Hypex Nilai500DIY Amplifier Review

[OldManMatt]

It's not something I would dwell on so no further investigation or level matching is needed. But I will say I turn my volume off when I shut down the system so switching gain then turning the volume back up no sense of immediate volume boost should be startling if you know what I mean.

I am aware & familiar with what I would call false perceptions with audio. I'm also very sensitive to changes in my system. I listen to music probably 10 hours a day..but probably only 2 hours of it sitting in a "sweet" spot. My main focus is enjoying the soundstage. Changes to that I feel is easy to discern. But my mind has rested since yesterday so I'll see if my thoughts have changed on the subject when I listen today.

I have experienced that before. I may think one thing about the sound or performance after switching something in my system to then after a long listening session realizing nothing has changed. Which originally is what I chalked it up to when the thoughts of something is different with my system. After a couple hours I felt pretty strongly something was off. Then I went looking for reasons why this could be possible.

 

[OldManMatt]

I would like to point out that Denon was used only as a reference, and only because... I just had it available at home...

All the testing and pairing was to find a better amp which would replace my old AVR.

Regarding Nilai, my version has had a fixed gain and based on the other version it was on the level that the other ones defined as 'low'. But I could confirm that the speakers were very noticeable (I did not write it at first because I thought that it could be caused by my room acoustng issues).

Yesterday I borrowed Arcam AVR31 for home testing (the first time in my life I have heard class G amp) and it matched extremely well, goosebumps, fun, and musicality were there... I did not make any room corrections, because the Arcam has only paid Dirac option and the demo amp did not have it purchased.

My wife (who loves rock and heavy rock music) has said that she has never heard these songs in such a detailed and pleasurable way. After she has heard how much it cost, she has lost her happiness


If anyone is interested: Spendor => Arcam sounds really good (for my ears, I would like to try demoing next ARCAM AVR11/21 + ARCAM PA240 to have more headroom for stereo).

The last test will be with Anthem MRX 740 with Vincent SP-332 which was also recommended, I will update the post after that test if I will be still available on this forum (not banned).

I have an Arcam PA240 that is designed around their Class G technology. Wonderful amp in my opinion. Loads of power & just beautiful sounding to my ears. I can understand why you liked the Arcam's "sound". Obviously debatable as I have no data to back it up but I hear a difference in the upper frequencies & extension when compared to the Nilai.

I first listened to the "Class G" in Arcam's SA30. I ended up having to return that model but the amplification in that integrated brought my attention to the PA240. With the great clarity & power it has some nice features. A high & low gain switch. Mono mode if for some reason you needed mono blocks. Balanced/Single ended. Even has single ended pass thru if you wanted to daisy chain another amplifier or run a subwoofer out of it. Has mute button as well as Stand-by. First 25x2 watts are supposed to be Class A.

 

[maethor]

I have an Arcam PA240 that is designed around their Class G technology. Wonderful amp in my opinion. Loads of power & just beautiful sounding to my ears. I can understand why you liked the Arcam's "sound". Obviously debatable as I have no data to back it up but I hear a difference in the upper frequencies & extension when compared to the Nilai.

I first listened to the "Class G" in Arcam's SA30. I ended up having to return that model but the amplification in that integrated brought my attention to the PA240. With the great clarity & power it has some nice features. A high & low gain switch. Mono mode if for some reason you needed mono blocks. Balanced/Single ended. Even has single ended pass thru if you wanted to daisy chain another amplifier or run a subwoofer out of it. Has mute button as well as Stand-by. First 25x2 watts are supposed to be Class A.

Thank you for your feedback.

May I ask if you know is the Arcam PA240 has the same 'implementation' of class G as it is present in AVR31 (but of course more powerful) ? I have searched the web for that answer but without any luck. I am willing to send that question to the ARCAM directly...

I am also curious how would you compare PA240 against the Nilai amp if you have a chance to A/B them (you have written that you have also a Nilai but I am not sure if you are using them in the same system) ?

 

[OldManMatt]

Thank you for your feedback.

May I ask if you know is the Arcam PA240 has the same 'implementation' of class G as it is present in AVR31 (but of course more powerful) ? I have searched the web for that answer but without any luck. I am willing to send that question to the ARCAM directly...

I am also curious how would you compare PA240 against the Nilai amp if you have a chance to A/B them (you have written that you have also a Nilai but I am not sure if you are using them in the same system) ?

Yeah I would send an Email to Arcam & ask them...& be as specific as possible as to what information you are wanting. I was wondering if their new (cheaper $) model integrated's use the topology or implementation as the PA or SA model's. I know Audioholics measured one of their newer amps and it did quite well on the bench.

As far as comparing the Nilai to the PA240 is kind of a tough one. As this would be completely subjective on my part..no level matched comparisons...so take take my thoughts as just an opinion.

I have used/tried them both on the same speakers with the same surrounding gear in the same room. I would like to think that most people couldn't tell a difference between the 2 but I have some thoughts on how they differ.. subjectively of course. The upper frequency's like I mentioned earlier. Seems to be more extension with the Arcam. More "air". Smoother top end is how I would describe it. Center imaging is more forward. I have had to adjust my DSP on the top end with the Nilai. I had to pull down some frequencies up top with the Arcam in my room..not so much with the Nilai. I prefer a rolled off top end though.

The other difference is I feel the Nilai is more dynamic at lower volumes with my 89db sensitivity Polk R700. At reg & high volume the PA240 is in effortless control in my opinion. Maybe it's the low volume Class A of the Arcam is what I ended up presuming. Just guessing of course.

Any difference between them on my speakers can be adjusted with DSP. I think very highly of the PA240..but maybe even more so of the Nilai due to the cost.

 

[maethor]

Yeah I would send an Email to Arcam & ask them...& be as specific as possible as to what information you are wanting. I was wondering if their new (cheaper $) model integrated's use the topology or implementation as the PA or SA model's. I know Audioholics measured one of their newer amps and it did quite well on the bench.

As far as comparing the Nilai to the PA240 is kind of a tough one. As this would be completely subjective on my part..no level matched comparisons...so take take my thoughts as just an opinion.

I have used/tried them both on the same speakers with the same surrounding gear in the same room. I would like to think that most people couldn't tell a difference between the 2 but I have some thoughts on how they differ.. subjectively of course. The upper frequency's like I mentioned earlier. Seems to be more extension with the Arcam. More "air". Smoother top end is how I would describe it. Center imaging is more forward. I have had to adjust my DSP on the top end with the Nilai. I had to pull down some frequencies up top with the Arcam in my room..not so much with the Nilai. I prefer a rolled off top end though.

The other difference is I feel the Nilai is more dynamic at lower volumes with my 89db sensitivity Polk R700. At reg & high volume the PA240 is in effortless control in my opinion. Maybe it's the low volume Class A of the Arcam is what I ended up presuming. Just guessing of course.

Any difference between them on my speakers can be adjusted with DSP. I think very highly of the PA240..but maybe even more so of the Nilai due to the cost.

Thank you so much for the answer and so detailed description!

I agree with all you have mentioned, I have also noticed that low frequencies are more controlled in Nilai, but overall I much more prefer sound from ARCAM, especially because in my country both amps cost almost the same.

 

[OldManMatt]

Thank you so much for the answer and so detailed description!

I agree with all you have mentioned, I have also noticed that low frequencies are more controlled in Nilai, but overall I much more prefer sound from ARCAM, especially because in my country both amps cost almost the same.

In my Country the Arcam is 2 times the price of the Nilai Stereo. Arcam $2700 US..Nilai DIY Stereo $1300. The PA240 I purchased was a Demo unit for $2000

 

[ajax247]

I built my Nilai 500 DIY stereo amp a year or so ago, and it has been great. No problems -- until a couple weeks ago, when it blew a fuse -- the small 6.3A 250V ceramic fuse in the power plug. I replaced it, and today the replacement blew. My wife was switching on other equipment on the circuit at the time, so perhaps that threw a spike? Seems unlikely.

I'll switch circuits and see if that helps, but I can't help wondering if others have had this problem?

 

[OldManMatt]

I built my Nilai 500 DIY stereo amp a year or so ago, and it has been great. No problems -- until a couple weeks ago, when it blew a fuse -- the small 6.3A 250V ceramic fuse in the power plug. I replaced it, and today the replacement blew. My wife was switching on other equipment on the circuit at the time, so perhaps that threw a spike? Seems unlikely.

I'll switch circuits and see if that helps, but I can't help wondering if others have had this problem?

Over a couple days time I was trying/pairing all types of different equipment with the Nilai. Different Dac's and a few preamps. One of the preamps was Tube based. I didn't realize the Nilai was already on & switched the Tube preamp on. The Nilai cut out..& popped a fuse. I can assume that the tubes put some DC out to the Nilai when I first turned it on. One of your components may be doing the same thing.

Turn your Nilai ON LAST in the powering on sequence. Turn it OFF FIRST when shutting everything down.
Obviously it could be something else that made you pop a fuse... I'm only sharing my experience when it happened to me.

 

[ajax247]

Thanks, that's really useful information. We'll institute updated procedures!

 

[terryforsythe]

Also, a surge protector may not be a bad idea. Some terminal strips include surge protection, but the level of surge protection may vary from model to model. You probably want one with a higher surge suppression rating.

If you are DIYer, you could open up the terminal strip (if it is screwed together and not glued) add MOVs line to ground and neutral to ground. I have done that before.

 

[ajax247]

It's on a surge protector -- but one that is shared with everything else in my setup. I can use a separate one!

Thanks -- another great suggestion.

 

[terryforsythe]

I can use a separate one!

Even better.

 

[Robert-Hifi]

How loud are the pops when turning this Nilai 500DIY amp on or off?
Did anyone measured it with a dB meter?

If you have higher sensitivity speakers (e.g. 92 dB) does the pops get louder compared to medium sensitivity speakers (e.g. 86 dB)?

 

[OldManMatt]

How loud are the pops when turning this Nilai 500DIY amp on or off?
Did anyone measured it with a dB meter?

If you have higher sensitivity speakers (e.g. 92 dB) does the pops get louder compared to medium sensitivity speakers (e.g. 86 dB)?

The speakers I am currently using with the Nilai were rated at 89db sensitivity when Audioholics reviewed them.

Only time I ever noticed "pops" was when using a tube preamp that only has one set of outputs..and I used an RCA splitter out of that pre to go to the amp & a sub. I thought those pops were either from that particular pre or the jimmy rig of using a splitter before to power devices. I don't recall hearing any noise when using either of my balanced dac's or other pre's. But maybe I just didn't notice it.

When I did first hear it it was not loud enough to where I was fearful it would damage the speakers..but I easily heard it. I don't like it but it wouldn't be enough of an issue for me to ditch the amp. But I understand how it could be overly bothersome to someone else. Sounded like someone lightly flicked one of the drivers with a finger.

I was unaware that this was an issue. Next chance I get i will definitely hook one of my balanced devices to it and pay closer attention. What I normally noticed at power up was the click noise coming from inside the amp..the modules I assumed. Certainly not loud to my ears but easy to discern as I'm right on top of the amp when turning it on. Maybe this click noise is why I didn't pay attention to or hear a pop from the speakers. Seems unlikely but now I will pay closer attention.

So maybe this popping of the speakers was discussed earlier in this thread where I haven't read. I would like to hear others opinions or thoughts on this Turn On noise.

 

[OldManMatt]

How loud are the pops when turning this Nilai 500DIY amp on or off?
Did anyone measured it with a dB meter?

If you have higher sensitivity speakers (e.g. 92 dB) does the pops get louder compared to medium sensitivity speakers (e.g. 86 dB)?

I got home about a half hour ago. I pulled the Nilai off the entertainment shelf, grabbed some 6 foot balanced cables and set the Nilai up to where I could put my ear next to one set of the speakers and still reach the tiny on/off button in front of the amp.

I turned the RME dac/preamp on, then turned on the single SVS sub I have hooked up to the single ended outputs on the RME. Put my ear maybe an inch away from the area between the mid & tweeter. Turned the Nilai on and heard nothing. No pop, no fuzz, nada. You wouldn't think anything was on.

I played some music for 15mins then stopped the signal. Stood about half a foot away from the speaker and shut the amp off. I didn't hear any pops or noises.

So from that one test on 89db sensitive speakers I heard nothing, On or Off...and being slightly stretched out with my ear next to the speaker when I turned it on I didn't hear the little turn on click from inside the amp that I can normally hear when I'm right on top of the amp.

 

[StigErik]

I barely notice it with my 112 dB sensitive woofer array. Nothing to worry about!

 

[Reddoc]

How loud are the pops when turning this Nilai 500DIY amp on or off?

I hear no pops at all through 88dB sensitive speakers.

 

[OldManMatt]

I heard a slight tap when I powered off last night. Extremely miniscule but it was there.

Nothing to be concerned with I guess but I don't like it.

 

[terryforsythe]

I don't hear any pops when my Nilai turns on. It is turned on by the remote trigger and turns on automatically when my WiiM turns on.

 

[Robert-Hifi]

Thanks for the reactions, guys. It sounds like the "popping" issue is pretty minimal.
It seems to depend from person to person how much it bothers you, if you hear any pops.