Tks
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I think we agree more than we disagree. My reasoning is:
The active components in need of cooling are thermally connected to a plate below the amp/psu modules, which in turn are connected to the bottom plate of the case. That plate is a heatsink with a comparable surface area to the ones on the sides, and is probably sufficient without further help from the ones on the sides as it is in the FusionAmp plate amps. In contrast the coils aren't thermally connected to a heatsink, and aren't intended to be. They're intended to be cooled by airflow, either passive or if necessary forced. Ventilation holes would improve the cooling of the coils, and the thermal image suggests that the coil cooling is more likely to be a limiting factor than using the bottom plate as the heatsink.
The case looks like an off the shelf unit more or less, so I don't think there's much extra cost in those side heatsinks. They're also difficult to use effectively with these amp/psu modules. The same goes for the similar case audiophonics use.
I agree, which is why I am perplexed by the cost of this unit. Seems like an average effort. But then again it seems power amps cost an arm and a leg for no reason as compared to headphone amps (though I am told it's due to the power expectations being a totally different ball game on power amps, which makes sense, but for these prices? Eh, i'd rather simply cut to the chase and get a Benchmark if I am already at that spending tier). Or hope another company grows a brainstem and contacts THX and presents a new offering seeing as the Benchmark has been alone in it's category for years now it seems.
A custom case would make it much, much more expensive.
The case is the most expensive part of a component (alongside the power transformer in linear supply component)
I don't agree. Look at what Benchmark offers for $3,000 made in New York.. The two offerings are far apart. Even with a 50% price increase over the Nord, you get a solution you never really need to wonder about build/design decisions, and as of now, the best performing amp known in existence.
And it's been out for years.
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