use. Effectively a voltage divider network. The total series resistance of each two...
Come to think of it, I think I might have misinterpreted the spacings of the steps of the Khozmo attenuator. The spacings could also be reverse of what I showed in post #864. Here are the curves for both interpretations. You should ask Khozmo about it.
I’ve mis-calculated my average listening to music level in db as well. It never gets beyond 78db on average reading but it rarely hits 103db on max. So again it’s hard (especially the ignorant ones like me) to specify the need for how much watts do I actually need. Do I have to determine that to average ratings or max ratings?
Sokel
Master Contributor
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Average to Peak,not Max.
That's probably expected, because Hypex has to deal with lots of inquirey, and their first line response may not be a knowledgeable EE or amp designer. NTK, I assume typically only have to answer questions from ASR members, and I think he is a very knowledgeable in electronics, including audio electronics, likely an EE too.
If you want more accurate, or reliable (relatively speaking) answers, it is always bet to provide the detailed specs of your speakers, you listening distance and targeted SPL (that you have now), then members can do the calculations for you using an online calculator or do their own calculations.
If you do hit 103 dB max., and you don't want your amplifier to clip at that level, that of course you should consider amplifiers that have the rated output well before clipping that can drive your speakers to that level, that is 103 dB, not just 78 dB.
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My speakers are Audio Nirvana 10'' Alnico drivers (drivers are alone 92.9 db) around 95db in the cabinet, only 45 Watts music power, 30Watts, rated input 8 Ohms. I use them with Velodyn 10QR subwoofer, cross-overed at 45hz. I use Holo Audio Cyan dac, XLR outputs, which is said to be 4 Volts but measured 2.6 Volts in Audioscience review. The Amp i'm currently using is Cherry Maraschino STM king 200 Watt in 8ohms and 22 db gain /3.1 Vin for 400W into 4 Ohms. The speakers are 2.6 meters away from me. And I'm afraid to blow my speakers off. (That's why I'm searching for a class d amp such as Nilai, which I can reduce its gain) My average listening to music levels from listening point are 78db -80db but gets very rarely to 103db - 105db on max. Thank you for your consideration, I really appreciate it...
Don't worry about that because you can do the following:
Page 45 of the Owner's manual:
Hi everyone,
I am ready to pull the trigger and replace my Naim Nait with a class D amp and based on reviews I am thinking of Hypex Nilai. As far as I am concerned, Audiophonics are the only company in Europe selling an assembled stereo amplifier based on Nilai module. Have any of you bought HPA S300NIL? Since no reviews have been posted so far , do you have any comments to make? Furthermore, I am going to use my RME dac as a pre-amp and I would like to know whether there is an adjustable gain or not.
Thank you in advance.
I am ready to pull the trigger and replace my Naim Nait with a class D amp and based on reviews I am thinking of Hypex Nilai. As far as I am concerned, Audiophonics are the only company in Europe selling an assembled stereo amplifier based on Nilai module. Have any of you bought HPA S300NIL? Since no reviews have been posted so far , do you have any comments to make? Furthermore, I am going to use my RME dac as a pre-amp and I would like to know whether there is an adjustable gain or not.
Thank you in advance.
Welcome to ASR!
The Nilai is designed by Hypex as a very easy to assemble DIY kit for non-professional hobbyists. Anyone half competent should have little problem assembling one and achieve the same performance as the one Amir measured here. Auiophonics should have no problem doing the same.
The gain setting Audiophonics has chosen (21.75 dB) means that the amp will reach its rated power of 525 W (4 ohm load, 1% THD, 1 kHz) with an input of 3.75 Vrms. This gain setting will work very well with RME DACs (or any other balanced output DACs with the standard 4 V output).
maty
Major Contributor
With good class D amplifiers is very important the preamplifier. DAC+preamp?
Off course, I am talking about to listen to very good recordings, usually orchestral, jazz, folk... physical instruments. Because spend so much money to listen to the usual terrible recordings of current commercial music..
Off course, I am talking about to listen to very good recordings, usually orchestral, jazz, folk... physical instruments. Because spend so much money to listen to the usual terrible recordings of current commercial music..
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Just assembled mine yesterday.
The sound quality with the default "mid gain" setting was quite dark (like underwater), high notes sounded muted and bass sounded less clear
I changed the gain to high and the sound is now brighter.
There previous amp (Crown XLS2500) had variable gain pots on the front and there was a similar effect there too.
My sound path is the following: Pioneer U-05 DAC -> 2X Nilai -> Magnepan 1.7i , xlr interconnects
Can anyone answer why this happens? Why does sound change with amp gain?
P.S. The Crown also sounded great btw albeit only through the speakon connectors not the binding posts, I will have to keep listening now to justify the price difference
The sound quality with the default "mid gain" setting was quite dark (like underwater), high notes sounded muted and bass sounded less clear
I changed the gain to high and the sound is now brighter.
There previous amp (Crown XLS2500) had variable gain pots on the front and there was a similar effect there too.
My sound path is the following: Pioneer U-05 DAC -> 2X Nilai -> Magnepan 1.7i , xlr interconnects
Can anyone answer why this happens? Why does sound change with amp gain?
P.S. The Crown also sounded great btw albeit only through the speakon connectors not the binding posts, I will have to keep listening now to justify the price difference
Killingbeans
Major Contributor
It shouldn't. Maybe you have problems with the signal clipping somewhere in the chain, and you're just hearing massive distortion in one of the cases?
Or the classic thing where something that is louder sounds better...
Killingbeans
Major Contributor
Much more likely, yes.
I assumed that the levels were matched, but they probably aren't. And then equal-loudness contours can explain the whole "underwater" thing.
I assumed that the levels were matched, but they probably aren't. And then equal-loudness contours can explain the whole "underwater" thing.
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