LX Studio - alternative to Hypex modules?

[prasanth.nath]

Greetings Forum,

I am looking for advice regarding amplifier modules for my Lx Studio set up.

I am powering the Lx Studio with Hypex based amplifiers.
4 amplifier modules have failed so far - over the last 5 years. (2 180UCDOEMs, 1 UCD180HG and 1UCD400HG). That's way too much coincidence from my point of view.
I am looking to cut my losses and see what options I have.
[No, it is unlikely to be heat or humidity]

The SMPS-es are still working fine. I have 4 of them (2 SMPS400A400 and 2 SMS400A180).
Given that I have softstart, powersupply, chassis, cables etc, I am wondering what amp modules could I use that are reliable and budget friendly

Budget: Preferably < 700 USD (all 6 amps combined. Too much drown the drain already on the Hypex project)
Input Type: Should accept differential input.
Power requirements: approx 60W per channel.
DIY-ability: assembled modules.
Safety: should have some sort of error detection mechanism, to prevent the speakers getting damaged if amps fails. [I have learned that they do!]

Options:

• Neurochrome: Expensive
• Hypex: Never again!
• ??
• Any off the shelf product that has 6 channels and would do reasonable justice to an LX Studio?

Suggestions most welcome.

Kind Regards


Notes:
* Used audio gear market is pretty clumsy in India. That is not a reliable option.
* oplug forum for Lx Studio seems to be dead. Otherwise I would have posted in that forum.

 

[abdo123]

That’s WAY too much for a coincidence indeed, makes me think something is up.

It’s going to be very difficult to find a 6 channel amp in class A/B in a reasonable frame that can support the power levels of the LX Studio. At the end of the day that’s a full range signal.

I would probably do another gamble on Class D but perhaps either from someone other than Hypex or the Hypex line that has a powersupplies included.

 

[prasanth.nath]

Thanks abdo123.

I took that gamble (with Hypex too many times ). A UCD that costs 84 euros, turns out to be 250+ euros including shipping and customs by the time it lands in India. But then it is unreliable - I could see manufacturing issues with the last set I bought: capacitors touching the heat sink etc.

There is a local company that makes 2,3,5,7 channel AB amplifiers. 90Wx8Ohms, 150Wx4Ohms (acousticportrait.com). Their products are durable: performance figures are not published. But they do not take balanced inputs, while Hypex DLCP produces balanced outs. Or I would have gone for those. Is there a way to "covert" the Balanced outs into unbalanced?

 

[EdTice]

Thanks abdo123.

I took that gamble (with Hypex too many times ). A UCD that costs 84 euros, turns out to be 250+ euros including shipping and customs by the time it lands in India. But then it is unreliable - I could see manufacturing issues with the last set I bought: capacitors touching the heat sink etc.

There is a local company that makes 2,3,5,7 channel AB amplifiers. 90Wx8Ohms, 150Wx4Ohms (acousticportrait.com). Their products are durable: performance figures are not published. But they do not take balanced inputs, while Hypex DLCP produces balanced outs. Or I would have gone for those. Is there a way to "covert" the Balanced outs into unbalanced?

Uh, yeah, an XLR->RCA cable for like US$10!

 

[garbulky]

Thanks abdo123.

I took that gamble (with Hypex too many times ). A UCD that costs 84 euros, turns out to be 250+ euros including shipping and customs by the time it lands in India. But then it is unreliable - I could see manufacturing issues with the last set I bought: capacitors touching the heat sink etc.

There is a local company that makes 2,3,5,7 channel AB amplifiers. 90Wx8Ohms, 150Wx4Ohms (acousticportrait.com). Their products are durable: performance figures are not published. But they do not take balanced inputs, while Hypex DLCP produces balanced outs. Or I would have gone for those. Is there a way to "covert" the Balanced outs into unbalanced?

What is your avatar are those cambridge microworks?

 

[voodooless]

That’s WAY too much for a coincidence indeed, makes me think something is up.

Indeed! If these things were failing left and right, we would have known about it by now. My UCD never failed on me yet after more than 15 years.

So you know why they failed?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I would say Purifi because their performance envelope exceed Hypex and they have proven their reliability (at least to me in my amp) but I don't think either of your SMPS unit is up to powering them AND they are not cheap AND you'll need six of them. Maybe Pascal offers a diy module. Otherwise, you could be looking at ICE modules. I'd try Ghent and see what he's selling.

If you wanted to lose the class D, you could probably find three used Hafler DH-200's on Ebay or HiFi Shark. Those are good amplifiers even today and will drive the Linkwitz LX's. Used Emotiva's might also be a good choice. Imagine Ocean freight to India would be expensive.

 

[mdsimon2]

If you really do not want to go Hypex I would look at (3) IcePower 300A2 modules + 1500S power supply. The 300A2 / 400A2 / 1200AS2 are the first IcePower amplifiers that approach Hypex level of performance. Cost would be closer to $900 but maybe you can sell your Hypex power supplies to offset.

My next amplifier will be a DIY 8 channel amplifier based on (5) 300A2 modules (2 modules bridged to subs, 3 modules running stereo to woofer / mid / tweeter).

Michael

 

[AudioJester]

Interesting. I had a similar setup with my Lx521.3 and thought I was having ucd modules randomly failing. Turns out it was the hypex power supply having issues with multiple ucd modules connected. Someone more experienced told me it was a known issue.
Anyway, switched to Icepower for bass drivers and purifi for mids and tweeters with an okto 8. Big step up from ucd.

If your starting again a Buckeye 6 or 8 channel amp wojld be impossible to beat cost wise.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Interesting. I had a similar setup with my Lx521.3 and thought I was having ucd modules randomly failing. Turns out it was the hypex power supply having issues with multiple ucd modules connected. Someone more experienced told me it was a known issue.
Anyway, switched to Icepower for bass drivers and purifi for mids and tweeters with an okto 8. Big step up from ucd.

If your starting again a Buckeye 6 or 8 channel amp wojld be impossible to beat cost wise.

Drive tweeters directly from the Octo? It puts out enough power to do that?

 

[AudioJester]

Drive tweeters directly from the Octo? It puts out enough power to do that?

Dont think thats possible. You need an amp between okto and tweeters

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Dont think thats possible. You need an amp between okto and tweeters

Do you run the xover and eq on a Pc? I have and Octo DAC 8 Pro and it's just a DAC, though one of the earliest version offered a miniDSP Nanoshark 2x8 board.

 

[somebodyelse]

My UcD180s are just over 4 years old now with no failures, so I'd be interested in what's killing yours, and what the failure mode was. I've only added the DLCP recently though.

I'm hesitant about recommending anything as reliable, given that my experience with Hypex has been good so far. A local supplier seems a reasonable plan under the circumstances.

 

[AudioJester]

Do you run the xover and eq on a Pc? I have and Octo DAC 8 Pro and it's just a DAC, though one of the earliest version offered a miniDSP Nanoshark 2x8 board.

Yes, i use roon or hqp for crossovers/convolution on a windows pc. Okto is just a dac as you say. Multichannel with usb input, will work with some streamers. Motu and Focusrite have cheaper multichannel dacs. For all in one need minidsp or deqx.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

ATI amps are well regarded, with a 7-year warranty. They still make Class AB multi-channel amps.

Class AB AT1820 Series - Amplifier Technologies Inc.

ati-amp.com

 

[JSmith]

That's way too much coincidence from my point of view.

May well be something along these lines;

Class D amp long term reliability

Inexpensive today? A little over ten years ago Yamaha produced their NS-1000 speakers for $1000 a pair, and sold many. Today their replacement for the NS-1000 is their NS-5000 for $15,000 a pair, which granted their replacement is quite higher performance, but it sure doesn't seem to me like...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

 

[prasanth.nath]

What is your avatar are those cambridge microworks?

Nope. It is a humble creative 2.1 desktop speaker system that is about 8 years old, originally costed about 130 USD. Sounds very nice. and still works.

 

[prasanth.nath]

Indeed! If these things were failing left and right, we would have known about it by now. My UCD never failed on me yet after more than 15 years.

So you know why they failed?

2 of them failed most likely because of moisture. During Corona, these amps remained unused for about 6 months. When I turned them back on, they had a a "krr krr " noise that appeared randomly which made these amps unusable. Local audio gurus diagnosed it as a moisture issue. I should have apparently blown them dry before turning them on.

The other 2 (last week's failures) - seem to be related to the HxR regulators. One of the regulators don't turn on for each amp. Each is powered by independent SMPS.

Edit: I don't exactly know the reasons. It does not make sense to send these to Hypex for repair, considering the huge shipping costs involved.

 

[prasanth.nath]

May well be something along these lines;

Class D amp long term reliability

Inexpensive today? A little over ten years ago Yamaha produced their NS-1000 speakers for $1000 a pair, and sold many. Today their replacement for the NS-1000 is their NS-5000 for $15,000 a pair, which granted their replacement is quite higher performance, but it sure doesn't seem to me like...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

Thanks for this.
My modules are the UCDXXHG that are standalone - not clubbed with power supplies. They are mounted to chassis via their heatsinks, so there is no strain on the board. The SMPS use 1 metal spacer and 3 plastic spacers, so they also don't appear to be under any strain, at least visually.

 

[prasanth.nath]

I am wondering if I can use 3 Topping pa5 for the job. If they are used with Max volume setting, would gains be the same? I guess this is a good idea, if the unit to unit consistency is very good.
perhaps @JohnYang1997 might be able to offer his inputs .
Also, does Topping have any multi-channel amps planned. That might be a great solve too.