ICEPower 125ASX2 Class D Amplifier Review

[617]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ew-of-ghent-icepower-125asx2-module-amp.9678/

This thread may answer some of the questions here about the origin of the modules. Unfortunately there are no US distributors selling the 125asx module.

 

[ta240]

It's not possible that somewhere in China someone is copying them? It's not possible that the factory that makes the genuine ones has units that don't meet spec that they then sell at discount through 3rd party sellers?

I see the "all manufactured by one company or all manufactured at the same plant" with all sorts of products as an argument for the products all being equal. I would think that in manufacturing the tolerances that the company that is paying for the product specifies and tests for are the key element in the final quality. Heck, I can go into the kitchen at a fancy restaurant and make you dinner or dig something out of their trash and sell either to you cheap but you probably won't like it.

Dave at eevblog had a video on a super cheap item that had the manufactures name removed and in some instances not ever printed on. The first one he tested performed quite well. The next one did not.

Not only do companies lose sales to the gray market items produced by the factory that they ordered their run from they lose their reputation as people think their product isn't good because of the poor performance of the non official ones.

 

[amirm]

Quick note that I did warm up this amp for 30 minutes before measuring and its performance degraded fair bit during that time. I showed that in the thermal stability section. Maybe the Yamaha degrades as well. Or maybe they get better rated ones? Short of having that unit again to scrutinize, it is hard to get better answers.

 

[CerealKiller]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ew-of-ghent-icepower-125asx2-module-amp.9678/

This thread may answer some of the questions here about the origin of the modules. Unfortunately there are no US distributors selling the 125asx module.

Partsexpress ?

 

[617]

Partsexpress ?

"This thread may answer some of the questions here about the origin of the modules. Unfortunately there are no US distributors selling the 125asx module. "

 

[Xulonn]

I have a Ghent XLR-type stereo case for the stereo ICEPower 200AC+200ASC modules (the ASC has a power supply onboard that can power up to two add-on AC-type modules). After I bought it, I came across the used Classé Model vintage amp that I am now using, and never bought the modules from PartsExpress to finish the Ghent/ICEPower amp.

I read at DIYaudio (without details or evidence) that the AC/ASC modules are an improvement over the ASX module. Bel Canto has used the ASX125, and possibly even ASC200 ICEPower modules. Also, Martin Logan used ASC200's for the active subwoofers of their Summit electrostats.

I guess I will have to wait until someone in the U.S. builds an ASC amplifier and sends it to Amir for testing to find out how the ASC and ASX versions compare.

 

[restorer-john]

At 40 Hz (the highest amplitude in samples of music in my library) we achieve 111 watts. At 20 kHz though, due we fall flat to just 1 watt due to either noise or distortion. Note that this noise/distortion is ultrasonic so not an audible concern per se.

I think this graph should be scrapped and replaced with a full power 20-20K frequency response sweep (1KHz reference @ rated power)

As it is, it's deceptive as people will think the amplifier can only produce 2W@10KHz which isn't true. It just means the 2W is at a THD greater than 0.1%. It's not going to be pretty for Class Ds in any case.

PS, where's small signal square wave gone?

 

[617]

As the owner of this amp I should offer my impressions. First of all, I built this out of curiosity and to have a compact utilitarian amp which could fit under my monitor stand next to my atom/topping d30. I was hoping for slightly better performance (better than an NAD c325 BEE, which I already own...) but personally I am not really bothered by the HF harmonic distortion; I certainly didn't notice it when listening to the amplifier.

My main question at this point is whether 'genuine' 125ASX modules are better than the one I purchased. Unfortunately I cannot seem to get them in the USA (if I could, I would have.) The modules available from parts express are, off the top of my head, the 50W one (not very powerful) the 500W one (probably the best), the 1000W one (powerful but with more distortion) and the 200W one. 125 seemed like the best one for my needs; it's also small, which is why I turned to ebay.

Each of them has similar distortion behavior, with more distortion in the bass, and clipping occurring at about the same power for each of the frequencies tested. Perhaps tellingly, the datasheets plot distortion at 100, 1000 and 6600 hz, which is short of what Amir has shown.

It is certainly possible that this is a B stock unit of some kind - it's impossible to say. Visually it appears identical to the units in the datasheet.

I think Amir's recommendation is reasonable. This is a very inexpensive amplifier to put together, and it offers a lot of power for the money. What I would really like to see tested would be a module from an authorized dealer - ideally the same one, or the 200W or 500W units.

As an aside, while I auditioned this unit, many of my girlfriends mentioned that it sounded better than what I was using before, and many veils were lifted as a result.

 

[Juhazi]

"As an aside, while I auditioned this unit, many of my girlfriends mentioned that it sounded better than what I was using before, and many veils were lifted as a result. "

That's a really interesting find! My ebay-purchased 50 and 125ASX2 units lacked this kind of performance, but perhaps I must wait until they get burned in properly?

 

[Xulonn]

many veils were lifted as a result.

Sorry, I really cannot comment on that...

 

[ta240]

The previously tested Yamaha WXA-50 contains the exact same module, and did much better on the review.

Does the Yamaha have an input buffer?

 

[CerealKiller]

"many of My girlfriends" epic

 

[KR500]

Thanks for the review Amir, and we appreciate someone sending the cased module in for us all to take a look at.

This month I am trying to decide on an amp purchase that is in my budget and the NAD 320 Bee and the ICE 200 watt module are in my five amps of interest to look at .

Parts Express in Springboro are, and have been the sole US distributor of the ICE modules and wiring harnesses which are easily viewable on their web site for posters mentioning ICE has no US distribution

 

[617]

Thanks for the review Amir, and we appreciate someone sending the cased module in for us all to take a look at.

This month I am trying to decide on an amp purchase that is in my budget and the NAD 320 Bee and the ICE 200 watt module are in my five amps of interest to look at .

Parts Express in Springboro are, and have been the sole US distributor of the ICE modules and wiring harnesses which are easily viewable on their web site for posters mentioning ICE has no US distribution

I enjoyed making the 125asx. If I wanted to upgrade I might do 500 monoblocks from parts express if only to test them.

 

[Trdat]

So, judgement from a hearing perspective as opposed to engineering/technical.

Lars, it's not really a judgement or a subjective opinion its a statement based on research that quite evidently leads us to the fact that large tracks of the population can't hear above a certain frequency dependant on age, listening habits and other factors.

Where do we draw the line with statements made by the tester?

I for one value the input we get from many of the participants from the forum Amir included. Its a forum what did you expect...

Anyway, I see what your getting at and value your input as well I do take it seriously, but perhaps others can chime in...

 

[Juhazi]

At least I bought ICEpower amps to be used for audio signal reproduction, mainly speech and music, for humans. Aside that I can honestly tell you that my young dog enjoys listening to them too! Obviously harmonics of treble will finally get killed by my tweeters?

 

[amirm]

Obviously harmonics of treble will finally get killed by my tweeters?

That, and the fact that amplitude of high frequencies in music is very low.

 

[pma]

Not true for intermodulation products that would not be "killed".

 

[Juhazi]

What about other Danish designs? Ever heard of Gryphon Audio? Their Diablo 120 dual mono zero-feedback classAB costs $11200 and measures like this... No awful hash like the classD amps?

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/inde...o-designs-diablo-120-integrated-amplifier-dac
"The Diablo 120 sounded, in a word, engaging. The hallmark of a great component is the level of involvement with the music it makes possible, and the degree to which it grabs your attention."

https://audio.com.pl/testy/stereo/wzmacniacze-stereo/3145-gryphon-diablo-120
"Gryphon Diablo 120 to nie jest wzmacniacz, który musimy odpowiednim materiałem sprawdzić. Praktycznie przy każdej płycie pokazywał swoje największe atuty - siłę, żywość, emocje, nie żałował ich, nie trzymał w zanadrzu, z wyniosłością wielu urządzeń, które nie "spoufalają" się ze słabymi realizacjami, sugerując nam nawet, że w ich towarzystwie, z ich pomocą, w ogóle nie powinniśmy ich słuchać. Diablo nie cyzeluje i nie miareczkuje, zdecydowanie wkracza z muzyką. " (Diablo does not chisel and titrate, definitely comes with music.)

 

[muad]

People were mentioning partsexpress as a source but they don't carry the 125asx modules. The best you can get from parts express in this price class are dual 50asx2s or getting the 200asc with an extra 200ac. But upon Google searching the 200asc seem a have a high failure rate.

So for someone like me looking for a good budget class d amp with decent power, the 125asx or the crown 1502?