March Audio P701 Mono Block Power Amp

[March Audio]

Another thread would be appropriate, don't want to sidetrack this thread with it, it will turn into a rabbit hole.

I think my description was fairly clear, so I'm not sure I personally have much more to say about it.

 

[restorer-john]

Punch is a well understood and highly technical (not) term, meaning the relative freedom from strain, lack of retardation and almost a feel of limitless power.

A 6.0L V8 car packs serious punch- you're thrown back in the seat and the thing just takes off like a missile.

These March amps obviously pack serious punch in a small package. Punch is considerably above bang-for-buck, giant-killer etc. Serious Punch is the next level- at least 200W continuous.

 

[svart-hvitt]

Another thread would be appropriate, don't want to sidetrack this thread with it, it will turn into a rabbit hole.

I think my description was fairly clear, so I'm not sure I personally have much more to say about it.

@March Audio , I just made a new thread on «punch» in accordance with your suggestion:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/punch-how-do-we-define-it.7900/#post-190627

 

[HighEndFreak]

You are my new favourite person

Oh someone wanted some pics.

Mola Mola Kaluga (I gather $8K US each)

View attachment 27902

P701 $1395 (introductory price rising to $1895 USD soon! – prototype picture, cabling layout on bottom half has been revised in production versions. Highlighted cabled now runs at top edge with power cables/tidied up.

View attachment 27905

So you are comparing your P701 amplifier with the amazing Mola Mola Kaluga?

This must be a joke right? Please stop confusing people on this forum with such superficial comparisons.

As a previous owner of Mola Mola Kaluga, let me inform you about a few things as I can see that you have never seen the Kalugas in person or had a chance to hear them perform.

First of all, the Mola Mola Kaluga's have a discrete input buffer. On the picture attached I have marked the discrete input buffer with GREEN. You are bashing discrete input buffers but why did Bruno Putzeys choose a discrete input buffer for the Kalugas in the first place? Think about that. Because discrete input buffers simply sound better and smoother and who better to know this than the man that designed the NC1200 in the first place. For instance the NC400 also has a fully discrete signal path without IC's.

Second thing is the NC1200 built in the Kaluga's are highly modified compared to the stock NC1200. The NC1200 in the Kalugas have no IC based (LM4562) buffer on board as the discrete input buffer is on a stand alone circuit board. The NC1200 modules in the Kaluga's also have a lot better capacitors and components than a stock NC1200. Even the SMPS 1200 PSU's in the Kaluga's are highly modified with better components etc. The stock Hypex NC1200 is not a lot different in sound quality than a NC500 with stock Hypex (LM4562) input buffers except the NC1200 has more power.

Third thing is the Kaluga's have a linear power supply for the discrete input buffer stage and the modulator stage of the NC1200 module. I have marked that with RED.

So why did Bruno Putzeys choose to implement a discrete input buffer and a linear power supply for the input buffer for the Kaluga's. Interesting right?

Please admit that you have done nothing else but took stock modules from the Hypex carton box and put them in your Chinese aluminum box. Nord acoustics, Apollon Audio, Rouge Audio and ATM have at least designed their own input buffer, which makes quite a difference in sound quality. Stock Hypex NC500 and NC1200 modules are in my opinion nothing special and don't sound even close to the Mola Mola Kaluga.

 

[March Audio]

Hello troll. Feeling better now you have that off your chest?

I haven't bashed discrete input buffers but there is absolutely no reason to assume that discrete is automatically better. That's just Audiophile ignorance/folklore. It is very good however for marketing to ignorant audiophiles.

By the way this Nc1200 has linear supply regulator for the buffer. This is the performance of the supply.

Have you seen any measurements of the alternative buffers offered by competitors? Thought not. As such you have no basis to say it makes any difference apart from of course flawed sighted uncontrolled subjective opinion. You might want to check out the performance of the lm4562 before you imply any defficiency.

http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm4562.pdf

Also you need to take a look at some of the tests Amir has performed with "op amp rolling" to discover that it is ineffective. You dont have to take my word for it.

I would be very suspicious of any buffer if it sounds significantly different. If a difference is overtly audible it's not for any good technical reason. You know, why does it sound different? Whats wrong with it? It cant be transparent in that case. If you want tone controls then use tone controls.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ng-replacing-op-amps-in-topping-d10-dac.4576/

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...amps-in-gustard-h20-headphone-amplifier.7407/


I am very happy for this amp to be put against the Mola Mola in a blind controlled test and let people judge for themselves if 6x the price of the P701 is justifiable. The measurements speak for themselves, the P701 is an excellent technical performer and everyone who has so far heard the P701 think it sounds great.

@Purité Audio has the Kaluga and will be receiving the P701 in the next few days. I invite him to review.

@amirm @Thomas savage can you check the IP and location of this "new member". Not the first time we have seen this sort of thing from competitors.

On ignore bye bye

 

[GrimSurfer]

1. Don't let it get to you. In lieu of that, don't let it show that it's getting to you by using a salutation that undermines your company's values.

2. Don't ask mods to violate a poster's privacy because they might have a commercial interest counter to yours. It's bad form and places Amir and Thomas in the untenable position having to choose between a valued member and an important principle.

3. Do use your technical abilities to respond to the poster's criticisms. This is a technical forum and the membership has a great deal of respect for detailed replies.

Any right thinking person will see HighEndFreak's single post for what it is, so let's not bring down the house over this.

 

[March Audio]

1. Don't let it get to you. In lieu of that, don't let it show that it's getting to you by using a salutation that undermines your company's values.

2. Don't ask mods to violate a poster's privacy because they might have a commercial interest counter to yours. It's bad form and places Amir and Thomas in the untenable position having to choose between a valued member and an important principle.

3. Do use your technical abilities to respond to the poster's criticisms. This is a technical forum and the membership has a great deal of respect for detailed replies.

Any right thinking person will see HighEndFreak's single post for what it is, so let's not bring down the house over this.

Hi Grim, I hear what you are saying but.........

It's not invading the posters privacy, the forum software logs the info. It's not being revealed to anyone and in itself it doesn't identify any individual. However it does allow correlation with previous activity.

This bears all the hallmarks of an individual that was banned previously for doing exactly this sort of thing in exactly the same way - hence the question to the mods.

I call people out for what they are and make no apologies for that. As you say yourself, the intent of the post is clear to everyone and its not acceptable.

 

[maty]

March Audio P701 Mono

Mola Mola mono

 

[Frank Dernie]

So why did Bruno Putzeys choose to implement a discrete input buffer and a linear power supply for the input buffer for the Kaluga's. Interesting right?

Because it is an expensive product so needs to be different and people like you think a discrete buffer and linear power supply are inherently better???

 

[GrimSurfer]

Hi Grim, I hear what you are saying but.........

It's not invading the posters privacy, the forum software logs the info. It's not being revealed to anyone and in itself it doesn't identify any individual. However it does allow correlation with previous activity.

This bears all the hallmarks of an individual that was banned previously for doing exactly this sort of thing in exactly the same way - hence the question to the mods.

I call people out for what they are and make no apologies for that. As you say yourself, the intent of the post is clear to everyone and its not acceptable.

The real trolls will use a VPN, so their IP will be all over the map.

If it's somebody with an axe to grind, let them grind it so we can all yawn and ignore them. They'll go away.

Whenever I see these posts I look at the post count of the dude, if it's one or so, the intent is pretty obvious.

From this side of the world, all I'm seeing is a swell window opening at Cottesloe... and what could be better than that?

 

[Soniclife]

If it's somebody with an axe to grind, let them grind it so we can all yawn and ignore them. They'll go away.

If it's who I think it is they never got bored in the past.

 

[SIY]

Just remember:

"Three legs good, eight legs bad." - Scott Wurcer

 

[SIY]

BTW, @March Audio feel free to send me one for my next birthday.

 

[GrimSurfer]

If it's who I think it is they never got bored in the past.

And they won't be deterred by being banned. So if it is the same guy, banning him again won't work.

- "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome." Anon

 

[DKT88]

Because discrete input buffers simply sound better and smoother and who better to know this than the man that designed the NC1200 in the first place.

An appeal to authority fallacious argument is not going to sway anyone here. If you want to make that a priori claim you need proof that discrete buffers perform better than opamp-based.

 

[restorer-john]

For instance the NC400 also has a fully discrete signal path without IC's.

You do know there is an audiophile's favorite, NE-5532 in there don't you?

 

[k3nb5t]

@March Audio

Really impressive! On my short list for an upcoming upgrade

I have one question, have you considered including a trigger controlled standby mode? This would go a long way when included in a multi-purpose setup and increase WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) all around.

EDIT: It just occurred to me that this may be unnecessary on a class-D... either way, I'm still curious

 

[Deleted member 2944]

It does say "Transparent, fully discrete input circuitry" on the description page.
https://www.diyclassd.com/product/nc400/11

Dave.

 

[restorer-john]

BTW, @March Audio feel free to send me one for my next birthday.

Just one? You should try stereo sometime and upgrade your entertainment unit.

 

[March Audio]

@March Audio

Really impressive! On my short list for an upcoming upgrade

I have one question, have you considered including a trigger controlled standby mode? This would go a long way when included in a multi-purpose setup and increase WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) all around.

EDIT: It just occurred to me that this may be unnecessary on a class-D... either way, I'm still curious

Thanks K3

So far only a very few people have inquired about having a trigger so I have not included it. I am about to order a second batch of P701 (nearly sold out of the first batch) so it is actually a convenient time to mod the casework design and control PCB to include it.

Class D is efficient, circa 90% but I would still turn them off when not in use. I dont see any point in unnecessarily using electricity or using up life in the capacitors. It wont make any noticeable of difference to the sound quality, it will warm up very quickly to optimum performance. On standby the P701 uses about 0.4 watts but when on at idle (no music playing) it is still around 25 watts.

NC1200

SMPS1200