Just spoken with customer and this amp is already scheduled in the build pipeline for tomorrow to ship Monday
Is there any way to substitute eti research silver posts for a premium? Or wbt silver posts? How much is this amplifier?Possibly a good place to mention that we have just started shipping all amps with ETI solid copper gold plated binding posts. These offer better access for large cables and spades than the previous ones shown in the review. The materials used will also provide significantly improved audiophile satisfaction
https://eti-research.com.au/binding-post-bp-20c/
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Hi @yodogIs there any way to substitute eti research silver posts for a premium? Or wbt silver posts? How much is this amplifier?
Hi @yodog
Yes we can fit the ETI Kryo posts.
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Please email to discuss
[email protected]
Best regards
Alan
Perhaps best asked to @March Audio but with a cable such as the XLR to RCA unbalanced, are we expecting 6dB loss of gain? Has this been measured? What kind theoretical max power can one expect pairing this unit with an AVR that may start clipping around 2v with an unbalanced connection.
Not sure, but apparently there should be no reason to get the Hegel as long as you trust that the measurements into a 8 ohm resistor tell the whole story?Just a general question.
The price to power ration of the 502 looks fantastic on paper. (as in general for Class D) Given that, is there really any reason to go down the Class A/B route, aside from simply getting a different sonic presentation in addition to using more power ? The Hegel H30 power amplifier gives you 350 watts into 8 ohms, and is 10,000 USD.
Why would anyone spend that kind of money, when something like the 502 gives you the same power for 1/10th of the cost ? Can 350 watts of class A/B power with a huge power supply, drive speakers that the 502 cannot ?. Great if someone can enlighten me
Not sure, but apparently there should be no reason to get the Hegel as long as you trust that the measurements into a 8 ohm resistor tell the whole story?
In my experience the NC502MP is very, very good. And in my opinion is a killer value, I would consider high end class A or AB if all my system has been maximized, like dedicated and treated room, great speakers and source, etc.Just a general question.
The price to power ration of the 502 looks fantastic on paper. (as in general for Class D) Given that, is there really any reason to go down the Class A/B route, aside from simply getting a different sonic presentation in addition to using more power ? As an example (I'm in Norway) The Hegel H30 power amplifier gives you 350 watts into 8 ohms, and is 10,000 USD.
Why would anyone spend that kind of money, when something like the 502 gives you the same power for 1/10th of the cost ? Can 350 watts of class A/B power with a huge power supply, drive speakers that the 502 cannot ?. Great if someone can enlighten me
In my experience the NC502MP is very, very good. And in my opinion is a killer value, I would consider high end class A or AB if all my system has been maximized, like dedicated and treated room, great speakers and source, etc.
Thanks. But what do you feel (or know) a higher end and expensive class AB would give you over the 502 ? In my example, the 8 ohm wattage, is exactly the same.
Zero. Sonically, they'll be indistinguishable (assuming an engineered linear amp).
I think the primary claim would be that a beefy class AB amp that expensive would (should) be able to deliver enough current to double its power with every halving of the load impedance down to a ridiculous level and do so with rock solid stability such that the amp was as close to completely indifferent to load as possible while maintaining its top performance.
How well this is achieved in practice varies.
Is that additional margin, if it does exist, over an excellent class D worth the cost, especially if it is likely to only exist as audiophile peace of mind rather than an audible difference? I guess that depends on the value you place on money!!
I have everything from low watt single ended triode amps to solid state class A to the recent acquisition of Apollon Audio purifi-based monoblocks and generally find they all sound good when operated appropriately (with the right speakers and at the right levels). My high current amps are not speaker-dependent and I have not noticed anything out of place with the purifi amps, but I didn't expect to, and have not sensed they have any problem driving Magnepan .7s, which is the only pair of speakers I have used them with. That doesn't give me a LOT to analyze, but the .7s have some oddities to their loan characteristics and I have not found any effect on the sound having them driven by the Apollon purifi implementation.
Lots of words to basically say "I don't know why someone would spend $9,000 more for the Hegel."
Class AB designs with switching power supplies are an interesting area of technology—but there aren’t many of those to choose from. Still, the topology is extremely inefficient compared to class D. I don’t see any compelling reason to purchase a class AB (with a linear power supply) amp over a class D. Further, most class AB amps are going to be audibly transparent and can’t be used as a “tone control” the way class A and tube amps can be. So, with a choice between class D and class AB, class D will win for me every time.Right. So a well designed, and transparent (as possible) class AB design is basically pointless. And especially pointless when its multiple factors more expensive than the 502 (or Purifi) March Audio amps. If there is some objective and measurable benefit of an expensive AB over the 502, then I would love to see it
Class AB designs with switching power supplies are an interesting area of technology. Still, the topology is extremely inefficient compared to class D. I don’t see any compelling reason to purchase a class AB amp over a class D. Further, most class AB amps are going to be audibly transparent and can’t be used as a “tone control” the way class A and tube amps can be. So, with a choice between class D and class AB, class D will win for me every time.